§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if his Department has completed the preliminary technical work relating to five economic tests for the euro and if he will make a statement; [75718]
(2) when he plans to start the assessment of the five economic tests for euro membership; and if he will make a statement. [75719]
§ Ruth KellyI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 October,Official Report, column 607W.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which staff within Her Majesty's Treasury will carry out the assessment of the five economic tests for membership of the euro; and if he will make a statement. [75840]
§ Ruth KellyI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell) on 20 May,Official Report, column 105W.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his assessment of how the monetary transmission mechanism of the UK economy differs from that of the euro area. [75841]
§ Ruth KellyThe Government has said that it will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament. The assessment has not yet started, but the necessary preliminary analysis—technical work that is necessary to allow us to undertake the assessment within two years as promised—is underway.
As we set out in "Paper for the Treasury Select Committee on the Treasury's Approach to the Preliminary and Technical Work" issued on 6 September: A number of supporting studies will be published encompassing the preliminary and technical work … When the assessment is complete, the detailed supporting studies will be published alongside, all to be subject to intensive public scrutiny and debate." More detail on the supporting studies is given in the Paper.