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Gross Bilateral Aid 1984-88                                     
£ thousand                                                      
                                     |Of which|ATP as           
                                     |ATP     |percent-         
                                              |age              
----------------------------------------------------------------
1984                                                            
Central and Southern Africa                                     
Angola                      |146     |-       |-                
Botswana                    |15,975  |2,716   |17.01            
Burundi                     |75      |-       |-                
Comoros                     |-       |-       |-                
Congo                       |62      |-       |-                
Lesotho                     |5,233   |-       |-                
Madagascar                  |363     |175     |48.21            
Malawi                      |12,959  |-       |-                
Mauritius                   |1,437   |-       |-                
Mozambique                  |4,182   |318     |7.61             
Mayotte                     |-       |-       |-                
Namibia                     |313     |-       |-                
Reunion                     |-       |-       |-                
Rwanda                      |29      |-       |-                
Sao Tome and Principe       |21      |-       |-                
Seychelles                  |1,623   |-       |-                
South Africa                |-       |-       |-                
Swaziland                   |5,626   |-       |-                
Zaire                       |1,253   |-       |-                
Zambia                      |32,901  |-       |-                
Zimbabwe                    |15,062  |289     |1.92             
                            |---     |---     |---              
Total                       |97,260  |3,498   |3.60             
                                                                
1985                                                            
Angola                      |164     |-       |-                
Botswana                    |8,775   |257     |2.94             
Burundi                     |81      |-       |-                
Comoros                     |-       |-       |-                
Congo                       |120     |-       |-                
Lesotho                     |2,382   |-       |-                
Madagascar                  |469     |-       |-                
Malawi                      |22,356  |143     |0.64             
Mauritius                   |2,187   |-       |-                
Mozambique                  |8,366   |322     |3.86             
Mayotte                     |-       |-       |-                
Namibia                     |605     |-       |-                
Reunion                     |-       |-       |-                
Rwanda                      |94      |-       |-                
Sao Tome and Principe       |-       |-       |-                
Seychelles                  |1,136   |-       |-                
South Africa                |-       |-       |-                
Swaziland                   |3,469   |-       |-                
Zaire                       |738     |-       |-                
Zambia                      |25,552  |-       |-                
Zimbabwe                    |23,636  |69      |0.30             
                            |---     |---     |---              
Total                       |100,130 |792     |0.80             
                                                                
1986                                                            
Angola                      |317     |-       |-                
Botswana                    |12,328  |105     |0.86             
Burundi                     |95      |-       |-                
Comoros                     |-       |-       |-                
Congo                       |127     |-       |-                
Lesotho                     |3,784   |-       |-                
Madagascar                  |514     |-       |-                
Malawi                      |15,346  |87      |0.57             
Mauritius                   |5,779   |4,202   |72.72            
Mozambique                  |7,424   |118     |1.59             
Mayotte                     |-       |-                         
Namibia                     |733     |-       |-                
Reunion                     |-       |-       |-                
Rwanda                      |115     |-       |-                
Sao Tome and Principe       |4       |-       |-                
Seychelles                  |2,519   |-       |-                
South Africa                |-       |-       |-                
Swaziland                   |6,402   |-       |-                
Zaire                       |285     |-       |-                
Zambia                      |35,351  |-       |-                
Zimbabwe                    |12,503  |3       |0.03             
                            |------- |------- |-------          
Total                       |103,628 |4,516   |4.36             
                                                                
1987                                                            
Angola                      |261     |-       |-                
Botswana                    |12,219  |6       |0.05             
Burundi                     |90      |-       |-                
Comoros                     |-       |-       |-                
Congo                       |179     |-       |-                
Lesotho                     |3,942   |-       |-                
Madagascar                  |551     |-       |-                
Malawi                      |24,865  |1,657   |6.67             
Mauritius                   |8,107   |1,961   |24.20            
Mozambique                  |22,798  |661     |2.90             
Mayotte                     |-       |-       |-                
Namibia                     |969     |-       |-                
Reunion                     |-       |-       |-                
Rwanda                      |191     |-       |-                
Sao Tome and Principe       |-       |-       |-                
Seychelles                  |1,689   |-       |-                
South Africa                |-       |-       |-                
Swaziland                   |3,514   |-       |-                
Zaire                       |3,112   |-       |-                
Zambia                      |25,349  |-       |-                
Zimbabwe                    |12,498  |-       |-                
                            |------- |------- |-------          
Total                       |120,334 |4,285   |3.57             
                                                                
1988                                                            
Angola                      |505     |-       |-                
Botswana                    |8,251   |-       |-                
Burundi                     |116     |-       |-                
Comoros                     |1       |-       |-                
Congo                       |296     |-       |-                
Lesotho                     |4,898   |-       |-                
Madagascar                  |434     |-       |-                
Malawi                      |46,494  |1,410   |3.04             
Mauritius                   |6,374   |-       |-                
Mozambique                  |30,512  |-       |-                
Mayotte                     |-       |-       |-                
Namibia                     |2,033   |-       |-                
Reunion                     |-       |-       |-                
Rwanda                      |291     |-       |-                
Sao Tome and Principe       |16      |-       |-                
Seychelles                  |1,716   |-       |-                
South Africa                |-       |-       |-                
Swaziland                   |5,058   |-       |-                
Zaire                       |595     |-       |-                
Zambia                      |16,683  |-       |-                
Zimbabwe                    |24,127  |4,041   |16.75            
                            |------- |------- |-------          
Total                       |148,401 |5,451   |3.68             
Footnote:                                                       
The United Kingdom does not provide aid to the Government of    
South Africa but does give aid to black South Africans          
disadvantaged by apartheid, through the TC programme for black  
South Africans. It is excluded from gross public expenditure as 
South Africa is not classified by OECD as a developing country. 
The amounts given through this scheme were as follows (in £     
thousands): 494 in 1984, 691 in 1985, 772 in 1986, 1,577 in     
1987, 4,288 in 1988.                                            

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the last five years (a) the flows of aid from the United Kingdom to (i) Angola, (ii) Ethiopia, (iii) Kenya, (iv) Tanzania, (v) Uganda, (vi) Zaire and (vii) all remaining central and eastern African nations, listing those classified under this regional grouping and (b) the proportions in each case of this aid tied to trade deals involving United Kingdom companies.


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Mr. Waldegrave : The answer for eastern Africa is as follows : the information requested on central Africa is given in the answer to the hon. Member's question on southern Africa.


Gross Bilateral Aid 1984-1988                                  
£ thousand                                                     
                    1984 of which ATP     ATP as a             
                                         |Percentage           
---------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Africa                                                 
Djibouti           |8         |-         |-                    
Ethiopia           |7,004     |-         |-                    
Kenya              |38,312    |2,021     |5.28                 
Somalia            |2,058     |-         |-                    
Sudan              |27,427    |-         |-                    
Tanzania           |33,033    |-         |-                    
Uganda             |7,081     |-         |-                    
Yemen North (YAR)  |3,103     |-         |-                    
Yemen South (PDRY) |969       |-         |-                    
                   |----      |----      |----                 
Total              |118,995   |2,021     |1.70                 

Gross Bilateral Aid 1984-1988                                  
£ thousand                                                     
                    1985 of which ATP     ATP as a             
                                         |Percentage           
---------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Africa                                                 
Djibouti           |-         |-         |-                    
Ethiopia           |28,058    |-         |-                    
Kenya              |34,438    |360       |1.05                 
Somalia            |1,737     |-         |-                    
Sudan              |42,296    |-         |-                    
Tanzania           |17,967    |-         |-                    
Uganda             |9,171     |-         |-                    
Yemen North (YAR)  |3,104     |-         |-                    
Yemen South (PDRY) |985       |-         |-                    
                   |----      |----      |----                 
Total              |137,757   |360       |0.27                 


Gross Bilateral Aid 1984-1988                                  
£ thousand                                                     
                    1986 of which ATP     ATP as a             
                                         |Percentage           
---------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Africa                                                 
Djibouti           |2         |-         |-                    
Ethiopia           |9,627     |-         |-                    
Kenya              |33,754    |2,049     |6.08                 
Somalia            |3,941     |-         |-                    
Sudan              |25,996    |-         |-                    
Tanzania           |12,715    |-         |-                    
Uganda             |8,576     |-         |-                    
Yemen North (YAR)  |3,775     |-         |-                    
Yemen South (PDRY) |943       |-         |-                    
                   |----      |----      |----                 
Total              |99,329    |2,049     |2.07                 

                             |Of which |ATP as             
                             |ATP      |per cent.          
-----------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Africa                                             
1987                                                       
Djibouti           |168      |-        |-                  
Ethiopia           |8,554    |-        |-                  
Kenya              |28,513   |2,972    |10.43              
Somalia            |7,292    |-        |-                  
Sudan              |20,327   |-        |-                  
Tanzania           |28,789   |-        |-                  
Uganda             |12,180   |-        |-                  
Yemen North (YAR)  |5,168    |-        |-                  
Yemen South (PDRY) |1,157    |-        |-                  
                   |----     |----     |----               
Total              |112,148  |2,972    |2.66               
                                                           
1988                                                       
Djibouti           |134      |-        |-                  
Ethiopia           |19,174   |-        |-                  
Kenya              |49,433   |4,383    |8.37               
Somalia            |6,675    |-        |-                  
Sudan              |25,829   |-        |-                  
Tanzania           |33,502   |-        |-                  
Uganda             |28,589   |-        |-                  
Yemen North (YAR)  |6,603    |1,203    |18.23              
Yemen South (PDRY) |444      |-        |-                  
                   |----     |----     |----               
Total              |170,383  |5,587    |3.28               

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the chart printed in the Official Report, 31 January, columns 191-92, in pounds sterling.

Mr. Waldegrave: The answer is as follows :


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Disbursements of Net Official Development Assistance 1980-1988                                          
              United Kingdom            EEC Countries<1>(includingEEC Countries<2>(excluding            
                           United Kingdom)                        United Kingdom)                       
              (a)                       (b)                       (c)                                   
             |£ million   |per cent GNP|£ million   |per cent GNP|£ million   |per cent GNP             
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980         |797         |0.35        |5,577       |0.47        |4,780       |0.50                     
1981         |1,081       |0.43        |6,264       |0.53        |5,183       |0.56                     
1982         |1,028       |0.37        |6,987       |0.53        |5,959       |0.57                     
1983         |1,061       |0.35        |7,605       |0.51        |6,544       |0.55                     
1984         |1,069       |0.33        |8,478       |0.51        |7,409       |0.55                     
1985         |1,180       |0.33        |8,964       |0.51        |7,783       |0.55                     
1986         |1,185       |0.31        |10,995      |0.51        |9,811       |0.55                     
1987         |1,142       |0.28        |11,651      |0.49        |10,509      |0.53                     
1988         |1,485       |0.32        |11,919      |0.49        |10,434      |0.53                     

Disbursements of Net Official Development Assistance 1980-1988                                                  
               United States of America    Japan                       Australia and New Zealand                
               (d)                         (e)                         (f)                                      
              |£ million    |per cent GNP |£ million    |per cent GNP |£ million    |per cent. GNP              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980          |3,069        |0.27         |1,441        |0.32         |318          |0.46                       
1981          |2,851        |0.19         |1,564        |0.28         |354          |0.40                       
1982          |4,686        |0.27         |1,727        |0.28         |541          |0.52                       
1983          |5,327        |0.24         |2,479        |0.32         |537          |0.46                       
1984          |6,518        |0.24         |3,232        |0.34         |623          |0.43                       
1985          |7,253        |0.24         |2,929        |0.29         |619          |0.46                       
1986          |6,523        |0.23         |3,842        |0.29         |564          |0.44                       
1987          |5,458        |0.20         |4,480        |0.31         |436          |0.32                       
1988          |5,693        |0.21         |5,128        |0.32         |677          |0.44                       
<1>EEC countries which are members of the DAC : Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland<2>, Italy,           
Netherlands, United Kingdom.                                                                                    
<2>Ireland not included in 1980 and 1981 as figures not available.                                              

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, further to his reply, Official Report, 31 January, column 190, he will list those countries included under the headings South America, Africa and Asia and the middle east as being beneficiaries of United Kingdom bilateral aid and trade flows ; and if he will list any other beneficiaries not classified under these three groupings.

Mr. Waldegrave The following countries were beneficiaries of funds from the aid and trade provision in the period 1984-88South America

Brazil

Colombia

Paraguay

Peru

Africa

Botswana

Cameroon

Egypt

Kenya

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius

Mozambique

Tunisia

Zimbabwe

Asia and Middle East

Burma

China

India

Indonesia

Jordan

Malaysia

Philippines

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Yemen Arab Republic

Other Beneficiaries

Belize

Cyprus

Panama

Turkey

Leeward Islands

Further details can be found in "British Aid Statistics 1984-88," a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

1992

Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to the anticipated consequences for developing and under developed countries of the European Communities 1992 programme, in respect of their aid and trade relations with (a) the European Community, (b) individual European Community nations and (c) the United Kingdom.

Mr. Waldegrave : The creation of a single market in 1992 will not affect the way the European Community and individual member states decide their aid programmes to developing countries. The United Kingdom maintains a


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substantial and effective aid programme and will continue to do so. The single market programme will integrate the economies of the EC member states more closely. By removing barriers to trade and increasing the size of the market it should provide new opportunities for those of our trading partners outside the Community.

Cambodia

Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the Australian proposal to partition Cambodia into two zones, one held by the Khmer Rouge and the other by Phnom Penh.

Mr. Waldegrave : Senator Evans' proposal for a UN-administered interim authority in Cambodia pending free and fair elections does not envisage the partition of Cambodia. We strongly support the Australian initiative which the permanent members of the UN Security Council are actively pursuing.

Rain Forest

Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he hopes to meet non-governmental organisations on the rain forest ; and if he will make a statement to the House subsequent to the meeting.

Mr. Waldegrave : My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has regular contact with representatives of the non- governmental organisations on environmental matters including the rain forests. She or ODA officials are ready to meet NGO representatives at short notice if issues arise which require this.

South Africa

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the South African authorities concerning the human rights implications of the continued imprisonment of those persons who have refused to serve in the South African defence forces for reasons of faith.

Mr. Waldegrave : The South African Defence Act makes provision for conscientious objection on religious grounds. We understand why some young South Africans choose to refuse military service and we respect the strength and sincerity of their views. Such decisions are, however, a matter for the individuals concerned.


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CIVIL SERVICE

Code of Practice

98. Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many complaints were made to him during 1989 about the operation of the Civil Service code of practice.

Mr. Luce : Individual complaints about the operation of the conduct provisions of the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code are dealt with by the Department concerned. I receive representations of a more general nature from time to time.

Trade Unions

101. Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he last met representatives of the Civil Service trade unions ; and what subjects were discussed.

Mr. Luce : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher).

Racial Discrimination

102. Mr. Soames : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how he intends to counter racial discrimination in appointments to the Civil Service.

Mr. Luce : The Civil Service is an equal opportunity employer ; selection is on merit by fair and open competition. Action to support this policy includes monitoring recruitment procedures, validating selection tests for different racial groups and equal opportunity training for those involved in selection.

Vetting

100. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the vetting procedures in the Civil Service.

Mr. Luce : The vetting system is an important element of the protective arrangements which exist to counter threats to security. It is not the practice to give detailed information about the system.

Obligations to the Crown

103. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service pursuant to his answer of 6 February, if he will make a statement on the meeting between the Civil Service unions and the head of the home Civil Service to discuss wider obligations to the Crown in Parliament.


Column 44

Mr. Luce : The head of the home Civil Service met the Civil Service unions on 7 February to discuss a range of matters, including the proposed revision of the paragraphs of the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code which deal with the use of official information. He has undertaken to write to the unions confirming assurances given to them at the meeting that there is no inconsistency between proposed code revision and the note by his predecessor on the duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers, which was published in the Official Report on 2 December 1987, and in particular that the proposed revision does not impose duties and obligations on civil servants which conflict with any statutory or other responsibilities they may have.

Civil Service College

Mr. Battle : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the quality of service performance indicators that have been introduced into the Civil Service college since its establishment as an agency.

Mr. Luce : Since the beginning of 1990, ratings of the quality of the Civil Service college's training, accommodation, catering and support services have contributed to an overall value for money indicator. This new performance indicator complements the course evaluation indicator which was in operation before the transition to agency status.

Agencies

Mr. Grocott : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the Civil Service agencies that have been established with the dates and the number of staff employed in each case.

Mr. Luce : The information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the table.


Agency                          |Established     |Staff                            
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vehicle Inspectorate            |1 August 1988   |1,550                            
Companies House                 |3 October 1988  |1,150                            
Her Majesty's Stationery Office |14 December 1988|3,200                            
National Weights and Measures                                                      
  Laboratory                    |18 April 1989   |50                               
Warren Spring Laboratory        |20 April 1989   |300                              
Resettlement Agency             |24 May 1989     |550                              
Civil Service College           |6 June 1989     |200                              
QE11 Conference Centre          |6 July 1989     |50                               
Historic Royal Palaces          |1 October 1989  |350                              
Laboratory of the Government                                                       
  Chemist                       |30 October 1989 |300                              
                                |-------         |-------                          
Total 10 Agencies                                |7,700                            

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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Exports

Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the action which he is taking to increase British exports.

Mr. Redwood : My Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provide through the export initiative a package of measures offering a wide range of practical help, advice and support to United Kingdom exporters.

Our clear aim is to encourage potential exporters to consider selling overseas and existing exporters to sell more. The decision to export of course rests with individual firms : it is they who will determine whether they are successful. Our role is to help them in their decision-making and to provide the services they require to enter export markets. Our services are closely monitored to ensure they continue to meet the needs of exporters.

It is encouraging to see that the volume of exports, excluding oil and erratic items, was 10 per cent. higher in 1989 than in 1988.

Japan

Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to open the Japanese market to exports from Britain.

Mr. Redwood : The Government have two main trade policy objectives with regard to further opening the Japanese market to exports from Britain. First, to encourage the Japanese authorities to pursue structural reforms to sustain the shift in the balance of their economy from growth led by exports to growth led by domestic demand. Secondly, to secure the removal of the remaining specific barriers to market access. We have been successful : few such barriers remain, and where they do the Government campaign vigorously for their removal in cooperation with the European Commission. We are also strenuously promoting business awareness of the opportunities in the Japanese market and the improvement of our businessmen's skills in the Japanese language. Last year United Kingdom exports to Japan increased by £525 million to £2.3 billion, an increase of 30 per cent. over 1988.

Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received regarding access to the Japanese market for British exports.

Mr. Redwood : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Industry on 6 December. Last year, our exports to Japan increased in value by 30.1 per cent.

Eastern Europe

Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has to promote exports from the north-east to eastern European countries.

Mr. Redwood : My Department is encouraging business men to look hard at the new commercial opportunities in


Column 46

eastern Europe. DTI Ministers are playing their part both by receiving incoming delegations and by leading business missions themselves. At the end of last year the Minister for Trade and I led business teams to the USSR and Hungary respectively. In the course of the next two months the Secretary of State and I will be taking business men to the USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania while the Minister for Trade will be visiting British stands at the Leipzig fair in the GDR.

My Department is also encouraging British business to take full advantage of the several United Kingdom, EC and multilateral assistance schemes becoming available to help explore the new opportunities for direct investment, joint ventures, and other forms of industrial cooperation. Potential exporters from the north-east can take advantage of the advice from my Department's export service staff in the regional office in Newcastle.

Leeds Task Force

Dr. Hampson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the work of the inner-city task force in Leeds with regard to securing jobs and training for local people and giving assistance to existing local firms and start-up businesses ; and how many private sector companies have supported task-force projects in Leeds.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Government's Chapeltown and Harehills task force has committed £5 million to support some 130 projects. These should create over 340 jobs and more than 3,500 training places for residents of the area. Seventy-three existing businesses and 137 new businesses have received assistance, primarily through the task force's development fund. More than 50 of the projects involve private sector funding.

Cosmetics (Additives)

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls exist over the use of additives in cosmetics ; if he will publish a list of those additives whose use is permitted in cosmetics ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : The ingredients of cosmetics are regulated by the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1989 SI 1989 No. 2233. Suppliers are permitted to use only those preservatives and colourants on the "permitted lists" in schedules 3 and 4, and in future no further anti-oxidants are to be prescribed by future directives.

Electric Vehicles

Mr. Jack : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on non-governmental research being carried out in the United Kingdom to develop road vehicles powered by electricity.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : Companies carrying out research into various aspects of electric vehicle (EV) technology include Chloride EV Systems which has a joint venture with General Motors to develop the electric "G Van" and Lucas Industries (UK) which is collaborating with United States and Swedish companies to develop traction batteries.


Column 47

Garston Amhurst

Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to exercise his powers under the Financial Services and Companies Acts to trace funds invested in the Garston Amhurst Associates Group (a) in an account at Barclays bank, Lewisham and (b) overseas.

Mr. Redwood : On 25 January 1990 the Official Receiver was appointed provisional liquidator of five companies in the Garston Amhurst Associates group, following petitions for compulsory winding-up orders to be made against the companies by the Securities and Investments Board. The Official Receiver's inquiries into the assets of the companies are continuing. I am satisfied that the Official Receiver has sufficient powers under the Insolvency Act 1986 to carry out his functions as provisional liquidator.

Television Sets

Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many television sets were imported into Great Britain in 1989.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The number of television sets imported into the United Kingdom in 1989 was 1,885,000.

Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many television sets were manufactured in Great Britain in 1989.

Mr. Douglas Hogg : The number of television sets manufactured in Great Britain in 1989 is provisionally estimated at 2.6 million.

Reeve Leisure Limited

Mr. Allason : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning timeshare promotion schemes of Reeve Leisure Ltd., of Kings avenue, New Malden ; and what action he proposes to take.

Mr. Forth : I have received a number of complaints about the promotional activities of Reeve Leisure Ltd. as well as complaints about other timeshare companies. My hon. Friend will be aware that I asked the Director General of Fair Trading in June 1989 to undertake a review of the whole range of timeshare problems and to let me have his recommendations in the early part of this year.

Chlorofluorocarbons

Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the recycling of chlorofluorocarbons from the foam in refrigerators.

Mr. Forth : There are technical difficulties in extracting chlorofluorocarbons from the foam in refrigerators, and I know of no full- scale system operating anywhere at present. My Department has commissioned Coopers and Lybrand to carry out a wide-ranging study into chlorofluorocarbons use, including the technical and economic options for their recovery, recycling and destruction. That study is due to be completed shortly.


Column 48

Loan Sharks

Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the increasing activities of loan sharks on council estates in Manchester ; what reply he is sending ; if there is any action he will be taking ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : The only representations my right hon. Friend has received are those contained in the right hon. Member's letter of 1 February, to which a reply will be sent shortly. The law, in particular the consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Administration of Justice Act 1970, provides the enforcement authorities with appropriate powers to protect the public from loan sharks. The Director General of Fair Trading and local authorities have the duty of enforcing consumer credit legislation whilst enforcement of other relevant laws is a matter for the police.

Ferranti Defence Systems

Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Office of Fair Trading began its investigation into the planned GEC acquisition of Ferranti Defence Systems ; and when it hopes to report.


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