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Inward Investment
Mr. Heseltine : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total cost to United Kingdom taxpayers of all forms of grant and subsidy paid to encourage inward investment by Japanese industry in the United Kingdom since 1979.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : Around £190 million was paid in investment incentives to Japanese-owned companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1989 under the main schemes of regional and national assistance for industrial development.Company Investigations
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what means are open to an investor to discover whether the auditors of his company have been criticised by his Department's inspectors or any disciplinary committee of the profession.
Mr. Redwood : Apart from writing direct to the auditors, or raising the matter at the company's general meeting, an investor may as appropriate consult my Department's investigations division or the professional accountancy body to which the firm of auditors belongs.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to ensure that sole practitioners and partnerships which are permitted to carry out statutory audits will be required to file annual accounts and reports with the appropriate supervisory body.
Mr. Redwood : Decisions on the information which company auditors should furnish to recognised supervisory bodies have yet to be made.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to require companies to supplement their accounts-based financial statements with cash flow statements.
Mr. Redwood : No. Such supplementary information is best dealt with by means of accounting standards.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any accountancy firm was criticised by his Department's inspectors in their report on Orbit Holdings.
Mr. Redwood : Yes. I regret that no reference was made to this report or the inspectors' report on Burnholme and Forder Limited and Brayhead Limited in the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 19 December 1989, Official Report, column 139.
Name of company |Date of publica- |Name of accountants
|tion of report
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burnholme and |17 July 1979 |Josolyne Layton
Forder Limited |Bennett and Co.
Brayhead Limited
Orbit Holdings |23 December 1981 |C. T. Moore and Co.
Limited
|Mitchell and Co.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to require companies to publish profit forecasts.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list the names and business connections of the 13 non-departmental inspectors appointed by him in 1988-89 ; (2) if he will list the names and business connections of the non-departmental inspectors appointed by him in 1989-90.
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Mr. Redwood : The information is as follows :
1988-89
L. D. Ziman of Messrs. Nabarro Nathanson, Solicitors
W. M. Hoffman of Messrs. Baker Tilley and Co., Chartered Accountants
D. A. Evans QC
B. L. Worth of Messrs. Clark Whitehill, Chartered Accountants Miss M. H. Arden QC
G. N. Lane of Messrs. Chantrey Vellacott, Chartered Accountants G. W. Staple of Messrs. Clifford Chance, Solicitors
T. G. J. Tress of Messrs Hays Allen, Chartered Accountants P. L. Heslop QC
R. P. G. Lewis of Messrs. Kidsons, Chartered Accountants M. Crystal QC
D. L. Spence of Messrs Grant Thornton, Chartered Accountants E. L. Lawson QC
D. Anton of Messrs. Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Chartered Accountants
1989-90
Miss H. Heilbron QC
M. D. Boohan of Messrs. Grant Thornton, Chartered Accountants G. S. Moss QC
J. R. Venning of Messrs. Robson Rhodes, Chartered Accountants R. M. Owen QC
P. D. Powell of Messrs. Moore Stephens, Chartered Accountants C. J. Brougham QC
R. T. Turner of Messrs. Neville Russell, Chartered Accountants.
Textiles
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that the ban on sectoral aid schemes for the textile industry has been adhered to by all member states of the European Economic Community ; and if he will make a statement concerning the results of his monitoring of this agreement and the effects on the British textile industry.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : It is the responsibility of the European Commission to maintain the regulation of sectoral aid schemes for the textile industry, and the Government are confident that it vigorously enforces the rules in an even-handed way.
The United Kingdom closely monitors the Commission's work to ensure a level playing field for British industry and we are satisfied that it is not having an adverse effect on the industry.
Advertising
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his advertising budget for each of the next three years ; and on what basis it is to be allocated.
Mr. Ridley : Individual allocations within the publicity budget beyond the current year have yet to be decided, but the Department's central publicity budget will fall in real terms over the next three years. I expect the majority of next year's publicity spend to go towards information materials other than paid advertising. Expenditure is decided according to need, and on a case-by-case basis.
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Brand Valuations
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will issue guidance on the inclusion of brands valuations in the balance sheet.
Mr. Redwood : No. The Accounting Standards Committee has already issued guidance on this subject, which will be included in an exposure draft due to be published later this year.
Newtech, Clwyd
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will visit Newtech, Deeside industrial park, Clywd, to see the one-stop shop for business advice ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I have no present plans to visit Newtech.
Departmental Structure
Mr. Knowles : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for the future structure of his Department.
Mr. Ridley : The organisation of DTI was changed in 1988 at the time of the White Paper "DTI--the department for Enterprise" (Cm 278). One of the main changes then was the replacement of "industry" divisions by "market" divisions, organised by sector and covering a wide range of activities for each sector including collaborative projects, technology transfer, standards, market information, international trade issues and the promotion and presentation of policies for which other DTI divisions were responsible, such as the single market, deregulation and business/education links. My predecessor as Secretary of State decided last year that these organisational arrangements should be reviewed ; the review has now been completed and I have decided to make some modifications to this part of DTI's organisation.
There are key priorities spanning all industrial sectors, on which the industrial side of my Department needs to concentrate. They include policies and programmes for collaborative research projects, technology transfer and standards ; and there are other important issues for my Department, such as the response of business to environmental issues. I intend to bring together DTI expertise to provide a more concentrated focus on these long-term issues. The present activities of "market" divisions will be better managed by a different structure of divisions each concentrating on a set of policies or programmes ; expertise will then be focused on information technology, on manufacturing technology, on the environment and business, and on market assessment. Divisions with policy responsibilities for matters such as international trade, the single market, business/education links and deregulation will be responsible for communicating with business direct, rather than through the "market" divisions as at present. The focus of responsibility, and lines of communication, will both be clearer and more direct.
Where there are continuing Government responsibilities towards specific industrial sectors--such as aerospace, shipbuilding, vehicles, industrial materials and steel--these responsibilities will be handled, so long as they are
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required, by task forces which focus on the sectors in question. The task force approach will also provide a capability for responding flexibly to specific but temporary issues affecting industry and commerce.For other sectors of the Department's work, I intend to continue my predecessor's policy of setting up entities such as the Patent Office, Companies House, the Insolvency Service and the research establishments as Next Steps agencies. Good progress is being made. As I said in my letter to the Chairman of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry on 26 January, I intend no changes in the arrangements for the regulatory divisions of the DTI--other than to make sure they continue to be adequately staffed to pursue their important functions. More widely, I am continuing to study how best industry and commerce should be provided with other DTI services. The changes in the organisation of the market divisions will be implemented over the next few months. This process will lead to a reduction in the number of posts in the Department, of probably about 100 to 150 posts. I do not expect there to be any redundancies.
Military Equipment Exports
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for the export of military equipment were made in (a) 1988 and (b) 1989 ; and in each case how many of these applications were successful.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 February 1990] : The number of licence applications submitted, and licences granted, in 1988 and 1989 to export goods classified as military equipment or technology defined as falling within group 1 of part II of schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1987 is as follows :
|Applications|Licences
|granted
----------------------------------------------------
1988 |10,756 |11,020
1989 |10,099 |9,952
The statistics of licence applications received and licences granted in the same calendar year are not strictly comparable because the processing of some applications carries over into the following year.
Car Phones
Mr. Gorst : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on east and west European countries that have regulations banning or affecting the temporary importation and use of cars equipped with permanently fixed telephones that can be operated only within the United Kingdom ; and if he has any plans to make bilateral or international arrangements to reduce this problem.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 20 February 1990] : My Department does not collect such information on a systematic basis. However, I am aware that many countries make arrangements to prevent the operation of mobile radio equipment installed in cars which because of differing frequency allocations or equipment standards cannot be lawfully used in those countries, either through sealing up the radio equipment or preventing its importation entirely.
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As international radio networks develop, arrangements are being put in place to permit the temporary importation and operation of this type of equipment. Eighteen member nations of CEPT, the organisation of European telecommunications operators, including the United Kingdom, have signed a memorandum of understanding for the introduction of a pan-European cellular radio network which will, among other things, allow for the free circulation of the relevant equipment in these countries. Similar moves are contemplated by the European Commission, both with regard to equipment standards and free circulation, although discussions on the latter are at an early stage.I believe that these moves will go a considerable way towards alleviating this problem where it occurs.
Footwear Imports
Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total value of imports of both leather and synthetic footwear from (a) the Republic of Korea and (b) Taiwan, in each of the past three years.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 19 February 1990] : The available figures are as follows :
United Kingdom imports of footwear by country of origin
|Leather |Rubber-
|uppers |plastic uppers
|£000<1> |£000<2>
------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Republic of Korea
1987 |16,862 |2,807
1988 |42,931 |4,367
1989 |47,236 |6,076
(b) Taiwan
1987 |22,239 |29,099
1988 |34,648 |27,975
1989 |44,038 |21,662
Source: Customs and Excise-British Footwear Manufacturers
Federation.
<1> All men's women's and children's footwear with leather
uppers, including sports and safety footwear, but excluding
slippers.
<2> Waterproof and non-waterproof footwear with rubber or
plastic uppers, but excluding footwear with textile uppers.
Electric Vehicles
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what investments have been made by his Department into research into electrically powered vehicles for each year since 1980.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 20 February 1990] : Assistance given by my Department towards research into electrically powered vehicles for each year since 1980 is as follows :
Year |Assistance
|(£)
---------------------------------
1980 |763,740
1981 |658,223
1982 |1,317,449
1983 |1,541,799
1984 |2,111,109
1985 |2,169,772
1986 |1,737,317
1987 |816,995
1988 |184,469
1989 |Nil
|-------
Total |11,300,873
Post Office (Privatisation)
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) at whose instigation companies have submitted proposals to his Department in relation to the privatisation of Post Office Letters ;
(2) if the Post Office has been involved in consideration of proposals from companies in relation to the privatisation of Post Office Letters ;
(3) what was the nature of the proposals sent by companies to his Department in relation to the privatisation of Post Office Letters ; and on what basis they have been rejected ;
(4) which companies have approached his Department in relation to the privatisation of Post Office Letters ;
(5) if, in relation to the privatisation of the Post Office, he will indicate which companies were approached by his Department.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 19 February 1990] : As I said on 14 February 1990, Official Report, column 260, my right hon. Friend has met a number of parties some of whom have put forward proposals in relation to letters delivery, and some of whom have not. My right hon. Friend requested these meetings in order to hear all points of view, but the discussions were on a basis of confidentiality.
1992
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what manpower in his Department is devoted to providing advice and briefing to industry, commerce and the general public on the 1992 proposals ; and what expenditure is devoted to this area of policy.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 30 January 1990]: My Department's "Europe Open for Business" campaign, which is dedicated to providing factual information to business on single market proposals, is run by a unit of 13 staff, supported as required by officials elsewhere in the Department, including regional offices. Expenditure on the campaign since its launch in March 1988 has been £4.7 million, excluding advertising to alert firms to the challenges and opportunities.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
County Courts
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the county courts in England and Wales and the current backlog in unopened mail at each county court.
The Attorney-General : I am informed that there is no unopened mail at any of the 275 county courts in England and Wales. At Manchester county court mail was not opened for the period 29 January to 1 February 1990 when the court was closed and moved to new premises. The backlog of unopened mail was dealt with by 11 February 1990.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Human Rights
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on closer scrutiny of the human rights situation in Guatemala by the United Nations human rights commission ;
(2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations special rapporteur on Afghanistan ; (3) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations special rapporteur on Romania ; (4) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations special rapporteur on Chile ; (5) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations special rapporteur on Iran ; (6) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations special rapporteur on El Salvador.
Mr. Sainsbury : We strongly support the United Nations system of special rapporteurs and special advisers on human rights. We shall be studying their recommendations to this year's commission on human rights and, in the light of these recommendations, shall make a decision on each of their mandates.
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's Government will raise human rights violations in Burma in the United Nations human rights commission ;
(2) whether Her Majesty's Government will raise the human rights situation in Sri Lanka in the current session of the United Nations human rights commission ;
(3) whether Her Majesty's Government will raise the human rights situation in Peru at the forthcoming session of the United nations human rights commission ;
(4) whether Her Majesty's Government will raise the torture and ill- treatment of political prisoners in Turkey at the forthcoming session of the United Nations human rights commission.
Mr. Sainsbury : At this year's commission on human rights, for the first time, the 12 members of the European Community agreed to make a common statement on item 12 (country situations). In view of this development, national statements will not be made. The common statement was delivered by the Irish Presidency on 21 February. It raised our concerns about human rights in a wide range of countries including Burma and Sri Lanka. It did not raise Peru or Turkey. A copy of the statement is being placed in the Library of the House.
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent visit to Washington DC, he discussed with his counterpart progress in arrangements for the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
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Mr. Waldegrave : This subject was not discussed. However, there is regular contact at official level with United States representatives.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the European Foreign Affairs Council on 5 February, he discussed the international nuclear
non-proliferation regime.
Mr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his meeting in Bonn on 6 February wih Chancellor Kohl and Foreign Minister Genscher, he raised the matter of the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. Waldegrave : No. We do, however, have regular contact on this subject at official level.
English Teaching
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current annual expenditure on schemes funded by all Government agencies to teach English to adults around the world.
Mr. Sainsbury : About £30.7 million in 1988-89, of which £23 million was on direct teaching by the British Council, covered by income generated. The remainder was made up of FCO scholarships, ODA schemes and BBC World Service English programmes. Expenditure in the current financial year is expected to be about 5 per cent. higher.
Ivory
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any evidence of breaches of the worldwide ban on ivory trade involving elephants slaughtered in Kenya.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have seen no evidence of breaches of the ban on international commercial trade in ivory introduced by CITES on 18 January. Infractions of CITES rules are in the first instance a matter for the CITES secretariat.
South Africa
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government have put to European Community Governments for the lifting of sanctions against South Africa : and which sanctions were involved.
Mr. Waldegrave : At the European political co-operation meeting on 20 February my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pointed out to EC partners that for all practical purposes President de Klerk has taken the steps demanded by EC Foreign Ministers in 1986 when they imposed restrictive measures on South Africa and that it would be logical therefore to respond by lifting those measures. The measures concerned are a ban on new investment in South Africa, a ban on the import of gold coins and a ban on the import of iron and steel. My right honourable Friend urged our European Community colleagues to begin this process by lifting the ban on new investment in South Africa.
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Hong Kong
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his supplementary answer of 16 February. Official Report, column 581, he will state the occasions on which the Chinese Government publicly expressed a preference for direct elections in Hong Kong to start with 10 directly elected seats.
Mr. Sainsbury : We are not aware that the Chinese Government have publicly expressed a view on the precise number of directly elected seats before 1997.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability Employment Credit
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the disability employment credit will be available to previous recipients of severe disablement allowance who have completed a youth training course ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : It is our intention that people who have completed a youth training course and who were previously receiving severe disablement allowance will be eligible to claim the disability employment credit.
Civil Servants (Benefits)
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to collect information on the number of staff in each Government Department who (a) have made applications and (b) are in receipt of (i) family credit and (ii) housing benefit and (1) are likely to receive from April or (2) are already in receipt of community charge rebate ; and if he will give as much information as is already available to him.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The total number of families receiving family credit where the main earner is a civil servant is 6,000. The number of families receiving family credit where the main earner is a member of staff of the Department of Social Security or the Department of Health is 835. We have no plans to collect any more detailed information on a routine basis. The numbers within DSS/DH are known only because the cases concerned are held separately for reasons of confidentiality.
Since these considerations do not apply to housing benefit or community charge benefit, separate figures are not recorded to show the number of claims from staff in Government Departments.
Relocation
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends (a) to publish the results of the further study of the options for relocating some headquarters work and (b) to make a decision regarding relocation of further offices.
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