House of Commons Hansard Debates for 23 Jul 1990

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ivory stock registered in Hong Kong since they were all in the form of name seals. The Agriculture and Fisheries Department is, nevertheless, conducting inspections on selected stock holders. Six persons have been arrested and the Attorney-General's advice on possible prosecution is being sought.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 7 June, Official Report, column 688, if he will give more details of the illegal export of ivory from the United Kingdom seized by the Hong Kong customs and excise special task force.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 9 July 1990] : The ivory consignment in question was originally exported from Hong Kong to Spain on 4 July 1989 and subsequently returned to Hong Kong via London on 10 November 1989. On arrival, it was seized by the Hong Kong customs and excise department. The exporter in Hong Kong was prosecuted and fined HK $1,000. The seizure of 55 kgs ivory products was confiscated.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of measures to be adopted by the Hong Kong authorities to prevent further exports of ivory when the reservation ends on 17 July.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 9 July 1990] : The Hong Kong customs and excise department will continue to conduct random export checks. The department has also alerted customs administrations in the ESCAP region to the possibility of illicit shipments of ivory from Hong Kong, when the reservation ends on 17 July 1990. The Agriculture and Fisheries Department will continue to conduct suprise checks on ivory stock holders. No export licence will be issued for commercial exports of ivory from 17 July 1990, and any person found to have exported ivory without a licence will be liable to prosecution and a fine, as well as confiscation of the ivory in question.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current number of licensed ivory traders in Hong Kong ; and what was the number 12 months ago.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding reply 9 July 1990] : The number of possession licences issued to holders of commercial ivory stocks in Hong Kong was 879 as at 7 July 1990. No figures are available for the same period last year since traders have only been required to have possession licences since 12 January 1990.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what time and date the reservation entered by Her Majesty's Government on behalf of Hong Kong permitting the continuation of trade in ivory by the Crown colony will end ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding reply 9 July 1990] : The six-month reservation entered by us on behalf of Hong Kong was withdrawn with effect from midnight on 17 July 1990.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what circumstances ivory will be allowed to leave Hong Kong following the expiry of the reservation at midnight on 17 July ; and if he will make a statement.

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Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 10 July 1990] : Following the expiry of the reservation, the export of ivory from Hong Kong will be subject to the conditions specified by article III and article VII of CITES.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current tradeable ivory stock held in Hong Kong ; and to which countries ivory has been exported since he last answered a similar question.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 10 July 1990] : As at 7 July, a total of 468 tonnes (to the nearest tonne) of ivory was available for trade locally, of which 352 tonnes had CITES documentation and could be exported commercially until the reservation period expired on 18 July 1990.

Between 1 June 1990 to 7 July 1990 the Hong Kong CITES authority has been notified of the following ivory exports :


Destination |Quantity               

            |kilograms              

------------------------------------

China       |111                    

Andorra     |41.4                   

Taiwan      |14

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take to prevent Hong Kong allowing the export of worked ivory without a licence as personal effects in violation of CITES rules ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 10 July 1990] : Hong Kong's legislation complies fully with the CITES Regulations. Under article VII.3 of CITES, the export of personal or household effects (without restriction on quantity) is permitted, without a licence, except where these effects are acquired by the owner outside his state of usual residence, and are being imported into that state.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the quantity of ivory classified as personal effects which may be exported after 18 July from Hong Kong providing import permission has been obtained from the importing country.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 16 July 1990] : The information requested is not available.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the type of ivory personal effects which the Hong Kong authorities will allow to be exported after the current reservation ends at midnight on 17 July.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 16 July 1990] : After the reservation expires, the Hong Kong authorities will allow only the export of ivory personal effects in accordance with article III and article VII of CITES.

ENERGY

Electricity Privatisation

12. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of South Wales Electricity to discuss privatisation.

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Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend and I meet regional electricity company chairmen regularly to discuss a range of matters.

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost of the launch of the electricity companies' annual reports on 19 July.

Mr. Wakeham : The cost of the launch of the annual reports on 19 July is a matter for the 12 regional electricity companies.

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest estimated advertising budget for the sale of the electricity distribution companies.

Mr. Wakeham : I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to him on 1 May and 6 June 1990.

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the dates and venues for each of the roadshows for the privatisation of the electricity distribution companies.

Mr. Wakeham : Arrangements for the road shows to promote the offers for sale of the 12 regional electricity companies are being developed. Final dates and venues are not yet available.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

13. Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the world's carbon dioxide emissions is emitted in the United Kingdom.

62. Mr. Couchman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the world's carbon dioxide emissions are emitted by the United Kingdom.

65. Mr. Watts : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the world's carbon dioxide emissions are emitted by the United Kingdom.

Mr. Wakeham : The United Kingdom contributes about 3 per cent. to global emissions of carbon dioxide.

Scottish Coalfields

14. Mr. Douglas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current rate of production from the Scottish coalfields.

Mr. Baldry : In 1989-90 the Scottish coalfields produced 1.9 million tonnes from deep mines, and 3.5 million tonnes from opencast.

Coal Imports

15. Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal on the subject of future levels of coal imports.

16. Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the level of coal imports in 1990, 1995 and 2000.

Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the coal industry, including imports. My Department does not prepare estimates of coal imports.

51. Mr. Skinner : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal regarding coal imports ; and if he will make a statement.

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69. Mrs. Heal : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss the future level of coal imports.

Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

34. Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the level of coal imports in 1990, 1995 and 2000.

Mr. Baldry : We do not make such estimates.

Central Area Transmission System

17. Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of applications relating to the proposed central area transmission system.

23. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress for applications relating to the proposed central area transmission system.

25. Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of applications relating to the proposed central area transmission system.

72. Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of applications relating to the proposed central area transmission system.

Mr. Peter Morrison : Amoco, the operator for the Everest and Lomond gas fields in the central North sea, has now submitted draft proposals for the development of the fields and for the installation of a pipeline to evacuate the gas from them to Teesside. These draft proposals are currently being examined by my officials.

Offshore Platforms

18. Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the number and value of contracts placed in 1989 and so far in the current year, with United Kingdom offshore fabricators, for the construction of structures for the offshore oil and gas industries.

Mr. Peter Morrison : The value of awards to United Kingdom fabricators reported by operators in 1989 was £511 million. Awards in 1990 already total £594 million.

Oil and Gas Production

19. Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of oil and gas production in the United Kingdom continental shelf between 1990 and 1994.

Mr. Peter Morrison : Forecasts for oil production during this period are set out in the report to Parliament of April 1990 "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom". Gas production will depend on many factors, but I expect it to grow strongly over this period.

60. Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made in reducing the number of fallow blocks on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made in reducing the number of fallow blocks on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

Mr. Peter Morrison : The number of fallow blocks, which stood at 125 at the beginning of 1989, had fallen to 88 blocks at the beginning of this year. Fourteen of these had been drilled or surrendered by the end of June. I am keeping in touch with operators and it is clear from their plans that progress will quicken during the second half of 1990, and that by the end of the year the number of fallow blocks will have fallen very substantially.

41. Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of oil production in the current year on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

54. Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of oil production in the current year on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

Mr. Peter Morrison : Total oil production in the first five months of 1990 was some 40.4 million tonnes. I expect production in the full year to be near the 1989 level.

35. Miss Widdecombe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of oil and gas production on the United Kingdom continental shelf between 1990 and 1994.

Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) today.

Combined Heat and Power

21. Mr. Rost : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest estimates from the Energy Technology Support Unit of the potential kilowatts that could be contributed from combined heat and power ; by how much such potential would raise the overall thermal efficiency of electricity generation ; and what percentage contributions this could make to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr. Peter Morrison : The latest estimate is that a potential of 25 billion kilowatt-hours annual generation from small scale CHP, operating at an efficiency of around 80 per cent. could reduce United Kingdom carbon dioxide emissions by 4 per cent.

This level of output equates to about 10 per cent. of present United Kingdom electricity demand or the output of about four large power stations.

39. Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on combined heat and power schemes.

Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to him on 18 December 1989, Official Report, column 8, and 29 January 1990, column 83.

British Coal

22. Mr. Stevens : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal to discuss the coal industry's record on productivity.

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Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the coal industry, including productivity in which the corporation has achieved excellent improvements since 1985.

Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the level of public support for British Coal since 1985-86.

Mr. Baldry : Since 1985-86 we have made over £3.5 billion in grants available to the corporation, and a further £6.5 billion is in the pipeline for the present financial reconstruction.

68. Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the Government have invested in British Coal since 1979.

75. Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the Government have invested in British Coal since 1979.

Mr. Baldry : We have financed over £7 billion investment in the British Coal Corporation since 1979.

57. Mr. Gow : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the advantages which would flow from the privatisation of British Coal.

Mr. Baldry : No decisions will be taken on the future structure of the coal industry until after the next election, but we remain firmly committed to privatisation as the best means to achieve a business able to meet the needs of its customers on a sound commercial basis.

53. Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal to discuss the coal industry's record on productivity.

73. Mr. Ashby : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal to discuss the coal industry's record on productivity.

Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal on a regular basis to discuss all aspects of the coal industry, including productivity in which the corporation has achieved excellent improvements since 1985.

42. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to discuss the privatisation of British Coal with the president of the National Union of Mineworkers.

Mr. Wakeham : We have made it clear that we intend to privatise the coal industry after the next general election, and, when that time comes, we shall welcome the views of all interested parties.

36. Mr. Buckley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal regarding future employment levels in the industry.

58. Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Coal regarding future employment levels in the industry.

Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal from time to time to discuss a range of issues.

North Sea Development

24. Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many North sea development projects he has approved since June 1987.

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48. Mr. Viggers : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many North sea development projects he has approved since June 1987.

Mr. Peter Morrison : Since June 1987 I have approved 45 development projects on the United Kingdom continental shelf, comprising 16 oil fields, 12 gas fields, one condensate field and 16 incremental developments of fields already producing. I have also approved 14 onshore development projects during the same period.

Nuclear Electric

26. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to receive Nuclear Electric's first audited set of accounts.

Mr. Wakeham : Nuclear Electric is continuing work on a full review of its accounting policies. The company's opening report and accounts will be published later in the summer.

66. Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of Nuclear Electric regarding the future of the company's power station programme.

Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of Nuclear Electric frequently to discuss various matters.

Rural Electricity Supplies

27. Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the supply of electricity to remote rural areas.

Mr. Baldry : The Electricity Act 1989 gives all consumers, including these in rural areas, the right to receive a supply on reasonable terms from their public electricity supplier.

Disconnections

28. Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of disconnection for debt of domestic electricity customers.

59. Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of disconnection for debt of domestic electricity customers.

77. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the current level of disconnection for debt or domestic electricity customers.

Mr. Baldry : The latest available information shows that for the year ended 31 March 1990 the number of disconnections for non-payment of electricity bills in England and Wales was 67,421 : the lowest annual level since records began.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the Director General of Gas Supply to discuss the level of disconnection for debt of domestic customers.

Mr. Peter Morrison : My right hon. Friend and I meet the Director General of Gas Supply from time to time to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest. We have noted that the level of disconnection for debt is lower than at any time since records were first kept in 1977.

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Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Gas to discuss the level of disconnection for debt of domestic customers.

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