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Car Production
28. Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the increase in United Kingdom car production in the 1980s.
Mr. Lilley : I am pleased to report that United Kingdom car production rose from 923,744 in 1980 to 1,299,082 in 1989.
Recession
29. Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet representatives of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the recession in industry in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend regularly meets
representatives of the Confederation of British Industry. He met the director general most recently last week.
39. Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will next meet representatives of the east midlands regional Confederation of British Industry to discuss the recession in industry.
Mr. Leigh : Officials of my Department keep in touch with the east midlands regional Confederation of British Industry on a wide range of business matters.
Cars (EC Access)
30. Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the EC about access by Japanese- owned British car firms to the EC ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : I have had a number of discussions with the EC Commission and with other member states about trade in cars within the EC and between the EC and Japan. The Government have consistently taken the line, which the Commission accepts, that cars produced in the United Kingdom by Japanese-owned companies must be treated as European products in every respect.
South Africa
31. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the level of trade with South Africa in the last 12 months ; and whether he expects any change.
Mr. Sainsbury : In 1990 the value of United Kingdom visible exports to South Africa was £1,113 million. Visible
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imports totalled £1,079 million. This represents an increase in exports of 7 per cent. over the 1989 figure. I hope to see this upward trend continue.Trade Deficit
32. Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to revise his estimate of the trade deficit at the end of the current year.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be publishing new forecasts for the balance of payments at the time of his Budget statement.
Credit
33. Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions the Government have taken to ensure that lenders take reasonable precautions against sending credit offers to minors and consumers who have said they do not want to receive circulars ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : The Government are consulting interested parties on their proposals to make regulations requiring persons licensed under the Consumer Credit Act to take reasonable precautions against sending credit circulars to minors and to people who have given notice that they do not wish to receive circulars. Details of the proposals are set out in the consultative document "Proposals for New Legislation on Credit Marketing" copies of which are in the Library and in the Vote Office.
Invisible Exports
34. Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the United Kingdom's invisible exports for the last five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : The latest information is available from the balance of payments Pink Book 1990 and the quarterly balance of payments press notice, available in the Library of the House, or on the Central Statistical Office's database, which may also be accessed through the Library.
Between the first three quarters of 1985 and 1990 invisible credits rose by 40 per cent. In 1988, the latest year for which figures are available, the United Kingdom had the second largest share--14.5 per cent.--of world invisible credits, ranking after the United States of America.
Science Parks
35. Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the number of science parks attached to universities and polytechnics today and in 1979.
Mr. Leigh : There were two science parks attached to universities in 1979. Today there are 39 linked with universities or polytechnics. In addition, a further 20 are either in construction or under consideration.
Kuwait
36. Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure that British companies share in the restructuring of Kuwait.
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Mr. Sainsbury : The Department of Trade and Industry co-operated with industry in preparing a prospectus of United Kingdom capabilities which was presented by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on his recent visit to the Kuwait Government in Saudi Arabia, accompanied by a team of senior business men led by Department of Trade and Industry officials. My Department will continue to encourage and reinforce the efforts of United Kingdom industry.
Securities and Investments Board Rules
37. Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the new draft rules published by the Securities and Investments Board.
Mr. Redwood : While the core rules are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board, I have received a number of comments generally supporting a clear and straightforward set of rules for the regulation of investment business.
Car Industry
38. Mr. Madel : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the inward investment in the United Kingdom car industry.
Mr. Lilley : The Government welcome inward investment in the car industry, as in other industries.
Greece, Portugal and Spain
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on United Kingdom trade with Greece, Portugal and Spain.
Mr. Sainsbury : The latest information on United Kingdom trade with Greece, Portugal and Spain is published in Business Monitor MM20 "Overseas Trade Statistics" which is available in the Library of the House. United Kingdom exports to these countries increased by 19.5, 12.5 and 19.5 per cent. respectively from 1989 to 1990.
Furniture (Fire-resistant Materials)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on EC proposals to reduce the current standards of fire-resistant materials used in furniture.
Mr. Leigh : The Commission has consulted member states about a proposal for a directive on the fire behaviour of upholstered furniture. We understand that the Commission will shortly publish a draft directive which will go forward as a formal proposal to the council. It remains our negotiating aim to secure a directive that will provide a level of fire safety consistent with that provided for domestic upholstered furniture in the United Kingdom by the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended in 1989.
Trust Ports
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those trust ports which have received European regional development fund grant in each of the last five years specifying the amount already given and details of future commitments already agreed.
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Mr. McLoughlin : I have been asked to reply.Column 160
The information is as follows :Column 159
Table 1: Amount already given (£)
Ongoing payments for projects already committed, and initial payments made
towards projects committed in, each year
Port |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blyth |14,904 |74,207 |527,700 |- |-
Tyne |166,617 |- |- |- |-
Tees and Hartlepool |154,696 |16,546 |- |- |-
Falmouth |- |17,861 |39,221 |12,942 |-
Newlyn |- |- |742,000 |- |-
Milford Haven |- |- |458,518 |240,588 |-
Clyde |27,804 |- |90,000 |62,995 |436,146
Cromarty Firth |680,000 |440,000 |160,000 |109,082 |26,441
Dundee |80,178 |- |- |- |-
Forth |262,967 |124,200 |- |- |-
Inverness |229,500 |- |- |- |-
Lerwick |1,150,462|76,500 |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |2,767,128|749,314 |2,017,439|425,607 |462,587
Table 2: Future agreed commitments (£)
Unclaimed amounts outstanding from past commitments at the start
of 1991, and known future commitments already agreed
Port |Grant still to be |Future commitments
|taken up at |already agreed
|1 January 1991
|£ |£
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blyth |- |574,000
Tyne |- |167,000
Tees and Hartlepool |- |1,725,000
Milford Haven |10,647 |-
Clyde |100,308 |-
Dundee |205,800 |-
|------- |-------
Totals |315,747 |2,466,000
Export Control
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those international agreements to which the United Kingdom is a party, covering export controls on sensitive equipment and materials ; and if he will indicate in each case the primary purpose of the agreement and when the United Kingdom joined.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 12 February 1990] : I have been asked to reply.
The United Kingdom is a depositary power to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty which was opened for signature in 1968. The treaty aims to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons, and ultimately to secure complete and general, as well as nuclear disarmament. In addition, the treaty provides a framework for peaceful nuclear co-operation. We are also members of the International Atomic Energy Authority, the Zangger committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, all of which play an important part in the non- proliferation regime. The United Kingdom is also a founder member of the missile technology control regime, established in 1987 to control the proliferation of ballistic missiles.
The United Kingdom is a party to the Geneva protocol (1925) which bans the use of chemical and bacteriological weapons and to the convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological and toxic weapons and on their destruction (1972). We are committed to securing a global, comprehensive and verifiable convention banning chemical weapons. Until that is achieved, we are working with
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other like-minded countries in the Australia Group to prevent proliferation of chemical and biological weapons, and their precursors.The United Kingdom is a member of the co-ordinating committee for multilateral export controls (COCOM) which was established in 1949. It provides an informal framework within which controls can be agreed for strategic reasons on the export of sensitive goods to the proscribed destinations, principally the Soviet Union, eastern Europe and China.
These obligations and commitments are given effect through the maintenance of stringent export controls on sensitive equipment, materials and technology under the Export of Goods (Control) Order.
ENERGY
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all future (a) conferences, (b) seminars and (c) meetings which Ministers in his Department have been invited to attend (i) in the United Kingdom, (ii) in the European Community and (iii) elsewhere ; and if he will list the dates of these events for the next three months.
Mr. Wakeham : For obvious reasons, it is not normal practice to publicise information on Ministers' engagements this far in advance.
Coal Imports
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the strategic importance of avoiding reliance on imported coal in the generating of electricity.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Decisions on fuel procurement are a commercial matter for the electricity generating companies, subject only to compliance with the fuel stocking directions given under section 34 of the Electricity Act 1989. Both National Power and PowerGen have stated that they will seek to diversify their fuel sources.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what powers he has to prevent the privatised electricity generating companies from becoming dependent on imported coal.
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Mr. Heathcoat Amory : It is not the Government's policy to place any restrictions on coal imports. The Government have no powers to do so other than in emergencies.Fluidised Bed Combustion
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects development of fluidised bed combustion technology to be economically desirable and commercially viable.
Mr. Moynihan : Fluidised bed combustion is already an established technology available in the marketplace. More than 100 combustor units have been installed in the United Kingdom alone.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Polwhele Laboratory
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to change the status of the Polwhele veterinary investigation centre laboratory ; and if he will make a statement about its future.
Mr. Curry : We expect to be able to make an announcement shortly on the outcome of the review of the veterinary investigation service, including the Polwhele--Truro--centre.
Milk
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions there have been in 1990 and 1991 for violations of the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1989.
Mr. Curry : In England and Wales these regulations are enforced by this Department in respect of untreated milk producers and by local authorities in respect of processing dairies and distributors of untreated milk. The Department has not mounted any prosecutions under these regulations in 1990 and 1991. However, 147 producers of untreated milk have had their licences suspended for inability to comply with the regulations in the period 1 April to 31 December 1990. Information on prosecutions and other enforcement action taken by local authorities is not held centrally.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to ensure that bottles of untreated milk contain health warnings on the side of the bottle, rather than on the bottle cap.
Mr. Curry : The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1989 already require that where untreated milk is sold in a bottle, the words "This milk has not been heat treated and may therefore contain organisms harmful to health"
must appear elsewhere than on the cap.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to introduce legislation to ban the sale of untreated milk.
Mr. Curry : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew) on 30 January, Official Report, column 546.
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Set-aside Scheme
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons the set-aside scheme was introduced ; when it came into effect ; and what is the total sum expended by each European Community nation and by the European Community institutions on the scheme in the most recent annual period for which figures are available.
Mr. Curry : The EC set-aside scheme was introduced as part of the EC stabilisers package. It was intended to provide farmers with an alternative source of income, while they adjusted to the effects of price constraint, and to reduce production of surplus arable crops. The scheme was agreed by the Council of Ministers in April 1988 and member states were required to introduce schemes by mid-July 1988. No member state fulfilled this obligation, although the United Kingdom, Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany introduced national schemes by mid-August 1988.
Information on expenditure in individual member states is not available but the Commission has estimated that the amount reimbursed by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund in 1990 in respect of the scheme was 42.3 mecu--£29.5 million.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hectares of land have been approved for subsidy in each member state since the introduction of the set-aside scheme.
Mr. Curry : The latest information available indicates that the following areas have been entered into set-aside in the first two years of the scheme.
|Hectares
---------------------------------
United Kingdom |100,809
Germany |222,384
Netherlands |8,737
Belgium |490
France |55,409
Ireland |2,768
Spain |46,303
Greece |250
Italy |251,617
Luxembourg |37
Denmark |0
|-------
Total |688,804
Source: EC Commission.
Note:-Portugal is not required
to implement the scheme until
1995.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hectares of land were devoted to cereal production in each member state, respectively, before the introduction of the set-aside scheme ; and how many hectares were devoted to this production purpose at the most recent date for which figures are available.
Mr. Curry : The information is as follows :
Million hectares
|1988 cereals |1990 cereals
|harvest area |harvest area<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |0.35 |0.35
Denmark |1.60 |1.56
Germany |4.73 |4.49
Greece |1.36 |1.38
Spain |7.64 |7.45
France |9.15 |8.98
Ireland |0.35 |0.33
Italy |4.38 |4.20
Luxembourg |0.04 |0.03
Netherlands |0.20 |0.20
Portugal |0.93 |0.74
United Kingdom |3.90 |3.66
|------- |-------
Total |34.61 |33.36
<1>Provisional.
Source: EC Commission balance sheets.
Notes:
1. The EC scheme was introduced in 1988, but most member states
did not introduce national schemes until after the 1988
harvest.
2. The German figures exclude production in the former German
Democratic Republic.
3. Portugal is not required to implement the scheme until 1995.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the production of the various forms of cereals which are covered by the set-aside scheme in each member state in the annual period before the introduction of set-aside ; and what are the comparable annual figures in respect of the most recent period for which figures are available.
Mr. Curry : The information requested is as follows :
Million tonnes
|1988 cereals |1990 cereals
|production |production<1>
---------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |2.21 |2.05
Denmark |8.07 |9.82
Germany |27.11 |26.04
Greece |4.59 |3.76
Spain |23.15 |18.20
France |55.87 |54.64
Ireland |1.98 |1.95
Italy |16.56 |16.35
Luxembourg |0.12 |0.13
Netherlands |1.22 |1.37
Portugal |1.30 |1.31
United Kingdom |21.11 |22.42
|------- |-------
Total |163.27 |158.02
<1> Provisional.
Source: EC Commission balance sheets.
Notes:
1. The EC scheme was introduced in 1988, but most member
states did not introduce national schemes until after
the 1988 harvest.
2. The German figures exclude production in the former
German Democratic Republic.
3. Portugal is not required to implement the scheme
until 1995.
Sellafield
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the present level of radioactive emissions from Sellafield into the Irish sea ; and what the comparable figures were five years and 10 years ago.
Mr. Curry : Under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is jointly responsible with the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for the authorisation of radioactive discharges from sites such as Sellafield.
The Ministry conducts a regular and extensive programme of monitoring for radioactivity in the marine environment around the United Kingdom coastline,
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including the Irish sea and the results are published annually in reports entitled "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.These reports show that the levels of radioactivity in liquid discharges from the Sellafield site to the Irish sea have been reduced very substantially in recent years, as indicated in the table.
|1979 |1984 |1989
--------------------------------------------------------
Sellafield sea pipeline:
Beta radioactivity (TBq) |4,058 |1,190 |101.4
Alpha radioactivity (TBq) |62 |14 |2.7
Seaburn Sewer:
Total radioactivity (TBq) |0.011 |0.0038|0.0012
As a result, even those people living near the site who consume large amounts of local fish and shellfish will in 1989 have received a radiation dose of only 0.19 mSv, less than one fifth of the internationally recommended limit of 1 mSv.
Captive Birds
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further information he has on the levels of mortality in imported captive birds ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The second report by the Ministry on mortalities in imported captive birds, relating to imports in 1989, shows that of 184,600 birds, 4,000 were dead on arrival and a further 19,500 died in post-import quarantine. The average mortality has fallen slightly to 12.7 per cent. compared with 13.7 per cent. in the previous year, but the figures are still a grave cause for concern. I am placing copies of the report in the Library of the House.
For wild-caught birds these statistics do not reveal the full extent of losses. We do not know how many birds are dying from stress just after capture and in transport within the country of origin, but it must be assumed that numbers will be high. I do not find such levels of mortality acceptable and the Department is doing all that it can to reduce losses.
In the past year our veterinary officials have visited certain major exporting countries and more visits are planned. During these visits we impress on the relevant authorities the need to fulfil our import requirements and to follow International Air Transport Association--IATA-- standards during flights to the United Kingdom. We are considering revised requirements for pre-export isolation and certification where appropriate. We will cease to authorise imports of birds from any country which fails to co-operate in implementing our requirements.
I have written to airlines to emphasise the importance of complying with the IATA rules and of reviewing airline procedures where necessary. Since then some have decided not to transport birds on certain routes.
I have instituted a review of standards in quarantine premises for birds with particular reference to stocking densities. As a result, the number of birds permitted in each quarantine premises, based on their physiological and behavioural needs, will be specified. These measures, which will be introduced as quickly as possible, are expected to result in a reduction in consignment sizes in
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many cases especially for non-psittacine species. Irrespective of this the maximum number of non-psittacines in any consignment permitted in any licence issued from 1 April will be reduced from 6, 000 to 4,000.Applicants for licences to import birds are also now required to provide more detailed information. Further changes are also being considered to tighten the application of our disease prevention rules.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is considering what further action can be taken within his responsibilities. We have also drawn our concerns to the attention of the European Commission who have agreed that controls are needed on trade in species which are particularly vulnerable during captivity and transport. This issue, and the development of common welfare standards for transport, will be taken forward in Community discussions.
Government action can, however, only achieve so much. Many of the problems with this trade would be reduced if the public no longer purchased captive birds. There are a number of species of birds which simply should not be taken from the wild and subjected to captivity. No one should even consider buying or keeping birds unless proper care and facilities are available. Captive bred stock should be used whenever possible in order to minimise the taking of wild specimens.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all future (a) conferences, (b) seminars and (c) meetings which Ministers in his Department have been invited to attend (i) in the United Kingdom, (ii) in the European Community and (iii) elsewhere ; and if he will list the dates of these events for the next three months.
Mr. Gummer : For obvious reasons, it is not normal practice to collate and publicise information on Ministers' engagements this far in advance.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Severely Disabled People
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of severely disabled people in employment, or self-employment, who require nursing or personal care to enable them to continue to work, the average number of hours required per week and the average cost of such care.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is not available.
Housing Benefit, Lambeth
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Lambeth are receiving housing benefit based on claims for reimbursement made by Lambeth council.
Miss Widdecombe : At 30 November 1990, the housing benefit caseload in the London borough of Lambeth was 29,380.
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Vibration White Finger
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants in Newcastle upon Tyne have received payment for vibration white finger since December 1989.
Mr. Scott : The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Telephone Facilities
Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will now make available the British Telecom star service facilities to Members of Parliament and their secretaries' telephones in the House of Commons throughout the entire British Telecom network.
Mr. MacGregor : British Telecom's star service is available for all single-line customers whose telephone has a multi-frequency signalling capacity with a time break recall and is served by a digital exchange. The lines provided for Members from the Palace of Westminster telecommunications exchange are not compatible with that system, nor is the exchange itself designed to provide such access.
Oral Questions
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Lord President of the Council if there has been a statistical sampling test by operating computer software or otherwise to ensure that oral questions submitted by hon. Members are being selected on a proven random basis.
Mr. MacGregor : The "shuffle" to determine the order in which tabled oral questions appear on the Order Paper is conducted under arrangements approved by Mr. Speaker. I refer my hon. Friend to Mr. Speaker's statement of 15 November 1989, Official Report, column 356, on the occasion that the computerised shuffle was introduced. I understand that appropriate tests were run on the computer software before the system was introduced. Further information may be obtained from the Table Office.
ENVIRONMENT
Crown Supplies
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total salary cost, including pay bonuses and compensation paid on termination of contract of the Crown Suppliers main board members in the period January 1990 to January 1991.
Mr. Yeo : A total of £291,344.50 in the calendar year 1990, excluding two payments under the principle civil service pension scheme for compulsory early retirement and one payment in 1991 in respect of a board member whose service ceased in 1990. In addition, £44,349.11 was paid in 1990 to the non-civil servants who acted as TCS chairman and special projects director.
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