| Previous Section | Home Page |
Auditors and Accountants
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many chartered accountants and auditors have now registered under the Companies Act 1989.
Mr. Redwood : At 15 November, some 24,000 individuals were registered with supervisory bodies under the Companies Act 1989 as being eligible for appointment as company auditors or responsible for company audit work on behalf of registered audit firms.
Export Credits Guarantee Department
Mr. Michael Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many countries are currently off cover for the Export Credits Guarantee Department ; and what percentage of the world's population this represents.
Column 347
Mr. Sainsbury : The Export Credits Guarantee Department currently offers some credit insurance cover for all but three countries. The population of these countries represents 0.587 per cent. of the global total (World Bank Atlas 1990).Export Intelligence Service
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is making additional provision for information developed by Her Majesty's overseas posts about export opportunities to be made available to British industry in light of the insolvency of the Export intelligence service.
Mr. Sainsbury : Cable and Wireless plc have taken over from Export Opportunities Ltd. the contract to match and distribute business opportunities from the Export Intelligence database, and there has been no break in the service to subscribers. I understand that the liquidator of Trade Network International Ltd. is seeking a buyer for the Export Network business under which its customers can search information on-line including that in Export Intelligence. My Department's other contract with Financial Times Profile to provide on-line access is unaffected.
Life Insurance
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to make consumers aware of the limitations of life insurance companies liability for their tied intermediaries.
Mr. Redwood : These are matters for the Securities and Investments Board (SIB) and the other regulatory authorities under the Financial Services Act. LAUTRO (Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Organisation) has recently introduced new rules in this area. Also, the SIB are currently undertaking a major review of the regulation of the retail investment sector.
Investors' Compensation Scheme
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has asked the investors' compensation scheme to pay interest on compensation payments paid more than 12 months away from the date of compensation assessment.
Mr. Redwood : The rules of the investors compensation scheme are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.
Money Advice Services
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plan to increase the money allocated through his Department to money advice services.
Mr. Leigh : My Department does not provide funds specifically for money advice services and has no plans to do so. The main provider of money advice nationally is the citizens' advice service which through the network of citizens' advice bureaux advises on debt problems as part of its general advisory work. Individual bureaux are funded mainly by local authorities. My Department funds the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and
Column 348
Citizens Advice Scotland which provide the support services to the local bureaux. Total DTI grant-in-aid in 1991-92 to NACAB and CAS will be about £12 million.Many lending institutions have already provided funds to support money advice services : the Government would like to see more following that lead.
Investment Services Directive
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on progress in negotiations on the proposed investment services directive at the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers which met on 11 November.
Mr. Redwood : The Council of Economic and Finance Ministers (ECOFIN) which met on 11 November did not discuss the Investment Services Directive. The Netherlands are currently considering whether to hold further meetings on the outstanding issues of principle during their presidency but they have not said when the directive will next be discussed in ECOFIN.
VAT
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action has been taken by the Government to ensure that Greece complies with the judgment of the European Court of Justice concerning discriminatory VAT rates within the alcoholic beverage sector.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 18 November 1991] : It is for the European Commission to ensure that Greece complies with European Court of Justice judgments.
I have, however, asked my single market compliance unit to liaise with Customs and Excise and our embassy in Athens and monitor compliance by Greece so that, should there be any evidence of non-compliance, the United Kingdom will bring this to the notice of the European Commission.
Retail Regulation
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the Securities and Investments Board's review of retail regulation.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 21 November 1991] : The review is a matter for the SIB in the first instance. I have received a number of representations which have been passed to the board.
Financial Institutions
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to prevent financial institutions offering both an independent advice service on financial products and a tied advice service ;
(2) what plans he has to disbar the banks and other financial institutions from operating dual status with regard to advice on financial services.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 21 November 1991] : This is a matter for SIB and the other regulatory bodies under the Financial Services Act.
Column 349
Textile Industry
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that the east midlands is included in the EC's Retex scheme for financial assistance to areas where the textile industry has been in decline.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 19 November 1991] : The Commission has made a preliminary announcement about this proposed scheme but details have yet to be made available to member states including the criteria for selecting eligible areas and the likely allocation of funds to the United Kingdom. The Government will naturally seek to ensure the maximum effective coverage within the United Kingdom.
Earnings
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose legislation under which all public limited companies would be required to reveal the number of employees who earn less than 50 per cent. of the median male wage.
Mr. Forth : I have been asked to reply.
No.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will propose legislation under which companies would be required to give details of the number of employees earning less than 50 per cent. of the male median salary in the United Kingdom ;
(2) if he will propose legislation under which companies would be required to publish the number of employees earning wages less that £193 per week.
Mr. Forth : I have been asked to reply.
No.
DEFENCE
Diving Forces
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases of the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch, giving numbers of officers, qualified divers, trainees and other personnel at each base.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The present strength of Royal Naval Reserve bases with port divers is :
|Officers|Ratings
-------------------------------------------
HMS Calliope |77 (1) |202 (16)
HMS Calpe |23(0) |67 (7)
HMS Camperdown |102 (0) |129 (9)
HMS Claverhouse |98 (1) |188 (16)
HMS Eaglet |136 (2) |299 (25)
HMS Flying Fox |138 (0) |213 (18)
HMS Graham |95 (2) |213 (16)
HMS President |234 (0) |234 (17)
HMS Sussex |90 (1) |150 (18)
HMS Wessex |170 (2) |209 (11)
The figures in brackets are those officers and ratings who are Royal Naval Reserve port divers ; each unit has two or three trainees at any time.
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the police forces and other public services which have received assistance from Royal Naval Reserve port divers during the last five years.
Column 350
Mr. Archie Hamilton : This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distinction between the training, role and costs of the different diving branches of the Royal Naval Reserve.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the plans for the future of the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch, and on the implications of those plans for Royal Navy regular diving units.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that he received from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 21 October at column 446. There are no implications for the Royal Navy regular diving units.
Housing (ex-service Personnel)
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he has had with (a) Colchester borough council and (b) Westminster city council regarding their housing allocations policy and its effect on ex-service personnel.
RAF Germany
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned percentage increase in the capability of RAF Germany over the next four years.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Rapid Reaction Corps
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his Norwegian and Danish counterparts regarding the deployment of British units of the Rapid Reaction Corps on operational tours of duty in Northern Ireland.
Garvie Island
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what exercises have been carried out on Garvie island in the last month ; and how many times in the last two years exercises have been carried out on Garvie island at the weekend.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Garvie island range has been in use on 11 occasions over the last month and on two Saturdays during the past two years. Specific details are as follows :
Date |Activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use of Garvie island over the last month
8 October |Aircraft bombing exercise
29 October |Aircraft bombing exercise
30 October |Aircraft bombing exercise
5 November |Aircraft bombing exercise
8 November |Aircraft bombing exercise
14 November |Offshore naval gunfire exercise
15 November |Offshore naval gunfire exercise
16 November |Offshore naval gunfire exercise
18 November |Offshore naval gunfire exercise
19 November |Offshore naval gunfire exercise
20 November |Offshore naval gunfire exercise
Use of Garvie island at weekends over past two years
2 February 1991 |Aircraft bombing exercise
28 September 1991 |Aircraft bombing exercise
United States Air Force
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what exercises the United States Air Force have conducted in the United Kingdom in the last month.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Between 19 October and 19 November the United States Air Force has conducted one exercise in the United Kingdom. This took place between 28 and 31 October and involved aircraft from RAF Bentwaters carrying out a rehearsal for the NATO tactical evaluation of the base.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United States Air Force has been involved in training in the United Kingdom for operations against Libya in the last month.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : United States Air Force aircraft carry out training in the United Kingdom on a regular basis. It is not our practice to comment on specific operational matters.
Defence Estate
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total maintenance backlog of (a) unavoidable and essential repairs and (b) urgent repairs on the Defence estate as of 1 April in each year since 1970.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.
Service Housing Task Force
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish the recommendations of the task force on service housing.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 5 November at column 96.
Married Quarters
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of the housing associations with which he is discussing making available service married quarters ; and when he expects these discussions to be completed.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It would be inappropriate to list the names of the housing associations while discussions are continuing. Announcements will be made when the discussions are complete.
Column 352
1st Armoured Division
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which individual weapon systems will be used to measure the increase in capability of 1st Armoured Division.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The assessment is based on all weapon systems held by combat troops within the formation's order of battle.
Housing (Army Personnel)
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 5,000 Army personnel who have applied for voluntary redundancy have already made their own provision for housing.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Information on the private housing arrangements or plans of those Army personnel who have applied to be considered for redundancy is not held by the Ministry of Defence. We anticipate that many individuals will be using their special capital payments to help to purchase a home for the first time.
3rd (UK) Division
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned percentage increase in the capability of 3rd (UK) Division over the next four years.
Mr. Hamilton : As outlined in "Britain's Army for the 90s" (Cm. 1595), 3rd (UK) Division will be a new formation comprising two mechanised brigades and 5th Airborne Brigade. There is therefore no basis for a comparison with any of the existing four divisions of BAOR.
Service Personnel (Deaths)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 November, Official Report, column 425, if full reports of boards of inquiries are made available to bereaved families on request after the deaths of service personnel.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No. Next of kin are, however, provided--on request--with an accurate and objective summary of the report of the service inquiry.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers of 19 November, Official Report, column 425, about deaths of service personnel, in what form the information requested is available ; and if he will publish it in the Official Report.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not always the case that families request details of the deaths of service personnel, but in all cases in which they do, details, in the form of a specially prepared statement, are given. Records of all cases are not held centrally.
Admiral Sir Julian Oswald
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 November, what changes in practice have taken place since 29 October to prevent the information made available by Admiral Sir Julian Oswald in The Times being subsequently made available to hon. Members in parliamentary answers.
Column 353
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have nothing to add to the answers that I gave the hon. Member on 14 November at columns 667-68 and 19 November at column 150.Expenditure
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been (a) total defence expenditure, (b) expenditure on weaponry and (c) expenditure on nuclear weapons and nuclear powered weapons for the years 1979 to 1991 in real and constant prices.
Mr. Alan Clark : Figures detailing total defence expenditure for the period requested are published in the Eleventh report of the House of Commons Defence Committee on the Statement on the Defence Estimates. Expenditure on equipment and the nuclear strategic force can be found at tables 2.2 and 2.3 in volume 2 of the
Column 354
annual Statements on the Defence Estimates. It has been the policy of successive Governments not separately to identify expenditure on nuclear weapons.Army Board
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the officers comprising the Army Board by rank, name, previous regiment or corps and present job.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Four members of the Army Board are serving officers :
General Sir John Chapple, late 2nd Gurkha Rifles,
Chief of the General Staff
General Sir David Ramsbotham, late Royal Green Jackets, Adjutant General
General Sir Edward Jones, late Royal Green Jackets,
Quartermaster General
Lieutenant General A. S. J. Blacker, late Royal Tank Regiment, Master General of the Ordnance.
|
| Home Page |