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Mr. O'Neill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have taken place with the Norwegian Government on the re- negotiation of the Frigg treaty.
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Mr. Eggar : United Kingdom and Norwegian officials commenced re- negotiation of the Frigg treaty on 8 July. Their next meeting is scheduled for 16 to 17 November. I met Mr. Finn Kristensen, the Norwegian Minister of Energy and Industry, on 9 October to discuss a number of matters including the Frigg treaty.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the proposals from the European Commission with respect to a joint data protection and telecommunications directive are of the kind that will be subject to subsidiarity arrangements ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : The Government believe that the proposed directive on data protection and the telecommunications sector should be examined carefully for its consistency with the principle of subsidiarity. Any revised proposals will be considered in the light of this principle once they have been submitted to the Council by the Commission.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will summarise his main objections to the revised proposals from the Commission with respect to a joint data protection and
telecommunications directive ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : The Commission has not yet submitted its revised proposal for a directive on data protection in telecommunications to the Council. The revised text will be considered carefully once it is received.
Mr. Stevenson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to prevent British Coal from closing down production at Trentham colliery complex.
Mr. Eggar : This is a matter for British Coal. The corporation has, however, undertaken to preserve the fabric of the 10 pits, including Trentham colliery, listed by my right hon. Friend in his statement on 19 October, which are currently subject to the statutory consultation process. If, at the end of the period of statutory consultation, it is decided to keep any or all of the collieries open, British Coal has assured us that it will remain possible to do so.
Mr. Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what comparative assessment his Department has made of the pollutant discharges to the environment in aqueous, solid or aerial particulate form, of the cradle-to-grave process, productions and use of (a) nuclear fuels, (b) coal, (c) oil, (d) gas and (e) renewable energies used for electricity generation.
Mr. Maclean : I have been asked to reply.
No comprehensive comparison has been made by this Department. Details of releases from power stations burning coal, gas and oil and the relevant abatement technologies have been published by the Department in "Acidic Emission Abatement Technologies", volumes 1 to 3, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Releases to the environment from individual power stations for electricity generation using coal, oil, gas and
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nuclear fuels are controlled by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, HMIP. In determining each application from the electricity generators for these processes, HMIP will consider the environmental implications of releases to all three media ; air, water and land.Mr. Fatchett : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out (a) the total United Kingdom finished steel production in tonnes for each year since 1979 and (b) the principal products involved.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 29 October 1992] : The information is as follows :
United Kingdom finished steel production, 1979 to 1991 |Million tonnes --------------------------------------------- 1979 |16.9 1980 |10.4 1981 |12.7 1982 |11.8 1983 |12.3 1984 |12.6 1985 |13.1 1986 |13.1 1987 |15.0 1988 |16.7 1989 |16.9 1990 |16.1 1991 |15.0 Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.
The principal products are: ingots and semi-finished steel blooms, billets and slabs; hot rolled bars; wire rod; heavy sections, sheet piling and rails; light sections; hot rolled coil; cold reduced sheet; coated sheet- zinc coated; tinplate; plates and hot rolled narrow strip; bright bars; cold rolled narrow strip; tubes and pipes; and forged billets and bars.
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Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the price of imported coal has risen as a result of the fall in the value of pound sterling against the dollar ; and if he will impose an anti- dumping duty where prices have not been raised in line with the fall in the exchange rate.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 27 October 1992] : Imported coal is priced in dollars. The price in pound sterling of a consignment of imported coal will therefore increase pro rata with the fall in the value of the pound against the dollar. The European Commission may impose anti-dumping duties where there is substantive evidence of products being sold at a dumped price to the material injury of Community producers.
Mr. Madden : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in tabular form those countries which export coal to the United Kingdom, showing for each of the last five years the coal imported by volume and value ; what action he or his predecessors took over the same period to substitute British coal for imported coal ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 29 October 1992] : The figures requested are given in the table. Over the past five years, the Government have encouraged and assisted British Coal to improve productivity and reduce costs so as to become competitive with imported coal. Since 1985-86 much progress has been made--British Coal has more than doubled productivity--but its international competitors have also improved productivity and further cost reductions are needed to attain full competitiveness with imported coal.
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Value £ million |Country of origin|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United States of America<1> |105 |148 |183 |255 |290 Australia<1> |115 |106 |89 |152 |171 Colombia<1> |12 |21 |34 |44 |71 USSR |2 |10 |6 |17 |26 Canada |12 |16 |26 |38 |26 South Africa |7 |12 |14 |14 |26 Poland |41 |42 |38 |41 |26 China |11 |16 |23 |3 |13 Belgium |9 |6 |4 |4 |10 Venezuela |- |3 |3 |4 |7 Germany<2> |26 |18 |24 |24 |21 Others<1> |28 |19 |26 |8 |15 |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Total |268 |418 |470 |605 |703 Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown. <1> Some imports previously recorded by Customs and Excise as originating in the Netherlands have been re-allocated to the other countries indicated or, where revised country of origin data is not available, included in the residual entry "Others". This re-allocation has been carried out for 1991 and estimates of such imports previously classified to the Netherlands have been included for 1990. Figures for earlier years have not been re-allocated to individual countries. <2> Includes imports previously recorded separately for the German Democratic Republic. Source: Customs and Excise.
Value £ million |Country of origin|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United States of America<1> |105 |148 |183 |255 |290 Australia<1> |115 |106 |89 |152 |171 Colombia<1> |12 |21 |34 |44 |71 USSR |2 |10 |6 |17 |26 Canada |12 |16 |26 |38 |26 South Africa |7 |12 |14 |14 |26 Poland |41 |42 |38 |41 |26 China |11 |16 |23 |3 |13 Belgium |9 |6 |4 |4 |10 Venezuela |- |3 |3 |4 |7 Germany<2> |26 |18 |24 |24 |21 Others<1> |28 |19 |26 |8 |15 |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Total |268 |418 |470 |605 |703 Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown. <1> Some imports previously recorded by Customs and Excise as originating in the Netherlands have been re-allocated to the other countries indicated or, where revised country of origin data is not available, included in the residual entry "Others". This re-allocation has been carried out for 1991 and estimates of such imports previously classified to the Netherlands have been included for 1990. Figures for earlier years have not been re-allocated to individual countries. <2> Includes imports previously recorded separately for the German Democratic Republic. Source: Customs and Excise.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing total imports of coal by volume and value in each of the past five years and the current year to date, the tonnage imported through
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each port of entry, the value and volume in each case of the tonnage suitable for use in power stations and the nearest power stations.Mr. Eggar [holding answer 29 October 1992] : The information requested is as follows :
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Port of Entry |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |<1>1992 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total quantity of coal imports Thousand tonnes Medway |556 |565 |652 |855 |1,989 |2,249 Immingham |669 |999 |1,268 |2,182 |3,177 |2,206 Middlesbrough |2,501 |2,570 |2,812 |2,385 |2,894 |1,914 Port Talbot |1,958 |1,997 |2,610 |2,885 |2,655 |1,716 London (inc. Tilbury) |538 |743 |782 |2,104 |3,016 |1,596 Greenock |1,216 |1,164 |1,162 |1,027 |1,209 |1,363 Liverpool |65 |31 |286 |948 |1,308 |1,152 Belfast |172 |192 |182 |332 |387 |536 Hull |19 |1 |44 |152 |416 |322 Cardiff |222 |294 |229 |410 |491 |292 Swansea |- |92 |134 |162 |422 |140 Others |1,865 |3,036 |1,975 |1,340 |1,527 |983 Total |9,781 |11,685 |12,137 |14,783 |19,491 |14,469 Total value of coal imports<2> £ million Medway |23 |24 |29 |41 |79 |74 Immingham |22 |31 |47 |85 |112 |76 Middlesbrough |86 |79 |96 |104 |95 |64 Port Talbot |69 |65 |87 |112 |93 |60 London (inc. Tilbury) |22 |31 |34 |80 |101 |51 Greenock |41 |35 |38 |37 |39 |39 Liverpool |6 |1 |13 |36 |35 |34 Belfast |10 |12 |14 |21 |23 |22 Hull |1 |- |2 |4 |14 |10 Cardiff |9 |13 |9 |17 |20 |10 Swansea |- |4 |7 |6 |16 |5 Others |80 |122 |92 |64 |77 |48 Total |368 |418 |470 |605 |703 |492 Quantity of imports of steam coal<3> Medway |555 |563 |651 |854 |1,938 |2,249 Immingham |156 |249 |286 |314 |758 |447 Middlesbrough |8 |- |48 |119 |168 |242 Port Talbot |1 |- |1 |- |- |- London (including Tilbury) |525 |742 |762 |1,971 |3,016 |1,591 Greenock |- |60 |112 |144 |314 |932 Liverpool |14 |31 |139 |761 |1,308 |1,152 Belfast |76 |55 |27 |134 |187 |435 Hull |16 |- |44 |152 |416 |278 Cardiff |1 |3 |7 |34 |105 |108 Swansea |- |- |17 |90 |53 |30 Others |1,364 |2,095 |1,281 |928 |949 |690 |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Total |2,716 |3,799 |3,374 |5,501 |9,210 |8,153 Value of imports of steam coal<2><3> £ million Medway |23 |24 |28 |41 |77 |74 Immingham |5 |7 |11 |9 |22 |13 Middlesbrough |- |- |2 |4 |5 |7 Port Talbot |- |- |- |- |- |- London (including Tilbury) |21 |31 |32 |74 |101 |51 Greenock |- |1 |3 |3 |8 |23 Liverpool |- |1 |6 |28 |35 |34 Belfast |3 |2 |2 |6 |9 |15 Hull |- |- |2 |4 |14 |9 Cardiff |- |- |- |1 |3 |3 Swansea |- |- |1 |3 |2 |1 Others |42 |71 |47 |34 |37 |25 |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Total |95 |139 |132 |207 |312 |254 Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown. <1> January to August. <2> Includes costs of insurance and freight. <3> Steam coal is the type of coal used in power stations, but it is also used by industrial, domestic and other consumers. Source: Customs and Excise.
Nearest power stations (coal-fired)
Medway
Immingham
Middlesbrough
Port Talbot
London (inc. Tilbury)
Greenock
Liverpool
Belfast
Hull
Cardiff
Swansea
Kingsnorth
West Burton
Blyth
Aberthaw
Tilbury, West Thurrock
Kindcardine, Longannet
Fiddler's Ferry
West Belfast
Drax
Aberthaw
Aberthaw
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he intends to take to ensure the existing safety regulation concerning the sale of second-hand gas cookers is to remain following the EEC regulations which are to be introduced from 1996 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 27 October 1992] : The Government are committed to maintaining a high standard of consumer protection in respect of second-hand gas appliances. In addition to retaining the existing regulation of second-hand gas cookers, I am also considering the possibility of extending the same level of consumer protection to a wider range of second-hand gas appliances.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to reach a decision on the Segal Quince Wicksteed report on the availability of finance for small high technology firms ; when that report was received by his Department ; and if he will place that report in the Library.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 27 October 1992] : The report by Segal Quince Wicksteed recently commissioned by my Department's innovation unit was received on 21 August 1992. It deals with the need for improved explanatory literature about finance for technological innovation. It does not deal with the availability of such finance.
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Arrangements have been made to place a copy in the Library of the House.Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to reach a decision on the proposals presented to him by the Prince of Wales' working group to create Faraday centres.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 27 October 1992] : The proposals from His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales' working group on innovation are a valuable contribution to the debate on improving the contribution of the United Kingdom's science and technology base to industrial competitiveness and wealth creation. The proposals will be considered alongside the other issues which will be addressed in the Government's White Paper on science and technology to be published next year.
Mr. Hendry : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to review the monopoly status of the British Standards Institute in issuing kitemarks and extend the powers to the organisations entitled to issue BS 5750 certificates.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 26 October 1992] : The Government have no plans to review the arrangements under which BSI quality assurance, BSIQA, licenses the use of the kitemark. BSIQA is the financially independent certification business of BSI and the kitemark is its registered certification trade mark. It therefore has sole right to grant the use of its own mark in the same way as the owner of any other certification trade mark.
The kitemark denotes that a product conforms to an agreed British, European or international standard ; and that the system by which it has been manufactured has been subject to assessment and surveillance by BSIQA so as to ensure consistency of production. Any certification body is entitled to register and licence the use of its own mark, in accordance with these same standards and procedures. Indeed, some have already done so.
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