| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Butler : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the report of the wave energy review will be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : I have today placed a copy of the main report of the wave energy review in the Libraries of both Houses.
The review, which has been overseen by the wave energy steering committee, which has independent members, has involved close liaison with the wave energy teams included in the review. There is generally good agreement with the wave energy teams over the methodology and values in the review.
I will now consider the report in the light of the report of the renewable energy advisory group and in the context of the Government's energy policy and the coal review and will announce decisions in due course.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Stern : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the report by the renewable energy advisory group will be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Butler : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the report by the renewable energy advisory group will be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : I have today published the report by the renewable energy advisory group and placed a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.
I shall give careful consideration to the report's recommendations in the context of the Government's energy and environmental policy and the coal review and announce decisions in due course. I am particularly grateful to the chairman and all the members of the renewable energy advisory group for their efforts in producing this report.
Iran
Mrs. Chaplin : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the export licensing policy towards Iran.
Mr. Heseltine : The Government are considering carefully the criteria that should be applied in exercising its policy of rigorous scrutiny of export licence applications for Iran. While this consideration is taking place, I have decided that no licence applications will be granted for Iran until January 1993. Licences which have already been granted and trade in non-licensable goods will not be affected.
Offshore Licensing
Mrs. Chaplin : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the 14th offshore licensing round.
Column 480
Mr. Eggar : I am very pleased with the response to the round shown by the oil and gas industry. We received 96 applications from groups involving 62 companies for 122 blocks offered in the first two stages of the 14th round. The number of blocks applied for is the highest since the 4th round, over 20 years ago. The response shows there is still a major commitment to exploring in the United Kingdom continental shelf.
I am particularly encouraged by the sustained level of interest shown in exploring the southern basin of the North sea which historically has been associated with major gas finds.
Applications were received for a wide variety of blocks, with considerable interest shown in a number of relatively new areas such as the Rona ridge-- west of Shetland--Cardigan bay and the Solway firth. As we anticipated, there will be some tough competition for the popular blocks in oil and gas areas.
The applications we have received will help maintain the momentum of activity on the UKCS into the next century in both gas and oil areas. It is confirmation that oil and gas companies are confident they will be able to secure cost reductions, which will allow them to develop the discoveries they make economically. This is increasingly important given the number of oil provinces worldwide and other sources of gas against which the UKCS must now compete.
Recycling
Mrs. Chaplin : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take on the recycling of waste.
Mr. Heseltine : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I have today published a report prepared by Environmental Resources Limited for our Departments. The report sets out a range of options for the use of economic instruments to promote the recovery of resources from waste. It identifies a number of different approaches which could be effective in promoting recycling and my Department has therefore invited comments on these from interested parties by 31 January 1993. I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.
Patents and Licences
Dr. Moonie : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance his Department provides for patenting or licensing of any products or processes developed from work funded by the Department.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 15 December 1992] : The Department is aware of the importance of protecing intellectual property arising from work for which it provides financial assistance. Recipients of DTI funding are required to take reasonable steps to exploit the results of their projects, including making arrangements for intellectual property rights. The scope exists under the collaborative schemes to include in eligible costs reasonable patenting costs incurred by small and medium-sized companies, and in the case of SMART and SPUR, the expense of patenting in the United Kingdom and overseas can be claimed as an eligible cost.
Column 481
Coal Industry
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number and total cost of consultancies commissioned into the coal industry in the financial years 1990-91, 1991-92 and so far this year.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 15 December 1992] : The Department of Energy commissioned only one consultancy on the coal industry in 1990- 91, from Alan Oakes. On grounds of commercial confidentiality, the costs of individual consultancies is not released.
In 1991-92 the Department of Energy commissioned six consultancies on coal privatisation at a cost that year of £3.3 million. A further two consultancies have been commissioned by the DTI in 1992-93 and expenditure on privatisation consultants in total was £1.2 million in the first six months of this year.
In addition, a number of consultants have been used as part of the Department's coal research and development programme, managed by the energy technology support unit at Harwell.
Coal Mines
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many representations he has received in the last three months from businesses wishing to take over existing pits in Wales ; how many different firms have sent such offers ; what criteria he is using to judge each request ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 November 1992] : My Department has received representations from four businesses interested in existing pits in Wales.
On the question of consideration of expressions of interest in closing pits, I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 15 December, Official Report, columns 145- 46.
Electricity Generation
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessments he has made of the social, economic and environmental costs and potential benefits of a plan for coal-fired electricity generation based on fluidised bed combustion and flue gas desulphurisation.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 16 December 1992] : My Department is aware of a number of assessments of the economic and environmental advantages of fluidised bed combustion systems for electricity generation as an alternative to conventional pulverised coal fired plant that may require flue gas desulphurisation. The Government are committed to achieving the emission reductions required by the EC large combustion plant directive.
Patents
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals the United Kingdom Patent Office has to continue to act as an international preliminary examining authority after 1 June 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 16 December 1992] : The Comptroller General of the Patent Office has discussed with other members of the European Patent
Column 482
Organisation's administrative council whether the office should continue to act as an international preliminary examining authority after 31 May 1993. He has also consulted the World Intellectual Property Organisation. The administrative council has concluded that the provisions of the protocol on centralisation of the European patent convention, under which this work will cease on 31 May 1993, should prevail but has commissioned a wide-ranging study of the relationships between the European Patent Office and the offices in member countries and of the needs of small and medium-sized firms.Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how the principles of subsidiarity will be applied with regard to the relationship between the patent offices of member states of the EC which are contracting states of the European patent convention and the European Patent Office ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 16 December 1992] : The European Patent Office is not a Community body--the European patent convention is a free-standing treaty and the principles of subsidiarity do not directly affect the relationship between the patent offices of contracting states and the European Patent Office.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what fee is charged for international preliminary examinations for patents by (a) the European Patent Office and (b) the United Kingdom Patent Office ; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the new protocol for centralisation, requiring United Kingdom applicants for international preliminary examinations to have these carried out at the European Patent Office on the development of innovation in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 16 December 1992] : The European Patent Office charges DM 3,000 for international preliminary examinations and the United Kingdom Patent Office charges £130. The effects of the protocol on innovation in the United Kingdom cannot be quantified with precision but do not effect the innovator's ability to seek national patents. The 1973 treaty, which provides for these examinations to be conducted by the European Patent Office after 31 May 1993, can only be amended by unanimous agreement of the 17 contracting states. The Comptroller General of the Patent Office has, however, discussed with the other members of the European Patent Organisation's admininstrative council the need to ensure that the European patent convention and its protocol on centralisation, which date from 1973, do not inhibit the process of innovation in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from, or on behalf of, patent agents in the United Kingdom with regard to the implementation of the European protocol on centralisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 16 December 1992] : None. The Comptroller General of the Patent Office has, however, had a number of discussions with representatives of the patent agent profession on this matter in the course of the last 18 months.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the proportion of the worldwide
Column 483
total of international preliminary examinations under the patent co-operation treaty which are currently undertaken by the United Kingdom Patent Office.Mr. Leigh [holding answer 16 December 1992] : It is estimated that the United Kingdom Patent Office currently undertakes about 13 per cent. of the worldwide total of international preliminary examinations under the patent co-operation treaty.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what procedures are necessary to ensure that the United Kingdom Patent Office may continue to act as an international preliminary examining authority.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 16 December 1992] : Continuation of the United Kingdom Patent Office's work as an international preliminary examining authority after 31 May 1993 would require a unanimous decision to this effect of the 17 contracting states of the European Patent Organisation.
Regional Aid
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction in his Department's budget by 1995 for spending on regional financial assistance ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what were the amounts of regional financial assistance expenditure in 1979 and 1991 ; and if he will increase the funding in future years.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 16 December 1992] : In the financial year to the end of March 1980, £272 million was spent on regional financial assistance. Total expenditure in 1991-92 amounted to £159 million.
The allocation of funds to individual programmes is currently being considered and will be published in the trade and industry expenditure plans report in February 1993.
Pit Closures
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Coal about the release of financial information to representatives of the work force at the 10 collieries currently scheduled for closure.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 4 December 1992] : British Coal is fully aware of the importance I attach to the statutory consultations being conducted in a genuine manner, and to the provision of information necessary for that.
Electromagnetic Compatibility
Mr. Sproat : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the estimated total compliance cost to all businesses and as to (a) the setting up cost and (b) the typical cost for a small business on-going annual cost arising from the regulation sponsored by his Department giving effect to EC directive 89/336 on electromagnetic compatibility ; and what is the estimated public expenditure cost of enforcing this measure annually.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 14 December 1992] : The United Kingdom regulations on electromagnetic compatibility arise from an EC treaty obligation to implement a
Column 484
directive. Approximately 60,000 manufacturing companies with 200 or more employees and another 9,000 each employing fewer than 200 people will be affected. It is not possible to calculate the cost for a typical small business and difficult to estimate costs to industry as a whole as companies will not all choose to comply at the same time during the transitional period running to 31 December 1995. It will, therefore, be some time before a reliable estimate of compliance costs can be made. Enforcement will be carried out from within existing resources and no significant extra cost is expected.EC Regional Development Fund
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much European regional development fund expenditure there has been in the United Kingdom's assisted areas in each year since 1984-85 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1984-85 prices.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 November, Official Report, columns 131-32.
Disposable Nappies
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce specific safety regulations governing the flammability of disposable nappies.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 11 December 1992] : These products are subject to the general safety requirement under section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.
My Department has no plans to introduce specific safety regulations on the flammability of disposable nappies.
Coal Mining
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what action he will take in order to provide new employment opportunities in areas which have lost mining jobs since 1988 ; (2) what plans he has to increase employment in coal mining areas ;
(3) what new investment initiatives have been proposed for revitalising areas which have previously been economically dependent on the British coal industry ;
(4) what proposals he has for attracting new high technology industry to declining mining areas.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 16 December 1992] : Since 1988 there have been a number of measures to provide new employment opportunities in areas which have lost mining jobs. Those areas which are also assisted areas are, amongst other things, eligible for regional selective assistance which provides funding for firms with projects that safeguard or create employment. Within the assisted areas, English Estates has also been able to provide sites and premises for business. In addition most of the areas concerned are eligible for and benefit from support under the European structural funds objective 2 and RECHAR programmes. British Coal Enterprise has also been active in these areas and its initiatives have successfully created employment for many former British Coal employees. More recently, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced on 13 and 19 October a
Column 485
substantial package of measures to assist areas which may suffer from job losses in the mining industry. The measures include--an £85 million programme of premises/sites provision by English Estates ; a £75 million package of training/counselling measures ; enhanced assisted area status for Barnsley, Doncaster and Mansfield ; £11 million of unallocated European structural funds ; £5 million coalfield areas fund for local authority measures ; the deployment of enterprise zones where appropriate ; nearly £2 million for the Tyne and Wear development corporation ; funding for the emerging East Midlands development organisation ; the extension of regional enterprise grants for small firms ; and extra help for inward investment promotion and for local regeneration agencies. In addition, British Coal will clear the sites of any closed collieries quickly and British Coal Enterprise is implementing measures to assist ex-British Coal employees. Lord Walker is acting as a co-ordinator of these measures and is advising my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State for Wales. The shape and timing of these latest measures will be reconsidered in the light of the outcome of the coal review.Nuclear Material
Ms. Walley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to publish in the MM20 business monitor series on trade statistics details of the movement by air into and without the United Kingdom of (a) nuclear fuel rods and (b) plutonium.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 7 December 1992] : The MM20 business monitor series does not include details of mode of transport.
Oil and Gas Exploration
Mr. Dafis : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about the 14th round of offshore oil and gas production licences and its implications for wildlife areas in (a) Cardigan bay, (b) the Pembrokeshire islands, (c) Lundy island, (d) the Moray Firth and (e) the Wash.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 16 December 1992] : Since the announcement of the current licensing round, I have received approximately 350 letters regarding licensing in Cardigan Bay. Some 100 of these refer also to the Pembrokeshire islands and Lundy island ; areas adjacent to these islands have not been offered for licensing in this round. About 30 of the letters also refer to the implications of licensing for wildlife in the Moray firth, an area which already has an established oil production industry. No other representations on licensing have been received concerning the Pembrokeshire islands, Lundy island, the Moray firth or the Wash.
Coal Prices
Mr. Churchill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade by how much the price of British coal, delivered to the power station, has increased or decreased in each of the past six years expressed as an index, taking 1985-86 as 100 ; and what has been the equivalent increase or decrease in the price of electricity to the domestic consumer.
Column 486
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 4 December 1992] : The available information expressed in 1985 prices, is as follows :
|Averge Prices of All|Fuel Price Index for
|Coal Purchased by |Domestic
|Major Electricity |Electricity:
|Generating
|Companies:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Index 1985=100
1985 |100 |100
1986 |98 |99
1987 |88 |94
1988 |89 |93
1989 |81 |93
1990 |73 |94
1991 |68 |97
Deflated by the GDP (market prices) deflator.
Source: Based on information published in Energy Trends Tables 26 and 28.
The cost of fuels such as coal represents less than a third of the total price of electricity to domestic consumers, and is only one of the many factors that dictate the final price.
Telecommunications
Mr. Lewis : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advisory bodies have been established under section 54 (i) of the Telecommunications Act 1984 ; and if he will list their members.
Mr. Leigh : The advisory bodies established under section 54 (i) of the Telecommunications Act are : the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Small Businesses ; the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People ; the English Advisory Committee on Telecommunications ; the Wesh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications ; the Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications and the Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications. The membership of each committee is as follows : Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Small Businesses Chairman
Mr. M. J. Ashton
Members
Miss J. R. Allan
Mrs. J. A. Barden
Mr. S. H. Bennett
Mr. R. W. Frenzel
Mr. P. A. Frymann
Mr. R. Furey
Mr. M. Jordan
Mr. S. A. Mayo
Mrs. P. G. Parker
Mrs. M. R. Seymour
Mr. M. E. G. Taylor
Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People
Chairman
Mr. D. Hobman CBE
Members
Mrs. S. Barrows MBE
Mr. D. R. L. Dunsmuir
Mr. M. C. Godfrey
Mr. W. Harbert OBE
Mr. D. Hyslop
Mr. C. M. Low
Mr. M. C. Martin OBE
Dr. E. C. Midwinter OBE
Mrs. S. A. Porter
Dr. E. M. Steiner
| Next Section
| Home Page |