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P-E International Management Consultants

P-E International plc--Computer Services

P-Four Consultancy Limited

Quarto Consulting International

Quotient Communications

Quo-Tec Limited

Radix Consultancy Limited

Reynolds and Associates Limited

Robert Fleming & Company Limited

RPS Group plc

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Salford University Business Services Limited

Sambrook Research International

Saxton Bampfylde International plc

Schofield Maguire

Scientific Generics

Scott Barrett

SD Scicon

Secure Information Systems Limited

Segal Quince Wicksteed Limited

Sensitive Systems Limited

Sepsu The Royal Society

Sequelogic Limited

Service Limited

Shreeveport Limited

SIA Limited

Simon Petroleum Technology

Small World Connections Limited

Smith Rea Energy Associates Limited

Smith System Engineering Limited

Solid Solutions Associates

Sound Sense Training

South West Productivity

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Column 217

SRU Limited

Stareblaze Limited

Steve Roberts Limited

Stoker Associates Limited

Stoy Hayward Consulting

Sudbury Consultants Limited

Sussex University

Teknowledge Limited

Text Matters

Thames Valley Technology

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

The Consultancy Corporation Limited

The Corporate Intelligence Group Limited

The Mail Marketing Company

The Outhouse Marketing Company

Thomas Howell Group

Touche Ross & Co.

TQM International Limited

Transport Study Group--University College

UK Cals Industry Council

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

United Technologies Limited

University of Bradford

University of Kent

University of Edinburgh

University of Keele

University of Westminster

Uni-Tech Limited

Urbecon

Verity Inc.

Wardell Armstrong

Warwick Business School

West Wales Software

World Wide Pictures Limited

WS Atkins Consultants Limited

X/Open

Total Value of these contracts is £29,323,000.

Christmas Cards

Mr. Bayley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 19 January, Official Report, column 646, how many Christmas cards were sent at public expense in 1993 by his Department's Ministers ; and how much this cost.

Mr. Eggar : The Minister for Trade sent out some 500 cards. They cost £385.14.

Cyprus (Oil Sales)

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the monthly sale of oil from United Kingdom registered companies to Cyprus in each month since July 1992.

Mr. Eggar : Monthly exports of oil by the United Kingdom to Cyprus since July 1992 are as follows :

Value of United Kingdom oil<1>      

export to Cyprus                    

              |£ thousand           

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

1992                                

July          |202                  

August        |116                  

September     |131                  

October       |187                  

November      |107                  

December      |89                   

              |---                  

Total         |832                  

                                    

1993                                

January       |96                   

February      |199                  

March         |118                  

April         |182                  

May           |171                  

June          |74                   

July          |187                  

August        |184                  

September     |142                  

October       |167                  

November      |139                  

              |---                  

Total         |1,660                

              |---                  

Overall Total |2,492                

<1> Petroleum, petroleum products,  

and related materials; ie. Division 

33 of the Standard International    

Trade Classification.               

Source: HM Customs and Excise.      

The figures relate to all United Kingdom exports of oil to Cyprus. Statistics relating specifically to United Kingdom registered companies are not available.

Severance Schemes

Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of the severance schemes available to employees which were in operation immediately prior to the privatisation of the Thames Water Authority, including details of facilities to make early payment of pensions to staff under such schemes.

Mr. Eggar : This subject is a matter for the boards of the respective utilities companies. I have passed on this request to the chairmen of British Gas and British Telecommunications and to the president of the Electricity Association.

Special Advisers

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which special advisers in his Department are seconded from other organisations ; and what are the organisations and the lengths and terms of the secondments.

Mr. Eggar : There are two special advisers and one chief economic adviser with the status of special adviser in the Department. None is seconded from other organisations.

Fire Safety

Mr. Battle : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the names and positions held of the members of the contact group which will be assisting the steering group on fire safety matters.

Mr. Neil Hamilton : Membership of the contact group assisting the steering group for the review of fire safety at present comprises : Mr. Stewart Kidd Director, Fire Prevention Association. Mr. David Smith President, Institute of Building Control. Mr. William Yates Manager (Fire and Security) Shell UK Ltd. Mr. Alfred Thompson Chief Officer, Durham Fire Brigade

Mr. Richard Saxon Partner, Building Design Partnership

I intend to add a representative of the hotel industry to the contact group shortly.

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Column 219

Mining Subsidence

Mr. Stephen : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive British Coal's fifth report on the administration of the coal mining subsidence damage repair and compensation scheme.

Mr. Eggar : I have now received this report from British Coal and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

Manufactured Food Products (Export)

Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value, for the most recent 12-month period available, of exports of manufactured food products to (a) Russia, (b) Hungary and (c) Czechoslovakia ; and what are the corresponding figures over each of the previous three years.

Mr. Needham [holding answer 17 January 1994] : Trade statistics have been available for Russia only since

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Column 220

the beginning of 1993. Since the beginning of last year, separate figures have been published on the Czech and Slovak Republics to reflect the break-up of Czechoslovakia.

The value of exports of manufactured food products--classifications 01 09 of the standard international trade classification, revision 3, which include cereals and cereal preparations--in the period from 1 January to 31 October 1993, were as follows :

                |£ thousands            

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

Russia          |142,779                

Hungary         |2,657                  

Czech Republic  |3,246                  

Slovak Republic |162                    

The value of manufactured food exports to the former Soviet Union, Hungary and former Czechoslovakia for the three previous years are set out in the table :

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Column 219

               |1989   |1990   |1991   |1992           

               |£'000s |£'000s |£'000s |£'000s         

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

Soviet Union   |148,503|155,089|20,139 |97,748         

Hungary        |540    |920    |1,269  |2,079          

Czechoslovakia |794    |1,191  |2,035  |2,822          

Regional Assistance

Mr. Pike : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to announce those areas designated under objective 2 and objective 5(b) ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 16 December 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 18 January, Official Report, column 517.

Steel

Mr. Fatchett : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the meetings which he has held with British steel producers to discuss the December 1993 EC agreement on surplus capacity in the steel industry.

Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 24 January 1994] : I and my officials maintained close contact with the industry both before and during the 17 December Industry Council. Officials briefed the British Iron and Steel Producers Association on the outcome before Christmas, and I have since written to the chairman of British Steel.

Mr. Fatchett : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement on the procedures established by his Department in order to monitor the implementation of the December 1993 EC agreement on steel capacity ;

(2) if he will make a statement on current progress towards the implementation of the December 1993 EC agreement on surplus capacity in the steel industry.

Mr. Sainsbury [holding answers 24 January 1994] : On 17 December, the Industry Council gave its assent to proposals under article 95 ECSC to allow state aid towards the costs of restructuring six steel companies in four member states.

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Column 220

The monitoring of state aids approved under article 95 ECSC is primarily for the Commission, which will report to the Council ; but DTI officials will maintain a watching brief on all six cases, including direct liaison with United Kingdom representatives in the relevant member states for news of their progress.

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