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Sir John Wheeler: The information is as follows:
|Sums |Sums
|Number of |misappropriated|recovered
Year |frauds |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Departments
(including agencies)
1991-92 |17 |96,892 |50,314
1992-93 |14 |5,323 |37,847
1993-94 |21 |161,676 |30,954
1994-95 |13 |94,846 |89,267
Non Departmental
Public Bodies
1991-92 |5 |67,403 |13,231
1992-93 |3 |189,440 |6,351
1993-94 |2 |14,665 |21,016
1994-95 |9 |26,675 |16,089
PRIME MINISTER
Belfast
8. Rev. Martin Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he plans to visit Belfast, South. [36596]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has at present no plans to do so.
Engagements
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 24 October. [36846]
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 24 October. [36848]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the commemorations for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in New York.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Mobile Phone Fraud
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will announce the recommendations of the industry and Government study group on mobile phone fraud which was set up in June. [39327]
Mr. Ian Taylor: I am pleased to announce the recommendations of the study group on mobile phone fraud which I set up in June. The group, comprising senior representatives from the industry, the Federation of Communication Services, my Department, the Home Office and the police, has analysed in detail the technical and legislative issues which need to be tackled if this fraud is to be combated more effectively.
The recommendations which Government will consider are:
1. Industry and the Government should fully support the introduction of the crime prevention scheme being set up by the FCS and endorse its early implementation. Once the scheme is in force, the four network operators-- Vodafone, Cellnet, One 2 One and Orange--service providers and dealers in the industry must use their best endeavours to ensure that any equipment bought or connected by them is not stolen and that records are kept to demonstrate the precautions they have taken. Those that are found not to conform to this scheme will be unable to operate in the industry. Subject to the Director General of Fair Trading being satisfied with the scheme on competition grounds, it should be launched by December 1995. 2. The Government should consider extending the range of offences under section 42 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 so that, in addition to the existing offence of dishonestly obtaining telecommunications service with intent to avoid payment, it would also cover, broadly, the possession or supply of equipment capable of use in the course of or in connection with the current section 42 offence. The maximum penalty for these new offences should be five years and the penalty for the existing section 42 offence should also be increased from two to five years. This would make all offences arrestable, provide the police with powers to search for and seize evidence and will be a major deterrent to those intent on using scanners or other high technology equipment with intent to defraud the network.
3. Industry, police and Government should take action to build on previous initiatives to raise the level of public awareness of the problem of mobile phone fraud and crime and foster further crime prevention initiatives. In particular
the industry increases its work with the police through seminars and training packages to raise the level of awareness of police forces around the UK to mobile phone fraud and crime and works with the police to implement any new legislation,
the industry and the police take action to encourage owners of handsets to mark their phones.
The Government welcome the recommendations of the study group, especially the proposed crime prevention scheme which should make a substantial contribution to reducing fraud within the industry. The group rightly recognises that the proposal for further legislation will need to be considered carefully, in particular taking into account any resource implications. The Government also welcome the practical suggestions of the study group to raise the level of public awareness. I am keen to see wider use of mobile phone marking schemes, such as post code markings or a register. It is only when those who own mobile phones appreciate that their phone is an attractive target for fraud and crime, and protect it accordingly, that serious inroads will be made into reducing the problem.
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I am delighted at the work done by this group over the last few months. It has proved a highly effective forum for the industry, the police and the Government to work together to consider what further actions are needed to underpin the work of the industry in fighting mobile phone fraud and crime. These recommendations need to be considered very carefully. In respect of the suggested change to the Telecommunications Act, I am having discussions with ministerial colleagues, including at the Home Office, in respect both of the legislative programme and the implications for resources. A briefing paper describing the group's summary of the threat posed by mobile phone fraud and the group's subsidiary recommendations has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.Mr. William Ross: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report by his industry and government study group of mobile phone fraud and associated topics; and if he will make a statement as to his current and future proposals on these matters; [38340]
(2) if he will set out the evidence, together with all figures of the incidence of cloning of mobile telephones for (a) each network licensed by his Department and (b) the combined networks, stating the source from which the figures were obtained and measures taken to verify those figures that have been presented to his
Department; [38342]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of all evidence, and including all figures, indicating the source from which they were obtained, and indicate the measures taken to verify those figures presented to his recent industry and Government study group on mobile phone fraud and associated topics; [38341]
(4) if he will set out the evidence, with the figures, stating the individual sources from which they were obtained, concerning the cases of fraud involving the provision and use of mobile phones overall and for each network licensed by his Department. [38343]
Mr. Taylor: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes). Individual cases of mobile telephone fraud are a matter for the companies involved, the police and the prosecution authorities. The mobile telecommunications industry did provide some estimates for the overall scale of mobile phone fraud as part of their contribution to the work of the industry and government study group on mobile phone fraud. These have been reproduced in the briefing paper mentioned in my answer. The paper has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Copyright Tribunal
Sir Thomas Arnold: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes he has made and what further changes he proposes to make to the procedures of the Copyright Tribunal; and if he will make a statement. [38740]
Mr. Ian Taylor: Last year, my Department sought the views of users of the Copyright Tribunal to determine how satisfied they were with its performance, and how its procedures might be improved. The vast majority of respondents considered that tribunal procedures were fair,
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flexible, unintimidating and thorough. There were, however, some concerns about the cost and speed of procedures and some suggestions were made for improvement in these and other respects. The Department is still considering, in consultation with the chairman of the tribunal, possible changes to the procedures in the light of suggestions with a view to proposing a statutory instrument providing for some amendments to the tribunal rules in due course. In the meantime, some useful changes have been made to the Copyright Tribunal practice direction and the new version was sent in July to all solicitors involved in cases currently before the tribunal and respondents to the user survey. The practice direction is issued for the guidance of parties, with a view to achieving a just, expeditious and economical disposal of proceedings. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.British Coal Enterprise
Mr. Bell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if British Coal Enterprise will be sold as a single entity or broken down into its constituent parts; and if he will make a
statement; [37658]
(2) what plans exist for Grosvenor Career Services, the outplacement division of British Coal Enterprise, in the event of an outright sale of British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement. [37659]
Mr. Page: Bids will be invited for all of British Coal Enterprise or its main activities--workshops, business funding and outplacement services (Grosvenor).
Mr. Bell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the timetable for the proposed privatisation of British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement. [37655]
Mr. Page: British Coal expects that the process will be concluded by March 1996.
Mr. Bell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on future methods of funding of British Coal Enterprise, Fast Track and Enterprise Fund; and if he will make a statement. [37657]
Mr. Page: Direct Government Funding of BCE, through British Coal, will continue until March 1996. Thereafter, funding will be a matter for the new owners of BCE.
Mr. Bell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what are the criteria for the sale of British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement; [37656]
(2) what priority he attaches to ensuring the continuation of effective assistance to the coalfield communities in the event that British Coal Enterprise is privatised; and if he will make a statement. [37660]
Mr. Page: The sales process is intended to enable British Coal to take a clear view on the best way forward for BCE, having due regard to its statutory duties and the importance of ensuring continuation of effective assistance to the coalfield communities.
Fireworks
Mr. Burden: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of (a) trading standards officers,
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(b) the fire service and (c) the police in enforcing the law relating to the sale of fireworks to children under the age of 16 years in metropolitan areas. [38899]Mr. Jonathan Evans: Section 31 of the Explosives Act 1875 makes it an offence to supply fireworks to children apparently under 16 years of age. The 1875 Act makes no provision for the enforcement of section 31. Accordingly, the police, in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service, have the clearest role in dealing with offenders. However, trading standards departments have a well-established responsibility for safeguarding the safety of consumers and, in our opinion, should be in a position to bring prosecutions under section 31 in cases where the police have not become involved or have decided not to proceed. My Department draws no distinction between metropolitan and other areas regarding the standing of trading standards departments with respect to this legislation. Fire authorities in metropolitan areas are designated to undertake certain functions under the 1875 Act but have no duty to enforce section 31. Nevertheless, they too may be able to bring prosecutions under this provision.
It is also an offence under the General Product Safety Regulations 1994 for a retailer to supply to any person a product which he knows, or should have presumed on the basis of information in his possession, is a dangerous product. Local authority trading standards departments have a duty to enforce the regulations and in doing so can draw on the range of powers supporting consumer safety legislation.
Mr. Burden: To ask the President of the board of Trade what has been the number of firework-related injuries since 1985 in total and each year, and how many of these were children under the age of 16 years. [38914]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: For the year 1985 to 1994, the total number of people receiving treatment for firework injuries at accident and emergency units in Great Britain within the four week period around 5 November was 9,553; 5,053 of these were children under the age of 16. The figures for the individual years are set out in the table.
Year |Total injured |Aged less than 16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1985 |968 |593 1986 |846 |466 1987 |960 |540 1988 |877 |446 1989 |800 |414 1990 |805 |394 1991 |723 |362 1992 |942 |488 1993 |1,058 |542 1994 |1,574 |808
British Coal (Retirement Funds)
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to ensure that British Coal distributes the coal industry industrial death and retirement funds among the people who contributed to it, or to their dependants. [37769]
Mr. Page: The operation of the industrial death and retirement scheme is a matter for British Coal. However, I understand that the scheme was not financed from a
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conventional fund with separate assets. If it had been, British Coal's liabilities would have been capped in accord with the total amount of contributions paid. Instead, in return for contributions from members and notional matching contributions from British Coal itself, the corporation will continue to meet all entitlements under the scheme. British Coal confirms that all contributors who qualify for benefits will receive them. My Department will take over this responsibility when the liabilities associated with this scheme transfer at the of 1997.Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what safeguards exist to protect funds and schemes similar to the coal industry industrial death and retirement fund in the privatised coal industry. [37770]
Mr. Page: The industrial death and retirement scheme did not transfer to successor coal companies on privatisation. Insurance and retirement arrangements in respect of service with the newly privatised industry are matters for the new owners.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what benefits were being paid out from the coal industry industrial death and retirement fund on 1 January; [37763]
(2) what was the value of the coal industry industrial death and retirement fund on 1 January 1993, 1 January 1994, 1 January 1995 and its projected value on 1 January 1996; [37765]
(3) what benefits are currently being paid from the coal industry industrial death and retirement fund; [37764]
(4) how many people were paying into the coal industry industrial death and retirement fund on 1 January; [37762]
(5) what was the initial payment made to the industrial death and retirement fund at its inception, and by whom. [37766]
Mr. Page: These are matters for British Coal. I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) in what circumstances the British Coal Corporation may appropriate the assets of the industrial death and retirement fund; [37767]
(2) what legal provisions govern the distribution of the assets of funds of the nature of the coal industry industrial death and disablement fund when they are wound up. [37768]
Mr. Page: I understand that the industrial death and retirement scheme ceased to accept further contributions from members on 6 January 1995, but as it was not wound up the question of distribution of funds did not arise. As the arrangements constituted a scheme, there was no fund and thus no assets.
Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the responsibilities of the Deputy Prime Minister within the area covered by the Department of Trade and Industry. [38453]
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Mr. Lang: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has overall responsibility within Government for competitiveness, deregulation and public service issues. We work closely together on the issues of competitiveness and deregulation.
The drive for enhanced competitiveness is central to my Department's work. It underlies the Department's programmes of support and assistance to business, including export promotion, innovation and small firms initiatives.
Competitiveness and Deregulation
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what responsibility his Department has for the areas of competitiveness and deregulation. [38449]
Mr. Lang: My Department remains central to the Government's work on competitiveness and deregulation.
The drive for enhanced competitiveness underlies the Department's programmes of support and assistance to business, including export promotion, innovation and small firms support initiatives. Following the transfer of the central deregulation unit to the Cabinet Office, my Department retains specific responsibility for ensuring that the deregulation initiative is reflected in the way DTI itself undertakes regulation which impacts on business.
Redundant Mineworkers
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what education and training schemes are currently available to miners and their families made redundant during the past decade; [38489] (2) what plans he has to extend the current education and training schemes available to miners and their families made redundant during the last decade. [38490]
Mr. Page: In addition to its general training and education measures, a major element of the Government's £200 million regeneration package specifically directed to helping areas affected by pit closures since October 1992 was a £75 million package provided by the training and enterprise councils, which includes provision for training measures.
British Coal's job and career change scheme which is managed by British Coal Enterprise Ltd. was established to provide support to those made redundant from the corporation. JACCS includes the provision of education and training support. This can take the form of on-the-job training where this meets specific identifiable skills shortages in local economies; and in some cases vocational educational courses.
British Coal is currently proceeding with the disposal of BCE. Arrangements for JACCS beyond March 1996, when it is anticipated that the disposal of BCE will have been completed, are being considered by British Coal. However, I understand that British Coal will continue to provide outplacement assistance to its current and former employees made redundant and not in employment in line with present policy.
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Departmental Buildings
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the costs of the refurbishment of his Department's buildings in the past two years. [38451]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Department has carried out the following refurbishments over the past two years, listed by year of project completion:
£ thousands
Financial year and |Cost
project
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94
Partial refurbishment of Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street,
London SW1, to enable additional staff to be
accommodated following the closure of 1-19 Victoria
Street, London SW1 |4,532
Full refurbishment of Kinsgate House, 66-74 Victoria
Street, London SW1 |4,211
Refurbishment of sub-standard parts of the Eastcote site,
Eastcote, Middlesex |720
Partial refurbishment of Bushy House NPL site,
Teddington, Middlesex |1,077
Full refurbishment of Main administrative building, NPL
site, Teddington, Middlesex |1,990
1994-95
No projects completed in this financial year
The refurbishment of 1 Victoria street achieved practical completion in the current financial year. For the costs of that project, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the then President of the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South (Mr. Donohoe), on 21 June 1995, Official Report , columns 311-12.
This reply does not take account of any buildings which the Department acquires as a result of the machinery of government changes announced on 5 July.
Belvedere Waste-to-energy Plant
Mr. Evennett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be able to make an announcement on the proposal by PowerGen and Cory for a waste-to-energy plant in Belvedere. [38566]
Mr. Eggar: The present position on the application is that pursuant to regulation 10 of the Electricity and Pipe-line Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1990 my officials will be writing to PowerGen CHP Ltd. seeking further environmental information in relation to its application.
European Regional Aid
Mr. MacShane: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the European Commission regarding the proposed reduction in funds for the RESIDER II steel regions aid programme in 1998 99; and if he will make a statement. [38714]
Mr. Eggar: The Commission has not proposed a reduction in the allocation to RESIDER, but on the contrary, an increase of 380 mecu for RESIDER, RECHAR, RETEX and KONVER together: of which 60 mecu is for the UK. The Government would have preferred a larger figure. The Commission's proposal will be discussed by the member states in the structural funds
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community initiatives management committee in due course, but no date has been set for the committee's meeting.Iron and Steel Industry
Mr. MacShane: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates his Department has made for output and employment in the United Kingdom iron and steel industries over the next five years. [38713]
Mr. Page: My Department does not forecasts of output and employment in the UK iron and steel industries.
Osprey Wave Project
Mr. Mullin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance his Department has given to applied research and technology over (a) research, (b) production and (c) newsletters of the Osprey wave power project; and if he will make a statement. [38375]
Mr. Page: My Department has directly assisted applied research and technology during the early phase of research and development on the OSPREY device through funding a wave tank testing experiment during 1992 93 at a cost of approximately £50,000 and a tow-out evaluation at an additional cost of £12,000.
My Department has also assisted ART through sponsoring an assessment of OSPREY's structure, carried out by Advanced Mechanics and Engineering, an independent engineering consultancy, at a cost of £25,000, and to date has funded around £130,000 of research and development into pneumatic turbines, carried out by the Queen's university of Belfast, which will have been of indirect benefit to ART as the purpose of the work was to provide testing facilities for turbines suitable for eventual deployment in the OSPREY device. This work is scheduled for completion in 1996 at a final cost of around £200,000.
My Department has also commissioned an independent study of the OSPREY device at a cost of around £17,000, conducted with full co-operation from ART.
A short article on the OSPREY device is due to appear in the next issue of "New Review" magazine, scheduled for publication in December 1995, which is devoted to new and renewable energy and fully funded by my Department. "New Review" has a circulation in excess of 30,000. Copies are sent to the libraries of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Mullin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contribution his Department has made to research into renewable sources of energy during each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [38370]
Mr. Page: My Department has undertaken the following expenditure on research into new and renewable sources of energy during each of the last 10 years.
|Expenditure £
Year |million
------------------------------------------
1985-86 |13.2
1986-87 |12.0
1987-88 |16.3
1988-89 |16.0
1989-90 |17.9
1990-91 |20.8
1991-92 |24.8
1992-93 |25.6
1993-94 |25.2
1994-95 |19.1
Dock Workers (Merseyside)
Mr. Parry: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have taken place with the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company about the dismissal of dockers in Merseyside. [38738]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: None. The Government believe that the resolution of industrial disputes is entirely a matter for the parties concerned-- enlisting, as with the case of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, the services of ACAS if both sides agree.
Inward Investment
Mr. William Powell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the inward investment to the United Kingdom in excess of £10 million made in each year since 1979. [38334]
Mr. Eggar: For the financial years 1979 to 1995, of the total number of inward investment decisions notified to my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau, in excess of £10 million were 625. In recent years these have included:
|£
------------------------------------
Siemens |1.1 billion
Samsung |450 million
Toyota |700 million
Nissan |250 million
Goldstar |40 million
Fujitsu |400 million
These figures are based on information provided by the companies at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest, and take no account of subsequent developments.
Product Use
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what legislation requires private businesses to inform their customers how they use a product once a transaction has been completed; and if he will make a statement. [39052]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: If a consumer wishes to put a product to some unusual use he should seek advice from the trader. The trader should then indicate whether it will be reasonably fit for the purpose or make it clear if he is not confident on the point. There is no legislation which requires private businesses to inform their customers how they should use a product.
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High-tech Companies
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many high-tech industrial companies have been established in the United Kingdom during each of the last five years. [38636]
Mr. Page: The information requested is not readily available.
Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for the four years leading up to the privatisation of the electricity industry and for the four years after (a) the retail prices index and (b) domestic electricity index, including all taxes at the relevant rate. [38179]
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 20 October 1995]: The new electricity companies were established in March 1990 and flotation occurred at several different stages thereafter. For convenience, 1990 has been taken as the year of privatisation. The information requested is set out in the table.
|Retail Prices Index
Year |(all items) |<1>Domestic
|electricity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986 |100.0 |100.0
1987 |104.1 |99.5
1988 |109.3 |104.9
1989 |117.8 |112.5
1990 |128.9 |121.7
1991 |136.5 |133.9
1992 |141.5 |140.9
1993 |143.8 |140.4
1994 |147.4 |<2>136.9
Note:
<1> The electricity component of the RPI.
<2> Excludes VAT at 8 per cent. from 1 April 1994. The figure including VAT for
1994 would be 145.0.
Source:
Retail Prices Index compiled by the Central Statistical Office.
Domestic electricity prices, excluding VAT, have fallen faster than the all items RPI since 1990. Further price falls can be expected as a result of additional reductions in electricity distribution charges which take effect on 1 April 1996.
General Pinochet
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if officials of his Department or its agencies met General Pinochet of Chile during his recent visit. [37978]
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