House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 30 Nov 1995 (pt 9)

Gas Measurement Branch

Mr. Steen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the annual income of the Gas Engineering Meters and Quality Laboratory arising from (a) fees, (b) charges and (c) fines; what was total number of staff employed (i) part time and (ii) full time; and what contribution his Department made towards the annual running costs in the past three years. [3255]

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Mr. Eggar: I assume that this question refers to the work of the gas measurement branch of the oil and gas division of my Department. The income from fees and charges for Gas Act 1986 work in the three financial years, 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1995 is as follows:

Financial year Fees Charges

£ £

1992-93 2,292,549 1,001,715

1993-94 1,718,997 912,304

1994-95 1,518,188 967,804

Financial year	Fees	Charges
	£	£


1992-93	2,292,549	1,001,715

1993-94	1,718,997	912,304

1994-95	1,518,188	967,804

There was no income from fines. Any fines would be paid into the magistrates court in respect of any criminal proceedings.

The number of staff in post in April of the relevant years carrying out Gas Act work is also as follows:

Staff in post Part time Full time

1992 4 62

1993 3 61

1994 2 58

1995 4 46

Staff in post	Part time	Full time


1992	4	62

1993	3	61

1994	2	58

1995	4	46

Apart from total expenditure over the three years of about £6,000 for Gas Act statutory work for which there was no power to make a charge, all of the gas measurement branch's annual running costs were recovered by relevant fees and charges.

Medicine Sales

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what information he has as the basis of the investigation currently being undertaken by the Office of Fair Trading into the resale price maintenance of medicines; and if he will make a statement; [3013]

(2) what estimate he has made as to the likely savings to the National Health Service from the abolition of the resale price maintenance scheme for medicines; [3015]

(3) if he will support the abolition of the retail price maintenance of medicines. [3019]

Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 28 November 1995]: In 1970, the restrictive practices court exempted medicaments from the general prohibition on resale price maintenance. The exemption can only be ended by the court. The Director General of Fair Trading has a duty to monitor and regularly review existing goods exempted from the prohibition. The Office of Fair Trading's current review is to establish whether there is a prima facie evidence of material change in the relevant circumstances since the exemption was granted. If the DGFT concluded that there was a material change of circumstances he could apply to the court to seek leave for review of the exemption. It would be premature to speculate about the DGFT's conclusions.

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Asbestosis

Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many coal miners and former coal miners diagnosed to be suffering from asbestosis since 1983 have received a payment under the 1974 pneumoconiosis compensation scheme. [2726]

Mr. Page [holding answer 28 November 1995]: This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation. I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

Business Links (Rural Areas)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many business links in rural areas will be operating by the end of 1995; and if he will indicate their location by county. [2643]

Mr. Page: Most business links have within their boundaries a variety of locations--urban, suburban and rural. It is not possible therefore to enumerate business links operating only in rural areas. By the end of 1995 business link services will be available to around 85 per cent. of all VAT-registered companies in England.

PRIME MINISTER

Engagements

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 30 November. [1653]

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 30 November. [1654]

The Prime Minister: This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

Investors in People

Mr. Byers: To ask the Prime Minister what steps his office is taking to achieve investor in people status; when it started the process; when it expects to achieve investor in people status; and if he will make a statement. [2972]

The Prime Minister: For this purpose, my Office is part of the Cabinet Office. In February 1993, the Cabinet Office registered commitment to achieve investor in people status. The formal commitment relates only to the Office of Public Service part of the Cabinet Office and the establishment officer's group. However, the whole Department is participating in the process of change and will share in the benefits. An action plan for the Department was produced following consultation with staff and was formally accepted by the Central London training and enterprise council in July 1995. Work is in hand to take forward the action required to bring the Department to the necessary standard. The Department is seeking to achieve accreditation by the end of 1996.

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Crown Act 1707

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislation to amend the Succession to the Crown Act 1707. [3378]

The Prime Minister: No.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Charter Mark

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many firms have withdrawn from the charter mark award scheme; and if he will make a statement. [2908]

Mr. Willetts: Only one. British Gas withdrew from the charter mark scheme earlier this month when its charter mark was under review.

Executive Agencies (Overseas Travel)

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each of his executive agencies for the last financial year in respect of overseas travel by agency staff (a) the costs of the travel, (b) the countries visited and (c) the posts held by the staff concerned. [2284]

Mr. Willetts: As this concerns a purely operational matter, I have asked the chief executives of the agencies concerned to write direct to the hon. Member.

Letter from R. N. Edwards to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 November 1995:

There has been no overseas travel on behalf of the Chessington Computer Centre by any of its staff during the last financial year.

Letter from Craig Muir to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 November 1995:

"To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each of his executive agencies for the last financial year in respect of overseas travel by agency staff (a) the costs of the travel, (b) the countries visited and (c) the posts held by the staff concerned."

(a) £579.34

(b) United States of America

Letter from Mike Devereau to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 November 1995:

I have been asked to reply, in respect of the Central Office of Information, to your question to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster about overseas travel.

COI staff of all grades make many visits in the course of providing services to other departments from whom costs are recovered. For example radio technicians support overseas visits by senior ministers, film marketing specialists attend sales conferences and managers travel with touring exhibitions.
The cost in 1994-95 was £65,078. The countries visited were:
Albania
Azerbaijan
Austria
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bosnia

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