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Departmental Publications
Dr. Wright: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of his Department's administrative manuals and internal guidance are now made public; and which remain private. [14024]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The administrative manuals and internal guidance that my Department has already made available to the public are as listed. Material that has not been made public can be identified only at disproportionate cost. In line with the code of practice on access to Government information, it is my intention to make available progressively any remaining administrative manuals and internal guidance relating to our dealings with the public.
- Authorisation of insurers in the United Kingdom: a practical guide for assessing applications;
Business Links: Guidelines for Officials;
DTI Enquiry Unit guidelines;
DTI Guide to Market Testing;
DTI Procurement manual;
EJS (Engineers to Japan Scheme) details;
Export Control Compliance Unit: Compliance visit procedures;
Export Control Organisation (ECO) Staff Handbook;
Export Control Policy Unit procedures;
Guidance notes of the Shipbuilding Intervention Fund;
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Offshore Research and Development Programme (OSSCAR): Guidance notes for staff;
Open Government (Minute to DTI Information Officers);
Open government case file guidance, charging form, application form;
Open government office notice;
Open Government: dealings with the public (Laboratory of the Government Chemist);
OSTEMS (Overseas Science Technology Expert Missions Scheme) details;
OTIS (Overseas Technical Information Service) details;
Procurement Guide: EC Services Directive;
Procurement Guide: EC Supplies Directive and GATT GPA;
Rules and procedures for Use of Technology Programme.
Spare Computer Capacity
Mr. Miller: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other Departments since 1987, giving the Department and value of each contract. [14077]
Mr. Lang: My Department has provided computer-related services to other Departments where they have represented best value for money for the Departments concerned. These arrangements are as follows: financial services for the Department of National Heritage, from 1993 to 1995, and to the Department of Energy, 1987 to 1992, of which computer support was one element. In addition, a number of other Departments and non-departmental public bodies continue to be provided with access to our specialist library systems. The latter services continue to be provided on a repayment basis at a current annual cost of £36,000.
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| Central Statistical Office | |
| 1991-92 | 30,723 |
| 1992-93 | 27,244 |
| 1993-94 | 20,218 |
| 1994-95 | 10,070 |
| National Audit Office | |
| 1991-92 | 17,896 |
| 1992-93 | 8,223 |
| 1993-94 | 1,775 |
| Scottish Office | |
| 1991-92 | 13,910 |
| 1992-93 | 16,847 |
| 1993-94 | 8,037 |
| 1994-95 | 5,074 |
Sydney Olympics
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 1 February, Official Report, column 866, what remuneration and expenses are payable to members of the Sydney olympics United Kingdom business task force. [14446]
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Mr. Nelson:
No remuneration is payable to the members of the task force. Any expenses which the chairman would normally have received will be paid to the British Paralympic Association.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the minimum levels of pay prescribed by each of the wages councils immediately before their abolition; and what were each of these levels of pay as a percentage of (a) average wages in the industry and (b) the national average wage at that time. [14320]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The information requested is contained in the table:
| Minimum monthly rate | Minimum rates as percentage of: | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | Average wages in industry | National average wage | ||
| Aerated waters | 3.05 | -- | 39 | |
| Boot and shoe repairing | 3.02 | 62.9 | 38.6 | |
| Button manufacturing | 2.66 | -- | 34 | |
| Clothing manufacturing | 2.7166 | 65.6 | 34.7 | |
| Coffin furniture and cerement making | 3.20 | -- | 40.9 | |
| Cotton waste reclamation | 2.78 | -- | 35.5 | |
| Fur | 2.85 | -- | 36.4 | |
| General waste materials reclamation | 2.675 | 56.8 | 34.2 | |
| Hairdressing undertaking | 2.88 | 67 | 36.8 | |
| Hat, cap and millinery | 2.76 | 59.9 | 35.3 | |
| Laundry | 2.98 | 65.1 | 38.1 | |
| Licensed non-residential establishment | 3.01 | 57.3 | 38.4 | |
| Licensed residential establishment and licensed restaurant | 2.92 | 53.9 | 37.3 | |
| Linen and cotton handkerchief and household goods and linen piece goods | 2.83 | 75.3 | 36.1 | |
| Made-up textiles | 2.70 | 61.5 | 34.5 | |
| Ostrich and fancy feather and artificial flower | 2.73 | -- | 34.9 | |
| Perambulator and invalid carriage | 3.13 | -- | 40 | |
| Retail bespoke tailoring | 3.20 | 61.3 | 40.9 | |
| Retail food and allied trades | 3.175 | 59.7 | 40.6 | |
| Retail trades (non-food) | 3.155 | 57.7 | 40.3 | |
| Rope twine and net | 2.755 | 71.2 | 35.2 | |
| Sack and bag | 2.745 | -- | 35.1 | |
| Toy manufacturing | 2.71 | 59.8 | 34.6 | |
| Unlicensed place of refreshment | 2.99 | 61.9 | 38.2 | |
Average earnings figures are not available for certain of the smaller councils.
Nuclear Accidents
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what account is taken of the level of commercial insurance in setting the nuclear industry's level of liability in respect of a nuclear accident; and what account is taken of inflation; [14560]
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Mr. Eggar:
My Department keeps the level of insurance required to be held by nuclear operators under review. There are no formal review intervals. The most recent increase was in April 1994. The key considerations were to meet the internationally agreed target limit for parties to the Paris convention and the level of commercial insurance then available. There has been no significant change in insurance capacity since that time.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that second-hand furniture may be sold only if it bears a "Fire Resistant" label. [14316]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
I do not believe it is necessary specifically to require second-hand furniture to bear labels indicating fire resistance. Since 1 March 1993, the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, have prohibited in the UK sale, in the course of a business, of second-hand furniture that does not meet the full requirements of this legislation. Trading standards departments have all the necessary powers to take action against traders who sell non-compliant items.
The regulations also require permanent labels, indicating compliance, to be attached to all new furniture. Purchasers of second-hand furniture should look for these permanently affixed labels.
Mr. Battle:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he, his Ministers or his civil servants have had about indemnifying the National Grid Company against potential claims relating to electro-magnetic fields and their impact upon communities after privatisation; and if he will make a statement. [14511]
Mr. Page:
No discussions have been held or are planned on the question of indemnifying the National Grid Company against potential claims relating to electro-magnetic fields.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what reports he has received on the representations made to the United Kingdom ambassador in Dublin by the Irish Minister for Energy, Transport and Communications during their meeting on 6 February to discuss Sellafield. [14844]
Mr. Eggar:
The meeting was held at the ambassador's request. Mr. Stagg, the Irish Minister for Energy, Transport and Communications, expressed anxiety about the UK nuclear industry, including operations at Sellafield, following a minor incident there on 2 February. However, as Mr. Stagg recognised in his subsequent statement in the Dail on 8 February, the incident had no radiological or health implications for Ireland nor was there any release of radioactivity to the environment. Mr. Stagg and the ambassador agreed on the importance of
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continued early notification to the Irish Government of incidents at UK nuclear installations which could affect the Irish environment.
Mr. Battle:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his timetable for the closure of the Magnox nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement. [14758]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The Government are satisfied that it makes economic sense to continue to generate electricity from the Magnox stations. Decisions relating to closure of Magnox stations are a matter for the operator, subject to the views of the independent regulator, the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate--NII. The safety of all UK Magnox nuclear power stations has been considered in detail by the NII under the long-term safety review--LTSR--programme. Subject to continuing satisfactory results from the routine tests and inspections required under licensing arrangements, and the outcome of periodic safety reviews, the NII has given its agreement for those Magnox stations currently operating to continue to operate.
(2) at what intervals reviews are conducted on the level of nuclear industry liability in respect of a nuclear accident; and when the next review is planned to take place. [14561]
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