| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
British Geological Survey
13. Mr. Dafis: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the prior options review of the British Geological Survey on the progress of the geological survey of Wales. [13516]
Mr. Page: None. I expect the current review will report to me in July 1996.
Mr. Dafis: May I remind the Minister of the furore that erupted in Wales two years ago following the announcement that the BGS office for Wales in Aberystwyth was to be closed? May I remind the Minister that we were assured at the time that the so-called rationalisation would strengthen the ability of the BGS to carry on with its surveying work in Wales? In view of the fact that large areas of Wales do not have detailed geological maps, and in view of the importance of this information in such maps for economic development, the environment and planning, what guarantee can he now give that the assurances made at that time will be honoured?
Mr. Page: I, too, was disappointed that the Welsh authorities did not provide the £80,000 a year for five years to keep the Aberystwyth office operating. The purpose of the review of all public service research establishments is to see that we get the best science for the substantial resources put in by the taxpayer. Until the review reports back, however, there is little that I can say.
Manufacturing Output
14. Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average annual growth in manufacturing output since 1979. [13517]
Mr. Oppenheim: Since 1979, manufacturing output has grown at an average annual rate of 0.7 per cent.
Mr. Jones: Did not the Secretary of State recently admit that the Thatcher years were a complete and utter
disaster for Britain's manufacturing industries? Is it not the case that Britain's manufacturing is not safe in Conservative hands?
Mr. Oppenheim: No, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Garnier: Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the greatest successes of the Major years has been manufacturing industries in the east midlands, an area that both he and I represent? Will he also ignore all history lessons from Opposition Front Benchers, who clearly do not know the difference between Joseph and Austen Chamberlain?
Mr. Oppenheim: I think that the Opposition are misled in a variety of ways.
Gas Consumers Council
15. Dr. Godman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the current effectiveness of the Gas Consumers Council's monitoring of the level of service given by the privatised utilities. [13518]
Mr. Page: I consider that the Gas Consumers Council is effective in monitoring the level of service given by British Gas.
Dr. Godman: As my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) pointed out earlier, last May Ministers promised to help British Gas to improve its service record. Why, then, has there been a doubling in the number of complaints to the Gas Consumers Council since that date? Does the hon. Gentleman agree that there appears to be a "couldn't care less" attitude among senior British Gas managers to complaints from consumers? That is certainly the experience of many of my constituents. Surely that is not the right attitude to take, especially to the problems faced by our elderly constituents.
Mr. Page: I share the hon. Gentleman's disappointment that the number of complaints has risen by such a large amount. Having said that, I understand that British Gas management has responded positively and drafted in more staff and put in more telephone lines. I also understand that the rate of complaint in December was 36 per cent. lower than the rate at the start of 1995. Progress is being made.
Privatised Water Companies
16. Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the ability of the consumer organisations covering the privatised utilities to monitor the level of service given by the privatised water companies. [13519]
Mr. John M. Taylor: In general, we are content with the existing consumer representation arrangements for the privatised utilities. As far as the water industry is concerned, the performance of the Office of Water
Services customer service committees in monitoring levels of service is a matter for the Director General of Water Services.
Mr. Campbell: The number of complaints has risen by 180 per cent. and £1 million has been cut from the national customer council. Why was Diana Scott sacked from the customer service committee in Yorkshire? Was it because she was outspoken?
Mr. Taylor: The fact is that privatisation has provided customers with independent customer service committees. Since privatisation, the national customer council has been in place to put the customer's view. It is put, it should be put and it is safeguarded.
Mr. Harry Greenway: Is my hon. Friend aware that my constituents have had privatised water for 15 or more years, originally through the Rickmansworth water company and now through Three Valleys Water, and that that privatised service has been highly successful? Is that not an example to other areas?
Mr. Taylor: I am grateful to my hon. Friend. There is a considerable variety of experience and delivery, but the best is always a good example to the rest. It is exactly that sort of good practice that we wish to spread.
Saudi Arabia (Medical Supplies)
17. Mr. Pickthall: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he is taking in relation to medical exports from Diagnostic Developments of Burscough, Lancashire, sent for export to Saudi Arabia and impounded by Customs and Excise at Heathrow. [13520]
Mr. Nelson: I understand from Customs and Excise that the consignment was shipped from the United Kingdom on 25 January.
Mr. Pickthall: I am grateful for that helpful reply. Does the Minister understand that the shipment in question consisted of an agent for the determination of haemoglobin in blood supplies? It was going to Saudi Arabia and was contained in 6,500 50cc bottles at 2 per cent. of potassium cyanide. The Department of Trade and Industry official determined that the cyanide was recoverable. Is that the sort of efficiency in helping our small exporters that satisfies the Department? Before the Minister toddles off to Latin America advocating exports, will he ensure that the delays and the loss of business to which I referred are not repeated?
Mr. Nelson: The hon. Gentleman is right to say that we must be careful not to inhibit proper legitimate exports. However, as the House will be aware--especially this week--we must impose proper licences and controls on the export of hazardous goods. In the case in question--and certainly when Customs and Excise had first sight of the consignment at Heathrow--it was felt that potassium cyanide very much fell into that category. It was properly referred to my Department, which made a further technical assessment and validation of the end user. When that was cleared, the goods were also cleared for shipment. Sometimes that can take some time, but it is
proper that the process should be gone through and that it should be done as expeditiously as possible--and my Department intends always so to do.British Gas
18. Mr. McFall: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next plans to meet representatives of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux to discuss problems encountered with British Gas. [13522]
Mr. John M. Taylor: I have no such plans.
Mr. McFall: At a time of record referrals to the Gas Consumers Council and to citizens advice bureaux, how can the Minister justify an overall cut to the CAB during the past two years? At a time of massive dissatisfaction with British Gas, is it not obscene that the charter mark is still on gas bills? Will the Minister take steps today to ensure that that charter mark is removed?
Mr. Taylor: Madam Deputy Speaker--
Mr. Tony Banks: It is Madam Speaker.
Mr. Taylor: Madam Speaker, I do apologise. I do not know whether the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall) was in the House during an earlier question about gas, but I am the first to concede that the number of complaints in relation to gas has increased. It is perfectly clear that British Gas must do better to retain its customer loyalty. The hon. Gentleman referred, in particular, to NACAB. This afternoon, I have been defending the customer safeguard arrangements. I must say that, in the context of NACAB, I announced a fortnight ago that its grant had been increased by £600,000 this year. As far as I could tell from my most recent visit to NACAB, the people there were very pleased about that.
Manufacturing Output
19. Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current figure for manufacturing as a percentage of gross domestic product. [13524]
Mr. Lang: In 1994, manufacturing output was 21 per cent. of gross domestic product.
Mr. Sutcliffe: Is that not the nub of the problem? In 1979, manufacturing represented 30 per cent. of GDP, and it is now down to less than 21 per cent. Is that decline because of the waste of resources which could have created long-term investment? Hon. Members on both sides of the House agree that we must return to increased levels of investment in manufacturing. Is not the problem that we are net exporters of investment? The Government have not created an environment in which investment can take place, which would bring back manufacturing to where it needs to be--where it could create the jobs that we need to provide employment.
Mr. Oppenheim: I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman about the importance of manufacturing. However, he should be aware that the share of GDP taken
by manufacturing has fallen in every industrialised country, which, in absolute terms, does not mean that the manufacturing share has decreased. Service industries have done very well in this country, but manufacturing industry has also done well since 1980. Our manufacturing productivity growth has been at the top of the league of industrialised countries, and manufacturing output has increased since 1979. I repeat that that is in marked contrast to what happened under the previous Labour Government, when productivity was stagnant and output fell.
Mr. Bellingham: Will the Minister find time today to consider the food manufacturers in my constituency, including Campbell Soups and Master Foods, a division of Mars, which I visited on Monday? Those two companies have expanded and have played a part in reducing unemployment in my constituency, since the general election, by 32 per cent. Does he agree with me that had the Government signed up to the social chapter and brought in the panoply of regulations and red tape, as the Opposition want, that would not have happened?
Mr. Oppenheim: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. In the 1970s, international companies such as those he mentioned were falling over themselves to move production from England. General Motors and Ford were moving production out of England, and the Germans would not buy GM or Ford cars that were made in United Kingdom plants. The opposite is now true: GM and Ford are again exporting massive numbers of cars. The Japanese have come into the market in a very big way, and inward investment has been one of the great driving forces in the transformation of British manufacturing industry.
Mrs. Anne Campbell: Is not the abysmal performance by manufacturing industry in this country due to the fact that we have not invested sufficiently, particularly in training? Is it not true that we have the lowest proportion of young people in full-time education of any industrialised country, apart from Turkey?
Mr. Oppenheim: The hon. Lady is absolutely right about the importance of education and human capital in competitiveness. She will no doubt be glad to hear that the proportion of young people who are in full-time education or training is two and a half times what it was in 1979. She will no doubt also be delighted to hear that, in the past year, manufacturing investment increased by 11.5 per cent., and that investment in machinery increased by 15.5 per cent.
| Next Section
| Index | Home Page |