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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Information Technology
6. Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investment is being made in the United Kingdom into telecommunications and information super- highway infrastructures; and what proportion of this has been provided by new entrants to the market. [13508]
Mr. Lang: Annual investment in the telecommunications infrastructure in the United Kingdom is running at around £5.5 billion per year, with about half of this coming from operators other than BT. Much of this is in broadband networks which form the backbone to the information super-highways being built in this country.
35. Mr. Miller: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the availability to other Departments of spare information technology resources in his Department. [13540]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Spare IT equipment is disposed of in the most cost-effective manner. At present, the vast majority of such equipment is obsolescent and therefore of little long-term value to other Departments. Typically, such equipment is traded in against the provision of new equipment currently being installed as part of my Department's office automation infrastructure.
Electricity Supply
21. Mr. Hanson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet officials of the National Grid to discuss electricity supply levels. [13526]
Mr. Eggar: I meet officials of the National Grid from time to time to discuss matters relating to electricity supply.
27. Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met the electricity generating industry leaders to discuss power generating output; and if he will make a statement. [13532]
Mr. Eggar:
I meet representatives of the electricity generating industry from time to time to discuss matters relating to electricity supply.
14 Feb 1996 : Column: 630
22. Mr. Gapes:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out Government policy with regard to sales (a) lethal weapons, (b) non-lethal weapons and (c) dual-use technology and the definitions used to determine the respective categories. [13527]
Mr. Oppenheim:
My Department has responsibility for the control of exports of weapons and dual-use goods and technology. The export of such equipment and technology is prohibited without an export licence and details are set out in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 and the Dual-Use and Related Goods (Export Control) Regulations 1995.
It is the Government's policy to support the sale of British defence equipment overseas where this is compatible with our political, security and strategic interests.
Mr. Byers:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the proportion of defence exports to non-OECD countries as a total of capital goods exports to non-OECD countries over the last six years. [14867]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 12 February 1996]: Defence equipment is not included in the official definition of capital goods. The ratio of United Kingdom defence equipment exports to capital goods exports, to non-OECD countries, is given in the list.
23. Mr. Roy Hughes:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average annual growth in manufacturing output since 1979. [13528]
Mr. Oppenheim:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) earlier today.
33. Mr. Eric Clarke:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the growth in manufacturing output in the past 12 months.[13538]
Mr. Lang:
The year 1995 was a record year for manufacturing output which grew by 1.9 per cent.
24. Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to reach a decision on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission second inquiry into Solent ferries. [13529]
14 Feb 1996 : Column: 631
Mr. John M. Taylor:
I understand that completion of the Office of Fair Trading's review has been delayed to take account of late submissions from island residents. It is now expected to be complete by the end of March.
25. Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade with which European countries the United Kingdom currently has a surplus in both visible and invisible trade. [13530]
Mr. Oppenheim:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mr. Purchase).
Mrs. Jane Kennedy:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each year since 1985, the percentage change in (a) the volume of semi-manufactured exports and imports and (b) the volume of intermediate manufactured exports and imports. [14491]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 9 February 1996]: The following is the information:
Ratio:
1989: 0.57
1990: 0.49
1991: 0.43
1992: 0.32
1993: 0.26
1994: 0.23.
Note: Defence equipment is defined, in terms of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 3), as aircraft and associated equipment (all tariff headings in group 792 other than those identified as "civil", and excluding spacecraft and launch vehicles); warships (tariff heading 890600100) and arms and ammunitions for military purposes (division 98).
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.
| Semi-manufactures | Intermediate manufactures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Export | Imports | Exports | Imports | ||
| 1986 | 5.2 | 8.2 | 1.2 | 8.6 | ||
| 1987 | 7.4 | 8.9 | 2.4 | 12.7 | ||
| 1988 | 5.7 | 11.6 | 1.1 | 19.7 | ||
| 1989 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 5.7 | 12.9 | ||
| 1990 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 7.5 | 4.2 | ||
| 1991 | 2.0 | -1.0 | 1.0 | -4.0 | ||
| 1992 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 5.0 | 5.,2 | ||
| 1993 | 5.7 | 1.0 | -4.7 | -4.0 | ||
| 1994 | 8.9 | 10.4 | 12.9 | 9.3 | ||
Source:
Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO.
Mrs. Kennedy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list as a percentage of gross domestic product for each year since 1985 (a) exports and imports of semi-manufactured goods and (b) exports and imports of intermediate manufactured goods. [14541]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 9 February 1996]: The following is the information:
| Semi-manufactures | Intermediate manufactures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Exports | Imports | Exports | Imports | ||
| 1985 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 4.0 | 3.4 | ||
| 1986 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 3.4 | ||
| 1987 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 3.6 | 3.6 | ||
| 1988 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 3.8 | ||
| 1989 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 3.5 | 4.1 | ||
| 1990 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 4.0 | ||
| 1991 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 3.7 | 3.8 | ||
| 1992 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 3.8 | 4.0 | ||
| 1993 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 3.9 | 4.1 | ||
| 1994 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 4.1 | 4.4 | ||
Sources:
Economic Trends, CSO.
Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO.
14 Feb 1996 : Column: 632
Small Businesses
28. Mr. Rathbone: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he is making of the efficiency of his Department's help for small businesses. [13533]
Mr. Page: The Department is taking a number of steps to ensure that the needs of small businesses are met.
The current programme of "Your Business Matters" conferences being organised by the small firms representative organisations is enabling small businesses themselves to have a direct say in the development of future Government policy for the sector. The outcomes of the conferences will be considered in this year's competitiveness White Paper.
The recently established small business ministerial group aims to ensure that the needs of the small business sector are considered in the formulation of policy across Whitehall Departments.
The network of business links is now 80 per cent. complete and is already having a significant impact on the local business community; over 4,000 businesses a week are using business link. Every firm in England will have access to a business link by April this year when they will be the normal delivery route for DTI services.
The range of initiatives and schemes operated by this Department are all subject to careful monitoring and evaluation and are reviewed regularly to ensure they meet the needs of the business community.
29. Mr. David Shaw:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received on the effects on industry of the United Kingdom entering into the social chapter. [13534]
Mr. Lang:
I continue to receive numerous representations about the European social chapter during my contacts with industry. The overwhelming view is that acceptance of the social chapter would seriously damage competitiveness and employment because it would allow the United Kingdom to be outvoted on measures imposing unnecessary burdens and costs on businesses.
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