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National Homecare Servicing and Warranties
Company
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the Director General of Fair Trading to report on the activities of the National Homecare Servicing and Warranties Company. [15423]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
This is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading.
21 Feb 1996 : Column: 162
Mr. David Shaw:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to consult interested parties in the United Kingdom on the EC convention on insolvency proceedings. [16896]
Mr. Oppenheim:
The EC convention on involvency proceedings aims to simplify the administration of insolvency cases which have cross-border aspects by providing a framework within which the different insolvency regimes of member states can interact with more predictable consequences and more efficiently and effectively than is currently the case. It would apply only in European Union member states and then only if a debtor's centre of main interests was situated in one of those states. It is not a harmonisation measure.
The Government wish to ascertain the views of insolvency practitioners and other interested parties on the likely practical consequences if the convention were implemented in the United Kingdom. Therefore, I have today issued a consultative document on the convention and copies of the document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The closing date for the submission of comments is 12 April 1996.
The convention was opened for signature on 23 November 1995 and 12 member states have already signed. It will remain open for signature until 23 May 1996.
Mr. David Shaw:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further plans he has to promote digital audio broadcasting. [16895]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The provisions in the Broadcasting Bill are designed to give terrestrial digital audio broadcasting its best chance of success. The Government are committed to play their full part by creating the most favourable environment for the rapid introduction of new digital broadcasting technologies and, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Sir M. Neubert) on 19 January 1994, at column 647, the Government announced that certain frequencies would be made available to allow the introduction of DAB services. However, the Government were unable at the time to give any commitment that DAB services would remain in this band once it became possible to free up spectrum in the FM band by closing down analogue services. I am pleased to announce that the frequencies 217.5 to 230 MHz will now be the long-term home for DAB. This removes a major uncertainty for the industry and will give broadcasters, multiplex operators and transmission providers the confidence to invest in new transmission networks and equipment in the knowledge that a move back to the FM band involving further costs will not be required.
Together with the other measures we are taking, this will give further encouragement to the development of DAB which offers the prospect of high-quality reception, even in cars, more services, as well as novel data transmissions involving text, or even pictures, that will enhance the listening experience.
21 Feb 1996 : Column: 163
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list in the Official Report the titles of each of the papers his Department provided to the Scott inquiry. [15697]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 16 February 1996]: I have no plans to list the titles of the 28,290 pages of papers which my Department provided to the Scott inquiry. The inquiry will be publishing a substantial number of these documents in the annexe to the report.
Mr. Alan Williams:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been spent on external legal advice for Ministers and civil servants in relation to the Scott inquiry and report since 18 January. [15928]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 20 February 1996]: The amount paid since 18 January 1996 by my Department to external legal advisers for advice given to Ministers and civil servants in relation to the Scott inquiry and report is £64,066.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the export of Cymbeline radar systems to Iraq prior to August 1990 complied with (a) stated export guidelines and (b) existing UN embargoes. [14903]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 16 February 1996]: Under the usual interdepartmental consultation procedures, applications for the export of Cymbeline mortar-detecting radar to Iraq were deemed to supply an insignificant enhancement of military capability. The supply of this equipment therefore complied with the stated guidelines and, accordingly, the applications were approved.
There was no UN embargo affecting Iraq prior to August 1990.
Mr. Smith:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for the periods (a) 1985 to 1988 and (b) 1989 to August 1990 the number of occasions his Department refused an export licence for military or defence equipment orders to Iraq. [14899]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 16 February 1996]: Volume V of Lord Justice Scott's report of his inquiry into the export of defence equipment and dual-use goods to Iraq and related prosecutions contains a schedule of export licence applications from 1984 to 1990, submitted by my Department. This schedule contains details of what goods export licences were applied for, who the goods were destined for, the value of the order and whether the licence was granted or refused.
Mrs. Beckett:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1995, Official Report, column 1266, what was the United Kingdom's percentage share of world trade in manufactured goods for (a) the second half of 1974, (b) the second half of 1979 and (c) what was the latest available figure. [11058]
21 Feb 1996 : Column: 164
Mr. Lang:
According to estimates derived from OECD data, the UK share of world exports of manufactures was 7.2 per cent. in the second half of 1974, 7 per cent. in the second half of 1979 and 5.5 per cent. in the second half of 1994--the latest available period.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Ministry will issue a consultation paper on the environmental assessment regulations for the use of uncultivated land. [15848]
Mr. Boswell:
Consultations will be undertaken in due course.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the reason for the delay in issuing the consultation paper on the environmental assessment regulations for the use of uncultivated land. [15849]
Mr. Boswell:
We need to ensure that the measures which we propose balance carefully the need to provide for environmental assessment in the small number of cases where this may be required by the EC directive with the minimum regulatory and administrative burden. Consultations will be undertaken when proposals have been developed further.
Mr. Morley:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who is responsible for authorising and signing night shooting licences; what applications and for what areas have been (a) made and (b) granted since 1994; and if he will place a copy of the terms and conditions of the licences in the Library. [16157]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 20 February 1996]: Section 98 of the Agriculture Act 1947 provides the authority for the Minister to issue notices requiring night shooting for the purposes of preventing damage to crops, pasture, animal or human foodstuffs, livestock, trees, hedges, banks or any works on land. Any such notices are authorised by and signed on behalf of the Minister.
Since 1994, two applications for notices to shoot at night have been received. Both were for areas within the county of Somerset and both were issued. As requested, a copy of the terms and conditions of the notices has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each regulatory body for which he is responsible indicating for each the percentage of business people on the board. [15735]
21 Feb 1996 : Column: 165
Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 20 February 1996]: The information requested is as follows:
(Uncultivated Land)
| Body | Percentage of business people on board |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Wages Board | 38 |
| UK Register of Organic Food Standards | 55 |
| Wine Standards Board | 67 |
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