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Argentina (Arms Sales)
Mr. Cann: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new guidelines were placed on arms sales to Argentina between May 1979 and March 1982; and when and what were the nature of the guidelines. [18091]
Mr. Lang: There were no special guidelines on arms sales to Argentina in the period specified. Export licence applications for the sale of defence equipment to Argentina were circulated to the MOD and the FCO, and were considered on the basis of consistency with our strategic, security and foreign policy interests.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what (a) arms and (b) arms-related contracts with the Argentine Government were approved by Her Majesty's Government between the years 1979 and 1982.[19352]
Mr. Lang: No substantial contracts for defence equipment were signed and completed after 1978. Some contracts signed before 1979 were fulfilled in 1979-81, and some contracts or spares for existing UK equipment were fulfilled.
Jordan (Exports)
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will now provide information on compliance
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by Jordan with end user certificates covering goods exported between 1985 to 1993, referred to in his answer of 5 May 1993, Official Report, column 106. [18540]
Mr. Lang: I have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend on 5 May 1993, Official Report, column 106.
Telecommunications (Key Escrow)
Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce a key escrow into Britain's telecommunications industry. [18482]
Mr. Ian Taylor: While there are no specific plans to introduce key-escrow services into our telecommunications system, discussions are taking place between Government Departments on the provision of encryption services on these networks. Such discussions will seek to balance the legitimate commercial needs of the business community, for secure and confidential communications, with those of the law enforcement authorities. Key retrieval services therefore, via a network of trusted third parties, are one of the issues being considered.
Medical Research Council
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what degree of independence the Medical Research Council has in determining the subjects of its research projects. [19173]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The responsibilities and powers of the Medical Research Council are as defined in the Science and Technology Act 1965 and its supplemental royal charter, dated 16 December 1993.
Mr. Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the statutory role of his Department or agencies of his Department in deciding the subjects of research projects conducted by the Medical Research Council. [19174]
Mr. Taylor: My statutory role in relation to the Medical Research Council is as set out in the Science and Technology Act 1965, as amended by the Transfer of Functions (Science) Order 1992 and the Transfer of Functions (Science) Order 1995.
Mr. Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received alleging erosion of independence of the Medical Research Council by his Department or agencies of his Department. [19175]
Launch Aid
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been awarded in launch aid in each year since 1990; and how much has been repaid in each year. [19093]
Mr. Eggar: Following is a table showing the amount of launch aid awarded and repaid since 1990.
| Financial year | payments | Receipts |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-91 | 141.1 | 51.8 |
| 1991-92 | 78.7 | 83.0 |
| 1992-93 | 31.4 | 74.7 |
| 1993-94 | 0.6 | 56.9 |
| 1994-95 | 2.0 | 47.0 |
Launch aid financial information is collated within the Department in financial rather than calendar years.
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Rolls-Royce (Tupolev Aircraft)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance he has given to Rolls-Royce to secure contracts for the supply of Rolls-Royce engines for Tupolev aircraft. [19095]
Mr. Eggar: The Export Credits Guarantee Department has invited the Russian Ministry of Finance to nominate Rolls-Royce RB211 aeroengines for the Tupolev 204 as a priority for ECGD cover if it wishes to do so. However, the order or priorities is for the Russian authorities to decide.
Aerospace Industry
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Government published their strategy for the aerospace industry. [19092]
Mr. Eggar: The Government work with the Society of British Aerospace Companies, which published its national aerospace framework in January. The SBAC and DTI set out the areas on which they are working together in a joint statement, which I announced on 29 November 1995.
British Coal Enterprise
Mr. Tipping: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussions he has had about the future of British Coal Enterprise; and if he will make a statement. [18946]
Mr. Page: My ministerial colleagues and I have discussions about British Coal Enterprise as necessary. Officials in my Department remain in close touch with British Coal about the future of BCE.
Nigeria (Arms Sales)
Mr. Bill Michie: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the types of export licences granted for the sales of arms products to Nigeria since November 1993. [17281]
Mr. Lang: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Science and Technology on 10 May 1995, Official Report, columns 517-18 and the answer my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry gave to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 27 February 1996, Official Report, column 459. On 11 November 1995, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced a full UK arms embargo against Nigeria and, subsequently, on 20 November the European Union introduced a full scope arms embargo against the country.
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My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will write to the hon. Member when the statistical analysis of export licences granted for military, para-military and security equipment during 1995 has been placed in the Library of the House.
Arms Manufacturers
Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the number of companies who are manufacturing arms under licence in the United Kingdom for a foreign parent company. [17282]
Mr. Lang: No such estimate has been made.
Radio and Television Interference
Mr. French: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will occur in respect of the Radiocommunications Agency's charge for investigating interference to domestic television and radio reception. [19809]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The agency's charge to visit householders to diagnose their reception arrangements will be increased from £35 to £40 with effect from 1 April 1996. This will bring it more into line with the private sector's charges for this type of work. The agency will continue to check specific sources of interference to television and radio reception free of charges as part of its regulatory duties.
Fire Safety
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he will publish the Government's response to the recommendations of the interdepartmental review of fire safety legislation and enforcement in the United Kingdom, which reported to Ministers in June 1994; [18966]
- (2) what plans he has to transfer the functions of the Fire Service in respect of general fire safety legislation and enforcement, to (a) local authority bodies, (b) private inspectors and (c) the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement. [18967]
Mr. Freeman: I have been asked to reply.
The Government have been considering the findings of the review and the views expressed by interested parties, including the deregulation task force. We have also been further considering the fire safety aspects of the EC framework and workplace directives. An announcement on both will be made soon.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Scottish Grand Committee
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what has been the cost of the installation of telephones; and how many were installed for the use of hon. Members' staff at (a) Stirling, (b) Inverness, (c) Aberdeen and (d) Kilmarnock in respect of meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee. [17119]
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Mr. Beith: Telephones are installed for Members' use at meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee when there are insufficient existing lines. These telephones may also be used by Members' staff. Additional telephone lines have been installed as follows:
Stirling: six
Inverness: nil
Aberdeen: three
Kilmarnock: six (ordered for 4 March)
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