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Bankruptcies
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people were declared bankrupt in each year since 1990 for debts up to (a) £50,000, (b) £500,000 (c) £6 million and (d) over £6 million. [19091]
Mr. Oppenheim: The number of bankruptcy orders made in England and Wales since 1990 is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 12,058 |
| 1991 | 22,632 |
| 1993 | 31,016 |
| 1994 | 25,634 |
| 1995 | 21,933 |
Information regarding the size of debts could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Merseyside Special Investment Fund
Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's role in the establishment of the Merseyside special investment fund; which other organisations are involved in its establishment; and on what date its operations will commence. [18840]
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 333
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 4 March 1996]: The Department has worked with a range of private and public organisations to ensure that the proposed fund will complement existing provision of finance to small and medium-sized enterprises and will operate according to Government and European Commission financial requirements.
The Department and MSIF are currently considering with the European Commission their concerns about European regional development fund grant to the fund.
Mrs. Kennedy:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the total budget of the Merseyside special investment fund; what will be the total level of Government financial support; and what will be the fund's other sources of finance. [18841]
Mr. Taylor
[holding answer 4 March 1996]: The Department is considering an application from the Merseyside special investment fund for £16.1 million of European regional development fund grant towards its overall budget of £52.6 million. Other funding will primarily come from private sector contributions and income from companies supported by the fund.
Mrs. Peacock:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what amount of grant is paid each year to the trade associations representing the (a) paper, (b) leather, (c) shoe, (d) furniture, (e) timber and (f) textiles industries; [18378]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 5 March 1996]: None of these organisations receives any automatic grant annually from the Department. However, some receive discretionary grants to support specific competitiveness or export activities in their sectors. In 1994-95 the totals of such grants paid were as follows:
(2) what amount of grant is paid each year to the research associations related to the (a) paper, (b) leather, (c) shoe, (d) furniture, (e) timber and (f) textiles industries. [18379]
| Sector | Competitiveness support | Export support £ million |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | 0.360 | -- |
| Leather | 0.020 | 0.214 |
| Footwear | 0.328 | 0.057 |
| Furniture | 0.109 | 0.862 |
| Timber/Textiles | -- | -- |
| Clothing | 0.348 | 2.084 |
Orimulsion
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will initiate discussions with National Power on the proposed import of orimulsion. [19252]
Mr. Page: No. The choice of fuel to be used in a power station is a commercial matter for the company concerned subject to the operation of the station being able to satisfy the requirements of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 334
Mid Kent Holdings
Sir John Stanley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to enforce the statutory undertaking given to him by General Utilities not to enter into any arrangement with an associated person which may result in his joint holdings in Mid Kent Holdings plc exceeding 19.5 per cent. [19515]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Under section 88 of the Fair Trading Act 1973 the Director General of Fair Trading has a duty to give advice to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade if it appears to him that a statutory undertaking has not been or is not being fulfilled. He also has a duty to advise where it appears to him that a person can be released from an undertaking or that the undertaking needs to be varied or superseded. The President of the Board of Trade will wish to consider carefully any advice he may receive from the Director General of Fair Trading in relation to the statutory undertakings given by General Utilities plc in March 1991 concerning the acquisition of shares in Mid Kent Holdings plc.
Public Bodies
Mr. Steen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many pages of guidance notes have been issued by (a) his Department, (b) regulatory authorities and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last three years. [18642]
Mr. John M. Taylor: This information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.
Wages
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current average male wage. [17635]
Mr. John M. Taylor: The "New Earnings Survey" (1995) estimates that the average gross weekly earnings for men on full-time adult rates is £374.60 per week.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Departmental Equipment and Furniture
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from her Department and its agencies in each of the past five years, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [19043]
Mr. Sproat: Since it was established in April 1992, my Department has neither lost nor had stolen any items of equipment or furniture. Three items of IT material have been lost, none of which was valued over £5,000.
The Historic Royal Palaces agency has suffered no theft or other loss of any item of furniture, equipment or IT material.
The Royal Parks agency lost four small non-IT items in 1995, the total value of those items being £513.
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 335
Miss Hoey:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to make a decision in respect of London as an international city of sport as defined by the Sports Council. [18906]
Mr. Sproat:
Decisions on all applications for designation under the Sports Council's city of sport programme are entirely a matter for the Sports Council. However, I understand that the Sports Council is working closely with the London Sports Co-ordinating Committee which is developing an application.
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to make an announcement on the proposals from the BBC for the introduction of a weekly cash instalment scheme for the payment of a television licence fee. [18911]
Mr. Sproat:
The Government have given approval in principle to a BBC proposal to introduce a weekly cash instalment scheme for payment of the television licence fee. Regulations will have to drafted, and we will make an announcement when these are laid before the House. The BBC needs to make the necessary arrangements to implement the scheme, which it hopes to be in a position to do this summer.
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when the new BBC charter and agreement will come into effect. [20251]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:
We have considered the views of right hon. and hon. Members in the debate on 15 February, Official Report, columns 1172-1234, and those expressed in another place. We have considered whether there is substantial support for significant changes to be made to the draft royal charter or the agreement which was approved by this House. We have concluded that no such changes are warranted.
Many of the points raised related to specific aspects of the BBC's services. The new charter and agreement set out explicitly the broad standards we expect of the BBC. It is for the BBC to give more specific undertakings, after consulting its audiences, in its statement of pledges.
Concern was voiced that the BBC should reflect the needs of audiences throughout the UK. The new charter and agreement establish a clear framework to ensure that programme makers in all parts of the country make a proper contribution to the BBC's output, and that the BBC stays closely in touch with the needs and opinions of all viewers and listeners. The statement of pledges will underpin these commitments.
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