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Deregulation (Gun Barrel Proving) Order 1996

Mr. Steen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the estimated total cost of preparing the Deregulation (Gun Barrel Proving) Order 1996 for submission to the Deregulation Committee, broken down by (a) drafting, (b) printing and (c) costs incurred during consultation. [23639]

Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 1 April 1996]: The cost of preparing the Deregulation (Gun Barrel Proving) Order is estimated at about £9,500, excluding printing cost, which are not available. All but about £130 of this is estimated staff costs. It has not been possible to apportion these between the consultation, drafting and printing stages.

Vehicle Road Licence Discs

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was (a) the total number of post offices and sub-post offices in Wales and (b) the number of post offices and sub-post offices currently selling vehicle road licence discs, breaking down the figures for each Welsh county and showing (b) as a proportion of (a). [22702]

Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 April 1996]: I understand from the Post Office that the total number of post offices and of post offices issuing motor vehicle licences in Wales by county are as follows:

(a) Post Offices in Wales by county

	Crown offices	Modified sub offices	Sub office	Community offices
Gwynedd	5	12	199	50
Clwyd	5	7	179	26
Dyfed	5	10	257	63
West Glamorgan	4	2	161	0
South Glamorgan	4	5	105	1
Gwent	3	8	198	8
Powys	0	7	94	30
Mid Glamorgan	4	8	180	1
Total	30	59	1,373	179

2 Apr 1996 : Column: 146

(b) Post Office issuing MVLs in Wales by county

	Crown offices	Modified sub offices	Sub office
Gwynedd	5	12	32
Clwyd	5	7	31
Dyfed	5	10	18
West Glamorgan	4	2	18
South Glamorgan	4	5	19
Gwent	3	8	34
Powys	0	7	8
Mid Glamorgan	4	8	29
Total	30	59	189
(b) as per cent of (a)	100	100	14

Mr. Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to require each post office and sub-post office to sell vehicle road licence discs. [22606]

Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 April 1996]: Decisions on the overall number of post offices issuing motor vehicle licences are a matter for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Regulations

Mr. Steen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the 1,000 regulations identified for repeal or amendment by the Prime Minister are the responsibility of his Department; of those which (a) have been repealed or amended and (b) are planned to have been repealed or amended by the end of the 1995-96 parliamentary Session; and if he will list those whose repeal has saved business more than £1 million per annum. [23656]

Mr. Lang: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.

Cuba

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions Her Majesty's Government have had with the (a) Canadian and (b) Mexican Governments regarding action in relation to the United States Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. [24117]

Mr. Nelson: We have been in regular contact with the Canadian and Mexican Governments concerning the US legislation.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions Her Majesty's Government have held with the EU in respect of World Trade Organisation action against the United States Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. [24120]

Mr. Nelson: Her Majesty's Government have been in close contact with our EU partners and the European Commission about the implications of the US legislation.

2 Apr 1996 : Column: 147

The question of its compatibility with the United States' international obligations, including those of the WTO, is one aspect which is being considered.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the United States Administration regarding extra-territorial aspects of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. [24121]

Mr. Nelson: The UK has already made a number of representations to the US Administration expressing its concern at the extra-territorial aspects of the US legislation. We shall be making further representations shortly.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action Her Majesty's Government will take to protect United Kingdom companies and individuals that are the subject of litigation in United States courts, with particular reference to the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act. [24116]

Mr. Nelson: The provisions in the US legislation which give US nationals a right of action against non-US persons allegedly trafficking in expropriated property do not enter into force until 1 August and may be suspended by the President on a six-monthly basis. We shall be pressing the US Administration to make use of this provision for suspension.

Environmental Technology Industries

Ms Ruddock: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the level of financial support from the Government for environmental industries for the early research and development phase of product development in (a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992, (d) 1993, (e) 1994 and (f) 1995. [24111]

Mr. Page: Support for research and development on technologies with a specific environmental function, under the environmental technology innovation scheme, Eureka- Euroenviron and the environmental technology best practice programmes was as follows:

Year	£ million
1990-91	0.1
1991-92	0.96
1992-93	2.91
1993-94	2.95
1994-95	2.53
1995-96 (estimate)	1.72
Total	11.17

The above support includes programmes operated by both the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment.

Some of the research and development supported under general DTI programmes, such as the small firms merit award for research and technology, support for products under research, Link and other Eureka activities and through the Office for Science and Technology's funding of research councils, will be relevant to the environmental technology industries.

2 Apr 1996 : Column: 148

Support for the new and renewable energy technologies and clean coal technologies was as follows:

£ million

Year	New and renewables	Clean coal
1990-91	20.8	13.0
1991-92	24.8	4.6
1992-93	25.5	4.0
1993-94	25.2	7.8
1994-95	19.1	7.9
1995-96 (estimate)	17.8	7.0
Total	133.2	44.3

Defence Diversification

Mr. Denham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further plans he has to promote defence diversification. [22313]

Mr. Eggar: Diversification projects can potentially benefit from a number of regional, export and technology initiatives. The Konver initiative specifically addresses the economic development of defence-dependent areas. Following the inaugural meeting of the British Konver II programme on 22 February, applications for grant have been invited for this programme, which will be worth some £200 million over the next four years.

Technology Foresight

Mrs. Lait: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to respond to the first report of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee of Session 1995-96 on technology foresight, HC 49. [24763]

Mr. Lang: I am publishing the Government response to the Select Committee's report today. I am pleased to say that the Government predominantly accept the recommendations made by the Committee. We are grateful for the Committee's continuing support for technology foresight.

AEA Technology plc

Mrs. Lait: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the formation of AEA Technology plc and the objectives he has set for the chairman. [24762]

Mr. Page: The property, rights and liabilities of that part of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority known as AEA Technology were transferred to a separate company, AEA Technology plc, on 31 March. Corporate status gives AEA Technology a basis on which to build on the substantial progress it has made as a business over the last couple of years.

I have today written to Sir Anthony Cleaver, the chairman of AEA Technology plc, setting out his objectives for the period that the company is in public ownership. The text of my letter is as follows:

I am writing to set out your objectives as Chairman of AEA Technology plc whilst the company is in public ownership.
As you know, the Government intends to offer AEAT for sale as a single integrated business in the course of this year. No decisions have yet been taken about the method of sale.

2 Apr 1996 : Column: 149

Whatever form it takes, I expect you and your Board to do everything possible to ensure that the sale is carried through successfully and secures maximum value for the taxpayer.
The success of the sale depends critically on the performance of the business over the next few months. Since AEA Technology was set up in April 1994, substantial progress has been made in improving profitability, reducing costs and increasing responsiveness to customer concerns and requirements. Major changes have also been made to management systems, particularly financial systems, in order to improve the quality and timeliness of management information. The progress which has been made is a tribute to the efforts of both mismanagement and staff but it needs to be sustained. I look to you to ensure that it is sustained. In particular, the company should continue:
(a) to promote the growth of its business with the UK private sector and in overseas markets.
(b) to bear down on overheads, increase operational efficiency and ensure that the financial and other information available to management fully meets their perceived needs.
(c) to improve the quality of service available to customers; and
(d) progressively to increase profitability and its rate of return on capital employed.
The company has gone through a period of extensive restructuring over the last two years. When complete, this will result in a more coherent, lower cost business better focused on the needs and requirements of its customers. You should, however, continue to keep the structure of the company under review and be ready to make any further organisational or management changes which might be necessary to maintain or increase its competitiveness and achieve commercial success.

More generally, AEA Technology can help improve UK competitiveness through collaboration with other UK companies in home and overseas markets. I look to you to ensure that opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration are exploited wherever possible. You should also ensure that AEA Technology's dealings with UKAEA are carried out on an appropriate commercial basis.
AEA Technology is predominantly a people business. You should therefore ensure that you have effective arrangements in place to incentivise management and staff and to encourage commitment to, and personal identification with, the commercial objectives of the company.
Within the framework of the company's Business Plan, you should ensure that AEAT explores all options for exploiting its technology, including collaboration with other organisations where this is commercially justified.
You should ensure that AEAT continues to have arrangements which secure at all times the highest practicable standards of safety in all its activities and that all relevant regulatory and security requirements are met.
You should ensure that the company complies fully with the requirements of the Cadbury code on corporate governance and conducts its affairs in a manner consistent with the principles of financial propriety and regularity applicable to a public sector body.
Where appropriate, specific targets in support of those aims and objectives will be set from time to time in consultation with you. I expect you to provide regular reports on progress against these targets and, more generally, on the company's performance and preparations for privatisation.

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