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Export Promotion

Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the revisions to his Department's objectives for export promotion since those listed in table 1.3 of "Overseas Trade Services: Assistance to Exporters a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General" (HC 293); and if he will make a statement. [26704]

Mr. Oppenheim: The revisions referred to by the Comptroller and Auditor General affect only the objectives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. My Department's objectives for exports remain as listed in his report. I refer the hon. Member to the annual report of the Department of Trade and Industry, which is in the Library of the House.

Current Account Outturns

Mr. Shore: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the current account outturn of (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany and (c) France in each year since 1990; and what is the estimate of the current account outturns for each of these countries for 1996. [26887]

Mr. Oppenheim: Information on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries' current account balances is published in "OECD Economic Outlook". The UK's current account balance for 1995 was published by the Office for National Statistics in "First Release CSO (96)68". Both of these publications are available in the Library of the House.

Coal Mining Areas Recreation Facilities

Mr. Pendry: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list the sites in the British Coal recreational package which were intended to be transferred to the National Playing Fields Association and the Coal Industries Social Welfare Organisation together with the parliamentary constituency in which they lie; [27258]

Mr. Page: These are matters for British Coal.

Certification Fees

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his reason for increasing the fee payable to the certification officer on application for approval of a proposed instrument of amalgamation or transfer of engagements. [27172]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The increase in fee is required to recover the full cost of providing a service to process applications for approval of proposed instruments.

Mr. Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his reason for increasing the fee payable by a trade union for a certificate of independence. [27171]

Mr. Taylor: The increase in fee is required to recover the full cost of providing a service to process applications for certificates. In 1993-94, when the fee covered just 10 per cent. of the full cost, the Government decided to

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move in stages to full cost recovery. The level of fee has subsequently risen in steps and 1996-97 will be the first year in which the full cost will be recovered.

British Telecommunications

Mr. Renton: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the judgment of the Director General of Telecommunications in relation to the proposed pricing regime for British Telecommunications plc; and if he will make a statement. [27397]

Mr. Ian Taylor: The Director General of Telecommunications has not yet made final proposals relating to the future price cap to be applied to BT's prices, so I am unable to comment on the judgment displayed by the outcome. I am, however, satisfied that the director general has conducted a full and wide-ranging consultation, taking comments from those in the industry as well as users, and seeking advice from a specially convened panel of advisors. The fullness of the consultation process is a sign that the outcome will be based on all relevant considerations, and will be consistent with liberalisation and competition, which have delivered lower prices and higher quality services to consumers.

Mercury

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total production of mercury in the United Kingdom; and how much mercury was (a) imported and (b) exported in the last year for which figures are available. [27401]

Mr. Oppenheim: There was no recorded primary or mine production of mercury within the United Kingdom in 1995. No statistics are available for secondary mercury production recovered from scrap. In 1995, 3.9 tonnes of mercury--£39,000 by value--was imported into the United Kingdom, and 224.3 tonnes of mercury--£108,000 by value--was exported from the United Kingdom.


Lead

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much lead was produced in the United Kingdom; and how much was (a) imported and (b) exported in the last year for which figures are available.[27399]

Mr. Oppenheim: Details of the quantities of production, imports and exports of unwrought lead in the United Kingdom in 1995 are given below.

United Kingdom lead production, exports and imports, 1995, (in thousand tonnes)

ProductionExportsImports
Ore/concentrates (lead content)1.00.152.7
Lead bullion38.355.8121.1
Refined lead317.776.245.8
of which--primary150.2----
--secondary167.5----

Note:

In the UK, lead bullion is produced from imported ores and concentrates. Primary refined lead is produced from imported bullion. Secondary production is refined from secondary and scrap material and domestic ores. Production and trade of semi-manufactures is excluded from the above figures.

Source:

Production--World Metal Statistics, April 1996, World Bureau of Metal Statistics.

Trade--Customs and Excise trade data.


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Council for Science and Technology

Mr. Ingram: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the members who serve on the Council for Science and Technology. [27180]

Mr. Ian Taylor: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade chairs the Council for Science and Technology on behalf of the Prime Minister. The chief scientific adviser, Sir Robert May, is deputy chairman, and I also attend. There are 10 independent members of the council:

Members
Professor S. Kumar Bhattacharyya FEngProfessor of Manufacturing Systems, University of Warwick
Professor Sir Aaron Kluge OM PRSDirector, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology; President of the Royal Society
Sir Robin Nicholson FRS FEngDirector, Pilkington plc
Dr. Bridget Ogilvie FIBiol FRCPathDirector, The Wellcome Trust
Sir Ralph Robins FEng FRAeSChairman, Rolls Royce plc
Dr. Alan Rudge CBE FRS FEngDeputy Chief Executive, BT plc; Chairman, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Professor Sir Stewart Sutherland FBAPrincipal and Vice Chancellor, University of Edinburgh
Sir Richard SykesDeputy Chairman and Chief Executive, Glaxo Wellcome plc
Mr. John Towers CBEManaging Director, Rover Group Ltd.
Dr. Peter Williams CBEChairman and Chief Executive, Oxford Instruments plc; Chairman, Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council

Mr. Ingram: To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates the Council for Science and Technology has held meetings since it was set up; and what subjects were discussed at each of those meetings. [27182]

Mr. Taylor: The Council for Science and Technology has met, and discussed subjects, as follows:


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