4 Jun 1996 : Column: 303
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 4 June 1996
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the objectives and policies which form part of the information society initiative and which rely on the use of personal data; and if he has discussed these objectives and policies with the Data Protection Registrar. [29694]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The information society initiative brings together a range of existing and new support programmes into a coherent and accessible whole, with the overall objective of helping UK business take maximum advantage of information and communication technologies. It includes in particular programmes to raise awareness of the potential business benefits of using new technologies, and highlights some of the implications of doing so, including data protection and security issues.
No ISI programme relies on the use of personal data. Where personal data and received as part of the dissemination of ISI in areformation to interested parties, they are handled according to the relevant data protection regulations.
Crown Post Offices (Ayrshire)
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people are employed at each of the Crown post offices in Ayrshire. [28964]
Mr. Oppenheim: I understand from the Post Office that the number of staff employed at each Crown post office in Ayrshire as at May 1996 is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Ayr | 15 |
| Kilmarnock | 18 |
| Irvine | 16 |
| Kilwinning | 8 |
| Saltcoats | 9 |
EU Countries (Trade Deficit)
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the countries in the European Community with which the United Kingdom currently has a trade deficit, indicating the amounts in each case. [30307]
Mr. Oppenheim: Information on visible trade between the United Kingdom and other European Community countries is published by the Office for National Statistics in tables B13 (exports) and C13 (imports) of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
4 Jun 1996 : Column: 304
Carpet Industry
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many square metres of carpet were imported in each year since 1979; and from which countries these imports originated. [30360]
Mr. Oppenheim: Total UK imports of carpets are given in the table. A breakdown by country of origin or dispatch can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Furthermore, since the introduction of the single market at the start of 1993, comprehensive information on the country of origin for imports is not available. Due to a revision in the system of classification, figures prior to 1988 are not strictly comparable with more recent ones.
| Year | Million sq. m. |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 30.7 |
| 1980 | 40.5 |
| 1981 | 50.2 |
| 1982 | 55.5 |
| 1983 | 66.2 |
| 1984 | 76.4 |
| 1985 | 86.2 |
| 1986 | 92.1 |
| 1987 | 101.4 |
| 1988 | 114.3 |
| 1989 | 125.7 |
| 1990 | 131.5 |
| 1991 | 121.6 |
| 1992 | 132.4 |
| 1993 | 94.3 |
| 1994 | 106.9 |
| 1995 | 108.3 |
Carpets are classified to Group 659, "Floor coverings, etc" of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revisions 2 and 3).
Mr. Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the output of the British carpet industry in each year since 1979; and what percentage was exported. [30362]
Mr. Oppenheim: The information is given in the table.
| Year | Gross output | Exports | Exports as a percentage of gross output |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ million | £ million | ||
| 1979 | 736 | 162 | 22.0 |
| 1980 | 659 | 145 | 22.0 |
| 1981 | 636 | 121 | 19.0 |
| 1982 | 629 | 121 | 19.2 |
| 1983 | 719 | 132 | 18.4 |
| 1984 | 782 | 152 | 19.4 |
| 1985 | 856 | 176 | 20.6 |
| 1986 | 943 | 178 | 18.9 |
| 1987 | 1,043 | 191 | 18.3 |
| 1988 | 1,226 | 189 | 15.4 |
| 1989 | 1,256 | 206 | 16.4 |
| 1990 | 1,266 | 221 | 17.5 |
| 1991 | 1,156 | 206 | 17.8 |
| 1992 | 1,103 | 211 | 19.1 |
| 1993 | 1,087 | 217 | 19.9 |
| 1994 | n/a | 247 | n/a |
| 1995 | n/a | 259 | n/a |
Source:
Office for National Statistics Annual Census of Production and Business Monitors MQ10.
4 Jun 1996 : Column: 305
Devon and Cornwall (Funding Applications)
Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated which indicate the comparative success of Devon and Cornwall in securing funding by making funding applications (i) together and (ii) individually. [30402]
Mr. Nelson: Published statistics on regional selective assistance provide a basis for some inter-regional comparison. This and other funding programmes are monitored and evaluated continuously.
British Business (Prospects)
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next plans to meet representatives of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the prospects for British business. [30352]
Mr. Oppenheim: My right hon. Friend and other DTI Ministers regularly meet the Confederation of British Industry to discuss a range of issues.
Lingerie
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of (a) domestically manufactured and (b) imported lingerie for the most recent year for which figures are available. [30359]
Mr. Oppenheim: The information requested can be obtained from the Quarterly Market Report QR12 on womenswear, in the UK market series, which is available in the Library of the House. This report is published by Taylor Nelson based on data collected by the Office for National Statistics.
Private Investigators
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what use his Department has made of private detective agencies or investigators during 1995-96 and 1994-95; which agencies have been employed; for what purposes; and at what cost to his Department. [30572]
Mr. John M. Taylor: From time to time the Department of Trade and Industry makes use of private detective agencies or investigators for such matters as process serving, but no central record is kept of the use of such people.
Lougborough Gas Research Centre
Ms Coffey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed job losses at the gas research centre Loughborough on current research programmes with his Department's funding. [31046]
Mr. Page: Current research and development programmes being funded by Government Departments will be completed within agreed contract terms and conditions and proposed manpower rationalisations will not affect this.
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Ms Coffey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has sought assurances from British Gas that job losses at the gas research centre at Loughborough will not prejudice current research and development programmes to improve gas safety. [31048]
Mr. Page: The Government expect British Gas to maintain sufficient research and development to meet its obligations for ensuring gas safety. British Gas has made it clear that the new research arrangements will not affect safety standards and that no key areas of research have been affected.
Ms Coffey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the level of research and development funding by the Department of Trade and Industry to programmes at Loughborough gas research centre for each year since 1993. [31047]
Mr. Page: The total DTI funding paid for research and development projects conducted at British Gas's Loughborough research centre since 1993 is £1,236,034.
Ultra-sonic Gas Meter
Ms Coffey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the value to date of export sales of the ultra-sonic domestic meter developed by British Gas. [31083]
Mr. Page: The information requested is not separately identified in the UK trade classification. This is a matter for British Gas.
British Energy
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 17 May, Official Report, column 593, if he will publish the independent actuarial advice upon which his decision was made to set the level of British Energy's contributions to a segregated fund before (a) the date upon which advertising the sale of British Energy commences and (b) the date upon which the pathfinder prospectus is launched. [31190]
Mr. Lang: The advice, as stated in my answer of 17 May 1996, Official Report, column 593, will be placed in the Library of the House when available. Appropriate details on the segregated fund will also be provided in the British Energy prospectus.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 17 May, Official Report, column 593, on what basis his Department made a decision on the correct level of contribution by British Energy to its segregated fund. [31191]
Mr. Lang: The Government based their decision on a number of factors, including British Energy's expected costs of decommissioning, the investment policy for the fund and the expected returns on the funds assets, and the tax rules that will apply.
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