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Post Office
24. Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future of the Post Office. [32134]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Government's plans for the future of the Post Office remain as set out in an oral statement on 11 May 1995, Official Report, columns 885-94 by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, then the President of the Board of Trade.
Manufacturing Exports
25. Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contribution manufacturing industry is currently making to export levels. [32135]
Mr. Nelson: In 1995, the value of the United Kingdom's manufacturing exports was £127 billion, which represented 83 per cent. of our exports for that year. This is the highest percentage contribution of manufactures to exports for 23 years.
Electricity and Water Companies
26. Mr. Hanson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding the ownership of the electricity and water companies. [32136]
Mr. Eggar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice).
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European Space Agency
27. Mr. David Evans: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase the United Kingdom's contributions to the European Space Agency. [32137]
Mr. Ian Taylor: I am at present reviewing space policy, including priorities and expenditure. We are holding a second UK space policy forum at Queen Mary and Westfield college on 25 June and plan to issue a UK space policy forward plan following it.
I hope to make a further statement to the House around the time of the forum.
Cyberspace Technology
28. Mr. David Shaw: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to promote British companies active in cyberspace technologies. [32138]
Mr. Ian Taylor: My Department is both encouraging British companies to use the Internet and helping companies to supply products and services for the Internet. The information society initiative is the main vehicle, with a range of initiatives encouraging electronic commerce, multi-media demonstrators and product innovation in the creative industries. My Department is also encouraging industry to produce sector trade directories on the Internet so that customers across the world can be led, via cyberspace, to UK suppliers.
Steel Industry
29. Mr. MacShane: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the initiatives he has undertaken to promote the United Kingdom steel industry in 1996. [32139]
Mr. Eggar: My Department, through BISPA, the British Iron and Steel Producers Association, is working on several initiatives aimed at enhancing the industry's competitiveness. These are as follows.
Dust recycling benchmarking study;
Electronic data interchange development project;
Customer perception survey and best practice benchmarking project (phase I);
Logistics/transit time performance study;
Future competitiveness of the narrow strip sector;
Productivity in the wire drawing sector;
Steel training benchmarking club--phase II;
Raw materials supply chains for the automotive components sector;
Promotion of national vocational qualifications--NVQ--to steel industry small and medium enterprises;
Health and safety NVQ module.
Steel in the 21st century conference in July 1996.
University Research Equipment
30. Mr. Galbraith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the equipment needs of United Kingdom universities for carrying out research. [32140]
19 Jun 1996 : Column: 504
Mr. Ian Taylor: Research equipment and other needs of the science budget portfolio are assessed with advice from the Director General of Research Councils.
The research councils are currently administering an equipment fund with the higher education funding councils.
Manufacturing Industry (Wakefield)
31. Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action his Department is taking to encourage manufacturing industries into the Wakefield area; and if he will make a statement. [32141]
Mr. Page: Through the work of the Invest in Britain Bureau, my Department promotes the UK as a location for inward investment generally. In the Yorkshire and Humberside region, the DTI provides most of the revenue for the Yorkshire and Humberside development agency, the specific job of which is the regional co-ordination of promotion work and the encouragement of inward investment to the region, including, of course, the Wakefield area.
Wakefield is already strategically placed on the road and rail network, and my Department has enhanced its attractiveness to investors by granting the city DTI intermediate area status in 1993. Since January 1994, regional selective assistance of more than £2.4 million has been awarded to businesses, and almost 900 jobs have been created or safeguarded.
Through the Government office for Yorkshire and Humberside, my Department is also involved in administering European funding under the objective 2 programme. So far, £4.4 million has been allocated to Wakefield for a range of projects, including the development of a channel tunnel railfreight terminal, which will assist manufacturing directly or indirectly. Wakefield will also benefit from the RETEX and RECHAR initiatives, which provide funds for regenerating former textile and coal mining areas.
32. Mr. Eastham:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the importance of research and development to the United Kingdom's competitiveness. [32142]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
Harnessing the excellence of our science, engineering and technology and promoting innovation, including research and development, are essential to improving our competitive performance and are reviewed fully in the Government's competitiveness White Paper.
33. Mr. Mark Robinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what support his Department is giving to businesses in the south-west seeking to win export orders. [32143]
Mr. Nelson:
The full range of the Government's overseas trade services is available to south-west businesses. The services can be accessed from any of the 23 business links outlets in the region.
19 Jun 1996 : Column: 505
34. Dr. Godman:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last discussed with the representatives of Scottish fishermen the implications of the regulations governing the dismantlement programmes for redundant offshore oil and gas structures and pipeline networks. [32144]
Mr. Eggar:
My officials regularly meet representatives of the Scottish fishing industry to discuss a wide range of issues, including decommissioning offshore oil and gas installations.
35. Mrs. Bridget Prentice:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he is taking to encourage links between small firms and higher education departments. [32145]
Mr. Page:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has responsibility for ensuring adequate links between higher education establishments and all sectors of industry, including small firms. The focus of recent work has included assisting enterprises in recruitment and the use of graduate skills.
For example, the higher education business partnership programme will help build on continuing employer-led partnership between higher education and the small business sector to support a more effective graduate labour market. Using graduate skills will develop strategies and tools to increase graduate recruitment by small businesses, and assist them in making better use of the graduates they recruit.
My Department has links with higher education departments through a number of initiatives aimed at businesses of all sizes, to encourage innovation and expertise.
The focus technology programme run in association with business links, aims to help research and technology organisations and higher education institutions improve the contact they have with small firms and the technological services they provide to them.
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