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Price Competitiveness (Manufacturers)
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the effect of the present level of real interest rates on the price competitiveness of British manufacturers on overseas markets. [34481]
Mrs. Knight: Real interest rates are one of many factors which may have an effect on the price competitiveness of British exports of manufactures.
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Trade Deficit
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in the deficit in balance of trade with Germany between 1993 and the first quarter of 1996; what assessment he has made of the reasons; and what was the change in United Kingdom manufacturing output and jobs as a result. [34480]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The change in the deficit on trade in goods with Germany from the first quarter of 1996, compared to an average per quarter in 1993 was £0.7 billion. This is not surprising as, since 1993, the UK economy has grown faster than the German economy, and import prices have risen more than export prices. There is no simple relationship between manufacturing output and employment and the balance of trade with Germany.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect on output and the number of jobs lost in United Kingdom manufacturing of the deficit in trade in manufactures. [34479]
Mrs. Knight: There is no simple relationship between manufacturing output and employment and the balance of trade in manufactures.
Contracts
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the average value of contracts awarded by his Department (b) the value of (i) the smallest and (ii) the largest contracts awarded (c) the number of contracts with a value of (1) £0-£999, (2) £1,000-£9,999, (3) £10,000-£49,999, (4) £50,000-£99,999, (5) £100,000-£499,999, (6) £500,000-£999,999 and (7) above £1,000,000 and (d) the total number of contracts awarded in 1995-96. [34147]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The information is given in the table:
| (a) Average value of contracts | £8,777 |
| (b) (i) smallest contract | £6.38 |
| (ii) largest contract | £2.6 million |
| (c) (1) £0-£999 (2) £1,000-£9,999 (3) £10,000-£49,999 (4) £50,000-£99,999 (5) £100,000-£499,999 (6) £500,00-£999,999 (7) above £1,000,000 | 785 contracts 323 67 25 10 0 2 |
| (d) Total contracts | 1,212 |
Mrs. A. McHale
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Treasury Solicitors will be able to provide the legal advice requested by the Ministry of Defence in February in the case of Mrs. A. McHale of Catford SE6. [34084]
Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 24 June 1996]: The Department for National Savings, not the Ministry of Defence, sought the advice of the Treasury Solicitor's Department. Advice has now been given.
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ENVIRONMENT
Habitat II Conference
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the UN Habitat II conference in Istanbul. [33450]
Mr. Gummer: The United Kingdom played an active and positive role at the United Nations conference on human settlements. I led the UK delegation and also played an active part as a member of the UN Secretary-General's international advisory group for the conference. A new basis for policy was established, in which urban areas are seen not as a threat to the environment but as the environment for an increasing majority of people.
The United Kingdom report prepared for the conference was very well received. It served as a sound basis for our contribution to the negotiation of the habitat agenda, which is the main output of the conference. This sets out a comprehensive framework which can be used by all those who are responsible for achieving the two objectives considered by the conference--adequate shelter for all and sustainable human settlements development. It also reaffirms the right to housing. We also contributed to the drafting of the "Istanbul declaration", the statement of
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political will to implement the habitat agenda, that underlines the need for a partnership approach and support for local action.
This was the first major UN conference where local authorities, UK representatives prominent among them, played a key role. In the UK, the conference consolidated a constituency of Government, local authorities and nongovernmental organisations interested in formulating sustainable human settlements policies. The local agenda 21 process, will be the primary vehicle for Habitat II follow-up. The Government's round table and panel on sustainable development will also have an important role.
I have placed a copy of my speech in the Library of the House.
Mr. Jopling:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of applications for objective 5b grants in Cumbria; and if he will provide a list of approvals and the sums involved. [34241]
Mr. Curry:
To date, there have been 25 formal offers for objective 5b grants in Cumbria, totalling £2,678,500. A full schedule of these approvals and sums involved is given.
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| Applicant | File ref. | Project title | Decision | Date | Grant Approved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumbria Tourist Board | EUR/611/503/1/NW | Tourist Market Forecast | F | 13 May 1996 | 20,000.00 |
| North Pennine Heritage Trust | EUR/557/501/1/NW | Rampgill Visitor Centre | F | 13 February 1996 | 78,745,00 |
| Carlisle College | EUR/606/501/1/NW | Rural Flexitech | F | 1 May 1996 | 8,098,00 |
| Voluntary Action Cumbria | EUR/586/501/1/NW | Rural Resource Centre | F | 25 October 1995 | 32,809,00 |
| Alston Town Hall Trustees | NW3878EUR | Alston Town Hall Multi Purpose Centre, Project Co-ordinator | F | 21 May 1996 | 4,545.50 |
| Voluntary Action Cumbria | NW39125EUR | Rural Comm Support Obj 5B Area Cumbria | F | 29 January 1996 | 104,604.00 |
| Kendal College | EUR/631/501/2/NW | Encouragement of Enterprise to Develop Existing SME's | F | 11,594.00 | |
| Carlisle College | EUR/606/501/2/NW | Vocational Training & Upskilling in Key Skills req. by SME's | F | 35,028.00 | |
| Newton Rigg College | EUR/556/510/2/NW | Upskilling Supervisors in the Food Business | F | 6,242.00 | |
| Newton Rigg College | EUR/556/511/2/NW | Training and Assessment Skills for Small Businesses | F | 1,530.00 | |
| Cumbria TEC | EUR/518/507/2/NW | Appleby Training Centre | F | 12,626.00 | |
| Cumbria TEC | EUR/518/506/2/NW | Graduate/Redundant Manager Placement Scheme | F | 16,830.00 | |
| Cumbria TEC | EUR/518/503/2/NW | Rural Business Skills Training | F | 11,857.00 | |
| Cumbria TEC | EUR/518/502/2/NW | Improving Competitiveness of SME's through Training | F | 17,046.00 | |
| Cumbria TEC | EUR/518/501/2/NW | Rural Self-Employment Start-Up/scheme | F | 14,994.00 | |
| TEED | EUR/73/506/2/NW | Cumbria TEC--Business Start-up | F | 14,647.00 | |
| TEED | EUR/73/505/2/NW | Cumbria TEC--Construction Training | F | 52,008.00 | |
| TEED | EUR/73/503/2/NW | Cumbria TEC--Business Administration Training | F | 6,174.00 | |
| TEED | EUR/73/502/2/NW | Cumbria TEC--Modern Apprenticeship Programme | F | 11,587.00 | |
| East Cumbria Countryside Project | NW40208EUR | East Cumbria Environmental Action Programme | F | 29 February 1996 | 95,550.00 |
| Cumbria CC | NW40216EUR | Made in Cumbria (Revenue) | F | 26 March 1996 | 32,000.00 |
| Cumbria CC | NW40219EUR | Birdsoswald Roman Fort-- Feasibility Study (Rev) | F | 22 February 1996 | 5,000.00 |
| The National Trust | NW40206EUR | Upland Access: Langdale Valley | F | 15 March 1996 | 28,558.00 |
| Alston Town Hall Trustees | NW40222EUR | Alston Town Hall Multi-Purpose Community Centre | F | 21 May 1996 | 56,462.76 |
| Sum | 678,535.26 | ||||
| Cumbria County Council | NW39818EUR | "Hills of the North" | F | 31 May 1996 | 2,000,000 |
| Total | £2,678,535.26 |
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26 Jun 1996 : Column: 133
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of outputs claimed for the financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96 by region. [34506]
Sir Paul Beresford: The annual report of the Department, Cm 3207, gives the latest information about outputs from the Department's programmes, broken down where appropriate by region. Final figures for 1995-96 are not yet available.
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what leverage was achieved by region against expenditure broken down into contributions by (a) the private sector, (b) the public sector, (c) European Union funding and (d) other, in the financial year in 1995-96. [34394]
Sir Paul Beresford: The latest information about financial expenditure on the Department's programmes is set out in the Department's Annual Report Cm 3207. Where possible, this is broken down by region. Final figures for 1995-96 are not yet available.
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