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Aerospace Sales

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what initiatives he has taken to facilitate aerospace sales abroad. [36060]

Mr. Nelson: The Department of Trade and Industry actively pursues its responsibilities to promote the United Kingdom's civil aerospace industry overseas. We support and fund missions by sector trade associations to important overseas markets, particularly in the US and the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. Ministers also take opportunities to promote aerospace initiatives during their visits overseas. Aerospace companies use the market information and help available through the DTI's geographical market desks and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's overseas posts. The DTI's aerospace and defence industries directorate also supports the industry and its trade associations in their overseas efforts. For some key markets, there are export promoters, seconded from industry, who focus on helping aerospace companies to develop their overseas business.

North-west Industrial Development Board

Mr. Thurnham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many directors of the north-west industrial development board have declared business interests; and to what value. [36249]

Mr. John M. Taylor: All members must notify the Department of their business interests, including directorships and significant shareholdings, on appointment to regional industrial development boards. Changes are also notified during membership. Values are not placed on business interests.

Mr. Thurnham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the directors of the north-west industrial development board in the last five years. [36247]

Mr. Taylor: The information requested can be found in the Industrial Development Act 1982 annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Thurnham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many grants, and of what value, have been given by the north-west industrial development board in the last five years. [36248]

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Mr. Taylor: Grants are not given by the north-west industrial development board.

Indonesia

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors underlay his Department's decision to send trade missions to Indonesia on 26 August, 23 September, 7 October and 11 November in 1996; and what is the projected cost of each mission to public funds. [36829]

Mr. Nelson: The missions have been planned to concentrate on sectors that have been identified as having the most potential for UK industry. The sectors are aerospace and airports; health care; oil and gas; power generation; and transport. The plan also recognises that opportunities exist in agribusiness; automotive components; environment and ports and harbours. The missions aim to take a group to the market focusing on one or more of these sectors.

The projected costs to public funds of these missions is as follows;

26 August : none, the mission has been cancelled.
23 September : £6,000
7 October : £6,000
11 November : £9,000

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which members of the Indonesian military met members of the trade missions carried out in 1996; for what purpose; and what representations were made to them concerning Indonesia's human rights record. [36767]

Mr. Nelson: Meetings with the Indonesian military do not form part of the formal programme for Department of Trade and Industry sponsored trade missions to Indonesia. I am not aware that any members of these mission met the military.

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost to public funds of trade missions to Indonesia on 19 February, 15 April and 24 June. [36765]

Mr. Nelson: All of these missions visited two markets--Indonesia and Thailand. An eligible British company visiting only one of these markets receives a subvention of £600. For companies visiting both markets with the mission, grant is increased to £660. The costs to public funds of grants to British companies to travel with missions to Indonesia and Thailand was, therefore, as follows;

The mission on 19 February, sponsored by the Leeds and Bradford chamber of commerce and industry--£13,080.
The mission of 15 April sponsored by the Northern Development Company and the Railways Industries Association--£10,920.
The mission on 24 June sponsored by the London chamber of commerce and industry--£9,060.

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which public relations companies assisted the trade missions to Indonesia on 19 February, 15 April and 24 June; and when he last met personnel from each company. [36766]

Mr. Nelson: None. However, the missions were sponsored and administered by the Leeds and Bradford chamber of commerce and industry, the Northern Development Company in co-operation with the Railways

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Industries Association and the London chamber of commerce and industry respectively. I would not expect to meet individual members of DTI-supported trade missions as a matter of course.

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department last conducted an appraisal of human rights conditions in Indonesia; and in what circumstances companies which participate in trade missions to that country are made aware of the human rights record of the Indonesian military. [36768]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: I have been asked to reply.

We continually monitor the human rights situation in Indonesia. The British embassy in Jakarta briefs visiting missions on the general political and economic situation in Indonesia, including, where relevant or specifically requested, its human rights record.

Trade Missions

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy, when appraising British companies intending to participate in trade missions, to notify them of the human rights record of the country involved. [36830]

Mr. Nelson: British diplomatic posts brief visiting missions on the general political and economic situations in the country concerned including, where relevant or specifically requested, its human rights record.

Iraq (Arms Sales)

Mr. Simpson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost to the Export Credits Guarantee Department of underwriting the sales of arms to Iraq in (a) 1987-88, (b) 1988-89 and (c) 1989-90. [36613]

Mr. Nelson: The ECGD did not underwrite any arms exports to Iraq in these years.

However, a relatively small amount of equipment with possible defence application--in particular communications equipment--was underwritten under the so-called "Defence Allocation" under the Iraq protocols; there are currently claims outstanding of £26 million in this respect.

DTI Investigations

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the DTI investigations which have been completed in the last three years and for which the report will not be published; and if he will make a statement. [37383]

Mr. Lang: In investigations leading to a report in respect of which there is a statutory provision allowing for publication that no reports have been completed in the last three years remain unpublished.

My Department undertakes a number of confidential investigations for which there is no provision for the report to be published.

Design Initiative

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for a design initiative involving business links, universities and private sector companies. [36999]

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Mr. Page: The Government are convinced that design is fundamental to winning in world markets and that goods design is a crucial part of competitiveness. At national level, Design Council activities include research at leading universities to develop knowledge and tools which will help business managers to make better use of design. At local level, design services are being made available to companies by business links. Business links have been invited to bid for Government funding to employ design counsellors. To date, 51 bids have been approved, and 28 design counsellors are in post.

Statutory Holidays

Mr. Wigley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many statutory holidays there are in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England every year; and what are the equivalent figures in other European Union countries. [37088]

Mr. John M. Taylor: There are currently eight bank and public holidays in England, Wales and Scotland, and 10 in Northern Ireland. The following table, based on information in the Official Journal of the European Communities (No. C 45, 1996, item 7), lists the number of current public holidays in other European Union member states.

Number of public holidays in other EU member states

	Number
Austria	13
Belgium	11
Denmark	10
Finland	13
France	11
Germany	(6)10 to 14
Greece	12
Ireland	10
Italy	9
Luxembourg	12
Netherlands	8
Portugal	15
Spain	(6)10 to 15
Sweden	11

(6) A range of numbers indicates local variations.

Holiday entitlement in the United Kingdom is not generally a statutory right but a matter covered by the contract of employment between the individual employer and employee.

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