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Auditing Requirements

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for exempting small accountancy firms from the audit monitoring requirements introduced by the Companies Act 1989. [37382]

Mr. Oppenheim: I have no such plans. I would, however, refer the hon. Gentleman to the conclusions of the review of the monitoring arrangements of the recognised supervisory bodies for auditors, conducted by Professor Peter Moizer in 1994. The recommendations of the review, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, are being implemented by the bodies.

Limited Liability Partnerships Legislation

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the Government of Jersey in connection with the enactment of limited liability partnerships legislation. [37378]

Mr. Oppenheim: I have made no such representations.

Accountancy Firms

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to investigate the competition practices of major accountancy firms. [37379]

Mr. Oppenheim: I have no such plans.

Caparo Judgment

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce legislation to reverse the Caparo judgment. [37380]

Mr. Oppenheim: I have no such plans, but continue to keep the situation under review.

Electrical Equipment (Plugs)

Mr. Cox: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if all new electrical equipment designed to be connected to the mains sold in the United Kingdom is required to be fitted with plugs. [37191]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994, which came into force on 1 February 1996, introduced a legal requirement that most new and second hand domestic electrical appliances can be sold only if they have been pre-fitted with an approval standard United Kingdom plug.

Industrial Development (Greater London)

Mr. Cox: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had, and with which bodies, on industrial development within the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement. [37196]

Mr. Eggar: DTI Ministers are frequently in contact with London-based organisations about a wide range of industrial issues.

16 Jul 1996 : Column: 460

EU Working Time Directive

Mrs. Currie: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many representations he has received about the European Union working time directive; how many of these came from British companies; and which have expressed concern about the effect of the directive on their profitability. [37432]

Mr. John M. Taylor: My Department has received a wide range of representations about the working time directive. Many of these have been from employers or employer organisations concerned about the potential cost implications of the directive.

Hubble Space Telescope

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 18 April, Official Report, column 570, to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, if he will make a statement on the progress of the formal discussions about Europe's role in the refurbishment of the Hubble space telescope, planned for 1999. [36645]

Mr. Ian Taylor: Representatives of the European Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration met on Thursday 27 June 1996 to discuss the ESA contribution to the Hubble space telescope refurbishment mission due in 1999. It was agreed that ESA will provide the solar array drive mechanism in return for 15 per cent. of observing time being allocated to European groups.

Scott Report

Mr. Sumberg: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the appendices to Sir Richard Scott's report to be published. [37885]

Mr. Lang: They are to be published on 18 July as a two-disk CD-ROM set.

Ice Cream (Inquiry)

Mr. Sumberg: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the evidence submitted by Birds Eye Wall's to a Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry following the undertaking given to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Ms Church) on 17 April, Official Report, column 527. [37966]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The Director General of Fair Trading, at the request of my predecessor, the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton) carried out an investigation into whether, during an inquiry conducted by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1993-94 into the supply of ice cream for immediate consumption in the United Kingdom, Birds Eye Wall's had supplied false or misleading information to the commission. The supply of such false or misleading information is an offence contrary to section 93B of the Fair Trading Act 1973.

Having considered the director general's report, and departmental and other independent legal advice, against the criteria set out in the code for crown prosecutors, I have concluded that my Department should not take any further action in this matter.

16 Jul 1996 : Column: 461

Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors

Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what implications the shutdown of the reactors at Hinckley Point B and Hunterston have for electricity supply; and what is the estimated impact on the income stream of British Energy. [37603]

Mr. Eggar: The total generating capacity for the electricity markets in Great Britain was 67,620MW at 31 March 1996. Hinkley Point B has a generating capacity of 1,270MW, 1.9 per cent. of the total and Hunterston B has a generating capacity of 1,195MW, 1.8 per cent. of the total. The impact on the income stream of British Energy is a commercial matter for the company.

Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what factors underlay the timing of the disclosure to the public of news of the shutdown of the AGR reactors at Hinckley Point B and Hunterston; [37601]

(2) what implications the technical faults at Hinckley Point B and Hunterston have for the other five advanced gas-cooled reactors; [37602]

(3) when he was first informed that there was a serious technical fault with the advanced gas-cooled reactors at Hinckley Point B and Hunterston; and if he will make a statement; [37599]

(4) what recent advice he has received from the nuclear installations inspectorate about the advanced gas-cooled reactors at Hinckley Point B and Hunterston; and when he received its report. [37600]

Mr. Eggar: AGR technical issues are covered in the British Energy prospectus published on 26 June.

A continuing programme of steam pipe inspections revealed a crack in a weld at Hinkley Point B which was made public by British Energy on 4 July. Following examination of the cracked weld Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear decided to shut down one reactor at each of Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B power stations, as a precautionary measure, on the evening of Tuesday 9 July. I was informed of the decision to shut down the reactors at about 9 am on Wednesday 10 July. My officials were in close touch with British Energy while the company established with their advisers that their financial position was not significantly affected. A press release was issued at 5.30 pm on 10 July after a high level group at the company had reviewed the evidence from the metallurgical examination and considered the possible financial implications.

DTI has been kept fully informed of these developments by British Energy. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate has confirmed that it is content with he licensees' actions.

FalFab

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from hon. Members on behalf of FalFab LLC since 1994; and on what dates these were received. [35220]

Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 July 1996]: We have been unable to trace any record of representations from hon. Members on behalf of this company.

16 Jul 1996 : Column: 462

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what consultations were made by his Department to ensure that the estimated value of FalFab at the time of its application for regional selective assistance was correct; and if he will make a statement; [35248]

(2) what verification was undertaken by his Department to ensure that sufficient capital was available to FalFab LLC to qualify for regional selective assistance from his Department; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of this verification; and if he proposes to recover any of the granted financial assistance. [35247]

Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 July 1996]: FalFab was a newly-created company set up as a joint venture between two other US-based companies. The Department's offer of grant contained preconditions in order to ensure that capital of at least £1 million had been injected into the company before grant was paid. Appropriate audited confirmation that these preconditions had been met was submitted at the time of FalFab's claim for the first instalment of grant.

Although the company has laid off its workforce, discussions aimed at securing a viable future for the business are taking place and it would be premature for the Department to seek recovery.

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what safeguards are in operation to protect his Department's position in relation to regional selective assistance grant and aid given to FalFab LLC if (a) the company ceases to trade and (b) the terms and conditions of the grant are not met; and if he will make a statement. [35246]

Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 July 1996]: If the company ceases to trade, or the terms and conditions of the offer are not met and there is no prospect of future viability, my Department will seek to recover grant from the company. The Department also has parent company guarantees to repay the grant if FalFab is not in a position to do so.

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