| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Export Initiatives
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new initiatives he is planning to secure business for the United Kingdom in (a) the middle east and (b) the far east; and if he will make a statement. [36381]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 17 July 1996]: Through the overseas trade services organisation the Government spend more than £200 million a year on a wide range of export promotion services and support helping to secure business of UK companies across the world. For the markets of the middle east and the far east, my Department is supporting an extensive programme of trade missions, trade fairs, exhibitions, seminars, sectoral and market promotions, and is planning ministerial and other high-level visits with accompanying business delegations. Examples of initiatives include: (a) Middle east.
A major exhibition in Bahrain in February 1997 to highlight British design excellence.
A programme of Gulf update conferences through the UK to promote the Gulf as an export destination and to market the 14 DTI supported trade missions to the Gulf between autumn 1996 and spring 1997.
A series of initiatives to encourage British business women to visit the Gulf and to access the extensive network of Arab women who own businesses in the region. My Department took a team of British business women to Saudi Arabia in March--to demonstrate that women can do business there.
The Israel-Britain Business Council, a new forum for business, has been established and has now held its second meeting.
18 Jul 1996 : Column: 615
(b) Far east.
Visits in September by the President of the Board of Trade to China, by myself to east Asia, and by Lord Fraser to south-east Asia, all with UK business delegations.
Hosting the meeting of the Singapore British Business Group in October in the UK and supporting the first meeting of the British Philippines business group in Manila in September.
Working with UK business to set up a British industrial centre in Japan, where British businesses can share facilities.
Running a regular programme of "Key Contacts Japan" events where high-level UK-based Japanese contacts are introduced to quality British manufacturers.
Supporting UK participation in over 100 trade fairs and trade missions throughout the region over the next six to nine months.
Mr. Ingram:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the book value of each research institute site of the research institutes of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council; and who is the registered owner of each site. [37399]
Mr. Ian Taylor
[holding answer 15 July 1996]: The information is as follows:
| Institute site | Owner | Net book value (£ million)(6) |
|---|---|---|
| BBSRC(7) | ||
| Institute for Arable Crops Research: | ||
| Rothamsted experimental station | Lawes Agricultural Trust | 30.4 |
| Long Ashton research station | University of Bristol | 11.3 |
| Broom's Barn | Lawes Agricultural Trust | 2.5 |
| Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research: | ||
| Aberystwyth research centre | University of Wales | 12.1 |
| North Wyke research centre | Crown Commissioners | 2.0 |
| Bronydd Mawr research station | Crown Commissioners | 0.8 |
| Trawsgoed research farm | BBSRC | 2.8 |
| John Innes Centre | John Innes Foundation | 28.2 |
| Silsoe Research Institute | Part BBSRC; part Department of the Environment | 12.7 |
| Roslin Institute: | ||
| Edinburgh | Part BBSRC; part University of Edinburgh | 7.0 |
| Blythbank | BBSRC | 1.5 |
| Babraham Institute | BBSRC | 30.4 |
| Institute for Animal Health: | ||
| Compton laboratory | BBSRC | 34.0 |
| Pirbright laboratory | BBSRC | 29.0 |
| Neuropathogenesis unit | BBSRC | 2.0 |
| Institute for Food Research: | ||
| Reading laboratory | Reading University | 10.0 |
| Norwich laboratory | BBBSRC | 9.6 |
| MRC | ||
| National Institute for Medical Research | MRC | 16.6 |
| Laboratory of Molecular Biology | Addenbrookes Hospital NHS Trust | 1.5 |
| Clinical Sciences Centre | Hammersmith Hospital NHS Trust | 11.0 |
| NERC | ||
| British Geological Survey | ||
| Eskdalemuir | NERC | 0.3 |
| Keyworth | NERC | 8.3 |
| Hartland | NERC | 0.2 |
| Exeter | NERC | 0.2 |
| Murchison House | Edinburgh University | 2.9 |
| Institute of Freshwater Ecology | ||
| East Stoke | NERC | 0.2 |
| Wareham | Freshwater Biological Association | nil |
| Windermere | Freshwater Biological Association | nil |
| Institute of Hydrology | ||
| Wallingford | NERC | 2.8 |
| Balquidder | NERC | 0.0 |
| Staylittle | Forestry Commission | nil |
| Stirling | Scottish Metropolitan | nil |
| Institute of Terrestrial Ecology | ||
| Furzebrook | NERC | 0.3 |
| Merlewood | NERC | 0.4 |
| Monks Wood | NERC | 0.7 |
| Limegarth Wood | NERC | 0.0 |
| Banchory | NERC | 0.3 |
| Bangor | NERC | 0.1 |
| University of Wales | nil | |
| Bush | NERC | 0.8 |
| Abergwyngregyn | University of Wales | nil |
| Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory | ||
| Bidston | NERC | 0.0 |
| Borough of Birkenhead | 0.5 | |
| Victoria Dock | Mersey Docks and Harbour Company | nil |
| NERC Scientific Services | NERC | 0.0 |
| British Antartic Survey | Cambridge University | 5.0 |
| Plymouth Marine Laboratory | ||
| Raglan barracks | Department of Trade and Industry | nil |
| Citadel Hill | Crown Estate | nil |
| Prospect Place | City of Plymouth | 2.5 |
| Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory | Scottish Association for Marine Science | Nil |
| Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology: | ||
| Oxford | University of Oxford | 2.4 |
| Wytham | University of Oxford | 0.0 |
| Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory | Scottish Enterprise | Nil |
| Southampton Oceanography Centre | Associated British Ports | (9)30.2 |
| PPARC | ||
| Royal Greenwich Observatory | Science and Engineering Research Council | 5.2 |
| Royal Observatory Edinburgh | PPARC | 7.4 |
| Joint Astronomy Centre, Hawaii | University of Hawaii | 13.5 |
| Iaac Newton Telescopes, La Palma | Government of Spain | 15.5 |
(6) Values are for land and buildings.
(7) Existing use values based on 1992 prices.
(8) Open Market values for alternative use.
(9) Depreciated replacement cost.
18 Jul 1996 : Column: 617
Post Office
Mr. Merchant: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to suspend the Post Office's statutory monopoly on delivery of letters under £1. [38854]
Mr. Lang: I wrote last week to the chairman of the Post Office initiating consultations on the implications of suspension of the monopoly. These consultations are continuing.
SCOTLAND
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each occasion in the last two months in which his Department has consulted farmers directly about policy development concerning the BSE and beef crisis; and if he will make a statement. [37363]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: During May to July my Department has consulted directly with the beef industry on the following specific occasions:
3 May: Mature beef assurance scheme
6 June: Proposals for compulsory cattle passports
10 June: Mammalian meat and bonemeal--proposed legislation (The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) (No 2) Order 1996)
11 June: specified bovine material controls in abattoirs
3 July: BSE accelerated slaughter scheme
10 July: meat and bone meal proposed legislation
11 July: Mammalian meat and bonemeal--proposed legislation (The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) (No 2) Order 1996)
18 Jul 1996 : Column: 618
crisis. Individual beef producers are kept abreast of developments, through the regular newsletter distributed by my Department.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance he has given to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in pursuit of its Doomsday 2000 initiative; and if he will make a statement. [37992]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The keeper and chief executive of the Registers of Scotland executive agency is actively assisting and co-operating with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in pursuit of the ScotLIS initiative, the Scottish version of Domesday 2000.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |