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Inward Investment

Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of inward investment in each year since 1985 was due to the acquisition, takeover or merger of a United Kingdom company by an overseas investor. [9078]

Mr. Greg Knight: The information is as follows. Source: United Kingdom Balance of payments, "the Pink Book" 1990, 1994, 1996.

Year	Per cent. acquisitions in inward investment
1985	15.0
1986	23.2
1987	31.7
1988	26.2
1989	31.7
1990	53.8
1991	52.8
1992	68.3
1993	51.6
1994	43.4
1995	60.1

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Although the percentage fluctuates from year to year, reflecting the economic cycle, the flow of total inward investment in 1995 is four and a half times that of 1985; the latest OECD figures show that in 1994 the UK had one third of all inward investment in the EU.

Crown Post Office, Dennistoun

Mr. Michael J. Martin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade for how long the Crown post office in Annfield place, Dennistoun, has operated. [8072]

Mr. Page: I understand from the Post Office that a post office has operated in Annfield place since 1 April 1936.

Mr. Martin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the turnover for (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95 and (c) 1995-96 at the Crown post office in Annfield place, Dennistoun. [8070]

Mr. Page: Turnover figures for individual post offices are commercially confidential.

Mr. Martin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many customers used the Crown post office in Annfield place, Dennistoun in (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95 and (c) 1995-96. [8071]

Mr. Page: I understand from the Post Office that the weekly average number of customers at Duke Street post office has been

1994: 7,920
1995: 7,423
1996: 7,018.

Mr. Martin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Crown post office at Annfield place, Dennistoun, is wholly owned by Post Office Counters Ltd. [8103]

Mr. Page: I understand from the post office that Duke Street post office at Annfield place is wholly owned and operated by Post Office Counters Ltd.

Dounreay

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received in the last year concerning environmental risks posed by the management and disposal of radioactive waste at Dounreay. [8676]

Mr. Page: In the last year my Department has received about 150 letters expressing concern about environmental issues at Dounreay.

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Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what safety and environmental audits of radioactive waste management at the Dounreay nuclear plant have been carried out. [8675]

Mr. Page: The safety and environmental impact of radioactive waste management at Dounreay is subject to continuous review by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. With respect to audits conducted by the independent regulators, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 13 November, Official Report, column 229-30.

Oil Pollution

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many oil exploration and drilling installations and platforms operating under licence in each offshore block have deposited oil spill contingency plans with his Department; and if he will place a sample contingency plan in the Library. [8363]

Mr. Page [holding answer 10 December 1996]: My Department currently has 77 oil spill contingency plans from operators of offshore installations. Although this number may seem small when compared to the number of offshore installations operating on the United Kingdom continental shelf, some plans cover more than one installation. It is a requirement of the development approval that an acceptable oil spill contingency plan is in place before an installation can produce oil.

As each plan relates to the specific circumstances it is to address it is difficult to identify a representative "sample" plan. However, I will place in the Library of the House, a copy of the oil spill contingency plan from BP Operating Company Limited on the Foinaven field development with its consent.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the impact on the marine environment of oil spills and discharges from offshore oil platforms since the publication of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution's eighth report on oil pollution of the sea, Cmnd. 8358. [8360]

Mr. Page [holding answer 10 December 1996]: My Department has a research and development budget which it uses, in conjunction with other Government Department's and the oil and gas industry, for environmental projects. The most recently completed project was a study into the effects of drill cuttings piles, a copy of which I will place in the Library of the House.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many reports of oil discharges from licensed offshore platforms were made in each year since 1979 to Her Majesty's Government, by the appointed offshore installations manager. [8356]

Mr. Page: Figures relating to the number of oil discharges from offshore installations reported to my

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Department from a variety of sources, are published annually in the "Energy Report", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

My Department maintains a record of the reports from installations which reported an oil spill, but this report need not be made by the appointed offshore installation manager. The records do not always record the status of the reporter.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions for the discharge of environmentally hazardous toxic substances under health and safety at work legislation have been brought against operators of offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf since 1990. [8361]

Mr. Page [holding answer 10 December 1996]: My Department is not responsible for the prosecution of offences under health and safety at work legislation.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many vessels are currently on standby to respond to oil spill incidents from our near offshore oil platforms in (a) the North sea, (b) the north Atlantic and (c) Cardigan bay; and what was the cost of maintaining these vessels in each of the last three years. [8362]

Mr. Page [holding answer 10 December 1996]: There are currently six dedicated oil recovery vessels which are employed to respond to oil spill incidents from or near offshore oil platforms on the UKCS. Four vessels are dedicated on field in sensitive areas--Cardigan bay and the Moray firth--and two are roving vessels which routinely patrol the UKCS. In addition, many of the installation standby vessels are equipped to respond to small spills.

Costs are attributable to industry and are therefore not readily available.

Nuclear Plants

Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has received from British Energy relating to plans to construct new nuclear plants in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales after 2006. [8673]

Mr. Page: None. Any applications that come forward for new stations over 50 MW would require consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and, as with other forms of generation, the applications for consent would be considered on their individual merits.

Mr. Salmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what his policy towards the future of the nuclear industry and the construction of new nuclear power stations in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales. [8462]

Mr. Page [holding answer 11 December 1996]: Nuclear power has to compete with other forms of generation in the electricity market to meet the needs of its customers at commercial prices. Any proposals by British

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Energy for new nuclear power stations will therefore be a matter for the company and its shareholders. Such proposals, if over 50 MW in capacity, will also require consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act and, as with other forms of generation, the applications for consent will be considered on their individual merits. Applications in Scotland would be considered by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Radiological Testing

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to establish an inquiry into the scope and consequences of Her Majesty's Government's programme of radiological testing conducted by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority since 1957.[6791]

Mr. Page: None. I am satisfied that the level of radiation received by the volunteers involved in the programme of radiological research conducted by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority was negligible in relation to the average exposure to natural background radiation.

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