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Late Payments
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to implement the proposal to require large companies to publish details of their payment practices, contained in the consultative document, "Tackling Late Payment: Stating Payment Practice in the Directors" report. [13142]
Mr. Page: Late payment was one of the main concerns highlighted by small firms and their advisers during the nation-wide series of "Your Business Matters" conferences which culminated in the national conference last March. Whilst there are no easy answers to the problems caused by late payment of commercial debt, we in Government are committed to doing all we can to help small firms get their bills paid promptly.
The draft regulations, amending the Companies Act 1985, which I am today laying before Parliament, will mean that all public limited companies and their large private subsidiaries will have to disclose how long, on average, it takes them to pay their bills. This additional information, which builds on the payment policy disclosure introduced last year, will give small firms more details of the payment records of the larger companies with whom they may be considering doing business. This annual disclosure of a performance figure should help small firms monitor year-on-year, in a relatively straightforward way, the payment records of large companies. Whilst it will never substitute for thorough credit management, the additional information provided will be useful to suppliers.
Fireworks
Mr. Burden: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, columns 572-73, if he will list the representatives of the firework industry he met to discuss aerial shells between 21 November and 19 December indicating the dates on which he met each. [12620]
Mr. John M. Taylor: I treat the meetings I have with individuals and organisations, on any topic, as private unless it is agreed that the details should be made public. The meetings I had between 21 November and 19 December 1996 took the form of private discussions on a range of issues relating to fireworks, including commercial matters, and I am not therefore at liberty to disclose details.
Dounreay
Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what data his Department collates in respect of the environmental monitoring conducted by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority of employees at Dounreay following reportable radiological incidents; and if (a) current and (b) former UKAEA staff are covered by the Official Secrets Act 1911 in respect of such incidents.[11914]
Mr. Page:
These data are not collated by my Department. Under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 the UKAEA is responsible for monitoring the radiation doses received by its employees. The data are then collated by the Health and Safety Executive.
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 761
Information on radiation doses would be covered by The Official Secrets Act only if there were clear national security implications.
A550
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the official opening of the roads grade interchange at the entrance of the Deeside industrial park. [12281]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The interchange has been in use since December. No formal opening ceremony is intended.
Ministerial School Visits
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) high schools, (b) primary schools, (c) infants schools, (d) nursery schools and (e) further education colleges he has visited in (i) the former county of Clwyd and (ii) in the new county of Flintshire; and if he will make a statement. [12277]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Since July 1995; my right hon. Friend has visited one secondary school in the area covered by the former county of Clwyd. In the same period, in addition to a number of constituency visits, my predecessor visited two primary schools, two secondary schools and two colleges of further-higher education. Of these, one primary school and one college are located in the new county of Flintshire. Since my appointment in June 1996, I have yet to make such a visit but intend to do so as soon as possible.
Rail Services
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he is taking to improve rail services between Holyhead and Crewe and Wrexham and Birkenhead; and if he will make a statement. [12285]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: I understand that the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising is currently evaluating bids for both the North West Regional Railways and the Intercity West Coast franchises. The franchising director will take account of any proposals by bidders to improve the level and quality of services over and above the minimum standards specified in the passenger service requirements.
Inward Investment
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of inward investment to (a) the former county of Clwyd and (b) the former district council of Alyn and Deeside in the years 1994, 1995 and 1996. [12279]
Mr. Hague:
In 1994, Clwyd attracted 878 new jobs, 734 safeguarded jobs and investment of £98.5 million; in 1995, 491 new jobs, 222 safeguarded jobs and investment of £50 million; and, in 1996, 1,053 new jobs, 334 safeguarded jobs and investment of £108.8 million. Alyn and Deeside saw 122 new jobs, 30 safeguarded jobs and investment of £49.6 million in 1994; 77 new jobs and investment of £1.9 million in 1995; and 50 new jobs and investment of £45 million in 1996.
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 762
Mr. Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to attract inward investment to Deeside and Buckley. [12278]
Mr. Hague:
The inward investment drive continues to be very active and the Welsh Office and Welsh Development Agency will continue to make every effort to ensure that all parts of Wales benefit from inward investment. 1996 was an exceptional year which demonstrates that the policies of economic discipline are working well. North Wales is sharing in this success and the North Wales Economic Forum will help increase that success.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the new River Dee crossing at Connahs quay to open. [12282]
Mr. Gwilym Jones:
Flintshire county council is responsible for the River Dee crossing. It estimates completion in late 1997.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he was first informed of the probability of the connection between the meningitis outbreak of mid-November 1996 in the Penylan halls of residence of the University College of Wales, Cardiff, and the earlier case notified on 16 October; by whom he was informed; and if he will make a further statement on the nature of the connection. [12740]
Mr. Hague:
Officials initially advised me on 29 November 1996 about the outbreak following notification from Bro Taf health authority. On 6 December I was advised of the outcome of the routine retrospective testing on the 16 October case. The results were described as compatible with meningococcal infection although not indicating the type. I do not propose to make any further statement until I have received, and considered fully, the outbreak report which I have asked the authority to submit by the end of January.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the full report of the (a) university and (b) health authorities on the meningococcal C strain of meningitis at the university halls of residence, Penylan, Cariff. [12741]
Mr. Hague:
Both reports are expected by the end of January.
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what length of hedgerow has been lost in Wales in each year since 1979. [12484]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
The information is not available in the form requested. However, two sample surveys covering the periods from 1984 to 1990 and from 1990 to 1993 indicated net losses of hedgerows in Wales of 18,000 km and 5,500 km respectively at an average annual net loss of 2,570 km for the first period and 1,830 km for the second period.
24 Jan 1997 : Column: 763
Mr. William Powell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest estimate of the net contribution of each EU member state to the EU budget; and what this figure is in terms of pounds sterling per head of population in each member state. [11800]
Mr. David Davis:
Net contributions by member states to the EC budget for 1995--the latest year for which figures are available--are as follows:
| Member state | Net contribution (£ million) | Net contribution per head (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | +254.9 | +25.5 |
| Denmark | -250.3 | -48.9 |
| Germany | +10,999.1 | +135.8 |
| Greece | -2,857.2 | -280.1 |
| Spain | -5,911.1 | -149.7 |
| France | +1,414.5 | +25.0 |
| Ireland | -1,545.2 | -439.0 |
| Italy | +502.9 | +8.9 |
| Luxembourg | +36.7 | +96.5 |
| Netherlands | +1,641.7 | +109.4 |
| Austria | +741.2 | +95.0 |
| Portugal | -1,950.0 | -188.8 |
| Finland | +134.8 | +27.2 |
| Sweden | +767.6 | +90.1 |
| UK | +3,865.5 | +67.5 |
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