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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Economic Growth
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will fund research into the role of competitive markets in fostering economic growth.[11113]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Open competitive markets enhance business efficiency and consumer choice, and it is for this reason that competition lies at the heart of the Government's economic policies. Relevant research, bearing on the relationship between competitive markets and economic growth, is being supported by the Economic and Social Research Council and is also undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Business Breakfasts
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) on 16 December, Official Report, column 427, if he will list (a) the total cost to date of business breakfasts, (b) the projected total cost until the end of the breakfasts planned, (c) the budget for the breakfasts and (d) the departmental budget from which this money is drawn. [13001]
Mr. Lang: The 11 events held so far are expected to cost approximately £51,500. The final cost of the programme will depend on the number of events. No budget has been specifically set aside for business breakfasts. The costs are being paid by the Government offices concerned: these are underwritten by the DTI's running cost provision.
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White Asbestos
Mr. Ainger: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many products containing white asbestos are imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. [12685]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Data on the number of goods containing white asbestos that were imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years are not available.
Mr. Ainger: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much white asbestos was imported into the United Kingdom in bulk form in each of the last 10 years.[12684]
Mr. Taylor: Data on UK imports of white asbestos are given in the table:
| Quantity (metric tonnes) | Value (£000) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 26,766 | 7,863 |
| 1987 | 23,865 | 6,188 |
| 1988 | 24,266 | 5,417 |
| 1989 | 19,702 | 5,757 |
| 1990 | 16,022 | 5,196 |
| 1991 | 11,248 | 3,272 |
| 1992 | 10,269 | 3,569 |
| 1993 | 9,681 | 3,715 |
| 1994 | 11,466 | 3,987 |
| 1995 | 10,164 | 3,958 |
| January to August 1996 | 4,776 | 2,060 |
Source:
Overseas trade statistics of the United Kingdom with the World (including data for countries with the European Community), HM Customs and Excise.
Mr. Ainger: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the level of white asbestos in products manufactured in the United Kingdom. [12681]
27 Jan 1997 : Column: 25
Mr. Taylor: This information is not available from official statistics.
Information Technology
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about his "IT for All" initiative. [11129]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The Government have received many practical proposals for this initiative from the organisations that have successfully applied to become partners. Many of the partners have also committed significant financial support and other resources to the project. They have welcomed "IT for All" as a valuable addition to the range of programmes already included in the Government's information society initiative.
Other companies and voluntary groups are coming forward to take part.
Wind Farm Schemes
Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the projected output of the wind farm schemes funded through the fossil fuel levy for each year from 1991 to 1995; and what has been the actual output;[12117]
- (2) what has the cost been of the wind farm programme funded through the fossil fuel levy; and what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of financial support for wind farms. [12119]
Mr. Page [holding answer 22 January 1997]: Figures from the Office of Electricity Regulation put the total cost to the fossil fuel levy of supporting all the renewable energy projects, from the beginning of the programme in 1990 up to March 1996, at £309 million. Of this, I estimate that about a quarter has been for wind farms.
The total annual turnover of the UK electricity supply industry is about £15 billion and the Government believe that, if their market enablement strategy using the non-fossil fuel obligation succeeds, wind energy could eventually capture 10 per cent. of this market. The reductions in the amounts paid for wind energy under successive NFFO rounds suggest that this strategy is indeed working.
The Government do not make output projections for wind farms, but I understand that, on the whole, wind farm projects are meeting the expectations of their owners. The actual outputs, in gigawatt hours, as reported by the Non-fossil Purchasing Agency, were as follows:
1991: 2
1992: 26
1993: 213
1994: 337
1995: 340.
Germany
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on the steps the German Government have
27 Jan 1997 : Column: 26
taken to secure compliance with the provisions of the Single European Act forbidding discrimination on grounds of nationality. [12307]
Mr. David Davis: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary has collated no such information.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will collate information on the instances on which the German Government have not overturned decisions of German courts on the grounds of discrimination against other nationalities as required under the Single European Act. [12333]
Mr. Davis: Under the EC treaty, the issue of whether there would be a breach of the right to provide services or of the right of establishment is a matter for the European Commission which has the duty of ensuring that the provisions of the treaty and measures implementing it are applied.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek an assurance from the German Government that they will revoke the decisions of the German county court at Friedrichshafen in respect of the admissibility of evidence provided by a British lawyer on the English law of probate. [12332]
Mr. Davis: Revoking a decision of the county court is not a matter for the German Government. A court decision can usually be reversed or altered only by the same or another court within the same legal system, for example, on appeals in accordance with the rules of that system.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the German Government urging that their courts accept evidence from British lawyers on the powers granted under the law of probate in the United Kingdom in cases which relate to such matters in Germany. [12308]
Mr. Davis: The German courts are, like our own, independent of Government. It would be inappropriate for us to seek to persuade the German Government to influence the decisions of the German courts.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the German county court at Friedrichshafen's ruling on the acceptability of evidence as to the English law of probate. [12306]
Antarctic Treaty
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries have ratified the Antarctic treaty; and when he expects the secretariat to be established. [12455]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Twenty-three countries have ratified the environmental protocol. Japan, Russia and the US have still to do so. On the issue of the Antarctic treaty secretariat, the consultative parties have yet to reach an agreement by consensus on its location and date of establishment.
27 Jan 1997 : Column: 27
European Commission (General Election)
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the European Union Commission about interventions by (a) British-based and (b) non-British-based officials and Commissioners in the forthcoming general election in respect of (i) advancing or deferring Commission policies and (ii) rebutting criticisms of the Commission, the Union and its policies.[12476]
Indonesia
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 321, if he will make a statement on the police studies course under the Chevening award scheme. [12635]
Mr. Hanley: One Indonesian police officer undertook an MA in police studies at Exeter university in 1992-93. The course was funded from this Department's Chevening awards scheme-diplomatic wing.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the business likely to come to the United Kingdom referred to in paragraph 2.5 of the National Audit Office report on "Aid to Indonesia" (HC 101 of Session 1996-97). [12593]
Mr. Hanley: Paragraph 2.5 of the National Audit Office report records the view expressed by the British embassy in Jakarta in September 1985 that failure to make a good aid offer quickly could affect a number of items of business likely to come to the United Kingdom. The embassy did not specify of which items of business it had in mind.
The conclusions in the NAO report found that there was no evidence that these representations had any influence on the Administration's decision to undertake the project referred to in paragraph 2.5 of the NAO report.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 13 January, Official Report, columns 33-34, what was the value of the turnkey project near Jakarta. [12630]
Mr. Nelson:
I have been asked to reply.
I understand from the company that the value is £12.25 million.
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