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Coal
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what have been the prices per tonne in sterling of coal (a) imports and (b) exports for each month from October 1996 to date. [15879]
Mr. Page: Import and export data are available to November 1996.
| Average monthly price £ per tonne | ||
|---|---|---|
| Import | Export | |
| October 1996 | 36.48 | 48.92 |
| November 1996 | 34.13 | 51.54 |
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the tonnage of coal (a) imports and (b) exports for each month from October 1996 to date. [15878]
Mr. Page: Import and export data are available to November 1996.
| Thousand tonnes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Imports | Exports | |
| October 1996 | 1,206 | 100 |
| November 1996 | 1,941 | 115 |
Domestic Utility Prices
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade in which of the past 25 years the domestic prices of (a) electricity, (b) gas and (c) telephone calls fell in (i) real and (ii) nominal prices. [15835]
Mr. Page: The years when a fall in prices have occurred relative to the preceding year are shown in the table. All prices include VAT where appropriate.
| Electricity | Gas | Telecoms(15) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real terms | 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996 | 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996 | 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
| Nominal terms | 1987, 1993, 1996 | 1987, 1992, 1993 | 1977, 1983, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
Note:
(15) Telecoms data are for 1994 onwards only.
Source:
Retail Prices Index, Office for National Statistics.
Energy Research Budget
Mr. Battle:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the research budget for (a) coal, (b) nuclear, (c) gas and oil and (d) renewable energy sources in 1996; and in each case what was the figure as a percentage of his Department's total budget. [15881]
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 481
Mr. Page:
The Department's expenditure plans for these programmes for 1996-97 may be found on page 34 of "Trade and Industry: The Government's Expenditure Plans 1996-97 to 1998-99", Cm 3205, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The Department's overall expenditure plans are summarised on page 8 of the same publication.
Mr. Hall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the number of persons employed through private employment agencies for the last five years for which figures are available. [16240]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The labour force survey historical supplement published last year gives the following figures for those working through agencies on a temporary basis.
Mr. Hall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of employment agencies that were officially registered for each year that it was a statutory requirement to register. [16239]
Mr. Taylor:
The licensing of employment agencies under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 commenced in June 1976. The number licensed at the end of each year ending 31 March until licensing ceased on 3 January 1995 is as follows:
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 482
Mr. Taylor:
Agencies in Great Britain continue to be regulated under the provisions of the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and associated regulations. Similar arrangements apply in Northern Ireland. The licensing requirements were replaced by a power of prohibition on 3 January 1995. Since then there has been no requirement for employment agencies to notify either this Department, or the Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland, of their existence or closure.
Mr. Chris Davies:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many miles of the National Grid's overhead electricity distribution cables have been relaid underground in each of the past 10 years. [15790]
Mr. Page:
This is a matter for the company.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many mink pelts were imported into the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available. [16413]
Mr. Nelson:
In 1995 the UK imported 753,000 mink fur skins.
Mr. Hall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the employment protection legislation which does not apply to people employed by an employment agency rather than the company for which they work. [16472]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
Employment protection legislation applies in the same way to all employees, whether they are employed by an employment business or by a company.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings which his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16276]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
My Department is committed to complying with the requirements of all health and safety legislation relating to the identification and control of hazardous materials in the workplace, and replacing ozone depleting substances with environmentally friendly alternatives. My Department occupies some 220 sites: assessments of the amount of hazardous materials and ozone-depleting substances are held locally. These assessments have not been collated centrally.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the ways in which his Department has demonstrated the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through an environmental audit of waste management within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16420]
18 Feb 1997 : Column: 483
Mr. John M. Taylor:
My departmental policy has been to concentrate on larger sites in implementing environmental audits. My Department uses the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method--BREEAM--when undertaking large building refurbishments. Following refurbishment of the No.1 Victoria street headquarters building a BREEAM assessment rating of "very good" was achieved.
Wherever possible, my Department uses the DIY environmental performance checklist, produced for premises managers by the Environment Agency and within the DTI headquarters estate. My Department has implemented an environmental management audit system, which is aimed at assessing and recording the estates impact on the environment. By 1998, my Department will have reduced its impact on the external environment by moving from 25 per cent. to 75 per cent. waste recycling.
Sir Cranley Onslow:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total expenditure to date on launch aid for the Airbus A330/340 aircraft; and when he expects repayments to begin. [15855]
Mr. Greg Knight:
Total launch aid of £447.1 million has been granted for the Airbus A330/340 aircraft. Based on current estimates of aircraft sales, I expect repayments to begin in early 1998.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the claims against (i) his Department and (ii) the nuclear generating companies for nuclear contamination for each year since 1980; what is the value of each (a) claim and (b) settlement; and how many are currently outstanding. [15951]
Mr. Page
[holding answer 17 February 1997]: Claims for compensation against alleged nuclear contamination have to be lodged in accordance with the terms of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. Three claims have been made against the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under section 16(3), all in 1991-92. None was successful and no cases are currently outstanding.
In addition, employment agencies find permanent fixed period contract, seasonal and other forms of employment for workers which are not included in the above figures.
Spring 1992: 81,000
Spring 1993: 91,000
Spring 1994: 114,000
Spring 1995: 161,000
Spring 1996: 201,000
Mr. Hall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the number of employment agencies operating in the United Kingdom for each year since deregulation. [16241]
1976-77: 3,991
1977-78: 5,336
1978-79: 6,000
1979-80: 6,760
1980-81: 6,787
1981-82: 6,579
1982-83: 6,618
1983-84: 7,019
1984-85: 7,830
1985-86: 9,000
1986-87: 10,352
1987-88: 11,769
1988-89: 14,137
1989-90: 16,537
1990-91: 17,193
1991-92: 15,644
1992-93: 14,422
1993-94: 14,808
1994-95: 15,202
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