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Research and Development (Aerospace)
29. Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received about Government assistance for research and development in the British aerospace industry. [15051]
Mr. Greg Knight: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, I and other ministerial colleagues have received representations in recent months in the form of meetings with the Society of British Aerospace Companies and individual aerospace companies, and letters from Members of Parliament and from aerospace companies.
Petrol Pricing
30. Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last discussed petrol pricing with the Office of Fair Trading; and if he will make a statement. [15053]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Neither I nor my current ministerial colleagues have discussed petrol pricing with the Director General of Fair Trading. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Energy set out the Government's position on petrol retailing to the Trade and Industry Select Committee last year.
Bilateral Trade
31. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the prospects for bilateral trade and capital investment between (a) the UK and the USA and (b) the UK and Australia; and if he will make a statement. [15054]
Mr. Lang: The prospects for bilateral trade and capital investment between the United Kingdom and both overseas markets are excellent. Exports of goods to the United States reached £19.8 billion in 1996 and to Australia £2.5 billion.
The bilateral investment position is very healthy. The United Kingdom and the United States are each the largest direct investor in the other. Australia is the United Kingdom's third largest destination for outward investment and Australia is one of the top five direct investors in the United Kingdom.
European Directives (Social Chapter)
32. Mrs. Mahon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many European directives have been agreed under the social chapter to date. [15055]
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Mr. John M. Taylor:
Two directives have so far been adopted under the agreement on social policy.
33. Mr. Spring:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on trends in foreign direct investment into the UK in the past decade. [15056]
Mr. Greg Knight:
The stock of inward investment in the UK rose from £44.3 billion in 1985 to £144 billion in 1995--the latest year for which comparable figures are available.
This increase reflects the UK's continuing attractions as a business location, including competitive costs, a skilled and adaptable work force, low corporation tax and an established industrial infrastructure. That is why the UK is the market leader in Europe for investment from the US and Asia Pacific.
Mr. Harry Greenway:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what value of inward investment has come to the United Kingdom in each of the past three years; from which principal countries; and if he will make a statement. [15276]
Mr. Knight:
The value of flow figures for inward investment are only available on a consistent basis up to 1994. The top three sources for 1992-94 were as follows.
| Year | Flows £ million |
|---|---|
| 1992 | |
| United States | 3,748 |
| Germany | 1,261 |
| Netherlands | 1,135 |
| Total into United Kingdom | 8,850 |
| 1993 | |
| United States | 5,144 |
| Netherlands | 1,245 |
| Australia | 996 |
| Total into United Kingdom | 9,863 |
| 1994 | |
| United States | 1,873 |
| Netherlands | 1,691 |
| France | 665 |
| Total into United Kingdom | 6,110 |
Source:
International Direct Investment Statistics Yearbook, 1996, OECD.
Trade Deficit
34. Mrs. Jane Kennedy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was (a) the deficit in trade in goods in 1995 and (b) the total deficit in trade in goods for those months of 1996 for which figures are available. [15057]
Mr. Lang:
The deficit in trade in goods in 1995 was £11.6 billion. In the first 11 months of 1996, the deficit was £11.7 billion. Overall, the balance of payments current account is close to balance and at its strongest for a decade.
19 Feb 1997 : Column: 595
35. Miss Hoey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the report on the future of the Post Office recently published by the Communications Workers Union. [15058]
Mr. Page:
I understand that the Communications Workers Union report on the future of the Post Office was published only on 17 February and neither my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade nor I have yet had an opportunity to study it.
36. Sir Irvine Patnick:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on business links in Sheffield. [15059]
Mr. Page:
The business link is now in its second year of operation and, together with its partner organisations, continues to provide valuable support services to the business community in Sheffield.
It has dealt with over 6,000 inquiries since opening. Among its staff, it has three personal business advisers and three specialist counsellors advising on exports, design and finance.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's prior options review of public sector research establishments. [15047]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced the completion of the 1996 programme of prior options reviews on 29 January 1997. The results are designed to ensure that the bodies are managed as efficiently as possible while ensuring a sound scientific base for the future.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the effect of his Department's policies on the residents of Bournemouth since 1992, with special reference to the effects of changes in the resources provided in real terms. [14946]
Mr. Lang:
Bournemouth has benefited from the increased competitiveness of British industry since 1992, which has been brought by maintaining a stable economy, with low burdens on business and a flexible labour market.
Since December 1992, unemployment in Bournemouth has fallen by 44 per cent.--around 8 per cent. more than the national average.
Mrs. Beckett:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment he has made of the financial reports of business links in Taunton, Somerset; and if he will make a statement; [14863]
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Mr. Lang
[holding answers 10 February 1997]: My officials monitor all 89 business links on a regular basis to ensure that public funds are used for the purposes for which they are intended. Where there are particular concerns, my officials will address them with the business link concerned.
There is currently an audit being undertaken at Business Link Somerset and officials are also discussing some monitoring issues with them.
Mr. Dover:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on gross domestic product per head in (a) the UK and (b) other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. [11787]
Mr. Greg Knight
[holding answer 20 January 1997]: In 1995, gross domestic product per head in the UK grew by just over 2 per cent. in real terms, compared with just over 1 per cent. in the OECD as a whole.
Mr. Hall:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of which sectors of the economy private employment agencies primarily operate in. [16473]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The labour force survey of spring 1996 shows that, of people who describe themselves as agency temps, nearly a third are in banking, finance or business services, a quarter are in manufacturing, over a tenth are in public administration, education and health.
Mr. Ingram:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the extent of mismatch in skills and training in the United Kingdom engineering sector; and if he will make a statement. [16115]
Mr. Ian Taylor
[holding answer 17 February 1997]: My Department has drawn on a large number of studies to determine the strategic requirements of British business for engineering skills. It has also had first-hand input from senior representatives of business and industry who were members of the action for engineering steering group and task forces.
Action for engineering brought together, in an action-oriented forum, employers and training providers to better and meet the skill requirements of industry and commerce. The majority of projects implemented and developed for implementation under action for engineering will address skills shortages through action on the selection, education, training and development of professional engineers and technicians. Outputs from the initiative include: a joint venture company, Setnet, which provides a single point of contact for advice to teachers and industry on school-industry links and curriculum support; better co-ordination of efforts to encourage more of our most able young people to consider engineering as a career, the publication and dissemination of best practice guides on the recruitment and development of technicians and on making better use of engineers; the launch of a training challenge for engineering; and the establishment
19 Feb 1997 : Column: 597
of a master of engineering in business degree aimed at improving the breadth of skills of engineers in, and destined for, the boardroom.
(2) what action he is currently taking in respect of business links in Taunton, Somerset; and if he will make a statement. [14864]
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