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European Union
23. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures the Government intend taking to improve the competitive position of British companies within the European Union. [678]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: The Government will work in partnership with business to improve the country's competitiveness. We intend to drive forward progress on the Single Market during our Presidency of the European Union next year to give British Companies better opportunities to sell their products and services throughout Europe.
Regional Aid
24. Mr. McAllion: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to review regional aid policies. [679]
Mrs. Roche: The Government is currently considering a range of measures to improve regional aid policies. These include: legislation on Regional Development Agencies; the introduction of Regional Chambers and a review of the incentives and support the Government provides to smaller firms.
34. Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to review the system of regional development assistance. [691]
Mrs. Roche: The Government is currently considering a number of proposals to improve regional development assistance including requests for a review of Assisted Areas Map. We will announce the extent and nature of any review when we have looked at this issue more closely.
30. Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals she has for further review of the Assisted Areas Map. [687]
Mrs. Roche: The Government is considering whether the 1993 Assisted Areas Map needs to be changed and will carry out a review as needed. We will announce the extend and nature of any review when we have looked at this issue more closely.
Export Controls
27. Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when her Department proposes to publish the results of the consultation on strategic export controls of October 1996; and if she will make a statement. [682]
Mrs. Beckett:
Copies of the responses to the consultation (with the exception of two for which confidentiality was requested) were placed in the libraries of both Houses in February of this year. Copies of these
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responses were also placed at that time in the library of my Department where members of the public could arrange to see them. In addition, I have now arranged for copies to be made available on request from my Department's Export Control Organisation.
We are considering all the responses carefully in formulating our proposals which will be announced in due course.
28. Mr. Gunnell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the advantages of membership of the European Union for the attraction of inward investment. [683]
Mrs. Beckett:
The UK's place in the European Single Market of 370 million consumers is central to our success in attracting inward investment.
29. Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she is taking to (a) support and (b) encourage the development of the aerospace industry in the north-west. [684]
Mr. Battle:
The department supports and encourages the development of the aerospace industry through its wide-ranging sponsorship activity. In the north west we work closely with the Consortium of Lancashire Aerospace (CLA), which has secured funding under the Konver scheme. Funds have also been made available to the aerospace sector in the region through the Single Regeneration Budget scheme, Managing in the 90s and through the work of the local TECs.
36. Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her policy on launch aid for companies engaged in the aerospace industry. [694]
Mr. Battle:
The launch aid scheme has demonstrated its value, and the Government will consider fully any applications for launch aid on their merits.
31. Mr. Vaz:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the progress of the liquidation of BCCI. [688]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I am due to meet my hon. Friend shortly to discuss the progress of the liquidation of BCCI. I note that a first dividend of 24.5 pence in the pound was paid to creditors in December 1996 and I understand that the delay in paying that dividend was caused by the need to settle a number of legal actions in the UK and in foreign jurisdictions. I hope that the liquidators will be able to complete their work with as much speed as possible so that creditors may receive a further, substantial dividend at an early date.
35. Helen Jackson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals she has to strengthen the role of consumers in the regulation of public utilities. [693]
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Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
In the Government's view utility regulation must be open and predictable, and fair to consumers.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if she will make a statement on the promotions budget for the offshore oil technology and supply office; [1011]
Mr. Battle:
The oil and gas technology and promotion budget is handled by the Oil, gas and petrochemicals Supplies Office (OSO). For 1997-98 OSO has a gross programme budget of £3.7 million, as set out in the Supply Estimates. The precise allocation of funds is subject to advice from the OSO Board, but is expected to be £1.5 million for export promotion--including trade fairs, missions and seminars; and £2.2 million to aid competitiveness--including assistance for the Centre for Marine and Petroleum Technology (CMPT), the CRINE Network competitiveness initiative and some technology projects.
Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the impact on exporting companies of an interest rate rise. [686]
Mrs. Roche:
I do not think it appropriate for me to speculate on the future course of interest rates. Interest rates are to be set by the Bank of England to meet the Government's inflation target.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proportion of lottery proceeds has been distributed to each region to date. [801]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The distribution of Lottery funds by region to date is set out in the following table:
(2) how her Department's oil and gas technology and promotion budget is to be allocated. [1007]
| Region/country | Total percentage(5) |
|---|---|
| London: National bodies(6) | 14 |
| London: Regional bodies | 10 |
| North-west | 9 |
| North-east | 4 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 6 |
| Eastern | 7 |
| East Midlands | 4 |
| West Midlands | 8 |
| South-west | 8 |
| South-east | 8 |
| Merseyside | 2 |
| Scotland | 11 |
| Wales | 6 |
| Northern Ireland | 2 |
| UK wide | 1 |
(5) Rounded to the nearest percentage.
(6) Awards to bodies based in London include many to institutions that are of national importance and are of benefit to the country as a whole. These are therefore identified separately.
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Churchill Papers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to ensure that access to the papers in the Churchill archive is not restricted. [2080]
Mr. Fisher: Access to the Churchill papers purchased in 1995 by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, and now at the Churchill Archive Centre in Cambridge, is not restricted. There are other sets of papers stored in the Centre, but these are not part of the papers purchased in 1995 and are therefore there on different terms.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will establish a review of the adequacy of the current levels of incapacity benefit. [859]
Mr. Denham: As part of the Government's aim of creating a modern welfare system we will seek to ensure that people who are too sick to work are provided with appropriate support. We also wish to do more to enable those who are able and wish to get back into work to do so.
Income Support (Pensioners)
Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the proportion of pensioners who do not claim the income support to which they are entitled. [966]
Mr. Denham: The latest available figures show that in 1994-95 between 34 per cent. and 41 per cent. of pensioners entitled to income support were not taking up their benefit. We want to get help to Britain's poorest pensioners and are commissioning research to establish why they do not claim the income support which is their due.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were in receipt of income support in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, in each year since 1992. [266]
Mr. Bradley: The administration of Income Support is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Gordon Prentice, dated 4 June 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were in receipt of Income Support (IS) in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale in each year since 1992.
5 Jun 1997 : Column: 240
The number of people in receipt of IS for the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale District since 1992 are:
February 1992: 22,002
February 1993: 25,162
February 1994: 24,744
February 1995: 25,153
February 1996: 24,944
February 1997: 20,692
Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
The data provided is the latest available and relates to the actual number of people in receipt of IS on the last working day of February each year since 1992. The data for February 1997 does not include unemployed customers who now receive Jobseeker's Allowance.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
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