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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Market Testing
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what further market testing she expects to be conducted in her Department. [3997]
Clare Short: There are no plans for market tests but future efficiency reviews will consider each of the alternative options for improving value for money including the scope for competition.
Vanuatu
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision she has made for future development aid for Vanuatu; and if she will make a statement. [3998]
Clare Short:
British aid to Vanuatu is provided under a regional programme for the Pacific. The future level of all our programmes will be considered this year in our Departmental spending review.
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Tourist Boards
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will review the funding of the British Tourist Board and regional tourist boards. [3162]
Mr. Tom Clarke: My Department's direct financial support for the domestic tourism industry is provided through the English Tourist Board, which in turn funds the ten non-statutory Regional Tourist Boards for the delivery of its national programmes. Funding for the promotion of Britain overseas is directed through the British Tourist Authority.
I shall be considering the funding for the English Tourist Board, and for the British Tourist Authority, alongside that for all the other areas for which I am responsible, in due course.
Seaside Resorts
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will take steps to promote British seaside resorts (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad.[3164]
Mr. Tom Clarke: Breaking New Ground identified the promotion of traditional tourist destinations as a priority for the English Tourist Board, to help them achieve the standards visitors now demand. In promoting Britain abroad, the British Tourist Authority seeks to identify groups of consumers most likely to be persuaded to come to Britain and to build its campaigns, like Waterfront Britain, which promotes holidays in coastal regions, around their interests.
Rail Privatisation
Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 9 June, (Official Report column 311, if he will review the effect of the sale of British Rail International on British tourism. [3693]
Mr. Tom Clarke: My Department has no plans at the moment to review the effect of the sale of British Rail International Ltd. on British tourism.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Vibration White finger
Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when her officials last met British Coal to discuss the progress made to date with the introduction of a no faults liability scheme for former miners suffering from vibration white finger. [1697]
Mr. Battle:
I understand from British Coal that, over recent years, they have received 12,000 or so claims from former staff that they now suffer from vibration white finger, a condition whose symptoms include blanching and tingling in the fingers. A trial of a small number of "lead" cases, to help establish any liability the Corporation might have, began in Autumn 1995, was taken to the Court of Appeal in Autumn 1996, and resumed in Newcastle this Spring. Departmental officials have been kept abreast of developments, as DTI provides
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the necessary finance for British Coal's activities and will be directly responsible for their management when the liability is transferred from the Corporation at the end of the year. I understand that some unlitigated claims are being settled on a normal common law basis, but that no proposals for a "no fault" scheme are under discussion.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to review the credit rating system; and what steps she intends to take to ensure that people who have cleared their debts or people who have had unsettled debts of more than six years distant are able to obtain loans on the same terms as others. [2640]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
I am always keeping under review representations made to me about credit reference agencies, as is the Director General of Fair Trading, along with other aspects of the Consumer Credit Act and developments in the consumer credit field.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she will take to protect consumers from bill increases which may result from the proposed windfall tax on utility companies. [2639]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer expects to announce the arrangements for the proposed windfall tax in the summer budget on 2 July.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she will take to promote British exports from small businesses. [3955]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
My noble Friend the Minister for Trade announced on 22 May his intention to establish an Export Forum, with representation from business as well as from Whitehall. The Forum will review existing official export promotion activities and make recommendations for a new export initiative.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the advantages of decreasing Government subsidies to fossil fuel industries. [3019]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 16 June 1997]: The Government do not pay any direct subsidies to the fossil fuel industries.
Mr. Hinchcliffe:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she will take to promote services, provided by Government and local government, to businesses on grant provided by European Union and United Kingdom Government. [3270]
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Mrs. Roche:
Companies have access to impartial advice on grant availability through their local Business Links in England, and through equivalent networks in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Local authorities are partners in Business Links.
Ms Walley:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the number of professional newsagents in operation (a) currently and (b) in each of the last five years. [4174]
Mr. Battle:
This information is not available from official sources.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance her Department will make available to employees of Marconi Communications in Chelmsford who have been made redundant to help them retrain and get back into work; and if she will make a statement. [3783]
Mr. Roche
[holding answer 16 June 1997]: Representatives of local partners and Marconi Communications are meeting today to develop an action plan in response to the redundancies.
The local partners represented at the meeting include: Essex County Council, Chelmsford Borough Council, Essex Training and Enterprise Council, Business Link Essex, The Employment Service, Essex Careers and Business Partnerships Ltd. and the Government Office for Eastern Region.
The Action Plan will build on national programmes such as the Training for Work Scheme for the long-term unemployed and assistance available from the European Union Structural Funds under the Konver II initiative for diversifying the economic base of areas heavily depending on the defence industry.
Essex Training and Enterprise Council and the Employment Service have already agreed to allow Marconi employees immediate access to the Government's Training for Work Programme waiving the normal qualifying period of six months unemployment.
Further measures being considered for the Action Plan include advice and guidance, training course, help with job search and assistance to individuals and groups interested in starting their own businesses.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what help she will make available to defence-related companies in the Chelmsford area to diversify into non-military activities to offset redundancies in the defence industry. [3785]
Mrs. Roche
[holding answer 16 June 1997]: Small and medium sized enterprises in the Chelmsford area are eligible to apply for grants from European Union Structural Funds under the Konver II initiative to assist diversification from defence-related activities.
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Mr. Clapham:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when her officials last met British Coal to discuss progress with the current review of the Coal Industry pneumoconiosis scheme. [1696]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 2 June 1997]: I understand that British Coal are currently well advanced in negotiations with the mining trades unions about revisions to their pneumoconiosis compensation scheme (PCS). Departmental officials have been kept abreast of the discussions, as DTI provides the necessary finance for British Coal's activities and will be directly responsible for their management when the liability is transferred from the Corporation at the end of the year. This "no-fault" scheme is an alternative to common law litigation for former miners who had ten years in the coal industry and who have been certified by a DSS Medical Board as having pneumoconiosis. It provides a faster and cheaper means of obtaining compensation, with lump sums being awarded according to the severity and starting date of the condition, and weekly payments made in appropriate cases to compensate for loss of earnings.
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