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Small Businesses

Mr. Cotter: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to reduce the regulatory burden on small businesses. [3956]

Mrs. Roche: As we made clear in our manifesto, we are committed to relieving the regulatory burdens on small businesses. To achieve this, we plan to work in partnership with small firms to ensure that new regulations are simple and fair. We also want to ensure that regulations are enforced fairly. As part of this process we will maintain close links with small firms and their representative bodies to identify their key concerns. We will also reconstitute the Deregulation Task Force to increase its focus on small firms by increasing small business representation.

Newsagents

Ms Walley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she last met representatives from the Multiple Newsagents Association; what subjects were discussed; and if he will make a statement. [4175]

Mr. Nigel Giffiths: Neither my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade nor I have yet met the Multiple Newsagents Association since arriving at the Department.

Astra Holdings

Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will review the legal action against some of the former directors of Astra Holdings commenced under the previous administration. [2923]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: No information has been drawn to my attention which suggests that I should review the disqualification proceedings instituted against some of the former directors of Astra Holdings plc. A trial has now been fixed and it must be for the Court to determine the issues.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Government Car Service

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what targets he has set for fuel consumption by

19 Jun 1997 : Column: 253

the Government Car Service; if meeting such targets will involve the use of diesel vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [4056]

Mr. Kilfoyle: For 1997-98, the Government Car and Despatch Agency has been set the target of achieving an annual average of 25.5 miles per gallon for the Government Car Service and Inter Despatch Service fleets. Responsibility for meeting this target has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Agency, and I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to the hon. Member about Agency's use of diesel fuelled vehicles. Letter from Nick Matheson to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 17 June 1997:

I have been asked by Mr Peter Kilfoyle MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (who has ministerial responsibility for the Government Car Service (GCS)), to provide a response to that part of your Parliamentary Question on fuel consumption targets for the GCS that relates to the use of diesel engined vehicles. I am the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency with operational responsibility for the GCS.


FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Goverment's trade promotion policy towards Burma. [4898]

Mr. Fatchett: We will not provide any financial support to companies for trade missions to Burma or for trade promotion activities within Burma until there is progress towards democratic reform and respect for human rights in Burma. Officials in the UK and at the British Embassy in Rangoon will continue to provide British companies with routine advice about doing business in Burma. Wherever possible such advice will make clear the present realities in Burma, including the political and human rights situation and the state of the economy. It will also draw to businessmen's attention statements by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy leaders discouraging trade and investment in Burma. We shall encourage our EU partners to take similar action.

Sierra Leone

Mr. Canavan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on international efforts to restore democracy in Sierra Leone; [4159]

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Mr. Tony Lloyd [holding answer 17 June 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 12 June, Official Report, column 545. We deplore this coup and shall continue to work for the restoration of the legitimate government in Sierra Leone without further bloodshed. Those who led the coup have no support from their own people or from the international community. International stability and respect for human rights are core parts of the FCO mission statement. They have an evident relevance to the situation in Sierra Leone.

Several West African states, including Ghana, Nigeria and Guinea, are working together to find a peaceful settlement to the current crisis in Sierra Leone. We strongly support their efforts, which are likely to include an early high-level regional meeting to identify a way forward. I discussed the situation in Sierra Leone with the Ghanaian Deputy Foreign Minister on 18 June. I am also in touch with the Sierra Leone High Commissioner in London. We are active within both the UN and the Commonwealth about their respective roles in the search for a negotiated settlement in Sierra Leone. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mr. Annan, United Nations Secretary General, on 4 June. They discussed Sierra Leone and expressed the strong hope that a negotiated settlement would be found. With partners in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) we will consider Sierra Leone at the next CMAG meeting on 10-11 July. I discussed the prospects for this meeting with the Commonwealth Secretary on 19 June. CMAG will report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh in October.

Nigeria has long maintained a military presence of around 1,000 troops in Sierra Leone under bilateral and multilateral agreements. Twenty-four Nigerians died defending President Kabbah. Extra deployments after the coup followed appeals to regional states by President Kabbah and by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to assist in restoring constitutional order. We encourage Nigeria now to play a constructive role in the regional efforts to secure a negotiated settlement.

We are concerned that the coup in Sierra Leone should not have a destabilising influence elsewhere in the region. In particular we are watching events in neighbouring Liberia where democratic elections are due on 19 July. The universal condemnation of the coup by African states offers some reassurance that the region itself is determined not to allow the instability in Sierra Leone to spread.

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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Early Years Development Plans

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances he will be willing to approve interim local authority early years development plans which specify that there should be only one point of entry for four-year-olds each year at the beginning of the Autumn Term. [3564]

Mr. Byers: Interim early years development plans will be approved only if they demonstrate how a good quality early education place can be secured for each eligible four-year-old for the three terms before compulsory school age.

Engineering (Students)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to encourage more young people to study engineering. [3567]

Dr. Howells: The National Curriculum makes the study of science, mathematics and technology compulsory for all pupils between the ages of 5 and 16, and this provides a suitable grounding for young people to move on to the study of engineering.

More specifically, the Government is working in partnership with the industry itself to promote career prospects in engineering. We are currently involved with a wide range of engineering bodies, institutions, and major UK companies in the Year of Engineering Success campaign. This is intended to demonstrate the vital role played by engineering in the economy and in daily life and to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career.


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