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Libya

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his response to the motion by the 33rd Conference of the heads of the member states of the Organisation of African Unity calling for the lifting of sanctions against the Libyan people. [6087]

Mr. Tony Lloyd [holding answer 3 July 1997]: It remains the view of the government that since this crime was committed over Scotland, Scottish jurisdiction is entirely appropriate to deal with it. The quickest way to expedite matters would be for the Lockerbie accused to be handed over to the Scottish jurisdiction.

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Tariff and Non-tariff Barriers

Mr. Goodlad: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received about the reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers in developing countries. [6373]

Clare Short: Developing countries consistently stress the importance they attach to improved access to EU markets. We are committed to the further opening of markets and we are pressing for improved access both within the EU and in the WTO and other appropriate international fora.

Cash Transfers

Mr. Goodlad: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of GNP was transferred to developing countries from the United Kingdom in respect of (a) public and (b) private money in (i) 1992 and (ii) 1996. [6366]

Clare Short: The following table shows details of the percentage of GNP (to nearest 2 decimal places) disbursed as public and private flows to developing countries in 1992 and 1995 (the latest year for which full data are available). The provisional estimate for official development assistance in 1996 is £2,041 million representing 0.27 per cent. of GNP. It should be noted that according to the World Bank, 140 out of 166 developing countries receive a mere 5 per cent. of global private flows.

	1992		1995
	£ Million	Percentage of GNP	£ Million	Percentage of GNP
Public flows	2,010	0.33	2,135	0.30
official development assistance	1,841	0.31	2,000	0.28
other official flows	169	0.03	135	0.02
Private flows	3,443	0.57	5,968	0.84
on market terms	3,100	0.52	5,661	0.80
voluntary grants	343	0.06	307	0.04
Total resource flows	5,453	0.91	8,103	1.14
GNP	601,414	100	709,698	100

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Cull Cow Compensation

Mr. Hogg: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the reduction in farmers' incomes that will result from the most recently announced reduction in the cull cow compensation rate. [6687]

Mr. Rooker: The reduction in farmers' income from compensation resulting from the reduction in the compensation rate for cull cows slaughtered under the Over-Thirty Months Scheme (OTMS) will depend on the number of animals coming forward for slaughter at the end of their productive lives and the weight of such

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animals. However, for an average dairy farmer culling out 10 cows per year, the reduction in income is likely to be of the order of £375.

Mr. Hogg: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he had with representatives of the farming industry before his recent announcement of a reduction in the cull cow compensation rate. [6688]

Mr. Rooker: My colleagues and I have had several meetings with representatives of the farming industry since 1 May. While there was no specific consultation on the cut in the compensation rate for cull cows before the announcement, my colleagues and I are fully aware of beef farmers' concerns over the state of the industry, and their views on the Over-Thirty Months Scheme in particular.

Food Labelling

Mr. Tony Colman: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that labelling of nutritional information on food packaging by supermarkets is accurate. [6421]

Mr. Rooker: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon Friend the Member for Cleethorpes (Shona McIsaac) on 16 June, Official Report, column 69.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Royal Observatories

Ms Hodge: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement about the future of the Royal Observatories. [7314]

Mr. Battle: The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) has decided to concentrate the work it funds at the Royal Greenwich Observatory (RGO), which is based at Cambridge, and the Royal Observatory Edinburgh (ROE) in a new UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC) at Edinburgh. This new name will better reflect the fact that the Royal Observatories are now really observatories in name only. Their main function is to provide technological support for the telescopes operated by PPARC on behalf of British astronomers.

A substantial amount of money will be freed up as a result of this decision amounting to £2.4 million per annum over the next four years and at least £4 million per annum thereafter. This sum, which is equivalent to approximately 20 per cent. of the budget for astronomy grants, will be re-invested in basic science. It will fund grants to astronomers doing exciting new science in our universities. In addition, I am confident the new UKATC will benefit greatly from the increased efficiency and better co-operation between scientists which will result from combining the RGO and ROE programmes.

This decision will allow PPARC to reorganise the Royal Observatories in the way which best meets their scientific requirements. I believe that, as the responsible Research Council, they should have the freedom to manage their research facilities efficiently and effectively. PPARC will develop this in consultation with the unions and other interested parties. Under the previous

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administration, PPARC was bound to implement the conclusions of the 1995 Prior Options Review of the Royal Observatories that the management of the United Kingdom telescopes and the delivery of the instrumentation programme currently provided by the Royal Observatories should be subject to competitive tendering. PPARC have reviewed the situation in the light of developments since then and have advised me to release them from this obligation. I have decided to follow this advice in line with our long-standing opposition to dogmatic privatisation.

The concentration at Edinburgh will take place over some years. The RGO is an historic institution with a great tradition that has already survived two changes of location. I am asking PPARC to explore every possible avenue for keeping the institution alive. Nevertheless, this decision will lead to some job losses. Therefore I have asked PPARC to make every effort to help anyone who loses their job to find alternative employment.

I have laid a copy of the report on which PPARC's advice was based and a copy of my letter to the Chairman of PPARC in the Library of the House.

Task Forces

Mr. Letwin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the task forces established by her Department or in co-operation with her Department, together with their responsibilities and compositions.[5996]

Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 30 June 1997]: The following task forces have been established by the DTI since 1 May:

Interdepartmental Task Force on Competitiveness in Europe
Responsibilities: To advise on the implementation of the Government's manifesto objectives to complete the Single Market and promote flexible labour markets across the EU.
Composition: Chaired by Lord Simon of Highbury (Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe), and including Ministers and officials from the Department of Trade and Industry, HM Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Education and Employment, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Scottish Office, the Home Office and the Department of Social Security.
Low Pay Commission
Responsibilities: To examine the options for the nature and level of a national minimum wage.
Composition: Chaired by Professor George Bain. Other members to be decided.
Export Forum
Responsibilities: To review the effectiveness of current official export promotion programmes and to make recommendations.
Composition: Chaired by Director General Export Promotion, DTI, with representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Treasury, Departments of Health, Environment, Transport and the Regions, and National Heritage, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Export Credits Guarantee Department, the British Council, the British Overseas Trade Board, the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress, the DTI Overseas Projects Board, British Chambers of Commerce, British Invisibles, the Chemical Industries Association, Business Links and three small exporting companies.

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In addition to participating in task forces, the Department uses a variety of methods for developing its policies and for cooperating with other government department.

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