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NATO
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the consequence for the excluded European countries of US and British decisions to support a limited enlargement of NATO. [7259]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Decisions on the membership of NATO are taken collectively by The Alliance. NATO's door will remain open to the applicant countries not invited to begin accession negotiations in Madrid. We are
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determined that NATO enlargement will not mean a reduction in security for others or the creation of new dividing lines in Europe.
NATO's 27 Partner countries will also benefit from the new opportunities for cooperation provided by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the enhanced Partnership for Peace Programme. These encourage Partner countries to draw closer to the Alliance.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made with his review of the mechanics and detailed criteria used in the issuing of licences for exports of conventional arms; and when he expects to reach conclusions on individual countries. [7240]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The review of detailed criteria used in considering licence applications to export conventional arms, which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 22 May, Official Report, column 135, is being taken forward as a matter of urgency. The new criteria will be made available to the House when the review is complete. The aim of the review is not to focus on individual countries but to draw up criteria applicable to all destinations.
Computers (Century Date Change)
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his Department's timetable for dealing with the Year 2000 Computer problem; who is in charge of the project; how many staff are working on it; what is the projected cost of resolving the problem; and whether the project is on schedule. [7139]
Mr. Kilfoyle: Whilst the Year 2000 Computer problem effect on computer systems generally may be significant, within the Cabinet Office and its Agencies, it is likely to be minimal. It has therefore not been necessary to establish a project team to deal with the issue.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Regional Aid
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she has taken to review the existing criteria in determining eligibility for European Union regional aid; and if he will make a statement. [5376]
Mrs. Roche
[holding answer 26 June 1997]: The regulations setting out the criteria for eligibility for the European Structural and Cohesion Funds are due to be re-examined before the end of 1999 by the Council of Ministers, acting on proposals from the Commission. The Commission are likely to give an initial indication of their ideas for the future of the Funds in a communication in July, with detailed proposals for amending the regulations
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coming at a later date. The Government is looking for a package which is affordable, simple and more efficient, and fair.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade in which departments the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has private offices; how many officials are employed in those private offices; and if she will list his special advisers. [5998]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 30 June 1997]: The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe, Lord Simon, has one private office which serves him in both the DTI and in the Treasury. The private office consists of a Private Secretary, and Assistant Private Secretary, a Diary Secretary, a Correspondence Manager and a Personal Secretary. Lord Simon has office facilities in both departments. He has no political advisers.
Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what part her Department will play in the Strategic Defence Review, with particular reference to representing the interests of manufacturing industry. [5630]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 1 July 1997]: Several departments and other interested bodies will be involved in the Government's Strategic Defence Review. My Department will participate fully in aspects where the competitiveness of UK industry, and its contribution to the wider economy, are being considered.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will take steps to ensure that Euratom does nto impede the work of the IAEA in carrying out its verification inspections. [6402]
Mrs. Roche:
My Department will continue to work closely with the IAEA and Euratom in order that nuclear safeguards inspections are undertaken in an effective and cost efficient manner which enables each inspectorate to draw its own independent conclusions.
Mr. Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the minimum quantity of fissile material that would be required for a criticality in an underground nuclear waste repository. [6403]
Mr. Battle:
The minimum quantity of fissile material required for criticality in an underground nuclear repository would be the same as that in any other nuclear facility. This quantity is dependent on a number of factors including the geometry of the fissile material, the presence of moderating materials which reduce the velocity of neutrons, the presence of reflecting materials retaining neutrons within the system, and the presence of materials such as uranium-238, iron, and calcium, which absorb neutrons.
Limits and conditions of authorisation for any repository being developed in the UK would be based on "Guidance on Requirements for Authorisation" which has been issued by the Environment Agencies. This states that a developer would "need to demonstrate that the possibility of a local accumulation of fissile material such
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as to produce a neutron chain reaction is not a significant concern." This would be achieved by e.g. the establishment of fissile material limits on waste packages, constraints on packaging, provision of backfill and the maintenance of a high pH to suppress the solubility of plutonium.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received in support of the licensing of car boot sales. [6444]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
My Department has received one representation about car boot sales since the election. ITSA and LACOTS have also made me aware of concerns about certain practices. I am of course willing to consider any further representations that are made. Car boot sales can raise a number of different issues, some of which would come within the responsibility of other Government Departments.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what reports she has received from the British Antarctic Survey on the rate of temperature rises and the effect on ice melting. [6345]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 3 July 1997]: All of the climatically sensitive ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula have suffered major disintegration, which is significant and unique within recorded history and results from the fact that summer temperatures now regularly exceed 0°C. Given a continued warming, the ice shelves are predicted to disintegrate further in the coming decades.
The British Antarctic Survey has continuous records which begin in the 1940s and show a warming of 0.5°C per decade in the Antarctic Peninsula. This is interpreted to be a regional effect, and has not been observed to the same extent elsewhere in Antarctica. It will be some time before it can be established whether these observed trends are part of a wider manifestation of global warming.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals she has to consult industrialists over the proposals contained in the EU green paper on a European patent system based on a single patent application; and if she will make a statement. [7048]
Mr. Battle:
The European Commission's Green Paper is in the form of a questionnaire seeking views from European industry, including that of the United Kingdom, on a wide range of issues concerning the development of the patent system in Europe. We are taking steps to ensure that UK industry is aware of the Commission's initiative so that it can make its views known to the Commission and at the same time advise the Department of its position. The Green Paper will be discussed by the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property which was established so that not only industrialists, representing large to small industries, but also consumer representatives and legal and professional bodies can advise the Government on all aspects of industrial property policy.
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Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of a recent report, a copy of which has been sent to her, in respect of the imposition of margins by newspaper publishers and the reduction in the amount of space available for minority titles; and if she will make a statement. [6945]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has recently received copies of reports from the Committee for Diversity and Pluralism and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents. All those with concerns about the distribution of magazines and newspapers must make them known to the Director General of Fair Trading. It is for the Director General to consider whether action under the competition legislation is appropriate.
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