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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Nuclear Power
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will take steps to make mandatory the use of continuous enrichment monitoring, for nuclear materials verification of enrichment facilities. [6398]
Mrs. Roche: Continuous enrichment monitoring is one of a number of techniques which can be used in the safeguarding of centrifuge enrichment facilities. Selection of the particular techniques to be used is made on a case-by-case basis taking into account facility specific considerations. Operation of the continuous enrichment monitor (CEMO) at Urenco's Capenhurst facility has shown the equipment to be cost-effective and reliable for confirming the non-production of highly enriched uranium (HEU). Technical discussions are currently taking place concerning the more widespread application of the technique.
Nuclear Material
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 23 June, Official Report, column 390, on nuclear material, if she will list (i) the quantities of the nuclear fuel imported, (ii) the type of the nuclear fuel imported and (iii) the current locations of the nuclear fuel imported from France. [6987]
Mr. Battle: Nuclear fuel has been imported into the United Kingdom from France only by the UKAEA. One shipment of nuclear fuel was imported from France in 1996. Since details of such imports are operational matters for the UKAEA I have asked the Chairman of the UKAEA to reply directly to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much (a) her Department and (b) the research councils have spent on nuclear fusion research for each year from 1985 to date. [6901]
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Mr. Battle
[holding answer 7 July 1997]: The Department of Trade and Industry and former Department of Energy have funded fusion research through the Government Fusion Programme managed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Total expenditure under the Fusion Programme, including contributions to the Joint European Torus project, for each year since the UKAEA's establishment as a trading fund in 1986 is shown below.
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 23.1 |
| 1987-88 | 22.0 |
| 1988-89 | 24.1 |
| 1989-90 | 24.1 |
| 1990-91 | 21.9 |
| 1991-92 | 20.1 |
| 1992-93 | 16.0 |
| 1993-94 | 16.3 |
| 1994-95 | 15.7 |
| 1995-96 | 15.9 |
| 1996-97 | 12.1 |
Figures on a comparable basis are not readily available on a year by year basis for the UKAEA's pre-trading fund period. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible with figures for the research council and place a copy in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 23 June, Official Report, columns 390-91, what quantities of (a) surplus and (b) current US fissile materials are present in the United Kingdom. [6781]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 7 July 1997]: There is no United States owned plutonium or highly enriched uranium held in the UK either by the civil nuclear sector or by the Ministry of Defence.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the consequences for (a) job creation and (b) re-skilling of measures to reduce working hours. [6936]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
Measures to implement the Working Time Directive will be introduced in a sensible and flexible way. We are committed to establishing fair and decent minimum standards at work within a flexible labour market. To create secure jobs and upgrade our skills base, we should compete on quality not by forcing people to work excessively long hours or without holiday entitlement.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to support the Women into Science and Engineering Campaign of the Engineering Council in 1998-99; and if she will make a statement. [7057]
Mr. Battle:
The Department's main involvement with the Engineering Council's Women into Science and Engineering (WISE) campaign is largely taken forward through the Development Unit on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology. It has also supported the
10 Jul 1997 : Column: 594
WISE campaign through its Action for Engineering Initiative. The Development Unit has strong links with WISE, including collaboration on a range of initiatives, and it plans to continue to support the campaign in this way during 1998-99.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to encourage women to enter the engineering profession; and if she will make a statement. [7047]
Mr. Battle:
This Government is concerned about the under-representation of women in not only engineering, but science and technology, and is committed to encouraging women to qualify and enter employment in these fields. The Government's objectives are being carried forward through the Development Unit on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology within the Office of Science and Technology (OST) in the Department. We are currently considering how the Unit will be able to benefit from close liaison with the new Women's Unit at The Department of Social Security.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will set out the current external remuneration, employment and business interests of the chairman of the Low Pay Commission. [7670]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The information requested is on matters personal to the Chairman of the Low Pay Commission.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what will be the maximum daily rate of expenses payable to members of the Low Pay Commission. [7675]
Mr. McCartney:
The members of the Low Pay Commission will be eligible to receive travel and subsistence expenses incurred in their work for the Commission at standard Civil Service rates.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade in which newspapers and on what dates her Department has advertised for members of the Low Pay Commission; and at what total cost. [7671]
Mr. McCartney:
Advertisements for members of the Low Pay Commission appeared in the following newspapers:
| Date | |
|---|---|
| The Times | 26 June and 3 July |
| The Sunday Times | 29 June |
| The Guardian | 25 and 28 June |
| The Western Mail | 26 June |
| Wales on Sunday | 29 June |
| The Scotsman | 27 June |
| Scotland on Sunday | 29 June |
| Belfast Telegraph | 27 June |
| Sunday Life | 29 June |
The total cost of advertising, including production costs and VAT, was £32,260.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many members will be appointed to the Low Pay Commission from (a) employer and (b) employee backgrounds. [7674]
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Mr. McCartney:
The Commission will be large enough to ensure that the interests of employers, employees and others are represented without becoming overly large and unwieldy.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date the Low Pay Commission will hold its initial meeting. [7672]
Mr. McCartney:
The Low Pay Commission will begin its work as soon as possible.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will set out the terms and conditions on which she has appointed the chairman of the Low Pay Commission.[7669]
Mr. McCartney:
The Chairman, and other members, of the Low Pay Commission will be unpaid but will be reimbursed their expenses according to standard civil service rates, in line with other appointments of this kind.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if legislation to establish a national minimum wage will be published before advice on its level is received from the Low Pay Commission. [7673]
Mr. Forth:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will give for the Comprehensive Review of the Options for the Post Office (a) the expected completion date and (b) the cost of conducting the review. [8237]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
It is too early yet to say when the review of the Post Office will be completed. To date, no external costs have been incurred as the work has been undertaken using existing Departmental resources.
Mr. Fallon:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to announce the conclusion of her review of the Post Office; and if she will make a statement. [7434]
Mr. McCartney:
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 8 July, Official Report, columns 413-14.
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