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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Press Releases
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spends on biking press releases to (a) hon. Members and (b) other individuals or groups, each time her Department issues a press release; how many such press releases were issued by her Department (i) in the period 1 May to 1 July and (ii) in the period 1 January to 1 March; and if she will review her Department's use of couriers to deliver press releases and investigate the possibility of using fax or e-mail. [8819]
Clare Short:
My department does not use a biking service for any of its press releases. They are sent by fax, post and through the Central Office of Information's News Delivery Service. Nine press releases were issued in this way between 1 January and 1 March 1997 and 12 between 1 May and 1 July.
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Oil and Gas Developments
Mr. Dafis: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she proposes to introduce regulations requiring environmental impact assessments for all oil and gas developments for which licenses are being sought. [7102]
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she plans to initiate an environmental impact assessment on the development of oil fields west of the Shetland Islands. [8049]
Mr. Battle: I have today published for consultation draft regulations which would implement the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (85/377 EC) as it applies to offshore oil and gas activities on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.
Implementing the Directive for oil and gas projects will give the public improved rights of access to environmental information about projects likely to have significant effects on the environment and make the decision process more open than it is now. This should give people greater confidence that consent decisions are being made on the basis of proper science and thorough evaluation.
Member States are required by the Directive to consider environmental information which the interested public has had an opportunity to see and comment on before consent can be given to projects which could have a significant effect on the environment.
The draft Regulations would implement the Directive as it applies to consents for significant offshore oil and gas projects, including deep drillings, production developments and pipeline construction. They set out how the Secretary of State should decide which projects are likely to have significant effects on the environment and so require environmental assessments; the initial data companies must provide to permit that decision to be made; and, if one is required, the detailed information needed in any environmental statement.
They also require applicants to place notices to inform the public that an environmental statement has been required for a particular project and that copies of the statement can be obtained from or inspected at public addresses so that the public's views may be taken into account in reaching any decision on consent.
The proposed regulations would replace the Department's present procedures under which assessments have been required for developments within 25 miles of the coast or in other sensitive areas where recommended by the Government's statutory environmental advisers such as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. These advisors will continue to be consulted under the new procedure.
The draft regulations have been sent to other Government departments and to the organisations normally consulted on oil and gas licensing, including the Wildlife and Countryside Links' Oil and Gas Environmental Consortium--which represents Friends of the Earth, the Marine Conservation Society and other national and regional environmental interest groups--and
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a number of fishermen's organisations as well as oil and gas industry representatives. Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
Comments on the proposed Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1997 should be made to the Department of Trade and Industry by 1 October 1997.
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how the sale of National Coal Board Estates was conducted; how many tenders were received; and what were the criteria which decided that National Coal Board Estates be sold to Fell Estates Ltd; [7235]
(3) what assessment she had made of the sale of National Coal Board Estates to Fell Estates Ltd.; and if she will make a statement. [7234]
Mr. Battle:
British Coal have undertaken a thorough trawl of their completed property sales and have been unable to find any record of selling any of their property to Fell Estates Ltd.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total spending in the United Kingdom on (a) computers, (b) telecommunications and (c) peripherals in 1996; what was the net monetary vale of United Kingdom exports of information technology for 1996; what is the sum of these figures as a percentage of total gross domestic product for that year; and if he will make a statement. [8715]
Mr. Battle:
Figures for sales within the UK and of exports from the UK of the specified items in 1995 (the latest year for which complete information is available) are as follows:
(2) what assurances were (a) sought from and (b) given by Fell Estates Ltd. concerning the status of existing leaseholders; [7236]
| Total sales in UK | UK exports | |
|---|---|---|
| Computers | 10,362 | 7,540 |
| Telecommunications equipment | 3,749 | 1,859 |
| Computer peripherals | 1,061 | 417 |
The contribution of these industries to gross domestic product was 0.6 per cent.
Musical Instrument Industry
Mr. Dismore: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will take steps to encourage the United Kingdom domestic musical instrument manufacturing industry; and if she will make a statement. [9004]
Mr. Battle:
The Government acknowledges the continuing contribution to the economy of the UK's musical instrument industry. However a changing world environment and intensified competition pose new challenges which must be overcome if the sector is to maintain and improve its performance. The Government
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is in regular contact with the sector through its representatives and is keen to continue this partnership for the future benefit of the sector.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the licences expire in respect of each operating nuclear power station; and if she will list the stations where the operating licence has been extended, indicating for each station listed the dates of the expiry of the original licence and the dates of renewals granted. [8911]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 16 July 1997]: Nuclear site licences do not have set expiry dates. A licence remains in force until such time as either a new licence is granted for the site, the operator surrenders the licence, or it is revoked by the Health and Safety Executive.
As explained in my answer of 10 July 1997, Official Report, column 599, subject to nuclear power stations continuing to meet the high standards of safety demanded by the Health and Safety Executive, decision on their closure are a matter for the operators.
Mrs. May:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations she has had with bodies representing industry, including small businesses, in preparation for the forthcoming Green Paper on the late payment of debt.[9102]
Mrs. Roche:
I have met the following bodies representing all sizes and types of business: the Forum of Private Business, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Confederation of British Industry, the British Chamber of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, the British Bankers Association, the Union of Independent Companies, the Country Landowners Association, and the National Farmers Union. In addition, my officials have met interested parties, including the Credit Services Association.
We will continue to meet interested parties during the consultation period following the publication of the Green Paper.
Helen Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she intends to publish the report by the Director General of Fair Trading for the year 1996. [9757]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
The 23nd Annual Report by the Director General of Fair Trading has been published today. It covers the period from 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1996. Copies of the Report have been laid before Parliament.
Mrs. May:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her Department's definition of small businesses.[9021]
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Mrs. Roche:
There is no single definition of a small business, mainly because of the wide diversity of businesses.
The question of an appropriate definition is meaningful only in the context of a specific measure for which it is considered necessary to separate one category of enterprises from another for reason of size.
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