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Model Trade Association Pamphlet
Mr. Page: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will add an environmental responsibility section to future issues of the model trade association pamphlet. [9827]
Mr. Battle: As currently framed, the model states that trade associations are expected to provide sound advice to their members on environmental issues. I will consider expanding on this guidance when the model is revised.
Working Hours
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 10 July, Official Report, column 593, regarding shorter working hours, if she will take steps to promote the benefit of shorter working hours. [9907]
23 Jul 1997 : Column: 670
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I shall continue to emphasise the benefits of establishing fair and decent minimum standards at work. We shall implement the EC working time directive without any further unnecessary delay.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the 10 accountancy firms which received the highest amounts of payments from public funds in the last available year. [9863]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what relative weight the Minister for Science, Energy and Industry gave to (a) commercial interests, (b) animal welfare and (c) ethical considerations before deciding to write in the terms he did to Members of the European Parliament in respect of the biotechnology patents directive. [9537]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 21 July 1997]: The Commission's proposal for a directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions and the report on this proposal by the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee are generally consistent with current United Kingdom legislation and practice--the Patents Act 1977--which already balances the needs of industry with ethical considerations, such as animal welfare. In particular, they do not extend or substantially reduce what may be patented, and they set out the same conditions that must be met by an invention if it is to be afforded patent rights. Furthermore, the proposal provides for refusal or revocation of patents relating to transgenic animals if the suffering or handicap to the animal outweighs the benefit pursued. This is the test which is already applied in the United Kingdom.
The Commission's proposal does not seek any change to the nature of the patents system which is currently in operation in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, whereby a patent assists researchers in recouping the costs of their efforts by allowing them to prevent others from using an invention for a limited period, but gives no positive right to use an invention as such. The patent holder must comply with all other legislation and regulations, for instance concerning health, animal welfare and the environment in the making and use of his invention.
Helen Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions she has had with BNFL about the transfer of staff to wholly owned subsidiaries of that company. [9213]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 21 July 1997]: The transfer of staff to wholly owned subsidiaries of BNFL is a matter for the company. The Department does maintain regular contact with BNFL on a wide range of issues and the Government are kept fully informed of BNFL's commercial developments.
23 Jul 1997 : Column: 671
Helen Jones:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the creation of new, wholly owned subsidiary companies by BNFL. [9214]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 21 July 1997]: The creation of new, wholly owned subsidiary companies by BNFL is primarily a commercial decision for BNFL. My Department is involved in the approval of BNFL's overall corporate plan and is kept regularly and fully informed on BNFL's commercial developments.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 140, under what categories of part 2 of the code of practice on access to government information she has decided not to release the 1952 Atomic Energy Board minutes and papers. [9954]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 22 July 1997]: The 1952 Atomic Energy Board minutes and papers are being retained under the provisions of section 3(4) of the Public Records Act 1958. The code of practice on access to government information provides access rights to official information. The code does not provide an access right to documents nor is it intended to override statutory provisions on access to public records. A request for information contained in many of the 1952 Atomic Energy Board minutes and papers would have to be refused under exemption 1 in part 2 of the code.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 140, if she will define the areas of sensitivity in the 1952 Atomic Energy Board minutes and papers. [9955]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 22 July 1997]: Defence and security considerations comprise the areas of sensitivity in the 1952 Atomic Energy Board minutes and papers.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what mechanisms exist for the exchange of information between (a) her Department, (b) United Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency, (c) British Nuclear Fuels, (d) British Energy and (e) the Ministry of Defence. [9915]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 22 July 1997]: No institutionalised links exist for the exchange of information between all these parties, although the Department is in regular contact with UKAEA and BNFL as the sponsor of these organisations, and with the MOD, as necessary, through the normal channels of communication between Government Departments. UKAEA also has a statutory duty to report regularly to the Department, as part of the preparation of its published annual reports and accounts.
British Energy is, of course, a commercial organisation and has the same access to the Department as any other company.
23 Jul 1997 : Column: 672
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled, (a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10189]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 22 July 1997]: The following policy reviews are presently in progress.
There are currently no further policy reviews scheduled.
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment she has made of the compliance of the sale of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia with the Government's policy of taking account of human rights in respect of the export of arms and equipment; [10268]
(3) what evidence she has evaluated on the use of Hawk aircraft in East Timor since 1994; and if she will make a statement; [10262]
(4) if she will place in the Library the legal opinion her Department obtained on the sale of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia and the possible cost of revoking licences previously given. [10260]
Mrs. Roche:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett).
Miss Melanie Johnson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many insolvency practitioners are currently licensed by her Department; and what was the number five years ago. [9823]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
The Secretary of State currently authorises 133 insolvency practitioners. In 1992, the corresponding figure was 148.
23 Jul 1997 : Column: 673
Miss Johnson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many practitioners appointed by the Insolvency Service have been discharged from Insolvency Service work over each of the last 10 years. [9822]
Mr. Griffiths:
Practitioners may be appointed by the Secretary of State to act as liquidator in a compulsory liquidation or as trustee in a bankruptcy. In such cases, the practitioner may be removed either by an order of court or by a meeting of creditors summoned specially for that purpose or by the Secretary of State. Records of the number of cases where a practitioner has been removed are not maintained, but there have been few cases in the past 10 years where the Secretary of State has removed a liquidator or trustee.
Miss Johnson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements she has put in place to monitor the performance of insolvency practitioners appointed by the Insolvency Service; and on what basis their fees are (a) set and (b) regulated. [9821]
Mr. Griffiths:
Insolvency practitioners appointed by the Secretary of State are, in common with all authorised insolvency practitioners, subject to a formal programme of monitoring visits by their authorising body. The visits are intended to assess whether a practitioner is fit and proper and to promote compliance with statutory obligations and best practice.
The Post Office Review
To examine the options for granting greater commercial freedom to the Post Office to enable it to meet new challenges and opportunities.
It is too early yet to say when the review will be completed.
The Foresight Audit
To establish the level of foresight activity currently under way and to formulate plans for improving co-ordination between Departments.
To report to Ministers by the summer recess.
Export Forum
To review the effectiveness of current official export promotion programmes and to make recommendations for a new export initiative.
To report to Ministers by the autumn.
The Utilities Review
To review the regulation of the utility industries to ensure that they deliver value, quality and choice to the consumers.
To be completed by the end of the year.
(2) what representation she has received in respect of external legal opinions on the cost of revoking licences previously given for the export of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia; and if she will make as statement; [10264]
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