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Internet (Schools)
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the issue of the restriction on BT's business currently before the regulator is linked to the question of an Internet connection for every school. [10464]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 25 July 1997]: The Government are considering the issue of the regulatory restrictions which apply to BT, Mercury, Kingston and some other national public telecommunications operators. At the same time, Oftel is in discussion with the whole industry on options for delivering the Government's manifesto commitment to wire up schools to the information superhighway. Both of these issues are of key importance in the development of the UK's information society.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she expects British Telecommunications plc to offer a free Internet connection to every school. [10462]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 25 July 1997]: The Government welcome BT's proposal of a special deal for schools, which aims to link schools to the information superhighway with no connection charge, and provide access to advanced on-line services at affordable and predictable rates. The results of Oftel's current consultation on the proposal will help it to decide how to take the proposal forward so as to get the best possible deal for schools without harming competition. Whatever the final form of the proposal, the same package will be available to all schools who wish it.
It is of course up to individual institutions to decide whether and how to connect to on-line services, and to decide which services are most appropriate for them. The issue for Government is to make the options available, and to inform schools' choices. This will be promoted by the creation of the national grid for learning, on which we shall be consulting shortly.
Council of Ministers
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the Council of Ministers meetings which took matters handled by her Department since 1 May, and the Ministers who represented the United Kingdom at each. [10326]
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Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 24 July 1997]: The Minister for Science, Energy and Industry attended the Research Council on 15 May and the Energy Council on 27 May.
The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe attended the Internal Market Council on 20 May.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Firms, Trade and Industry attended the Telecoms Council on 27 June.
The Minister of State, with Ministers from the Department for Education and Employment attended the Social Affairs Council on 27 June and an informal Social Affairs Council on 3 to 6 July.
General Affairs Councils have taken trade issues but no DTI Minister has attended since 1 May.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned to take DTI business up to the end of October 1997; and which DTI Ministers will be attending each. [10327]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 24 July 1997]: Ministerial attendance at Council meetings is dependent on the agenda for each meeting.
A Telecommunications Council may take place on 2 October, which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Firms, Trade and Industry would plan to attend.
An informal Internal Market Council is planned to take place on 3-4 October, which the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe plans to attend.
There is a Social Affairs Council planned for 7 October, which may take issues relevant to the DTI, in which case the Minister of State may attend.
General Affairs Councils are planned for 15-16 September and 6-7 October at which trade policy issues may be taken. No decision has yet been taken on attendance by DTI ministers.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she had made of the impact of a single currency meeting the Maastricht requirements on British business. [10923]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 28 July 1997]: As the Treasury booklet "EMU Practical Information for Business" makes clear, a single currency would be bound to have an impact on British business, whether or not we join. The Government will examine the impact on Britain's national economic interest, to which British business is central, whenever a decision about joining is considered.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the impact of current sterling levels relative to those 12 months ago on UK competitiveness. [10925]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 28 July 1997]: The Government understand and share the concerns of exporters about the current strength of sterling.
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Competitiveness, however, depends on a range of factors. I am working together with industry to ensure that the whole environment for business in Britain is as favourable as possible.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the advisory group on competitiveness will first meet; and what will be on the agenda. [10927]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 28 July 1997]: The first meeting of the advisory group on competitiveness is expected to take place in September. The discussion will focus on taking forward the Government's "Competitiveness UK" initiative.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations her Department has received concerning the state of manufacturing exports in the last three months. [10926]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 28 July 1997]: Ministers and officials in my Department hold regular meetings with members and representatives of the UK business community. Exports are often discussed, and all concerned are keen to see them prosper.
Mr. Rowlands:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the key functions of the technology foresight steering group; when the group was established; by what authority; and if she will list the names of the chairman and secretary. [9635]
Mr. Battle:
The steering group was set up by the then Minister for Science in 1993 to oversee the planning and subsequent development of the technology foresight programme. Since his appointment in 1995, it has been chaired by the chief scientific adviser, Sir Robert May. The secretariat is provided by the Office of Science and Technology.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 14 July, Official Report, column 70, what limitations apply under European Community state aid rules in relation to business links support for small firms. [9304]
Mrs. Roche
[holding answer 23 July 1997]: European Community state aid rules in relation to business link support for small firms apply to those businesses falling within the European Commission's definition of small and medium-sized enterprises.
SMEs as a whole are defined as having fewer than 250 employees and either an annual turnover up to 40 million ECUs or an annual balance sheet total up to 27 million ECUs. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees are defined as small, with either an annual turnover up to 7 million ECUs or an annual balance sheet total up to 5 million ECUs. In both cases, they should not be more than 25 per cent. owned by a larger enterprise. Finally, the Commission recognises micro enterprises as those businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
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Within this definition, there is no restriction on the level of support to SMEs via the business link network where that support comprises either general information services or initial counselling.
More substantial assistance, such as consultancy, in-depth counselling or specific skills training, can be funded only up to 50 per cent. of the total cost of that assistance.
Routine or regular assistance with, for example, accountancy or taxation cannot be supported from public funds as the Commission regards this as part of the normal running costs of a company.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the names and positions of those involved in the UK working party on the European directive relating to patenting and biotechnologies; what timetable they are working to; and what will be the nature of the consultation process relating to this work. [10638]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 24 July 1997]: Delegations to the Council working group dealing with the Commission's proposed directive on legal protection of biotechnical inventions consist of officials from the Patents Office. Personnel may vary according to agenda items under discussion.
The European Parliament produced its first opinion on the Commission's proposal at its vote on 16 July, and is seeking some 70 amendments to the Commission's text. We expect the Commission to respond with an amended proposal. When this emerges it will be put before the Council working group for discussion. The current presidency, Luxembourg, of the European Union has outlined its programme for meetings of the working group as 10-11 September, 6-7 and 27-28 October, and 6-7 November 1997, although these may vary depending upon the availability of the Commission's amended proposal.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action she is taking to boost biotechnology-based business in the United Kingdom. [10076]
Mr. Battle:
My Department is fully committed to strengthening our highly successful UK biotechnology industry. This will be achieved by both securing greater exploitation of our science base and by raising the awareness of opportunities offered by biotechnology to a wide range of industrial sectors.
On 11 July, my Department announced a second call for proposals under two initiatives, with the aim of improving competitiveness in the sector. The business mentoring and incubator challenge is designed to encourage intermediaries to address the management and business skills required by emerging biotechnology companies. The biotechnology exploitation platforms challenge aims to retain the benefits of publicly funded bioscience research in the UK, by promoting better management and exploitation of intellectual property.
In addition, my Department continues to promote biotechnology research and development in industry through a range of schemes, including SMART, LINK and EUREKA, which are targeted at small firms and collaborative research projects.
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