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Employment Pacts

Ms Beverley Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which proposed territorial employment pacts the Government intend to nominate to the European Commission as pilot projects in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [12469]

Mr. Ian McCartney: The European Commission said in its interim progress report on the implementation of territorial pacts for employment that it expected 10 proposals from the United Kingdom to add to the 78 proposals from other parts of the European Union. The Government received 66 proposals from all parts of the UK and, following regional prioritisation, I have selected the proposals put forward by:

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough;

Birmingham City Council on behalf of Black Country Districts, Birmingham and Solihull;

Borough of St. Helens;

East Midlands 3-Cities (Nottingham, Derby and Leicester);

London Borough of Haringey/North London Leadership (Tottenham Partnership);

Northern Ireland Training and Employment Agency;

North Wales Economic Forum;

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South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council;

West Cornwall Initiative; and

Western Scotland Objective 2 partnership.

Although the Commission only invited the UK to nominate 10 pilot projects, the Government would also welcome similar pacts and local partnerships in other areas which could have a significant local impact and which could provide useful information and experience.

Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe

Mr. Letwin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the topics which have been addressed by the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe within her Department since 1 July. [11641]

Mrs. Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the list of ministerial responsibilities, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Mr. Letwin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has held discussions with the gas regulator since 1 May. [11644]

Mrs. Beckett: None.

Mr. Letwin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe will be involved in meetings related to the review of utility regulatory regimes being carried out by her Department. [11643]

Mrs. Beckett: Within the DTI, the Minister for Science, Energy and Industry leads on this review. The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe will continue to deal with issues which fall within his portfolio of ministerial responsibilities, subject to the arrangements in place to ensure that no conflicts of interest can arise.

Mr. Letwin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe will continue to answer questions in another place on the review of utility regulatory regimes being carried out by her Department. [11642]

Mrs. Beckett: The Minister will continue to answer questions on a range of DTI issues in another place.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade who are the trustees of the blind trust established by the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe; and what instructions they have been given for the management of the portfolio. [11795]

Mrs. Beckett: The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has made arrangements for his non-BP shareholdings to be placed in a blind trust in accordance with the guidance in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". Further details of these arrangements are a private matter for the Minister.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) of 23 July, Official Report, column 665, (1) what procedures exist to ensure compliance with "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" by the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that, from the date of his appointment, he has not seen any papers or

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attended any meetings formally or informally, which would have or would have had, a bearing on BP or its competitors; [11968]

(2) which Minister or civil servant takes the decision on whether a conflict of interests arises in respect of the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe.[11975]

Mrs. Beckett: The Minister decided at the outset that he would not be involved in discussions or decisions directly affecting BP, and civil servants dealing with issues falling within his ministerial responsibilities have acted accordingly since then. The Minister's private office has, in addition, ensured that he does not see papers or attend meetings that directly affect BP. In cases of doubt, the Minister and civil servants consult the permanent secretary for advice.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates and at what venues the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe's recent meetings or parties with BP personnel were held. [11633]

Mrs. Beckett: The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe met directors of BP on 9 May, 4 June and 4 July, at BP's offices in Finsbury circus and in a restaurant. The Minister also attended farewell social engagements hosted by BP on 4 June, 25 June and 3 July in a marquee at Finsbury square, at the Barbican and in Manchester square.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has now complied in full with paragraphs 109, 110, 111, 112 and 117 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". [11632]

Mrs. Beckett: The Minister has complied with the guidance in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" in full since the day of his appointment.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether she took legal advice prior to the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe signing the explanatory memorandum on European Community document on gas liberalisation to ensure that the Government would not be open to legal challenge. [11634]

Mrs. Beckett: The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has not signed any such memorandum; the gas liberalisation dossier is the responsibility of my hon. Friend the Minister for Science, Industry and Energy.

Minister of Competition and Consumer Affairs

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) of 24 July, Official Report, column 732, where in Athens, and when, the social event took place, at which the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs met Mr. Haji-Iannou.[11920]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: At Vouliagmeni at 10am on 26 June.

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Mrs. May: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the articles contributed to "Travel Weekly" by the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs, together with their publication dates since 5 May 1997.[11901]

Mr. Nigel Griffiths: Two articles were submitted after 5 May: one appeared on 21 May. The second appeared on 25 June. An article submitted before my appointment as Minister appeared on 7 May.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she first heard and from whom that the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs was stepping down from the consideration of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission investigation of the travel trade.[9950]

Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 21 July 1997]: My hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs communicated his decision to me via official channels at the earliest practical opportunity after he had made his decision.

Competition Law

Gillian Merron: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on competition law reform. [12470]

Mrs. Beckett: I will shortly be publishing a consultation document and draft Bill which is intended to introduce a tougher competition regime. The Bill will introduce a prohibition approach to anti-competitive agreements, cartels and abuse of a dominant position similar to articles 85 and 86 of the treaty of Rome. There will be fines for breach of the prohibitions and rights for customers and competitors to seek compensation in the courts.

In addition, I am planning to establish a new body, a competition commission, which will take on the existing functions of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and will also hear appeals against the decisions of the Director General of Fair Trading under the prohibition regime.

Commercial Debt

Mr. Opik: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on her plans to improve the ability of small businesses to obtain money owed to them.[11915]

Mrs. Roche: Small businesses play a fundamental part in the economy of the UK. The Government are concerned therefore by any actions that unnecessarily hinder their competitiveness. The late payment of commercial debt is acknowledged by many in the business community to be a serious problem, particularly for small businesses which are least able to bear the additional costs resulting from payment delays. The Government are determined therefore to improve the payment culture in the UK.

The Government are pursuing a package of measures in partnership with business organisations.

The Government will introduce a statutory right to claim interest on late payment of commercial debt. Legislation will be transparent, so that all businesses are

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clear about their rights and obligations. A Green Paper, "Improving the Payment Culture: A Statutory Right to Claim Interest on Late Payment of Commercial Debt" was published on 28 July.

The Lord Chancellor announced, in June of this year, that, as part of the review of existing proposals for the reform of the civil justice system, consultation would proceed on proposed fast-track and multi-track procedures which will ensure realistic timetables and reduce the cost, delay and complexity of civil litigation.

The Government will publish league tables of the payment performance of Government Departments and agencies. They are working with others to produce league tables on the payment performance of public limited companies and their large private subsidiaries. The first set of tables is expected in summer 1998.

I am delighted to say that a number of leading business representative organisations have pledged to join the Government in tackling the problem of late payment. They include the British chambers of commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Forum of Private Business, the Institute of Directors, the Union of Independent Companies, the Country Landowners Association and the National Farmers Union. Over the next 12 months, we will work with them and others on a number of initiatives to tackle late payments and meet the needs of small businesses.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates she has made of the cost of publishing league tables of payment performance of plcs and their subsidiaries. [11733]

Mrs. Roche: The Government are committed to working in partnership with the private sector to publish league tables of the payment performance of public limited companies and their large private subsidiaries.

The Companies Acts already require plcs and their large private subsidiaries to state the average time to pay their suppliers and to publish this figure annually in their director's report. The Federation of Small Businesses has offered to collate and publish this information in a league table format. These tables will provide small businesses with information on how quickly they can expect to be paid when dealing with larger business, at no cost to the public purse.

The publication of league tables is another important step in promoting a more ethical payment culture in the UK.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the closing date for representations on the consultation paper, "Improving the Payment Culture."[11730]

Mrs. Roche: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 22 July 1997, Official Report, column 507.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the organisations and individuals who have been sent the consultation paper, "Improving the Payment Culture." [11729]

Mrs. Roche: To date, some 3,500 copies of the Green Paper "Improving the Payment Culture: A Statutory Right to Claim Interest on Late Payment of Commercial Debt"

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have been sent to organisations and individuals. Recipients include individual businesses, trade associations, legal, accountancy and financial bodies, business representative organisations, business links, training and enterprise councils, chambers of commerce, local authorities and NHS trusts.

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