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Regional Selective Assistance
Mr. Gale: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to make internal guidance manuals relating to regional selective assistance available to local authorities and potential inward investors. [12017]
Mrs. Roche: I have no plans to make the internal regional selective assistance guidelines available to local authorities and potential inward investors. The guidelines provide detailed advice for officials operating the scheme and cover sensitive aspects of appraisal and monitoring.
The RSA brochure, which is freely available from Govnerment offices and business links, provides details about the scheme and guidance on how to apply for grants.
Power Stations
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will provide a list of outstanding applications under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the building of combined-cycle gas turbine power stations currently under consideration by her Department; when she expects each application to be determined; and if she will make a statement. [11608]
Mr. Battle: Applications for combined-cycle gas turbine power stations at the following locations are currently under consideration:
- Baglan Bay, Port Talbot (1,200 megawatts)
- Capenhurst, Cheshire (65 MW)
- Carrington, Greater Manchester (380 MW)
- Croydon (80 MW)
- Elland, Halifax (56 MW)
- Ellesmere Port, Cheshire (65 MW)
- Enderby, Leicester (1,125 MW)
- Fawley, Hampshire (130 MW)
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- Great Yarmouth (350 MW)
- King's Lynn Phase II, Norfolk (820 MW)
- Newcastle (350 MW)
- Port Talbot (200 MW)
- Rosgoch, Isle of Anglesey (880 MW)
- Runcorn, Cheshire (140 MW)
- Saltend, Hull (1,200 MW)
- Sandbach, Cheshire (58 MW)
- Shotton Paper Mill, North Wales (240 MW)
- Snodland Paper Mill, Kent (60 MW)
- Spalding, Lincolnshire (800 MW)
- Swansea (185 MW).
Each application is considered on its merits and I cannot therefore say when the decision on each application will be taken.
Directors and Company Secretaries (Report)
Mr. Healy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many responses she has received to the consultative document, "Disclosure of Directors' and Company Secretaries' particulars"; and when she expects to publish the Government's conclusions. [10935]
Mr. Ian McCartney: To date, my Department has received just over 250 responses. I expect the Government's conclusions to be published later this year.
Teaching Company Scheme
Mr. Stringer: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will respond to the recommendations of the panel which carried out the 1996 quinquennial review of the teaching company scheme; and if she will make a statement. [12468]
Mr. Battle: The report of the 1996 quinquennial review panel of TCS, under the chairmanship of Sir Robin Nicholson, chairman of Pilkington Optronics and former chief scientific adviser to the Government, was submitted in October 1996. Since then, the five Departments of State and four research councils which funded TCS at that time have been actively considering the findings of the review panel and its many recommendations.
This review has shown that with a Government investment of £1 million TCS produces net benefits of 58 jobs, £3.6 million worth of value added, £3 million worth of exports, and £13.3 million of additional turnover, as well as increases in research and development expenditure, in participating companies. These are substantial achievements by any standards.
Following the recommendations of the review panel, the Government have decided to extend the scope of TCS to enable organisations in the science, engineering and technology base as well as universities to participate with effect from 1 September 1997. This will allow our firms to make full use of the technological skills and experience that are available throughout the country.
Copies of Sir Robin's report and the Government response are being placed today in the Libraries of both Houses.
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 645
Mr. Stunell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many dismissals on the grounds of sickness have been notified to her Department in each year from 1987. [11089]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The Department is not notified of individual dismissals.
Mr. Stunell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to reduce the qualifying period for eligibility to pursue a case for unfair dismissal; and if she will make a statement. [11090]
Mr. McCartney:
The Government have no plans to change the qualifying period for unfair dismissal. The House of Lords has referred to the European Court of Justice questions relating to whether the qualifying period for unfair dismissal is indirectly discriminatory against women. However, the Government are committed to providing fair minimum standards for people at work and expects to consult on proposals for fairness at work later this year.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants are working in each Minister's private office; and how many civil servants in which offices have transferred out of private offices since 1 May. [11940]
Mrs. Beckett:
The number of civil servants working in DTI Ministers' offices is not materially different from the number which worked there under the previous Government. Movement of staff in and out of Ministers' offices continues, as it did before 1 May.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the outcome of her review of her Department's policy towards tackling the problem of the failure of the majority of computer systems to recognise the year 2000. [12022]
Mrs. Roche:
I am working closely with Taskforce 2000 on the serious problem facing businesses large and small. Many businesses are aware of the problem, but too few are taking action with the necessary urgency. We are shifting the emphasis of the campaign from general awareness to stimulating action, through many channels of communications, including financial auditors, banks and supply chains. We will be looking at progress in key sectors of the economy, and consulting on what more needs to be done.
On 22 July, I hosted the millennium information technology skills summit, which addressed the growing shortage of skills, which will be aggravated by the century date problem. I have asked participants to bring forward proposals for new initiatives and to make a report to me in September.
37. Mr. Colman:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action is being taken by her Department in respect of the millennium compliance of computers.[10063]
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 646
Mrs. Roche:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, West, (Mr. Singh).
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the multilateral agreement on investment on the Government's plans for corporate taxation, with particular reference to the windfall tax on privatised utilities. [12248]
Mrs. Roche:
We do not expect that the multilateral agreement on investment will impact on the Government's plans for corporate taxation, including the windfall tax on privatised utilities.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the multilateral agreement on investment on Her Majesty's Government's ability (a) to restrict foreign investment in sensitive sectors and (b) to discriminate in favour of high value-added investments. [12246]
Mrs. Roche:
The multilateral agreement on investment will provide for sectoral restrictions on foreign investment. These restrictions must be notified in advance. The UK's list is short, reflecting the liberal approach we take to foreign investment. We would not expect the multilateral agreement on investment to impair the UK's ability to attract high value-added investments.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the likely impact of the multilateral agreement on investment on the British Government's existing obligations in relation to health, environmental and labour regulations.[12249]
Mrs. Roche:
The multilateral agreement on investment is essentially about the non-discriminatory application of regulations as between foreign and domestic investors. Since the UK regulations are generally applied in a non-discriminatory way, they will not be undermined by the agreement.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the multilateral agreement on investment on the Government's ability to promote local community development programmes through (a) laws requiring banks to invest in economically deprived areas, (b) development funds marked for local businesses, (c) tax breaks for local companies and (d) other measures.[12247]
Mrs. Roche:
The multilateral agreement on investment should not conflict with local community development programmes.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the multilateral agreement on investment on the Government's ability to ensure that transnational corporations receiving public funds in assisted areas are required to meet specific performance objectives. [12245]
Mrs. Roche:
The multilateral agreement on investment's rules on performance requirements are still under negotiation. The Government's approach is to ensure that such rules are consistent with regional
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 647
development policies so that it would remain possible to obtain certain commitments as a condition for receiving public funds.
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