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Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the typical quantities of carbon dioxide emitted at each stage of processing in the nuclear fuel cycle for each tonne of nuclear fuel fabricated and used to generate electricity. [14717]
Mr. Battle: It is estimated that nuclear electricity generation leads to emission of about 4 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour of electricity delivered to the final user. Of theses 4 grams, 3.2 grams are emitted in the process of uranium extraction and the remainder during fuel processing.
Carbon dioxide emissions from nuclear generation are less than 1 per cent. of equivalent figures for any of the major fossil fuelled electricity generation technologies.
Low Pay Commission
Dr. Kumar: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the progress made by the Low Pay Commission; and if it will publish an interim report. [15035]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The Low Pay Commission is well advanced on its programme of consultation to obtain views of employers, employees and other interested organisations and individuals on the National Minimum Wage through written evidence and by holding meetings. It has already visited Scotland and Northern Ireland. It will be visiting the North-East in early December and the other English regions and Wales in the near future. The Government have asked the Commission to produce its recommendations by the end of May 1998 and there are no plans for it to publish an interim report.
12 Nov 1997 : Column: 571
Mr. Stunell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to bring forward legislation to amend copyright law to take account of the proposals and recommendations set out in the Dearing report; and if she will make a statement. [15622]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I have no plans at present to bring forward legislation to amend copyright law in the light of this report. Copyright law allows limited use of material without permission for education, private study and research. Moreover, the draft regulations, which have recently been laid before the House, to implement the UK and EC legislation on databases, also contain exceptions for the purposes of teaching and non-commercial research with regard to databases protected by copyright and/or the new database right. Where copyright clearance is needed for uses of any material, digital or otherwise, I believe that copyright owners are entitled to obtain a suitable reward on their investment. However, I understand that there are discussions between the Publishers Association and the Joint Information Systems Committee on a licensing scheme covering digital material and specifically designed to meet the needs of teachers and researchers. I very much hope that a successful scheme can be devised.
Mr. Stunell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list (a) her Department's policies and initiatives designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and (b) the departmental policies and initiatives designed to reduce other greenhouse gases; if she will estimate for each the annual reduction in tonnage of greenhouse gas emissions achieved in the most recent year for which figures are available compared to those for 1990; and what estimate she has made of further reductions, or increases, predicted for 2000 and 21010, assuming continuation of current policies. [15550]
Mr. Battle:
I refer the hon. Member to the United Kingdom's Second Report under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which was published in February 1997. It reports the UK's progresss in implementing its programme for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gives a projection of what the programme is expected to deliver by 2000. The report projects forward what the current Programme is expected to achieve to 2020.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her Department's estimate of the number of people working in the United Kingdom film industry.[15449]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The number of people working in the United Kingdom film industry in the spring of 1997 is estimated to be 40,000, of whom about 20,000 were involved in film production activities. The remainder were involved in film distribution and projection activities.
12 Nov 1997 : Column: 572
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Government will ensure that full consultation on the EC directive on legal protection of biotechnological inventions takes place before it agrees to a decision at the Council of Ministers meeting on 27 November. [15340]
Mr. Battle:
The Commission's proposals for a Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions was circulated for comment in February 1996 to some 50 organisations and interests groups representing the professions, industry, consumers, the research community, groups concerned with the social and environmental impact of biotechnology, and including members organisations of the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property, a body set up to advise Ministers on all aspects of industrial property.
Interest in the Commission's proposals has increased since the European Parliament adopted its first Opinion in July of this year. To date, more that 150 organisations have received copies of the Commission's revised draft of the proposal which was produced in September in response to the Parliament's first Opinion. Comments have been received from these organisations, and we will take them all into account in determining the United Kingdom's position when this proposal is considered at the Internal Market Council on 27 November.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to determine the impact of the Bio-technology Patent directive on (i) research in the medical field, (ii) world food supplies, (iii) conservation of biological diversity and (iv) agriculture in the developing world. [15343]
Mr. Battle:
No specific research has been done to determine the impact of the Directive since the European Commission's proposal for legal protection of bio-technological inventions, apart from certain exclusions from patentability for ethical reasons, is substantially consistent with current United Kingdom legislation (the Patents Act 1997).
Moreover, United Kingdom legislation provides for exceptions to patent rights to permit research in all technical areas, including the medical field. The Commission's proposal will permit individual member States, including the United Kingdom, to retain provisions which address the needs of those wishing to carry out research relating to patented inventions.
Patent rights are created under national legislation. The proposed Directive will harmonise certain aspects of the national laws of the member States of the European Union, but rights will continue to be available only on a national basis. It is for other countries, including those in the developing world, and subject to minimum standards required from members of the World Trade Organisation, to provide patent regimes which meet their own needs and objectives. There is, therefore, no direct relationship between the Commission's proposal and matters outside Europe.
The Commission's proposal makes it clear that the Directive is without prejudice to member States' obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
12 Nov 1997 : Column: 573
Mr. Home Robertson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make representations to the managements of Post Office Counters and Scottish Power about the case for reinstating the supply of Scottish Powercards through post offices. [15356]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
No. I regard this as a commercial matter for Post Office Counters Ltd. and Scottish Power.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations her Department has received from the dairy industry regarding the tax treatment of the Milk Development Council under section 508 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. [15551]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I have received representations from the National Farmers Union, the Tenant Farmers Association and the Milk Development Council itself regarding the Council's eligibility for approval under the provision.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is his estimate of the total cost of completing the Millennium Dome at Greenwich; what are the sources of finance for the project; and if he will make a statement. [13273]
Mr. Mandelson
[holding answer 6 November 1997]: The overall budget for the Experience and the associated national programme is £758 million. The Millennium Commission have approved grant of up to £399 million (net) and revenue forecast from sponsorship, commercial activities, visitor receipts and disposal proceeds are £359 million (net).
Mr. Marshall-Andrews:
To ask the Minister without Portfolio when he intends to reply to the questions from the hon. and learned Member for Medway which appeared on the Order Paper on 27 October relating to the new Millennium Experience Company. [15689]
Mr. Mandelson:
The questions referred to by my hon. and learned Friend were answered yesterday.
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