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Non-domestic Rates
Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the non-domestic rate poundage for Scotland will be in 1998-99. [19209]
Mr. Dewar:
It will be 47.4p, the same as in England.
2 Dec 1997 : Column: 159
Mr. Browne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to allow local flexibility in the implementation of the New Deal. [17107]
Mr. Wilson:
There will be significant flexibility within the overall national New Deal framework which allows for local solutions and partnerships which reflect local circumstances. Flexibility is therefore a prominent feature of the process.
Export Licences
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many export licence applications are currently awaiting determination at the Department of Trade and Industry. [16142]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 14 November 1997]: Licences to export strategic goods are issued by the President of the Board of Trade and the Export Control Organisation (ECO) of my department is the licensing authority. The ECO circulates all relevant individual licence applications to other Government Departments with an interest, as determined by them in line with their policy responsibilities. The Departments from which advice is sought include the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development.
ECO management data on the processing of licence applications are compiled on the basis of four-week periods. At 17 October 1997, a total of 2,184 applications were awaiting a decision; these applications comprised applications for new standard or open individual licences to export strategic goods and applications for the renewal or amendment of existing individual licences. This compares with 2,085 outstanding applications at the end of October 1996. ECO is also the licensing authority for goods whose export is only controlled because of UN trade sanctions but data on the number of applications awaiting a decision are not compiled as most decisions are subject to UN authorisation, which can take some time.
Recommended Retail Prices
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her Department's policy on the recommended retail prices for (a) newspapers, (b) books and (c) pharmaceutical products. [17558]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 24 November 1997]: Recommended retail prices are not contrary to competition law unless specifically proscribed. They have not been proscribed for these products.
Amsterdam Treaty
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if her Department will undertake a study of potential costs to business of proposals contained in the final text of the Treaty of Amsterdam as concerns the (a) competitiveness of British industry and (b) foreign inward investment; and if she will make a statement. [17079]
2 Dec 1997 : Column: 160
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 24 November 1997]: The Amsterdam Treaty represents a very satisfactory outcome for the UK. My Department will not undertake a separate study of potential costs of the Treaty but of course any legislative proposals consequential of the adoption of the treaty will be assessed carefully in terms of costs and benefits to business.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many new (a) gas-fired power stations and (b) other types of power station are awaiting licence determination at her Department; and what total capacity they represent. [18324]
Mrs. Beckett:
Of the 28 applications currently before the Department;
(i) 22 relate to new gas fired stations (CCGT and CHP) totalling 8.2 GW of new capacity;
(ii) 5 relate to dual firing with gas of existing coal or oil power stations using 5.9 GW of existing capacity;
(iii) 1 relates to a windfarm.
Coal Industry
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plan she has to increase regional aid in areas affected by coal closures. [17957]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 27 November 1997]: The Government recognise that communities hit by pit closures face distinctive problems. We have therefore established a Coalfield Task Force which will identify and develop a programme of action to assist coal closure areas.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what tonnage of coal she estimates is displaced by a 1,200 MW gas-fired power station. [18042]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 27 November 1997]: The impact of a new gas fire station will depend on its mode of operation, the competitive position of other stations and the level of demand that is required to be met. If run at baseload a 1,200 MW station might generate some 8-9 TWh of electricity per year. If it were fully to displace a coal fired station also running at baseload, as would have been the case for new plant five years ago when a substantial amount of coal fired plant ran at baseload, it would be likely to displace about 3.5 million tonnes of coal per year.
In today's market place displacement may be less than this if, as is possible, the new plant now displaces other plant rather than coal. Such impacts are complex and cannot now be more precisely assessed.
Funeral Industry
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her Answer of 19 November 1997, Official Report, column 192, if she will list (a) the possible options for consumer protection which the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs has discussed with the Director General of Fair Trading regarding pre-paid funerals and (b) the actions further to protect consumers which she is discussing with Treasury ministers; and if she will make a statement. [18038]
2 Dec 1997 : Column: 161
Mr. Nigel Griffiths
[holding answer 27 November 1997]: I have discussed a number of options with the Director-General of Fair Trading, and with Treasury Ministers.
There are two possible approaches to this issue. One would be to introduce a completely new regulatory regime, for the pre-paid funerals sector. The other involves bringing pre-paid funerals under an existing regulatory regime. Whichever approach is chosen, our objectives are to ensure that there will be sufficient financial provision available so that those consumers who have purchased their funerals in advance get the funerals for which they have paid, and to address the questions of transparency in marketing practices. Consideration of the various options is continuing at official level. It would be premature to make any further statement at this stage.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) main post offices and (b) sub-post offices have been closed in each of the last three years in the United Kingdom. [18167]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I understand from the Post Office that closures of post offices in the United Kingdom in the last three financial years have been as follows:
| Main post offices closed | Main post offices converted to agency status | Sub-post offices closed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-95 | -- | 101 | 115 |
| 1995-96 | -- | 46 | 193 |
| 1996-97 | -- | 47 | 163 |
The numbers of sub-post offices closed are net of new openings.
Toys (Safety)
Mr. Baker: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of (a) the levels of phthalates present in children's toys on sale in the United Kingdom and (b) the level of danger these may present to children; and if she will make a statement. [17781]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths
[holding answer 27 November 1997]: The DTI is at present carrying out research to develop procedures for testing the levels of exposure to phthalates from PVC toys in the light of criticism of current European guidance test methods, which show no evidence that Tolerable Daily Intakes (TDIs) are being exceeded. I am advised that the concentration of phthalates in children's toys is not a satisfactory indication of the exposure of children to these chemicals. This can be assessed by determining the migration of phthalates from these products. The Department of Health has advised, in the light of the most recent research conducted on phthalates, that there are unlikely to be any health risks to children from phthalates in toys and teething rings provided that exposure does not exceed the relevant TDIs for phthalates set by the EC Scientific Committee for Food. This advice takes account of all available information on the possible effects of phthalates, including recent studies concerning oestrogenic activity.
2 Dec 1997 : Column: 162
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will ban the sale of toys containing cyclobutanone.[17920]
Mr Nigel Griffiths
[holding answer 28 November 1997]: I have no plans to do so. I am advised that cyclobutanone does not appear to be used to any great extent, if at all, in toy production. The essential safety requirements in the Toy (Safety) Regulations 1989 requires toy manufactures to supply toys that are safe when used as intended to be used or in a foreseeable way. Any chemical used in toys must comply with this requirement.
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