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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Gas and Electricity Industries
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how she will secure equity of treatment between regional electricity companies seeking access to the
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domestic gas supply market and gas companies seeking to take advantage of competition for domestic electricity supply. [24325]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 21 January 1998]: I understand that OFFER and OFGAS have issued proposals which the companies are considering.
Mr. Redwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answers of 3 February 1998, Official Report, column 611 and 9 February 1998, Official Report, column 95, if her Department will withdraw the statement that the BEUA are advisers to the right hon. Member for Wokingham. [29604]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 16 February 1998]: No. I have already written to the right hon. Gentleman.
Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the impact on the levels of imports of foreign coal if the 1.2 per cent. sulphur dioxide emissions target is to be met. [30494]
Mr. Battle:
The Environment Agency has issued a Consultation Document setting out proposals for the new sulphur dioxide targets. My Department is currently considering these.
Mr. Gale:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to bring forward proposals for the regulation and development of broadcasting telecommunications and data. [30403]
Mrs. Roche
[holding answer 19 February 1998]: The Government are currently considering these issues and expect to initiate a consultation process shortly.
Ms Drown:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the legal opinion given to the Canadian Government on reservations under the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [29958]
Mrs. Roche:
The Government will make their own assessment of the MAI, taking legal advice where necessary.
Ms Drown:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what forms of social protest will be prohibited under the Protection from Strife clause of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30582]
Ms Drown:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Government have made of the impact on civil liberties of the provisions of the Protection from Strife clause of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30581]
Mrs. Roche:
The Protection from Strife clause concerns compensation to be given to investors whose investments are damaged during strife. It will have no impact on civil liberties.
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Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research her Department has undertaken to investigate the means whereby (a) workers, (b) consumers and (c) others affected by the activities of foreign investors can bring disputes to the Multilateral Agreement on Investment dispute settlement mechanism. [30590]
Mrs. Roche:
Investors, like others, are subject to the national laws of the countries in which they operate. Therefore, there is no need for workers, consumers or others to use the Multilateral Agreements on Investment's (MAI) dispute settlement mechanism for disputes against investors.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will seek to delay the finalisation of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment negotiations until the Department for International Development's assessment of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment's impact on poor countries has been completed. [30587]
Mrs. Roche:
The Department for International Development's study on the MAI and developing countries will be ready in good time before the conclusion of the MAI negotiations.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to consult British companies in respect of competition from foreign companies that are exempted from the provision of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30591]
Mrs. Roche:
The Department has consulted British business extensively throughout the negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The competitiveness of UK companies will not be adversely affected by the Agreement. Foreign companies, like domestic ones, will continue to be covered by UK and EU competition law. The MAI will place obligations on states, not on companies; the question of exemption for foreign companies does not arise.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the exemptions from the proposed provisions of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment sought by members of the OECD. [30586]
Mrs. Roche:
The UK's draft list of exceptions has already been placed in the Library. It includes exceptions for broadcasting, fishing, marine and air transport, and financial services. The draft lists from other countries have been tabled in confidence; it would not be appropriate for the UK to make them public.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research she has undertaken on the possible effects of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on regional development policies within the United Kingdom. [30585]
Mrs. Roche:
The Multilateral Agreement on Investment's main purpose is to limit discrimination against investors on the grounds of their nationality. It will not constrain regional development policies.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to take into account the views of Government and non-governmental organisation experts from developing countries in assessing the impact of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on developing countries. [30588]
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Mrs. Roche:
The Department has taken part in consultations organised by the OECD with experts from developing countries and NGOs on Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The Department for International Development has also consulted NGOs on the study it is undertaking on the development implications of the MAI.
Mr. Rowe:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has made in relation to participation by Premier Oil Ltd in the Burma-Thailand gas pipeline. [31078]
Mr. Battle:
My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has made no representations in relation to the participation of Premier Oil Ltd. in the Burma-Thailand gas pipeline.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to end the moratorium on gas-fired power-stations. [30941]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The President has announced that she proposes to defer decisions on contents for power stations pending the outcome of DTI's review of energy sources for power generation but that she is prepared to consider, on their merits, reasoned requests for exceptions to be made in particular cases. The review is expected to reach conclusions before the end of June.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received regarding the moratorium on gas-fired power-stations. [30940]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The Department has received a number of representations from interested parties.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to conclude her review of energy policy. [30976]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 2 February 1998, Official Report, column 479.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the application of the Government's proposed open government measures on the accountancy regulatory structures sponsored by her Department. [31201]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The purpose of a Freedom of Information Act, as proposed in the "Your Right to Know" White Paper (Cm 3818), is to establish a general statutory right of access to official records and information held by public authorities. The White Paper proposes that the Act will apply to a wide range of bodies including private organisations insofar as they carry out
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statutory functions. The proposals are at present under public consultation, and the closing date for responses is 28 February.
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