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Pension Schemes (Annuities)
Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to change the rules governing small self-administered pension scheme annuities. [59323]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
For many types of pension scheme the purchase of an annuity is the only means to guarantee that a pension can be paid for life (which is a requirement of pension scheme rules). This includes small self-administered schemes, but the trustees of these pension schemes have broad flexibility over the timing of an annuity purchase. We have no plans to change this flexibility.
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Millennium Compliance
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the computer systems in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies to which his Department is responsible will be modified and tested in relation to the millennium computer problem by January 1999; and if he will make a statement; [60120]
- (2) what is his latest estimate of the total cost of tackling the millennium computer problem including the embedded chip problem in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible, separately identifying expenditure to date and future expenditure; and if he will make a statement. [60118]
Mrs. Roche: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle) on 21 October 1998, Official Report, column 1109, in which she announced the results of the latest quarterly review of Government departments' and agencies' progress in tackling the bug. This also covered key organisations within the wider public sector including British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. and the Post Office. The information the hon. Member requests will be found in the copies of departments' plans which have been published and placed in the Libraries of the House. The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and the updates to quarterly plans will be placed in the Libraries of the House and on the internet.
Miners' Widows (Compensation)
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the exclusions regarding the compensation claims for widows of miners, other than miners who have suffered from chest diseases. [59373]
Mr. Battle: There are no exclusions regarding valid compensation claims from widows of miners for any diseases or accidents where British Coal have been found liable or liability has been accepted.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what value for money criteria Ministers have introduced regarding the compensation for widows of miners who have suffered chest diseases; [59369]
- (2) what estimate he has made of the savings resulting from excluding widows of miners from compensation claims; [59371]
(3) if he will make a statement on the consultation undertaken by his Department regarding the exclusion of widows of miners from compensation claims; [59368]
(4) when he expects to reach a conclusion on policy concerning the exclusion of widows of miners from compensation claims; [59370]
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(5) what limits his Department has introduced for compensation claims for widows of miners. [59372]
Mr. Battle: There has never been any intention to exclude widows with valid claims from receiving compensation. Our policy has always been that widows should be compensated fairly and in accordance with their legal entitlement. With regard to the British Coal respiratory disease litigation, we have put our proposals for dealing with claims from widows to the plaintiffs' solicitors and these are currently under discussion. We must ensure that the final arrangements are robust enough properly to validate claims and are fair to claimants. To this end, medical advisers met last week to address certain issues which should help to iron out the remaining problems quickly and put us in a position to begin making offers very shortly. We have made it clear previously that the necessary funds are available for settling all these claims.
Multilateral Agreement on Investment
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on the motor industry of the proposed multilateral agreement on investment; [59534]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the impact on the textile and clothing industry of the proposed multilateral agreement on investment. [59535]
Mr. Wilson: In developing their policy towards the MAI, the Government considered the impact that it might have on all sectors of the UK economy. We did not identify any particular sectoral impact to be expected from the MAI in either the motor industry or the textiles and clothing industry.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the changes to his Department's policies on the proposed multilateral agreement on investment. [59656]
Mr. Wilson: It is now most unlikely that an MAI will be concluded and it is better to start afresh in another forum, following full and open consultation with interested parties. The Government's support for separate negotiations on investment in the WTO as part of a comprehensive Round of multilateral negotiations has remained unchanged.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the relative merits of conducting negotiations on the proposed multilateral agreement on investment through (a) OECD, (b) WTO and (c) UNCTAD. [59536]
Mr. Wilson:
Following the French withdrawal last month from negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment in the OECD, it appears most unlikely that the Agreement will be concluded. There is no prospect of the MAI being negotiated in any other forum. However, the Government--and the EU as a whole--have a long-standing objective of pursuing investment negotiations in the WTO, and have called for investment to be on the agenda of any future multilateral Round of negotiations. Although UNCTAD is not a negotiating
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forum for rules of this kind, it has been carrying out analytical work on investment issues and the Government would expect it to add its expertise to any WTO negotiation.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate possible price-fixing of commissions charged by change bureaux at Heathrow airport. [59522]
Dr. Howells:
Under the competition legislation, the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and considering allegations of anti- competitive behaviour, abuse of monopoly power or restrictive trade practices.
If anyone has evidence of anti-competitive behaviour by change bureaux at Heathrow Airport, they should send this to the Director General.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans ministers in his Department have to visit Turkey. [59542]
Mr. Wilson:
I am planning to visit Turkey in Spring 1999.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to refer the profit margins enjoyed by supermarkets to (a) the Office of Fair Trading and (b) the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement. [60313]
Dr. Howells:
Under UK competition legislation, the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and considering allegations of anti-competitive behaviour, abuse of monopoly power or restrictive trade practices. The Office of Fair Trading is currently examining the profitability of the major supermarkets in the grocery sector. The decision on whether to make a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is a matter for the Director General.
Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement about the responses of the credit card companies to the recent reductions in the base interest rate; [59902]
(3) if he will consult with representatives of the credit card companies with a view to securing reductions in the interest rates that they charge; [59903]
(4) if he will introduce legislation to control the interest rates charged by credit card companies. [59904]
Dr. Howells:
It is for lenders themselves to determine the interest rates they will charge according to their own commercial judgment.
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(2) what assessment he has made of the readiness of the different sectors of the financial services industry to reduce interest rates charged by them following reductions in the base interest rate; [59901]
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