| Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry |
| *1 |
Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): If he will make a statement on the prospects for automotive engineering in the United Kingdom. |
| (71592) |
| *2 |
Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): What assessment he has made of the effect upon the competitiveness of British industry of (i) United Kingdom transport costs and (ii) those relative to those of continental Europe. |
| (71593) |
| *3 |
Mr Ian Stewart (Eccles): What plans he has to increase the budget for research in the physical sciences. |
| (71594) |
| *4 |
Helen Southworth (Warrington South): What measures his Department proposes to foster an entrepreneurial culture amongst small and medium sized businesses. |
| (71597) |
| *5 |
John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead): What action he has taken to ensure continued production at Rover Longbridge. |
| (71599) |
| *6 |
Mr John Healey (Wentworth): What assessment he has made of the likely impact of the national minimum wage on wage levels from 1st April. |
| (71600) |
| *7 |
Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test): If he will assess the impact of home shopping upon the competitiveness of UK retailing. |
| (71602) |
| *8 |
Mr Geraint Davies (Croydon Central): What assessment he has made of the impact the Competitiveness White Paper will have on encouraging an entrepreneurial culture in the UK. |
| (71603) |
| *9 |
Mr John Heppell (Nottingham East): If he will make a statement on the action he has taken to raise awareness of the national minimum wage among businesses and employees. |
| (71605) |
| *10 |
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): If he will make a statement on his progress in developing a modernised commercial regime for electronic transactions. |
| (71606) |
| *11 |
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): What estimate his Department has made of the annual cost of the Social Chapter's (i) Parental Leave Directive, (ii) Works Councils' Directive and (iii) Part Time Workers' Directive to British business. |
| (71607) |
| *12 |
Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): If he will introduce measures to ensure that companies with strong potential for long-term growth are not forced into insolvency because of short-term difficulties. |
| (71608) |
| *13 |
Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick and Leamington): What plans he has for encouraging young people to enter careers in science and engineering. |
| (71610) |
| *14 |
Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs): What assessment his Department has made of the impact on small businesses of the measures included in the Employment Relations Bill; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71611) |
| *15 |
Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): What assessment he has made of the prospects for off-shore wind power generation. |
| (71612) |
| *16 |
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): What response he has made to the OFGAS report into anti-competitive practices by Transco; and what measures he proposes to assist and protect public gas transporters. |
| (71613) |
| *17 |
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): If he will make a statement about the ownership of sports viewing rights. |
| (71615) |
| *18 |
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston): What assessment he has made of the contribution of the partnership between unions and management at Rover Longbridge to the continuation of motor car production at the plant. |
| (71616) |
| *19 |
Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): What assessment he has made of Lancaster's application for assisted area status. |
| (71617) |
| *20 |
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): If he will make a statement about the costs to employers of the administration of the parental leave directive. |
| (71618) |
| *21 |
Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West): What plans he has for helping entrepreneurs whose businesses fail through no fault of their own. |
| (71619) |
| *22 |
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): What deregulation or better regulations his Department plans to help businesses compete more effectively with those of other nations. |
| (71620) |
| *23 |
Mr George Stevenson (Stoke-on-Trent South): What measures are being taken to investigate the activities of the Dubelle Foundation. |
| (71621) |
| *24 |
Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst): What assessment he has made of the impact of the minimum wage on the competitiveness of British industry; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71622) |
| *25 |
Dr Nick Palmer (Broxtowe): What approach he intends to take in pursuing international trade liberalisation. |
| (71623) |
| *26 |
Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): If he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with representatives of the British Libyan Interest Group to discuss the effects on trade between Britain and Libya of economic sanctions. |
| (71624) |
| *27 |
Norman Baker (Lewes): If he will set out his responsibilities in respect of issues relating to patenting of genetic material. |
| (71625) |
| *28 |
Paul Flynn (Newport West): What plans he has for the implementation of the measures proposed in the Competitiveness White Paper in the areas of new technology. |
| (71626) |
| *29 |
Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): What plans he has to improve competitiveness in manufacturing in the West Midlands. |
| (71627) |
| *30 |
Mr Colin Burgon (Elmet): What steps his Department has taken to make it easier for United Kingdom consumers to buy cars from elsewhere in the EU. |
| (71628) |
| *31 |
Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): If he will make a statement about reform of EU structural funds. |
| (71629) |
| *32 |
Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South): What measures he intends to take to tackle the costs to business of unsolicited e-mail known as spam. |
| (71630) |
| *33 |
Angela Smith (Basildon): What plans he has for monitoring compliance with the national minimum wage. |
| (71631) |
|
| Main
Business |
| + 1 |
ADJOURNMENT [Until
7.00 p.m.] |
| | The Prime Minister
That this House do now adjourn.
Proposed subject for debate: Welsh
Affairs. |
| Debate may continue until
7.00 p.m. |
| + 2 |
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE [No debate after
7.00 p.m.] |
| | Margaret Beckett
That, at the sitting on 1st March, the Speaker shall put the
Question on the Motion in the name of Mr William Hague relating to the Corporation Tax
(Instalment Payments) Regulations 1998 not later than half-past Eleven o'clock or one and a
half hours after the commencement of proceedings thereon, whichever is earlier, and the
said Motion may be entered upon and proceeded with, though opposed, after Ten
o'clock. |
| If opposed, this item cannot be taken after
7.00 p.m. |
| + 3 |
STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS (JOINT
COMMITTEE) [No debate after
7.00 p.m.] |
| | Mr Keith Bradley
That Mr Colin Burgon, Rosemary McKenna and Mrs Diana
Organ be discharged from the Select Committee appointed to join with a Committee of the
Lords as the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and Mr Brian White, Mr Ivan
Henderson and Mr Harold Best be added to the Committee. |
| If opposed, this item cannot be taken after
7.00 p.m. |
| COMMITTEE MEETINGS |
| STANDING COMMITTEES |
| 1 |
Northern Ireland Grand Committee |
2.30 p.m. |
Room 14 (public) |
| To consider the draft Appropriation (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. |
| 2 |
Standing Committee A |
2.30 p.m. |
Room 11 (public) |
| Further to consider the Greater London Authority Bill (except Clauses 1 to 4 and Schedules 1 and 2). |
| 3 |
Standing Committee B |
9.00 a.m.
4.30 p.m. |
Room 12 (public)
(public) |
| Further to consider the Local Government Bill. |
| 4 |
Standing Committee E |
2.30 p.m. |
Room 10 (public) |
| Further to consider the Employment Relations Bill. |
| 5 |
Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation |
4.30 p.m. |
Room 9 (public) |
| To consider the draft European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Euro-Mediterranean Agreement Establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) Order 1999. |
| SELECT COMMITTEES |
| 6 |
Education and Employment: Employment Sub-Committee |
9.30 a.m.
9.45 a.m. |
Room 18 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: The Performance and Future Role of the Employment Service. |
| Witness: Leigh Lewis, Chief Executive, Employment Service. |
| 7 |
Liaison |
9.30 a.m. |
Room 13 (private) |
| 8 |
Treasury Sub-Committee |
9.30 a.m.
9.45 a.m. |
Room 8 (private)
(public) |
| |
| Witnesses: Ms Francesca Lagerberg, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales; Mr John Whiting, Chartered Institute of Taxation, and Mr Edward Troup. |
| 9 |
Culture, Media and Sport |
10.00 a.m. |
Room 15 (public) |
| Subject: Back to the Dome. |
| Witnesses: The New Millennium Experience Company; Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Minister of State, Cabinet Office (at 11.30 a.m.) |
| 10 |
Health |
10.00 a.m.
10.30 a.m. |
Room 6 (private)
(public) |
| Subject: The Regulation of Private and other Independent Healthcare. |
| Witnesses: Department of Health officials, NHS Confederation, and National Nursing Homes Regulation and Inspection Advisory Group. |
| 11 |
Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs: Environment Sub-Committee |
1.00 p.m. |
Chelmsford (public) |
| Subject: Regional Development Agencies. |
| Witnesses: East of England Local Government Conference; East of England Development Agency (at 1.30 p.m.); Thames Gateway London Partnership and Serplan (at 2.00 p.m.); National Council for Voluntary Organisations (at 2.30 p.m.). |
| [The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.] |
|
| Written Questions tabled on Wednesday 24th February for answer today++ |
1
| Mr Malcolm Savidge (Aberdeen North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March; and if he will list the major European Union events for the next six months. |
| (73879) |
2
| Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase charges in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. |
| (73880) |
3
| Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the scope of regulated activities under the draft Financial Services and Markets Bill. |
| (73881) |
4
| Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will set out the transitional arrangements proposed for financing the Greater London Authority and the functional bodies in 2000-01 and for financing their predecessor organisations. |
| (73921) |
5
| Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, where the new Greater London Authority will be located; and if he will make a statement. |
| (73922) |
6
| Mr Malcolm Savidge (Aberdeen North): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what changes are proposed to the cash limit for Class XIII Vote 10, Forestry Commission, for 1998-99. |
| (73923) |
7
| Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood): To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to carry out a review of the Queen's Awards for Export, Technological and Environmental Achievement. |
| (73924) |
8
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he will publish the report sponsored by his Department on the electronic publishing industry. |
| (73946) |
|
| Standing Committee Notices |
| Standing Committee A will meet on Tuesday 2nd March at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. and Thursday 4th March at 2.30 p.m. further to consider the Greater London Authority Bill (except Clauses 1 to 4 and Schedules 1 and 2). |
| Standing Committee B will meet on Tuesday 2nd March at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. and Thursday 4th March at 9.00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. further to consider the Local Government Bill. |
| Standing Committee D will meet on Tuesday 2nd March at 10.30 a.m. to consider the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill. |
| Standing Committee E will meet on Tuesday 2nd March at 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. and Thursday 4th March at 2.30 p.m. further to consider the Employment Relations Bill. |
| The Special Standing Committee on the Immigration and Asylum Bill will meet on Tuesday 2nd March at 10.00 a.m. in Private. |
| The First Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Monday 1st March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft Scottish Parliament (Elections, etc.) Order 1999, the draft Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 1999 and the draft Scottish Parliament (First Ordinary General Election and First Meeting) Order 1999. |
| The Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Monday 1st March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft Trade Union Subscription Deductions (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. |
| The Third Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Tuesday 2nd March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 |
| The Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 3rd March at 10.30 a.m. to consider the draft Strategic Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. |
| The Fifth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 3rd March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft Energy Efficiency (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. |
| The Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 3rd March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the draft National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (Amendment) Regulations 1999 and the draft National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999. |
| The Seventh Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Wednesday 3rd March at 4.30 p.m. to consider the Local Government Finance (England) Special Grant Report (HC 41). |
| The Eighth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation will meet on Thursday 4th March at 10.00 p.m. to consider the draft Northern Ireland (Modification of Enactments_No. 1) Order 1999. |
|
