| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Millennium Dome
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library a copy of those provisions in agreements with corporate sponsors of zones in the millennium dome concerning (a) the content of the zone being sponsored and (b) the management of the zone being sponsored. [64422]
Mr. Mandelson: The contractual agreements between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and individual sponsors are commercially confidential. However, in terms of content and management they provide for the NMEC to retain the right of control over design, content, access to and operation of the exhibit zones. This ensures that the integrity of the Millennium Experience as the focus for the nation's millennium celebrations can not be compromised.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list the zones in the millennium dome for which armaments manufacturers would not be considered to be appropriate sponsors; [64395]
- (2) if he will make provision for critics of corporate sponsors of zones in the millennium dome to have an opportunity to reply to claims made by the sponsors in cases where the sponsors are engaged in (a) the food industry, (b) the motor industry and (c) armaments manufacturing; [64396]
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 700
(3) what discussions he has had with representatives of the Church of England concerning the inclusion of armaments manufacturers amongst the corporate sponsors of the millennium dome; and what was the outcome of those discussions. [64397]
Mr. Mandelson: The Millennium Experience at Greenwich and its associated national programme of events and activities is the responsibility of the New Millennium Experience Company. This includes the development of the exhibit zones within the Dome and the procurement of sponsorship. I have had no discussions with the Church of England about sponsorship of the exhibit zones within the Dome. Anyone who wishes to criticise, or indeed support, sponsors' involvement in the Millennium Experience is free to do so through a range of channels, including by asking Parliamentary Questions.
Mr. Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many visitors to the Dome are expected to come from each region of the United Kingdom and each European Union country in each week in 2000; [60882]
- (2) how many visitors to the Dome are expected to come from each London borough in each month in 2000. [60883]
Mr. Mandelson [holding answer 27 November 1998]: This information is not available in the categories or format requested and it would not be practicable for the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to make visitor estimates in this manner. For example, visitors from each of the London boroughs will not necessarily be residents of those boroughs. They could include school parties or friends and relations staying with residents, or indeed, tourists staying in the different boroughs.
Nuclear Physics (Postgraduate Courses)
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate he has made of the number and percentage of students who have gained postgraduate qualifications in nuclear physics who then took up employment abroad; and if he will make a statement; [63386]
- (2) what steps he has taken to encourage students to take up postgraduate courses in nuclear physics. [63387]
Mr. Battle:
I understand that data are not available at a sufficient level of subject detail to provide an answer for all postgraduates. However, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has provided the following information based on an evaluation, last year, of the research students supported by the Council and by the former Science and Engineering Research Council and whose funding expired in the period between October 1991 and 1996. 53 students are known to have obtained PhDs in nuclear physics; of those 9 per cent. took posts overseas in their first jobs. No data are currently available on the number who remain abroad, but a further recent career path study of former Research Council students across a wide range of subject areas found that only 4 per cent. worked overseas in their first job and in their latest job, some ten years on.
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 701
The EPSRC allocates studentships to university departments based on the level of EPSRC-funded research activity on a programme by programme basis. There is no specific allocation based on funding of nuclear physics. Heads of Department have discretion to distribute their quota of studentships in an appropriate manner provided the relevant projects fall within the research remit of the EPSRC.
The Physics programme of EPSRC allocated 171 research studentships and collaborative (CASE) awards, and 39 advanced course studentships in 1997. Two of the advanced courses are in the area of nuclear physics, and the programme provides these two courses with 13 studentships. (Data are not readily available on the pass rate and employment destinations of the students on these two courses, but the career path study indicated that 99 per cent. of Research Council advanced course students gained their qualification).
The EPSRC has recently provided funding for a new Integrated Graduate Development Course in nuclear physics at the University of Liverpool, entitled "Radiometrics applied to Decommissioning and Radioactive Waste".
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to promote an expanded bilateral Russian/UK agreement covering nuclear liability and taxation. [63107]
Mr. Battle:
DTI officials intend to discuss the possibility with their Russian counterparts early next year. The Department is also considering with other Governments concerned what reasonable legal protection is needed for contractors engaged in clean-up work in Russia. More broadly it remains our objective to encourage Russia to ratify the Vienna Convention on Nuclear Liability.
Ms Jenny Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences were granted to United Kingdom companies to export small arms between (a) 1 January and 30 June 1997, and (b) 1 July 1997 and 30 September 1998. [63439]
Mrs. Roche:
The export of specified small arms is controlled under entries ML1 and PL5018 in the Export of Goods (Control) Order, which also cover specified accessories and specially designed components. The entry in the legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating.
The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. Between 1 January 1997 and 30 September
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 702
1998, the numbers of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) issued during each period and covering the export of goods with the relevant ratings were as follows:
| Period | Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating | Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 1997-30 June 1997 | 962 | 70 |
| 1 July 1997-30 September 1998 | 1,696 | 60 |
| Period | Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating | Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 1997-30 June 1997 | 99 | 69 |
| 1 July 1997-30 September 1998 | 84 | 43 |
This information should be considered in light of my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 256-58.
There is no internationally-agreed definition of "small arms". It is possible that some weapons controlled under other ratings could be called small arms; for instance, a 12-bore shotgun with a calibre greater than 12.7mm would be controlled under entry ML2.
Certain Open General Export Licences cover the return to specified countries of weapons controlled under entries ML1 and PL5018, subject to the conditions of the licence in each case: the Open General Export Licence (Export After Repair: Military Goods) and the Open General Export Licence (Export After Exhibition: Military Goods). In addition, the Open General Export Licence (Accompanied Personal Effects: Sporting Firearms) permits temporary exports for sporting or recreational purposes to Tanzania and Uganda. Copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.
British Nuclear Fuels Ltd
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he received the KPMG report on the future of BNFL; and when he expects to be in a position to make a statement on the report. [64569]
Mr. Battle:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 15 December 1998, Official Report, column 455.
17 Dec 1998 : Column: 701
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |