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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Defence Exports
Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are employed by Government departments and agencies to assist in supporting and promoting defence exports; and at what cost. [66038]
Mr. Spellar: I have been asked to reply.
The Defence Export Services Organisation DESO within the Ministry of Defence is principally responsible for co-ordinating Government support for British defence exports. For Financial Year 1997-98, DESO employed some 680 staff and the gross expenditure was £55.8 million. This was offset by receipts of £34.6 million from customer governments to meet in full the cost of Project Offices
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dealing with Government-to-Government programmes. Of the remaining £21.2 million, £6.8 million was covered by receipts, leaving a net operating cost attributed to the DESO budget of £14.4 million.
DESO costs are more than offset by benefits to the defence budget arising from DESO activity:
Dan Norris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to review the standing charges for gas consumers who use prepayment meters. [65970]
Mr. Battle:
I believe that it is essential to tackle issues surrounding fuel poverty. In this respect, I have on a number of occasions made my concerns clear to both the Director General of Gas Supply and to the gas industry. Following on from this, the Director General is currently looking at ways of revising of Ofgas Social Dimension Action Plan to identify actions which will provide solutions to the problems of the fuel poor, including looking at ways of reducing the costs of prepayment meters, and at addressing the needs of other low income customers who pay by other methods.
Mr. Dobbin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will implement the Horizon Programme throughout the network of Post Office Counters. [65881]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd. automation project was commissioned under the Government's private finance initiative with ICL Pathway Ltd. as the private sector partner. Current plans provide for all post offices to be automated by the end of 2000.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office licences, formerly operated by sole traders, have been transferred to multiple retailers in the last two years. [66926]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I understand from Post Office Counters Ltd. that 47 post offices formerly operated by sole traders have been transferred to multiple retailers in the last two years.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office licences formerly operated by sole traders have been transferred to Alldays in each Post Office Counters Ltd. region. [66924]
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Mr. Ian McCartney:
I understand from Post Office Counters Ltd. that 9 post offices formerly operated by sole traders have been transferred to Alldays. The breakdown by Post Office Counters Ltd region is as follows:
Around £50 million annual cash receipts on average over the last five years from Commercial Exploitation Levy.
About £70-90 million cash annually from disposal sales receipts over the last five years.
Around £400 million in the last financial year saved on procurement costs by spreading fixed overheads across longer production runs.
Other Government Departments carry out activities which support British defence exports but the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| Region | Number |
|---|---|
| North Thames Anglia | 2 |
| South East | 1 |
| South West | 5 |
| Scotland | 1 |
Nanny Agencies
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of nanny agencies operating in the UK. [66932]
Mr. Ian McCartney: I have made no such estimate but I expect to receive their views, along with those of other agencies, on the review to be published shortly of the statutory standards of conduct set under the Employment Agencies Act 1973.
Working Time Regulations 1998
Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what publicity the Government have given to the provisions of the Working Time Regulations 1998. [66866]
Mr. Ian McCartney: The Department ran a public awareness campaign in the national press in September and October. Guidance material on the new legislation is available free through a number of public outlets (Libraries, Citizens Advice Bureaus etc), on the internet or can be obtained directly on 0845 6000 925.
Garages (VAT Exemption)
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of (a) competition policy issues which arise from insurance companies which own their own garages and carry out in-house repairs being exempt from VAT on labour and (b) the impact which this has on independent garages; and if he will make a statement. [67247]
Dr. Howells: Under UK competition legislation, the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and considering allegations of anti-competitive practices, abuse of monopoly position and restrictive trade practices.
I understand that the possible VAT advantages which may be derived by insurers who carry out repairs in their own in-house body shops were considered by the Director General in 1998 as part of a review of the recommended repairer schemes operated by insurance companies. The Director General concluded that action under the competition legislation was not appropriate.
Questions about exemptions from VAT systems are a matter for Customs and Excise. I understand Customs and Excise are currently looking further at this issue and would welcome evidence of the revenue and employment consequences.
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Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew), of 18 January 1999, Official Report, columns 364-65, on nuclear fuel, what is the basis for his statement that the Japanese Government's preferred means of using recovered plutonium is for it to be converted into MOX nuclear fuel. [67099]
Mr. Battle:
The policy of the Japanese Government with respect to the nuclear energy industry is set out approximately every five years in a document published by Japan's Atomic Energy Commission. This is called the "Long Term Programme for Research, Development and Utilisation of Nuclear Energy". In the most recent of these documents, published in 1994, the Atomic Energy Commission confirmed Japan's policy on recycling nuclear fuel and noted the need to begin using MOX fuel. More recently, a full review of Japan's nuclear fuel recycling policy was undertaken and culminated in the publication on 31 January 1997 of a policy statement by the Atomic Energy Commission. This policy statement, which was subsequently endorsed by the Japanese Cabinet on 4 February 1997, proposed a prompt start to a programme for using MOX fuel in Japanese light water reactors. The contracts between the Japanese electricity utilities and both BNFL and COGEMA for the supply of MOX fuel are consistent with that programme.
Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he proposes to use his special share to protect consumers in the impending break up of Transco by British Gas plc. [67336]
Mr. Battle:
The effect of the Government's special share in BG plc is to prohibit any person from having an interest in shares which carry 15 per cent. or more of the total votes attaching to the shares in BG plc. Given their market-sensitive nature, significant announcements about policy towards the special share would be made through the Stock Exchange. The interests of consumers are protected through the regulatory system; this is enforced by the Director General of Gas Supply, and is currently under review by the Government.
Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with British Gas plc about the break up and sale of Transco. [67335]
Mr. Battle:
I meet the Chief Executive of BG plc from time to time to discuss matters of common interest.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the purchase by the Post Office of German Parcels requires clearance by European or UK regulatory or competition authorities. [66834]
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Mr. Ian McCartney
[holding answer 21 January 1999]: I understand from the Post Office that all necessary clearances have been obtained.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial obligations have been incurred by the Post Office in its acquisition of and indirect stake in General Parcel arising from its purchase of German Parcels. [66835]
Mr. Ian McCartney
[holding answer 21 January 1999]: Through its acquisition of German Parcels, the Post Office has also acquired 23 per cent. of the shares in General Parcel. I understand that there are no material additional financial obligations directly resulting from that shareholding.
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