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Cashmere Export Industry
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to visit Leicester to meet representatives of the cashmere export industry. [69014]
Mr. Wilson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has no plans to visit Leicester to meet representatives of the cashmere export industry at present. The Department of Trade and Industry does however understand the industry's concerns over the threatened US tariffs arising from the banana dispute. I can assure my hon. Friend that we are working hard with the European Commission to resolve this dispute, and will be pleased to meet hon. Members who wish to discuss the matter further.
British Aerospace
Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he met (a) the Chairman and (b) the Chief Executive of British Aerospace plc during 1998; and what subjects were discussed on each occasion. [68625]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 1 February 1999]: I did not meet the Chairman or Chief Executive of British Aerospace plc during 1998.
Art Market
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he expects the draft Directive on artists' resale rights to be decided on at the next meeting of the Internal Market Council. [69277]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 4 February 1999]: The draft Directive on artists' resale rights is expected to be on the agenda for the meeting of the Internal Market Council on 25 February. While a large majority of member states, unlike the United Kingdom, support the principle of harmonisation in this area, it is not yet clear whether it will be ready for agreement by then. The Government are continuing to make clear their opposition to this measure, and are working to try to minimise the damage it would do to the competitiveness of the UK's international art market.
Minister for Science
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what action has been taken to avoid conflict of interest in respect of the biotechnology responsibilities of the Minister for Science and the Gatsby Trust Foundation; [66696]
- (2) what responsibility the Minister for Science has concerning matters which relate to the Gatsby Trust Foundation. [66694]
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Mr. Byers [holding answer 20 January 1999]: There is no such body as the Gatsby Trust Foundation. However, the Minister for Science established the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and has made substantial charitable donations to it. However, since his appointment as a Minister he has had no involvement in the Foundation's grant-making decisions. Furthermore, Lord Sainsbury wrote to the Trustees on 31 July 1998 asking them not to disclose or divulge to him any information regarding the investments of the Foundation while he is in Government.
Lobby Companies (Ministerial Access)
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the lobby companies and their clients that had access to his predecessor, the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), in his official capacity at meetings in the Department or at specially arranged meetings between July and December 1998. [67324]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 27 January 1999]: I am not aware of any such meetings.
SCOTLAND
Retail Petrol Supplies
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many petrol filling stations closed in Scotland (a) in 1997 and (b) in the period 1 January to 30 June 1998. [68924]
Mr. Macdonald: Information on petrol filling station closures is not held centrally. The study "Petrol Stations in Rural Scotland", however, found that during the last six months of the study five closures occurred between late summer and late winter 1997. The study also reported that the number of petrol retail outlets across the UK reached a peak in the 1960s, following which there has been a gradual and continuing decline.
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he and his officials have held with the Director General of Fair Trading since 1 January 1998 on the issue of retail petrol supplies in rural areas of Scotland; and what was the outcome of those discussions. [68922]
Mr. Macdonald: Officials at The Scottish Office have regular discussions with officials of the Office of Fair Trading, most recently about the allegations concerning Esso, about which I am writing to the OFT myself. The Office of Fair Trading has a duty to keep markets under review, with a view to identifying anti-competitive or monopolistic behaviour. I understand officials from the OFT are to meet representatives of Highlands and Islands Hydrocarbons Action Group in March, and will also shortly be meeting representatives of Esso.
Mrs. Ray Michie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many petrol filling stations in the Highlands and Islands enterprise area are supplied respectively by (a) Shell, (b) BP, (c) Esso and (d) other suppliers. [68921]
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Mr. Macdonald:
Information obtained in 1997 for the purposes of the study "Petrol Stations in Rural Scotland" showed that the number of petrol filling stations in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Area supplied by Shell, BP, Esso and others is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Shell | 33 |
| BP | 90 |
| Esso | 74 |
| Other | 61 |
| Total | 258 |
Note:
The information obtained related to local authority areas, and therefore includes all petrol stations in Argyll and Bute Council's area, some of which is outwith the area served by HIE.
Source:
Environmental Resources Management and Dr. R. Sidaway (1997) Petrol Stations in Rural Scotland. Commissioned by The Scottish Office Rural Affairs and Natural Heritage Division
From 1 July 1999, assistance to industry will be a matter covered by the Scottish Parliament, but competition and energy policy will continue to be reserved to Westminster.
Mrs. Ray Michie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the retail petrol market in the Highlands and Islands enterprise area; and if he will make a statement. [68923]
Mr. Macdonald:
Any assessment of competition in the retail petrol market in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area, or indeed elsewhere, is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading, but The Scottish Office itself examined aspects of the retail petrol market in the study Petrol Stations in Rural Scotland, published in July 1998. As a result, £400,000 a year over the next 3 years has been allocated to carrying out infrastructure work at remote petrol stations. This year, £240,000 of this support is going to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area. I met with representatives of Esso myself on 3 February to discuss the present situation.
From 1 July 1999, assistance to industry will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament, but competition policy and the activities of the OFT will continue to be reserved to Westminster.
Sir Robert Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of offences by inmates referred to the police by prison governors in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [68546]
Mr. McLeish:
Information concerning the number of offences referred to the police by prison governors is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Sir Robert Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of reported drug use there were in prison establishments in Scotland (a) in each
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of the last 12 months and (b) in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [68544]
Mr. McLeish:
Figures on reported drug use in prison establishments in Scotland are available from the mandatory drug testing (MDT) programme. This includes samples taken as part of a random sample (10 per cent. of all prisoners each month); from prisoners suspected of misusing drugs; from prisoners known previously to have used drugs; from prisoners being assessed for specific opportunities, including open conditions and home leaves; and as part of reception testing of those recently admitted to prison.
| Month/year | Number tested | Number positive | Percentage positive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | |||
| April | 1,110 | 328 | 30 |
| May | 1,018 | 312 | 31 |
| June | 1,066 | 320 | 30 |
| July | 1,050 | 322 | 31 |
| August | 1,101 | 339 | 31 |
| September | 971 | 270 | 28 |
| October | 1,086 | 271 | 25 |
| November | 1,064 | 289 | 27 |
| December | 901 | 242 | 27 |
| Month/year | Number tested | Number positive | Percentage positive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | |||
| January | 977 | 319 | 33 |
| February | 1,027 | 311 | 30 |
| March | 1,116 | 333 | 30 |
Figures are not available prior to February 1996, the date from which mandatory drug testing was phased in across the Scottish prison estate.
In the last two months of the financial year 1995-96, testing took place in two establishments. A total of 315 urine samples were taken, of which 135 returned positive, a rate of 43 per cent.
In the financial year 1996-97, 4,855 samples were taken from prisoners, of which 1,654 returned positive results, a rate of 36 per cent.
In the financial year 1997-98, 12,093 urine samples were taken from prisoners in the mandatory drug testing programme, of which 3,779 returned positive results, a rate of 31 per cent.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
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