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Energy Charges
Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to remove the right of (a) water, (b) electricity and (c) gas suppliers to make standing charges payable by (i) pensioner households and (ii) households receiving income support; and if he will make a statement. [71054]
Mr. Battle: Clearly it is essential that special care should be taken to ensure that vulnerable groups of customers have access to reliable, affordable, water and energy supplies. That is why this Government have vigorously taken forward work on modernising the framework for utility regulation. The Government's review of water charging in England and Wales raised concerns about the effect of high standing charges on low income, low water users such as pensioners living alone. The Government will consider further how these effects can best be mitigated within the new framework proposed in the Water Industry Bill now before Parliament. Also, we are encouraging the regulator for gas and electricity to review the Social Dimension in his Action Plan, with a view to determining what further initiatives can provide effective help to the fuel poor.
Standing charges have been the usual means of utility companies making a charge for the fixed costs of providing a service which do not vary according to the level of usage. Such costs generally include meter reading, accounting and billing, maintenance of infrastructure, and provision of emergency services, although there is no requirement for these costs to be recovered by means of a standing charge.
With the spread of competition in the gas and electricity markets, many customers already have a choice of who should supply them with these important utility services.
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Soon, that choice will extend to all such customers. Some gas and electricity suppliers recognise that standing charges are either not popular or appropriate for every individual customer, and have decided to offer different terms which exclude any standing charge. Customers will be able to choose what is best for their own particular needs.
It is our objective that all groups of customers should benefit from increasing efficiency by receiving quality service at the best possible prices.
Mr. Canavan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been granted since 1 May 1997 for the export of arms to Bahrain; and if he will provide details of the arms covered by each licence and the declared purpose. [71301]
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The entry in the relevant 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 2 May 1997 and 29 January 1999, 45 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 26 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Bahrain of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so-called Military List. Individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the Table in the total for all of the relevant ratings.
| Rating | Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating | Number of OIELs issued covering goods with this rating |
|---|---|---|
| ML1 | 14 | 1 |
| ML2 | 8 | 0 |
| ML3 | 12 | 0 |
| ML4 | 1 | 2 |
| ML5 | 5 | 7 |
| ML6 | 1 | 0 |
| ML7 | 0 | 1 |
| ML8 | 0 | 1 |
| ML9 | 0 | 1 |
| ML10 | 0 | 4 |
| ML11 | 5 | 11 |
| ML13 | 3 | 2 |
| ML14 | 0 | 1 |
| ML15 | 0 | 2 |
| ML18 | 0 | 1 |
| ML21 | 0 | 2 |
| ML22 | 0 | 2 |
| PL5006 | 3 | 0 |
| PL5017 | 3 | 1 |
| PL5030 | 1 | 0 |
This information does not cover any Media OIELs that may have been issued during this period. Media OIELs authorise the export to all destinations of protective clothing, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists, when working in areas of conflict.
25 Feb 1999 : Column: 378
This information should be considered in light of the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870-71.
Details of the military equipment for which licences are granted will be given in the Government's annual report on strategic export controls for the relevant period.
As regards the additional information requested about the stated end use, this could be compiled only by examining the original case papers for each of the licences concerned, and this together with any inquiries necessary under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, would entail disproportionate cost.
In addition, goods on the Military List may have been exported to Bahrain under certain Open General Export Licences; copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list (a) the licence applications for military exports to Indonesia which have been refused in the past five years and (b) the reasons for the refusals; [71923]
Dr. Howells:
The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. In the calendar years 1994 to 1998, 21 applications for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and one application for an Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) were refused covering the export to consignees or end-users in Indonesia of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so-called Military List. The entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. Applications for individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings. Where this is so, the application is included in the total for all of the relevant ratings.
(2) if he will list the export licence applications for military exports to Indonesia which have been refused in the past five years. [72017]
| Rating | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ML1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| ML2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ML3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ML4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ML5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ML6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ML7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ML14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ML15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PL5002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| PL5017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| PL5018 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| PL5021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total number of applications | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
25 Feb 1999 : Column: 379
This information does not cover any applications for Media OIELs that may have been refused during this period. Media OIELs authorise the export to all destinations of protective clothing, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists, when working in areas of conflict.
This information should be considered in light of the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870-71.
The decisions to refuse these applications were taken in accordance with the criteria applied at the relevant times.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department's review of renewable energy will be published. [72300]
Mr. Battle:
I plan to publish a paper on my review of renewable energy policy shortly which will analyse the status and prospects for renewables and present policies for developing renewables further.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of raw milk in Great Britain; and if he will make it his policy (a) to publish that report and (b) to undertake a public consultation on its recommendations before he makes a decision on them. [72310]
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 22 February 1999]: The Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) is required to deliver its report on the supply of raw milk in Great Britain to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by 26 February 1999. The Secretary of State is required to publish all monopoly reports, and will announce what action he intends to take, if any, when he publishes the report.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if articles of the 10 carat gold standard hallmarked in Ireland may be placed on the market in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of the consequences for British competitiveness of such marketing. [72589]
Dr. Howells:
Following the amendments to the Hallmarking Act 1973 which came into effect on 1 January, the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 30 of the EC Treaty and European case law concerning the free circulation of goods, has permitted articles of precious metal hallmarked in Ireland to be marketed here without further hallmarking by a UK assay office. I can confirm that this would include articles of 10 carat gold.
25 Feb 1999 : Column: 380
Manufacturers can have articles of gold hallmarked by UK Assay Offices to standards of fineness including 9, 14, 18 and 22 carat (375, 585, 750 and 916.6 parts per thousand respectively) as well as new "pure" standards of 990 and 999 parts per thousand. Given that there is no reason to believe that UK consumers are likely to prefer the 10 carat standard over any of the standards of fineness available here, I do not believe that UK manufactures are likely to be placed at a competitive disadvantage as a result. It is generally agreed that a proliferation of standards is not in the interests of consumers and the United Kingdom seeks to give a lead in this matter by not introducing further standards into the UK hallmarking system. However, DTI will look very carefully at the position in the light of future experience.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if all the European Economic Area states have amended their laws to permit articles hallmarked in the United Kingdom to be sold in their states; and if he will make a statement. [72590]
Dr. Howells:
Only those EEA States which have a mandatory requirement for hallmarking under their law and have in the past required imported articles to be re-hallmarked in their country before being placed on the market they would need to amend their laws to permit articles hallmarked in the United Kingdom to be placed on their markets without further marking. The DTI is obtaining up-to-date information from the Commission about which countries have now made the necessary changes to their legislation. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available and will place a copy of the reply in the Libraries of the House.
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