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Charities
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Treasury over the future fiscal framework under which charities will operate. [72106]
Mr. Boateng: The Home Office continues to work closely with the Treasury and all Government Departments on matters relating to the charitable sector. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor intends to publish the consultation document on the Charity Taxation Review at the time of the budget.
Licensing Hours
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the licensing hours that his Department will recommend to licensing justices for the period of 30 December 1999 to the 2 January 2000 inclusive. [73565]
Mr. Straw: We have just consulted on proposals for extending permitted hours on the Millennium Eve and subsequent New Year's Eves. Our preference was for an all-night relaxation, but we also sought views on a more modest extension to 4am. We will announce the outcome shortly.
We have not proposed any change to the hours on 30 December or 2 January.
Green Goddess Fire Appliance
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for supply of fuel for the Green Goddess fire appliances when the new petroleum regulations on leaded petrol are implemented. [74037]
Mr. George Howarth:
Extensive tests undertaken on two appliances indicate that the engines will run on unleaded fuel with minor routine adjustment. We have also carried out conversions to the cylinder heads of two engines, which should enable them to run on unleaded fuel without further adjustment. The converted engines will be evaluated under test conditions before further conversions are undertaken. We are also evaluating
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proprietary fuel additives, which are claimed to allow vehicles such as the green goddesses to run on unleaded fuel without polluting the environment.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the immigration status of au pairs; and if he will make a statement. [71967]
Mr. Mike O'Brien
[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1999, c. 392-93]: Under the Immigration Rules, an au pair must be unmarried, aged between 17 and 27 and without dependants, and come from one of the designated countries. They may stay in the United Kingdom for up to two years, living as part of an English speaking family and learning the language. They may help in the home for no more than five hours a day, with two days off per week, in return for a reasonable allowance.
Mr. Miller:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government will be represented at Interpol's fourth International Drug Conference in Rangoon on 23 to 26 February. [72886]
Mr. Fatchett:
I have been asked to reply.
The UK, along with a majority of EU Member States, was not represented at Interpol's International Drug Conference in Rangoon held from 23 to 26 February.
Plutonium Shipments
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment was made of the security and safety arrangements covering the plutonium shipments from France to Japan in 1992 prior to deciding upon the appropriate arrangements for the forthcoming shipment of plutonium MOX fuel from Sellafield to Japan. [72962]
Mr. Battle: The transport of MOX fuel from Europe to Japan will be undertaken in full accordance with internationally agreed commitments and recommendations on physical protection, reflecting the concern of all parties to prevent the proliferation of sensitive nuclear materials. The Government are satisfied that the security measures proposed for the shipment of MOX fuel provide at least the same level of protection as the arrangements which were in place for the 1992 shipment of plutonium from France to Japan and that they are adequate and make the security risks negligible.
The ships which will be used for the shipment of MOX fuel meet the highest safety rating of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a United Nations agency, which regularly reviews its regulations. The design and construction of the ships are approved by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and by Lloyds Register. The ships have a range of safety features which exceed those found on conventional cargo vessels. PNTL has been safely transporting nuclear fuel by sea for over thirty years during which time its ships have covered over 4.5 million miles without a single incident involving an escape of radioactivity.
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Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with north east industrialists involved in the manufacturing and supply of components for off-shore wind energy turbines; and if he will make a statement. [73174]
Mr. Battle:
Last year I addressed two conferences held by the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), many of whose members are based in the North East of England. At the Cardiff conference I launched a consultation exercise on the most suitable arrangements for incorporating the development of offshore wind energy into the NFFO process. I have also visited several wind projects including that of Border Wind at Blyth Harbour which will be one of the first UK offshore wind installations.
Through the New and Renewable Energy (NRE) programme, my Department has also held seminars aimed at encouraging engineering companies to invest in the manufacturing and supply of components for wind farm sites. One such event was held in September 1997 in Durham where firms from the region were given a detailed outline of the technology, the market and the opportunities open to engineering industry. The programme has supported 10 projects to develop wind turbine components to date. These projects are worth a total value of £2.4 million. In addition, the programme has supported a number of companies visits to wind turbine manufacturers in Europe as part of this initiative.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the criteria which the United Kingdom and United States of America Governments use in tendering for the contracts to transport post in each direction between the United Kingdom and the United States of America. [72882]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
Within the United Kingdom it is the Post Office rather than the Government that has responsibility for postal operational matters such as the tendering for contracts to transport mail. Contracts are awarded by the Post Office, in accordance with public procurement regulations, based on the most economically advantageous tenderer against a range of criteria which may vary from one route to another including, but not limited to, the ability by an airline to serve the destination; carry the weight of traffic tendered; achieve required handover time; service quality; price; and acceptance of Post Office terms and conditions. I am advised by the Post Office that routes are normally tendered annually or bi-annually.
I am unable to comment on the detail of procurement procedures that are applicable to the operations of the postal administration of the United States of America.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to prevent dumping of steel products in the United Kingdom. [73472]
Mr. Wilson:
It is the responsibility of the European Commission, on behalf of the Community and Member States, to investigate complaints about dumped or
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subsidised imports if they believe there is sufficient evidence to warrant doing so. The Commission is currently investigating six complaints of allegedly dumped steel imports and three complaints of allegedly subsidised steel imports.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what official visits he, his Ministers or officials have paid to Zimbabwe since May 1997; whom they met; and what was discussed. [73557]
Mr. Byers:
The information is as follows: 15-20 November 1997: Peter Watford, Export Promoter for Southern Africa. Met with Government Officials, representatives from UK and Zimbabwean Industry. Trade and commercial issues were discussed.
3-5 February 1998: Lord Clinton Davis, as Minister for Trade. (To attend UK/Zimbabwe Co-operation week.) Met with Zimbabwean Ministers, Government Officials, representatives from the UK and Zimbabwean Industry. Trade and commercial issues were discussed.
3-6 February 1998: Peter Watford, Export Promoter for Southern Africa; Dave Waring Head of Southern Africa Region; Steve Clarke, Country Manager for Zimbabwe. (To attend UK/Zimbabwe Co-operation week.) Met with Government Officials, representatives from UK and Zimbabwean industry. Trade and commercial issues were discussed.
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