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Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library the answers to Parliamentary Questions 59798, 19 November 1998, Official Report, column 808, on Our Europe Association; 59795, 19 November 1998, Official Report, column 808, on the London Conference (European Association); 59805, 19 November 1998, Official Report, column 808, on the European Adventure Project; and 59796, 19 November 1998, Official Report, column 808, on the Business Euro Label. [71146]

12 Mar 1999 : Column: 401

Ms Quin: The answers to Parliamentary Questions 59795 and 59798 have been deposited in the Library of the House. A letter has been sent to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) requesting clarification on the Business Euro Label and the European Adventure Project. When this information has been received and a reply issued, copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Genetic Modification

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) on how many occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (i) spoken with and (ii) received representations regarding genetic modification from Mr. Stan Greenberg of Greenberg Research; [72245]

(2) on how many occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (i) spoken with and (ii) received representations regarding genetic modification from Dave Hill of Bell Pottinger; [72065]

(3) on how many occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (i) spoken with and (ii) received representations regarding genetic modification from Cathy McGlynn of Bell Pottinger. [72062]

Mr. Battle [holding answer 23 February 1999]: I and my officials are in regular contact with representatives of all those with an interest in biotechnology--including environmental groups, consumer groups and biotechnology companies. It is not the normal practice of governments to give details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.

Task Forces

Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a list of (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since May 1997 which (a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74464]

Mr. Byers: None of the external members of task forces and review bodies established by my Department since 1 May 1997 were recruited by way of public advertisement. Most task forces and reviews are short-term bodies established to give thorough consideration to particular issues. External members are invited to sit on some reviews and task forces because they are able to contribute specific experience and expertise. In such cases, public advertising would be inappropriate and disproportionate. Since 1 October 1998, appointments to those task forces which qualify for classification as advisory non-departmental public bodies have come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

12 Mar 1999 : Column: 402

Details of public consultation carried out by task forces and reviews established since 1 May 1997 are set out in the table.

Review/task force	Public consultation
Review of Utilities Regulation	Published the Green Paper A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework of Utility Regulation (March 1998) and two further consultation documents: A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework of Utility Regulation--Public Consultation Paper on Consumer Councils (September 1998) and A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework of Utility Regulation--Public Consultation Paper on the future of gas and electricity regulation (October 1998)
Review of energy sources for power regeneration	The terms of reference for the Review were announced on 22 December 1997, and a general invitation was made for interested parties to submit representations. Proposals for reform were issued for consultation on 25 June 1998. The consultation document was sent to all those who had replied to the first invitation to make representations, to those with outstanding power station consent applications, and to any other organisation or person that requested a copy. It was also published on the Internet.
Review of the Post Office	Following announcement of the review in May 1997 discussions were held with Post Office senior management, the Post Office unions, the Post Office Users' National Council and other interested parties. A summary of the main points arising from these consultations were included in the Government's response to the Trade and Industry Select Committee's Report on the Post Office (response published in April 1998), since which time there has been further consultations with these parties as part of the next stage of the review.
Review of the Technical Help for Exporters Scheme	Views were sought from interested parties by means of a questionnaire issued in November and December 1997.
Review of Company Law	Published two consultation documents; Modern Company Law for a Competitive Economy (March 1998) and Modern Company Law: The Strategic Framework (February 1999).
Review of Assisted Areas	Published consultation document: Review of Assisted Areas Map (July 1998).
Oil and Gas Industry Task Force	Letters were sent to industry stakeholders and a dedicated website set up specifically inviting contributions.
Review of the framework for overseeing developments in biotechnology (joint Office of Science and Technology/Cabinet Office review)	Consultation paper issued following announcement of the review on 17 December 1998.
Review of new and renewable energy	A consultation document is expected to be published shortly.
Review of electricity trading arrangements	OFFER issued an initial consultation paper in November 1997 inviting views, which were taken into account when drawing up the proposed terms of reference. These terms of reference were in turn published for consultation in January 1998. Working papers were published and discussed at a two-day seminar in April 1998. OFFER published the interim conclusions in June 1998 which were discussed at a further seminar and on which written comments were also invited. The final conclusions were published in July 1998.

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Industrial and Provident Societies

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if industrial and provident societies will be included in the current review of insolvency being carried out by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [74175]

Dr. Howells: The terms of reference of the joint DTI/Treasury review are to review aspects of company and insolvency law and practice in the UK and elsewhere relating to opportunities for, and means by which, businesses can resolve short to medium term financial difficulties, so as to preserve maximum economic value; and to make recommendations. The terms of reference would enable consideration to be given to the position of industrial and provident societies.

Car Prices

Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the recent European Commission report on the cost of British cars for sale in the UK compared with their cost in other EU countries. [74033]

Dr. Howells: The European Commission's latest report on car prices in the European Union showed that price differences had significantly decreased since its previous report but that the UK continued to be the most expensive market for many models.

We shall be encouraging the Commission, as part of its evaluation of the cars block exemption, to identify the reasons for these price differences.

Biotechnological Companies

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many unminuted pre-arranged meetings occurred between (a) himself, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials and representatives of the biotechnological industry sector since 1 May 1998. [74838]

Mr. Battle [holding answer 5 March 1999]: I and my officials are in regular contact with representatives of all those with an interest in biotechnology--including environmental groups, consumer groups and biotechnology companies. It is not normal practice of governments to give details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.

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Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the biotechnological companies which have placed staff (a) on secondment and (b) on placement within his Department since 1 May 1997. [74839]

Mr. Battle [holding answer 5 March 1999]: Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange Initiative which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: Voluntary, Education, Health, Public and Private.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs to the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson) on 11 February 1999, Official Report, columns 405-10. This refers to the list of companies which currently have staff on secondment in my department and the DTI directorate in which they have been placed. In addition, I attach a further list of those companies which have had staff on secondment to the department on or after 1 May 1997, which are no longer on the current list.

Management unit	Company
BL 1	NatWest
BNSC	National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd.
BNSC	Matra Marconi Space UK Ltd.
CACP	Herbert Smith
CB	Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council
Communications and Information	NEL
Communications and Information	ICL
Communications and Information	NEL
Communications and Information	Reuters Ltd.
Communications and Information	Slaughter & May
Company Law and Investigations	Robson Rhodes
Company Law and Investigations	Littlejon Frazer
Company Law and Investigations	The Bank of England
EED	Amec Process & Energy Ltd.
EID	Lockstair Ltd.
EID	GEC Marconi Avionics
Engineering Industries	Toyota
Engineering Industries	Honda
Engineering Industries	Mechadyne Ltd.
Engineering Industries	BAA
Engineering Industries	British Steel plc
Engineering Industries	MITI
Export Promotion	IMI plc
Export Promotion	Ocean Group plc
Export Promotion	Continental Tyre Group Ltd.
Export Promotion	Reuters Ltd.
Export Promotion	Elliott Pearce Limited
Export Promotion	British Marine Equipment Council
Export Promotion	Food Process Engineering (Scotland) Ltd.
Export Promotion	Allied Domecq plc
Export Promotion	HSBC Holdings plc
Export Promotion	Midland Bank plc
Export Promotion	The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd.
Export Promotion	Mayell & Co.
Export Promotion	British Aerospace Defence Ltd.
Export Promotion	Weybourne Financial Services Ltd.
Export Promotion	International Knitwear
Export Promotion	Smith Kline Beecham
Export Promotion	Morlands (Glastonbury) Ltd.
Export Promotion	Balfour Beatty Limited
Export Promotion	Business Link
Export Promotion	British American Tobacco Co. Ltd.
Export Promotion	AMEC Process and Energy Ltd.
Export Promotion	Geoteam Wimpol Limited
Export Promotion	York Synthetics Ltd.
Export Promotion	Unilever International
Export Promotion	AMW Associates
Export Promotion	British Aerospace plc
Export Promotion	BT plc
Export Promotion	GEC Marconi Communications Ltd.
Export Promotion	Sims Portex Limited
Export Promotion	Glengarnock Garments Ltd.
Export Promotion	GEC Marconi Avionics Ltd.
Export Promotion	International Distributor Centre
Export Promotion	Lanimer Knitwear Ltd.
Export Promotion	Marks and Spencer plc
Export Promotion	Meggitt plc
Export Promotion	Drinks Marketing Consortium
Export Promotion	The West India Committee
Export Promotion	Delamore Associates Ltd.
Export Promotion	ICI plc
Export Promotion	River Don Castings Ltd.
Export Promotion	Glaxo Wellcome Plc
Export Promotion	Nat West Markets
Export Promotion	Alan Paine Knitwear Ltd.
Export Promotion	Reyrolle Projects Ltd.
Export Promotion	Barclays Bank plc
Export Promotion	CRL
Export Promotion	Texaco Ltd.
Export Promotion	Genesis Communications
Export Promotion	John Swire & Sons Ltd.
Export Promotion	Institute of Export
Export Promotion	Hydro Technologies Ltd.
Export Promotion	Turner & Newell plc
Export Promotion	World Trade Development Limited
Export Promotion	AEA Technology plc
Export Promotion	Knight Piesold Limited
GO-SW	Normalair-Garrett Limited
GO-SW (Plym)	Westcountry Development Corporation Ltd.
I	Arthur Andersen
IBB	British Telecom plc
IBB	British Embassy Tokyo
IEP	Airsys ATM
Insurance	Price Waterhouse
Insurance	Coopers & Lybrand
Insurance	PricewaterhouseCoopers
Insurance	Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance plc
NI	UKAEA
Nuclear Industries	Rolls-Royce & Associates
Nuclear Industries	Hunting Engineering Ltd.
Nuclear Industries	BNFL
Nuclear Industries 2	BNFL
Nuclear Industries TU	Nuclear Electric Ltd.
Oil & Gas 2	Mobil North Sea Limited
OSO	Trafalgar John Brown Oil & Gas
OST	ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd.
OST	British Computer Society
PORT	Burton Group (Local Enterprise Ltd.)
RD	Robson Rhodes
REG A	Hambros Bank Limited
REG A	Royal Bank Leasing Limited
SMD	Chesterton International plc
SMEP 3	Grant Thornton
SMEP 3	Lloyds TSB Group plc

12 Mar 1999 : Column: 405

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