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Workplace Surveillance
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had about placing a legal obligation on employers to consult their employees on surveillance at work; and if he will make a statement. [78491]
Mr. Ian McCartney [holding answer 25 March 1999]: I have not had any such discussions.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of employers using surveillance cameras in the workplace; and if he will make a statement. [78490]
Mr. Ian McCartney [holding answer 25 March 1999]: I have not made any estimate.
Corporate Governance
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on when the consultation process on corporate governance will end. [78295]
Mr. Byers:
The Department is playing an active role in promoting discussion on issues relating to good corporate governance both within the United Kingdom and in international fora. The rules on the governance of companies are, for example, being considered by the major review of company law announced by the Government in
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March 1998. The review is planning to publish a consultation document on key areas of corporate governance around the turn of the year.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his plans to make progress with the proposals which appear in his Department's White Paper, "A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework for Utility Regulation the Response to Consultation". [78294]
Mr. Byers:
Many of the proposals announced in the White Paper will require legislation. We will introduce this as soon as Parliamentary time permits. Other elements of the reform package either do not require legislation, or can be advanced ahead of legislation. Where this is the case, the Department is acting itself, or asking others to act. For example, the Department has appointed a single individual as both gas regulator and electricity regulator. The Department has also encouraged the regulators to carry forward work on the regulatory issues associated with multi-utilities.
Dr. Ladyman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the expenses paid to witnesses attending employment tribunal hearings. [80125]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The expenses payable to parties, witnesses and others attending employment tribunal hearings were reviewed in December and increases took effect from 1 February. The following expenses may now be claimed:
These changes will be particularly important in responding to the needs of those with family
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commitments or who have a disability. They will be of extra benefit to those who need the money most and will ensure that people can obtain access to the tribunals.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce a statutory right to time off work to serve as an employment tribunal wing member. [79009]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
Section 50(2) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 provides the right to reasonable time off work for this purpose.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he plans to take to increase the number of wing members of employment tribunals from minority ethnic groups. [79008]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
The Government are reviewing the process of recruitment and appointment of employment tribunal wing members and a consultation paper setting out our proposals has been sent to the social partners.
A major aim of the review is to ensure that members are drawn from as wide a variety of backgrounds as possible, including the ethnic minorities. Measures to achieve this include placing advertisements which will foster applications from the ethnic minorities amongst others, and ensuring that all stages of the recruitment and selection process are in line with equal opportunities principles. We are taking advice on this from bodies such as the Commission for Racial Equality.
Mr. Laxton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the establishment of the Competition Commission. [80123]
Mr. Byers:
I am pleased to announce that the Competition Commission will be established on 1 April. The Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs made the relevant commencement and other necessary orders on 25 February and 2 March.
The current Chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, Dr. Derek Morris, will become the first Chairman of the Competition Commission.
I am further pleased to announce, following consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor, the appointment of Judge Christopher Bellamy QC, currently British judge at the Court of First Instance of the European Communities in Luxembourg, as the first President of the Appeal Tribunals of the Competition Commission.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the likely impact on the targets for emissions of gases agreed at Kyoto of (a) the lifting of the moratorium on gas-fired powered stations in the UK and (b) the lifting of the moratorium on gas-fired powered stations in the UK accompanied by the phasing out of coal-fired power stations. [79358]
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Mr. Battle
[holding answer 30 March 1999]: The White Paper of October 1998, 'Conclusions of The Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee' (Cm 4071), set out the Government's programme of reform in the electricity market and introduced a stricter policy on consents for gas-fired stations to protect diversity and security of supply while the programme of reform was under way. The White Paper discussed the environmental aspects of the Government's policy in chapter 9 ('Achieving sustainable energy supplies'). An environmental appraisal was provided as Annex H.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list for (a) small and medium enterprises and (b) larger companies the number of claims for unfair dismissal that were made after (i) two, (ii) three, (iii) four, (iv) five and (v) 10 years employment, in each of the three most recent years. [76668]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 16 March 1999]: The information is not available in the form requested.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made for (a) small and medium enterprises and (b) larger companies of the extra number of employees who will receive maternity leave as a result of the reduction in the minimum employment period for eligibility to one year. [76673]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 16 March 1999]: The Regulatory Impact Assessment which was published alongside the Employment Relations Bill estimates that 23,000 mothers will take more maternity leave as a result of this change. The data are not broken down by size or firm.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the agenda for the EU Consumer Affairs Council of 13 April. [79577]
Dr. Howells:
The Consumer Council on 13 April 1999 will debate the following issues:
travel expenses in excess of £5 including, exceptionally, the cost of travel from overseas where this is in the interests of justice;
overnight expenses of up to £81 per night (previously £63.30) in central London and £71 (previously £54.30) elsewhere. Additional payment may be made to people with a disability where there is a shortage of suitable local accommodation within a reasonable price range;
a loss of earnings allowance of up to £45 per day (previously £40);
child and adult care allowances of up to £5 per hour (previously limited to child care and a limit of £2 per hour). Additional payments may be made where special needs are established;
the cost of a helper where, because of a medical condition, a party/witness needs to be accompanied;
reasonable charges for professional interpreters, including interpreters for the deaf/blind; and
reasonable charges for the attendance of medical professionals or the production of medical reports.
Exchange of views and adoption of a Council Resolution on the Commission Communication on the Consumer Policy Action Plan 1999-2001;
Policy debate on a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services and amending Directives 90/619/EEC, 97/7/EC and 98/27/EC.
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