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Carers (Minimum Wage)
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce a minimum wage for carers. [80766]
Mr. Ian McCartney: Carers aged 18 or over, who are workers, are already covered by the national minimum wage.
Consumer Affairs Council
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Consumer Affairs Council held in Brussels on 13 April; and if he will make a statement. [80762]
Dr. Howells: The Council unanimously adopted a Resolution welcoming the European Commission Consumer Policy Action Plan for 1999-2001. In an exchange of views on the Action Plan there was welcome for it and the importance it placed on integrating consumer concerns into other Community policies, in accordance with the Amsterdam Treaty.
During the orientation debate on the proposed Directive on the Distance Marketing of Financial Services, member states agreed on the need for a Directive, but there were differences as to its contents.
Spain called for action at Community level to restrict or ban the sale and marketing of videos and toys which encourage violent behaviour.
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The Netherlands suggested that the Community should consider the implications for consumers of the millennium bug.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the centres of enterprise to be endowed under the science enterprise challenge scheme. [80813]
Mr. Battle:
The Science Enterprise Challenge competition is still in progress so it is not possible to list the centres at this point. The competition is in two stages.
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 454
Stage 1 bids were due in on 14 April and the finalists to go onto stage 2 will be announced on 10 May. The winners will be announced this summer.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the bids for the £50 million university challenge scheme referred to in paragraph 3.59 of the Red Book. [80814]
Mr. Battle:
The 15 winners of the £45 million University Challenge competition, run jointly by Government, Wellcome Trust and the Gatsby Foundation, were announced on 10 March 1999. They are:
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| University | £ million |
|---|---|
| University of Leeds/University of Sheffield/University of York (White Rose Consortium) | 4.5 |
| University of Manchester/UMIST | 4.5 |
| University of Bath/University of Bristol | 3.75 |
| University of Birmingham/University of Warwick | 3 |
| University of Cambridge/The Babraham Institute | 3 |
| University of Cardiff/University of Wales College of Medicine | 3 |
| Imperial College, London | 3 |
| King's College London/Queen Mary and Westfield College London | 3 |
| London Business School/King's College London/Queen Mary and Westfield College/University College London | 3 |
| University of Oxford | 3 |
| University of Strathclyde/University of Glasgow | 3 |
| University College London/Institute of Cancer Research/Cancer Research Campaign Technologies Ltd./School of Pharmacy London/Imperial Cancer Research Fund/Royal Veterinary College | 3 |
| University of Edinburgh/The Moredun Foundation/The Roslin Biotechnology Centre/The UK Astronomy Technology Centre of PPARC/Edinburgh Station of the British Geological Survey | 2.25 |
| Queen's University Belfast/University of Ulster | 2 |
| University of Aberystwyth/The Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) | 1 |
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 453
It is inappropriate to publish a list of all the original 45 bids as they were provided in confidence.
Local Support Centres
Mr. Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what budget has been allocated to local support centres for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000. [81062]
Mr. Wills: The budgets allocated to the Department's Information Society Initiative Local Support Centres for the requested financial years are:
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1997-98(15) | 2.77 |
| 1998-99(15) | 2.00 |
| 1999-2000(16) | 3.00 |
(15) Actual Spend
(16) Forecast
Commercial Debt (Late Payment)
Mr. Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to make representations to the European Community on standardising late payment of commercial debt regulations across the Community. [81057]
Mr. Wills:
The Government are working closely with their EU partners to tackle late payment at a European level so that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can be sure of their rights wherever they do business in the EU and participate fully in the Single Market. We are actively involved in discussions on the proposed EU
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 454
directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions which, we believe, should complement our own late payment legislation.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those areas for which extension of the Working Time Directive is currently scheduled for discussion at the European Council, for which a qualified majority of member states have already declared their support. [81227]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
Negotiations on the extension of the Working Time Directive to those sectors which are currently excluded are continuing at working group level, and are not due to be discussed at the European Council. The agenda for the next Social Affairs Council meeting, which is due to take place on 25 May, has not yet been agreed.
Ms Jenny Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sites in the United Kingdom are licensed for storing depleted uranium. [81232]
Mr. Battle:
A licence under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 is not required for the storage of depleted uranium as it constitutes "excepted matter" under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended), s26(1). However, material is stored at a number of nuclear licensed sites. Depleted uranium is used at a number of Ministry of Defence sites and by civil industrial operators who are registered by the Environment Agencies
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 455
(Environment Agency for England and Wales, SEPA for Scotland and the Environment and Heritage Service which is an executive agency for the DoE in Northern Ireland) under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.
Ms Jenny Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safety standards exist for the storage of depleted uranium. [81231]
Mr. Battle:
The Health and Safety Executive regulates the storage of depleted uranium under the general provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the specific requirements of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 (SI 1985/1333). The Environment Agencies in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have responsibilities in respect of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he has taken to establish a national register of arms brokers; [81100]
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 16 April 1999]: The Government considered the establishment of a register of arms dealers whilst developing proposals contained in the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, but felt that it would be better to focus on the need to control specific trafficking and brokering activities. However, this issue was raised in response to the White Paper and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) told my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Ms Jones) on 14 December 1998, Official Report, column 364, we are reviewing all the proposals contained in the White Paper in the light of the responses received.
The Department of Trade and Industry has made no estimate of the number of arms brokers operating in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of current (a) German and (b) US licensing requirements for arms brokers; and if he will introduce similar licensing requirements for arms brokers in his proposed legislation on strategic exports. [81172]
Dr. Howells:
In their White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, the Government set out their proposals for new controls on trafficking and brokering. All the proposals contained in the White Paper are currently being reviewed in the light of the responses to it. Both in the course of drawing up the proposals and during our review, we have examined, where it is relevant to do so, the legislation and practice in other countries, including the US and Germany.
(2) what estimate his Department has made of the number of arms brokers operating in the United Kingdom. [81099]
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