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Royal Air Force Signals Engineering

Establishment Agency

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment Agency for the financial year 1999-2000. [85604]

Mr. Doug Henderson: The Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment Agency's key targets for the financial year 1999-2000 are:

Operational Strategy

Key Target 1--Deliver 100 per cent. of Operational Tasks to time.

Key Target 2--Deliver at least 92 per cent. of Operational Support Tasks to time.

Performance Strategy

Key Target 3--Achieve a quality failure rate for completed tasks of less than 1.5 per cent.

Financial Strategy

Key Target 4--Reduce the full cost per task hour to below 85 per cent. of the FY96-97 figure in real terms.

Kosovo

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to use the TA to replace regular army units currently stationed in Germany but warned to deploy to Kosovo. [85378]

Mr. George Robertson: There are no current plans to use the TA to replace regular Army units currently stationed in Germany but warned to deploy to Kosovo.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Export Licences

Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those Governments who received a licence to export UK surplus military equipment in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998. [83007]

Mr. Spellar: I have been asked to reply.

The major capital surplus exports on a Government to Government basis were as follows:

Year
1996-97
Brazil	Type 22 frigates
Uruguay	Wessex helicopters and spare equipment
Australia	Sea King helicopters
Malta	Vehicles
Austria	MS78 light armoured vehicles and spares
1997-98
Brazil	Type 22 frigates
Uruguay	Wessex helicopters
Philippines	Peacock Class Hong Kong patrol craft

25 May 1999 : Column: 109

Gas-fired Power Stations

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total capacity of the new gas-fired power stations approved since May 1997; and if he will estimate the amount of coal-use they will displace. [84360]

Mr. Byers: Some 4 GW of new gas-fired capacity has been cleared since May 1997. This compares to some 23 GW of new gas-fired capacity cleared by the previous Government. In broad terms each extra 1 GW of new gas-fired capacity could displace coal burn by about 2.5 million tonnes a year. The precise impact, however, is not so simple since displacement in a particular case depends on the mode of operation, the competitive position of other plant (which may be coal or non-coal plant) and the level of demand that is required to be met.

Photo-voltaic Generation

Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions he has conducted with (a) the Electricity Regulator and (b) the electricity supply industry concerning the practice of requiring separate meters to record the supply and consumption of electricity by domestic premises where photo-voltaic generating capacity has been installed; [84319]

(2) what discussions he has conducted with (a) the Electricity Regulator and (b) the electricity supply industry concerning the current pricing arrangements for purchasing electricity generated by photo-voltaic installations in domestic premises. [84320]

Mr. Battle: Renewable sources, including photo- voltaic (PV) installations, have an important contribution to make to the development of sustainable energy supplies in the UK. It is important that renewables and other forms of embedded generation can compete on a level playing field. My Department's New and Renewable Energy Programme has supported a number of studies, involving both renewable generating companies and the electricity supply industry, with the aim of encouraging the development of commercial and technical frameworks that will assist them to compete on an equal footing.

In addition, "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century", the consultation paper which I published on 30 March, invited comments on issues surrounding the connection of embedded renewable generators to the electricity system. I will consider what further action may be required in the light of that consultation.

Metering is of course an essential component of a competitive market. It is important however, that metering arrangements do not discriminate between alternative sources or impose excessive costs. I understand that, while all generators are required to measure their exports and imports separately, for the very smallest sources (those below 100kW), such as domestic PV systems, a simpler system of metering is required.

I would encourage those who wish to see changes in the existing arrangements for metering or trade in PV or other types of embedded generation to take this up with the Director General of Electricity Supply at their earliest opportunity, and I will take a close interest in the outcome of those discussions.

25 May 1999 : Column: 110

UKAEAC

Mr. McNulty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the results of the recent inspection of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. [85606]

Mr. Battle: I understand that the full text of the report by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, Mr. Colin Smith, is being published today by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Constabulary's Policy Authority. This is the first time that an inspection report on the UKAEAC has been published, and I welcome this commitment to increased openness. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

I am pleased to note that the Inspector formed a good opinion of the professionalism of the men and women who police our nuclear installations. His report acknowledges the considerable modernisation in the force's management and general effectiveness brought about in recent years by the former and current Chief Constables.

The report makes 14 recommendations for improvements primarily on a range of management, training, communications and personnel issues, all of which the Chief Constable and Police Authority are committed to implementing.

Post Office

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the commercial acquisitions made by the Post Office since 1 November 1998, giving the approximate value of each acquisition and the date in which approval was given. [85345]

Mr. Ian McCartney: The commercial acquisitions made by the Post Office since 1 November 1998 are as follows:

Germany:

German Parcel--acquisition cost around £300 million

Der Kurier--acquisition cost less than £10 million

Austria:

Delacher--acquisition cost less than £3 million.

Government approval for the German Parcel acquisition was given to the Post Office on 19 December 1998. The other deals fell within permitted borrowing limits for smaller development investments which are notified to Government but do not require specific approval. Fuller details of the arrangements will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

BSE Inquiry

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of the BSE Inquiry. [85506]

Mr. Nick Brown: The BSE Inquiry was originally intended to report on 31 December 1998. At the request of the Inquiry, my right hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), the previous Minister of

25 May 1999 : Column: 111

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, announced on 9 March 1998, Official Report, column 3, that the original terms of reference would be revised to allow the Inquiry until 30 June 1999 to report. The Inquiry has now requested a further extension and, following discussions with the Committee about the time needed to complete their task, the Government have agreed that the Report shall be delivered by 31 March 2000.

Meat Hygiene Service (Charges)

Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints he has received over meat hygiene service charges since April 1998. [85131]

Mr. Rooker: Since April 1998, my Department has received over 500 representations about hygiene inspection charges and the proposal to introduce charges for Specified Risk Material controls. In the same period, the Meat Hygiene Service has also received in excess of 100 representations about the level of its charges.

Date-based Export Scheme

Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has made to improve participation within the Date-Based Export Scheme. [85132]

Mr. Rooker: I expect uptake of the Date-based Export Scheme (DBES) to be low initially. The condition under which exports may resume are very strict: we can only change them in further negotiations and it is the Government's view that we must first show that we can operate the scheme as it stands. There are a few slaughterhouses which want to participate. My officials have been discussing with these slaughterhouses how the scheme might work for them, and will talk with any others which are interested. After we have seen and considered the report of Commission's April inspection of our DBES procedures, we will be writing to the slaughterhouses with details of the Scheme and an invitation to apply for participation or further information.

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