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North West Development Agency
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultation took place prior to the appointment of the membership of the North West Development Agency. [88749]
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Mr. Meale:
Candidates for the Boards of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) were sought from as wide a field as possible. Three main approaches were taken to identify candidates: RDAs were included alongside other Non Departmental Public Bodies in a general advertisement for Board Members; the databases of the Public Appointments Unit, DETR and other government departments were searched for suitable candidates; and a large number of regional and national stakeholders were invited to offer nominations.
I have placed in the Library a list showing the regional stakeholders who were invited to nominate members for the North West Development Agency.
Candidates encouraged to apply by stakeholders were considered alongside applicants from other sources. Information on which stakeholder, if any, nominated those appointed to the Boards was not recorded separately.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the financial implications for the Exchequer are arising out of the movement from Mercury Court of the North West Development Agency's premises in Liverpool. [88761]
Mr. Meale:
Decisions on location are a matter for the North West Development Agency. The movement of some staff from Mercury Court to alternative premises, including area offices, is still being negotiated. However, any net increase in cost which may arise will be contained within the Agency's overall budget. There will therefore be no direct financial implications for the Exchequer.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultation took place and with which organisations and individuals prior to the North West Development Agency's decision to close the Cockermouth Office of English Partnerships. [88750]
Mr. Meale:
Decisions on location are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand that, in deciding in principle to locate its Area office in Penrith, the Agency took account of a range of factors.
The Board reached a decision to locate the Area Office and Headquarters on the M6/West Coast Main Line (in respect of Cumbria and Lancashire); at the interchange of the M6/M62 and West Coast Main Line (Warrington Headquarters and Cheshire Area office) and on the M62/East West Rail Line (Liverpool and Manchester). The Penrith decision flowed from the application of these criteria--particularly the need to have public transport access via rail. There was no general consultation on this specific decision.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he will take to ensure that levies on (a) road use and (b) workplace parking schemes will not unfairly penalise car ownership by vulnerable groups. [89457]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Government's proposals on road user charging and the workplace parking levy will not penalise car ownership, but will tackle congestion and other problems caused by car use in certain circumstances. The Government are keen to ensure that the needs of vulnerable groups are considered when charging schemes
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are introduced. The Secretary of State will take all relevant impacts into account when considering proposed local authority schemes for approval.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress towards achieving the national targets for reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries resulting from road accidents in the United Kingdom. [89710]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
In 1987, a target was set to reduce the numbers of deaths and injuries from road accidents in Great Britain by one third by the year 2000, compared with the average for 1981-85.
The target has been exceeded for both road fatalities and serious injuries. By 1998, fatalities were 39 per cent. below baseline and serious injuries were 45 per cent. below. Compared with 1997, there was a fall of 5 per cent. for both deaths and serious injuries.
This substantial reduction in road casualties is to be welcomed, but there is no room for complacency. We are working on a new casualty reduction target for 2010, and a road safety strategy, which we are aiming to publish in the Autumn.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what it will cost the Countryside Agency to occupy the property at Penrith formerly occupied by the Rural Development Commission. [88763]
Mr. Meale:
The rent payable by the Countryside Agency is £6,763 a year, which includes service charges and utility costs. In addition, the Agency incurred one-off costs of about £4,500 on minor refurbishment works, including the installation of computer cabling.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to restrict the exercise of monopoly power under gene patents. [87371]
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Mr. Battle:
Rights available to patent owners, including those relating to genetic engineering, offer encouragement to undertake the costs and risks of technical innovation, but are already limited in their scope and duration in order that others can gain access to patented inventions and the technical knowledge on which they are based. There are no plans for change.
As for all technologies, patent rights in the genetics field can last for a maximum period of 20 years after which the invention becomes part of the public domain and all are free to use it. There are exceptions to rights allowing the use of a patented invention to undertake research relating to that invention. If the market for an invention is not being satisfied in the UK, then rights may be compulsorily licensed to others. It is also important to note that patented inventions are published in sufficient detail to allow others skilled in the technology to use them. This ensures that technical advances are disclosed so stimulating research for further inventions, and rights may be challenged more easily since their foundation is made available for all to see. These restrictions are consistent with European and International laws concerning patentability.
In addition to these restrictions on patent rights, in the event that a patented invention places the rights owner in a dominant market position, exercise of patent rights is subject to competition law.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the European Communities working groups which met over the last 12 months with a representative from his Department in attendance; if he will list the number of times each met; if he will indicate the nature of the Government's representation; and if he will make a statement. [88478]
Mr. Wilson:
I have nothing further to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 18 June 1999, Official Report, column 255.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number and grade of civil servants seconded to work in the (a) textile and (b) aerospace industries for each year since 1992. [89549]
Mr. Battle:
The Department does not keep comprehensive historical records of secondments. From the information that is available the details requested are:
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| Company | Grade | Period of secondment |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Industries | ||
| British Aerospace | R10 (formerly Grade 7) | November 1994-February 1995 |
| SBAC | R9 (formerly SEO) | October 1995-September 1997 |
| British Aerospace | R10 | January 1996-December 1996 |
| Matra Marconi Space | R10 | April 1996-September 1997 |
| British Airways | R9 | August 1996-September 1996 |
| Textile Industries | ||
| British Footwear Association | R8 | December 1997-March 1999 |
| Faith Charnock Wilson | R8 | June 1997 (2 weeks) |
| John Partridge | ||
| Illingworth | R6 | 4 x 1-day attachments |
| Drummonds | ||
| Paul James Knitwear |
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Statutory Instruments
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of statutory instruments introduced by his Department into Parliament in (a) 1998, (b) 1992, (c) 1985 and (d) 1973 had the European Union as their legislative source. [89169]
Mr. Byers: This question cannot be answered without incurring disproportionate cost.
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