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Type Approval Certificates
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Type Approval certificates for (a) MPT 1305 and (b) MPT 1383 are still valid. [93187]
Mr. Wills [holding answer 26 July 1999]: Type approval certificates issued under MPT 1305 are valid. However, there have been no Type Approval certificates issued under MPT 1383.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Non-technical Variant Approval certificates have been issued citing necessary compliance with MPT 1383. [93190]
Mr. Wills [holding answer 26 July 1999]: There have been no Type Approval certificates issued citing compliance with MPT 1383 and hence no Non-technical Variant Approval certificates have been issued to this Standard by the Radiocommunications Agency.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Radiocommunications Agency has issued Type Approval certificates with a specification of MPT 1383; and if this is a recognised standard in (a) the European Union and (b) elsewhere. [93188]
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Mr. Wills
[holding answer 26 July 1999]: The Radiocommunications Agency has not issued any Type Approval certificates under specification MPT 1383. MPT 1383 was written with the intention that it was to become a UK specific Type Approval specification for Short Range Business Radio equipment. However, when it became clear that efforts were being made to harmonise a similar European service (subsequently launched as Private Mobile Radio 446) work ceased on the necessary notification procedure for MPT 1383 to be adopted as a recognised national standard. It was, therefore, never adopted as a Type Approval standard and remains uncompleted. MPT 1383 would only be used for national approvals if it was to be adopted.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Radiocommunications Agency library issues copies of Type Approval certificate MPT 1318 for inspection. [93189]
Mr. Wills
[holding answer 26 July 1999]: The Radiocommunications Agency only issues Type Approval certificates to the applicant and a copy is sent to the respective test house that carried out the technical analysis.
However, the Agency can inform third parties whether a particular product has been type approved. It is at the discretion of the applicant to provide copies of the type approval certificate to interested parties.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff are employed in the UK Safeguards Office; what are the qualifications of each staff member; and what staff have been seconded to the Safeguards Office from (a) other Government Departments and (b) outside bodies. [93282]
Dr. Howells:
There are five technical posts and three administrative/support posts within the UK Safeguards Office. One technical post is currently vacant. Of the 4 technical staff members currently in post, two have first class honours degrees in Chemistry, one has a 2:1 class honours degree in Chemistry and a D.Phil. and one a 2:1 class honours degree in Applied Chemistry and a PhD. No staff have been seconded to the Safeguards Office from other Government Departments or outside bodies.
Mr. Borrow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for a review of ECGD's status. [93796]
Mr. Byers:
ECGD will shortly be commencing a Review of its Status in accordance with "Next Steps" principles. This will allow us to take a fundamental look at ECGD's functions in order to establish a clear Mission Statement to define ECGD's role over the next few years.
The Terms of Reference for the Mission and Status Review are:
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It should also take into account the results of other concurrent reviews which may have a bearing on ECGD's future activities, namely the Export Finance Review, announced on 11 February 1998, Official Report, columns 218-19, the Reinsurance Scheme Review, announced 27 April 1999, Official Report, column 84 and the Risk Management Review, announced 26 May 1999, Official Report, columns 198-99.
The Review should also include a period of public consultation to seek the views of exporters, investors, lenders, private sector credit insurers and their representative bodies and other interested parties.
The Status element of the Review should be conducted in accordance with established principles for "Next Steps" reviews, taking account of any proposed change to ECGD's Mission Statement, to consider how its services can best be delivered and whether any change in the Status of ECGD would be required.
ECGD will be writing to all customers seeking their views and I very much look forward to receiving ideas and suggestions from all sections of the exporting community and, indeed, from others who have an interest in developing the role of ECGD and strengthening the partnership between Government and industry.
Mrs. Gilroy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement setting out the significant changes in the Government's proposals for the reform of utility regulation made since publication of the White Paper in July 1998. [93797]
Mr. Battle:
Since July 1998, the Government have been working on the detail of its proposals for the reform of utility regulation. This further work has resulted in the modification of some of the proposals.
First, the Government originally concluded that, for the energy and telecommunications sectors, individual regulators should be replaced with full-time executive boards composed of a chairman and two others. In the light of further analysis, the Government have decided that Ministers should be able to appoint any number of board members, who may be full or part-time, and executive or non-executive, so that the size and composition of each regulatory board meets the requirements of each office, and can change, over time, in response to developments. For the water sector, where the demands and pressures on the regulator are somewhat different from the other sectors, the Government now intend to retain the existing provision for an individual regulator. However, the Government intend to introduce a provision requiring the individual regulator to be supported by an advisory panel appointed by Ministers.
Second, the Government originally concluded that they would introduce legislation to extend to all regulators powers of the type held by the gas regulator to impose
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monetary penalties for breach of overall and individual service standards. Those powers related only to current and likely future breaches of licence conditions and other relevant requirements. They would not, as currently drafted, allow the imposition of penalties in relation to breaches, however serious, which were discontinued by the company when an enforcement notice was issued, or which ceased before enforcement action could be taken. This significantly weakens the effectiveness of monetary penalties as an enforcement mechanism. The Government now intend, therefore, to give regulators powers to impose penalties for past as well as for continuing breaches of licence conditions and other statutory requirements (but not including breaches committed before the legislation to introduce the powers is enacted). These powers will not extend to likely future breaches. Similar powers have recently been proposed for the Strategic Rail Authority.
Mr. David Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Scottish Power plc's application to build a new combined heat and power gas-fired power station at the Sappi paper mill. [93795]
Mr. Battle:
I have today granted consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to Scottish Power plc for construction of a 60 MW gas-fired Combined Heat and Power station at the Sappi paper mill at Feniscowles, near Blackburn, Lancashire. The station has also today been given clearance as a gas-fired station under Section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 and planning permission has been deemed to be granted, subject to 52 planning conditions agreed with the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Lancashire County Council. The decisions have been taken in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper entitled "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).
Copies of the Press Notice and decision letters are being placed in the Library of the House.
"To review the aims and objectives, role and status of ECGD and to make recommendations to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry."
The Review should take account of the relationship of ECGD's activities to HMG's wider objectives and of the need to balance the benefits of ECGD's support for UK exporters and investors against the risks to the taxpayer. The Review should consider international practice in the provision of export credit and investment insurance both in the public and private sectors.
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