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Working Time Regulations
Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance he has given to (a) the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities and (b) Industrial Tribunals, on enforcing the new Working Time Regulations. [95698]
Mr. Alan Johnson [holding answer 25 October 1999]: The Department of Trade and Industry published guidance on the Working Time Regulations, which covered enforcement, in September 1998. Copies were sent to the Health and Safety Executive and the Employment Tribunal Service (formerly the Industrial Tribunal Service). Guidance is also available on the Department website.
Mr. Gordon Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what provision has been made to increase the resources available to (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) industrial tribunals, to enforce the new Working Time Regulations. [95699]
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Mr. Alan Johnson
[holding answer 25 October 1999]: The Department of Trade and Industry transfers funds to the Health and Safety Executive for enforcing the working time limits. This funding is reviewed in the light of experience.
Resources are allocated to the Employment Tribunal Service taking account of the Service's forecasts of overall caseload and operational requirements. Recent forecasts take into account the implementation of the Working Time Regulations.
Mr. Gordon Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the enforcement mechanisms for the new Working Time Regulations. [95697]
Mr. Alan Johnson
[holding answer 25 October 1999]: The Department of Trade and Industry is in regular contact with interested parties about many aspects of the Working Time Regulations, including enforcement.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that the pricing policies of petrol wholesalers do not disadvantage independent retailers. [95746]
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 25 October 1999]: Under UK competition legislation responsibility for monitoring markets, including the petrol market, and investigating allegations of anti-competitive practices lies with the Director General of Fair Trading. He has powers to act if necessary. Anyone with evidence of, or concerns about, anti-competitive pricing policies or other behaviour should contact the Director General.
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about criteria for allocating structural funds to the regions. [94212]
Mr. Caborn:
We received over 440 representations in response to the public consultation on determining areas for Structural Funds Objective 2 eligibility.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the procedures used to determine the selection of areas recommended for Objective 2 status. [94234]
Mr. Byers:
On 8 October the Government submitted the UK proposals for new Objective 2 areas for 2000-06 to the European Commission.
The procedure the Government used is set out in the document URN99/1021 "The Government's proposals for new Objective 2 areas". Copies have been sent to all Members.
In drawing up its proposals the Government took account of responses to the earlier consultation exercise, and in particular of the proposals from the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales.
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Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to require electricity supply companies to upgrade consumer installations to comply with Building Standard BS 7671. [95264]
Ms Hewitt:
None. The decision and responsibility for any necessary upgrading of consumers' existing electrical installations is a matter for those consumers alone.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent meetings (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials held where UK investment in oil or gas developments in the Timor Gap was discussed; when these meetings were set up; with whom these meetings were held; what the precise purpose of the meetings was; and what involvement there was of Indonesian Government (i) Ministers, (ii) officials and (iii) businesses; and if he will make a statement. [95267]
Mr. Caborn:
All the dealings of my Department regarding oil and gas developments in the Timor Gap have been with the Australian side. To date there has been no involvement of Indonesian Government Ministers, officials or other organisations in relation to such developments.
My officials visited Darwin in July 1999 and met the Northern Territory Minister, Hon. Daryl Manzie. Meetings were also held with the Office of Resource Development, Phillips Oil Company Australia, Woodside Energy Ltd., the Australian representative of the Australia-Indonesia Joint Authority for the Timor Gap Zone of Co-operation and with the University and local engineering and supply companies.
These meetings were set up by the British Consulate-General in Perth, WA, to allow an assessment to be made of the likelihood of oil and gas developments going ahead in the Timor Gap and the opportunities these might present for the suppliers of UK goods and services.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the EU regarding changes to the EU Trademark Directive, with respect to allowing branded goods from outside the EU to be imported; and if he will make a statement. [95710]
Dr. Howells:
Since the European Court of Justice, in its judgment in the Silhouette case last year, determined that European trade mark law allows trade mark owners to prevent the import of their goods into the EU, we have made it clear to our European partners and to the Commission that full discussion, including possible change to European law, must take place. This discussion should be informed by studies into the economic effects of this judgment, in particular on prices, competition and consumers.
The European Commission has responded with a study undertaken by the consulting firm NERA which demonstrated that there would be a beneficial, if small
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impact on the European economy resulting from change to the law, and that such benefits would be focussed in certain sectors, especially clothing, footwear, perfumes and other luxury goods. Work undertaken by my Department concerning the United Kingdom economy, and by the Swedish government, supports these findings.
We have ensured that trade mark rights and the results of these studies have been discussed at meetings of the Internal Market Council. The Council will consider the issue again at its meeting in November. In the meantime we are encouraging other member States to undertake investigations to ensure that discussion at the Council progresses and is well informed.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requirement there is for care workers to be paid at national minimum wage rates for time spent travelling between assignments; what representations he has received from and discussions he has had with care companies on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [95731]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The National Minimum Wage Regulation 15 provides that workers travelling on the business of their employer during their normal working hours must be paid the national minimum wage for that time, except where the travel is between the worker's home and place of work. I have received a number of representations on this issue from organisations involved in the provision of care work.
We have asked the Low Pay Commission to monitor and evaluate the impact of the national minimum wage on pay, employment and competitiveness. I would expect that care work providers will have taken the opportunity to raise this matter with the Commission.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Solicitor-General what training (a) in race awareness and (b) on employers' responsibilities under the Race Relations Act 1975 has been undertaken by (i) the DPP, (ii) CPS chief Crown prosecutors, (iii) CPS assistant chief Crown prosecutors and (iv) CPS branch Crown prosecutors; what plans he has to review training in (a) and (b); and if he will make a statement. [95773]
The Solicitor-General:
A programme of training in race awareness was introduced in the Crown Prosecution Service for all staff managers in September 1997. In the London Area, which has a high percentage of staff from minority racial and cultural backgrounds, this training was extended to all staff. The course covers the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The Director of Public Prosecutions and the Chief Executive have received this training since joining the CPS. The Chief Crown Prosecutors who were appointed to their posts this year will either have received this training earlier or should have done so by the end of
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the year. This training is now provided on an on-going basis so that all new managers receive it shortly after appointment.
The structure, delivery and content of all training provided within the CPS is currently being reviewed by the Equality Committee that was formed within the Department in August this year.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Solicitor-General what the present position is in relation to the Commission for Racial Equality's possible investigation into the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement. [95774]
The Solicitor-General:
On 27 July 1999 the Commission for Racial Equality wrote to the Crown Prosecution Service indicating that it was minded to undertake a formal investigation under section 48 of the Race Relations Act 1976. The Crown Prosecution Service have made written representations to the Commission in response to their letter and discussed these with a number of Commissioners on 5 October. The Crown Prosecution Service is currently waiting to hear from the Commission with their conclusions.
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