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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Consumer White Paper
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 315, if The Times industrial correspondent was briefed prior to the general press briefing at 12 noon on 22 July 1999. [94302]
Dr. Howells: Neither I nor my colleagues spoke to The Times industrial correspondent prior to the general press briefing on 22 July.
Philippines
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if offsetting arrangements were associated with UK defence sales to the Philippines in the mid-1990s. [94802]
Mr. Kilfoyle: I have been asked to reply.
Offset arrangements have been associated with UK defence exports to the Philippines. Such arrangements are a matter between the contractor(s) and the Philippine Government.
European State Aid
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions United Kingdom representatives have held with Commission officials over whether to categorise French Government assistance to the Societe Marseillaise de Credit as state aid; and if he will make a statement. [95297]
Mrs. Liddell: The Commission has exclusive competence to determine whether an aid is compatible with the Treaty. The Commission is currently investigating the aid granted to Societe Marseillaise de Credit. If, at the end of its investigation, the Commission reaches a negative decision and finds that the aid is not compatible with the Treaty, it may order the French authorities to recover the aid paid with interest. UK representatives have not held any discussions with Commission officials regarding this case.
Brussels Convention
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is regarding the proposed revision of the Brussels Convention regarding cross-border consumer contract law; and if he will make a statement. [95923]
Dr. Howells: The Department is consulting business, consumer and other organisations about the approach the Government should take towards the draft proposal put forward by the European Commission to convert the Convention into a Community Regulation. The DTI hosted a conference for this purpose on 15 October. We are extremely keen to see e-commerce flourish in the EU and our aims are to give consumers confidence and to minimise costs to business.
Alcohol (Advertising)
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is regarding the advertising of alcoholic drinks; and if he will make a statement. [95925]
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Dr. Howells:
Alcohol advertising is subject to general legislation and other rules relating, for example, to accuracy, truthfulness and decency. In addition, there are specific rules relating to alcohol in the Codes of Practice of the principal bodies controlling advertising in the UK: the Independent Television Commission; the Radio Authority; and the Advertising Standards Authority. These rules are designed to ensure that alcohol advertising is socially responsible. Advertisements should not appeal to young people, should not show alcohol in association with dangerous activities such as driving, sports or operating machinery, and should not give the impression that alcohol improves performance.
In addition, television advertising is also subject to a European Union Directive. Article 15 of the Television Without Frontiers Directive requires that television advertising for alcoholic drinks must not be aimed specifically at minors or depict minors consuming them. The regulators have reflected this in their Codes of Practice by specifically prohibiting advertisers from directing promotions for drinks containing alcohol at people under eighteen years of age.
I understand that compliance with the Codes in this area is very high. Relatively few complaints are received about alcohol advertising and we have no reason to believe the system is not working well across the media. My colleagues in the Department of Health are examining the role of advertising in the context of the development of the new alcohol misuse strategy for England.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the results of the Office of Science and Technology studies into the careers, conditions and salaries of young scientific researchers. [95796]
Ms Hewitt:
The Office of Science and Technology has not commissioned such studies. It supports the Research Careers Initiative, chaired by Sir Gareth Roberts, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, which expects to publish a second report in the new year, surveying progress in improving the career management and development of research staff on fixed-term contracts in universities.
The first report, from October 1998, is available on the CVCP website at: www.cvcp.ac.uk.
Mr. Gordon Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the level of compliance by employers with the new Working Time Regulations. [95696]
Mr. Alan Johnson
[holding answer 25 October 1999]: The level of compliance with the Working Time Regulations is difficult to assess at this early stage. When the autumn Labour Force Survey is available (early in 2000) it will provide information for some assessment of
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the Regulations to be made. The enforcing authorities are also collecting data, which may be indicative of compliance.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to amend the Working Time Regulations in respect of (a) record-keeping by those who opt out of the 48-hour week and (b) extending the scope of the unmeasured working time exemption; and if he will make a statement. [96700]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
Draft regulations to amend the Working Time Regulations, in respect of the requirement to keep records for workers who have opted out of the working time limit and extending the scope of the unmeasured working time exemption, were laid before Parliament on 19 October. They will be debated in both Houses before being made.
The extension of the 'unmeasured working time' derogation provides greater flexibility for workers who can determine their own hours of work, but have an element of their working time predetermined. The second amendment replaces the requirement to keep records for those who opt-out of the working time limit, with a single requirement to keep a list of those who have signed an opt-out.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of installing residual current devices on the incidence of fires in domestic dwellings with an electrical cause. [95265]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 26 October 1999]: The DTI has made no formal assessment of the impact of installing residual current devices (RCDs) on the incidence of fires in domestic dwellings with an electrical cause.
However, the Department has undertaken research into the role and added value of RCDs in the home, including an examination of their potential for preventing fires. The report was published in October 1997 and the contractor was ERA Technology Ltd. A copy of the report "Residual Current Devices--added value for home safety" is available in the Library.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the amount (a) in total and (b) by country of the five nations with the highest amount of such trade, of UK (i) imports and (ii) exports of defence goods and services for the past two years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [95932]
Mr. Caborn
[holding answer 26 October 1999]: Information on exports of military equipment during 1997 was included in the Government's Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 25 March 1999. Information for 1998 will be included in the Government's next Annual Report which is currently being prepared.
Figures for exports of goods prior to 1997, imports of goods and trade in services could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are Her Majesty's Government's priorities at the Millennium Round of the World Trade Organisation; and if he will make a statement. [95729]
Mr. Caborn
[holding answer 26 October 1999]: The Government's priorities are unchanged from those outlined in the reply given by my predecessor on 21 January 1999, Official Report, columns 548-49.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which EU legislation required the introduction of the Trading Schemes (Exclusion) (Amendment) Regulations 1997/1887. [96204]
Dr. Howells:
There is no such EU legislation.
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