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Horizon Project
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many sub-post offices he expects to close (a) in Eastbourne and (b) nationally as a result of the cancellation of the Horizon Project; [96964]
- (2) what analysis he has made of the likely effect on the Post Office of the cancellation of the Horizon Project. [96966]
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Mr. Alan Johnson: The Horizon Project has not been cancelled, but has been put back on track by the Government to ensure that every Post Office throughout the network will be equipped with this modern, on-line computer platform by the spring of 2001.
Climate Change Levy
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the cost to industry of the climate change levy. [96696]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 1 November 1999]: Any estimate of the impact of the levy will depend on the final rates of tax which will be set by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
However, the Government have promised that there will be significantly lower rates of the levy for those energy intensive sectors, covered by the EU Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive, which are prepared to enter negotiated agreements with the Government to deliver energy efficiency improvement and/or emissions reductions targets. To this end, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is leading discussions with a number of energy intensive sectors.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with industrialists about the likely costs of the climate change levy to their businesses. [96602]
Ms Hewitt:
The Government have been holding discussions with a wide range of business on the implementation of the climate change levy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry met representatives of business on 20 October to hear at first hand their views on the levy.
Any estimate of the impact of the levy will depend on the final rates of tax which will be set by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) EU Objective 1 and (b) EU Objective 2 programmes on UK economic development; and if he will make a statement. [95057]
Dr. Whitehead:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of EU Objective 1 and Objective 2 programmes on UK economic development. [95037]
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Mr. Russell Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) EU Objective 1 and (b) EU Objective 2 programmes on UK economic development; and if he will make a statement. [95067]
Mr. Caborn:
In accordance with the requirements of the regulations governing the Structural Funds, all UK Objective 1 and Objective 2 programmes have been independently evaluated both at mid-term and at the end of the programmes to assess their impact on economic development. These evaluations are available from the programme secretariats.
Overall the Structural Funds make a valuable contribution to economic development in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to improve consumer protection legislation. [96312]
Dr. Howells:
The White Paper "Modern Markets: Confident Consumers" published in July set out in detail the various proposals to improve consumer protection legislation on which the Department is currently working.
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Ministers in her Department visited Belize in each year from 1990 to 1997. [96174]
Clare Short:
No Ministers from my Department or from the Overseas Development Administration visited Belize between 1990 and 1997.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the titles of official departmental reports being prepared with a view to publication in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000, stating in each case the planned date for publication. [95511]
Clare Short:
The titles of official departmental reports being prepared with a view to publication in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000, with planned dates (where applicable), are shown in the tables.
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| Country/Regional Strategy Papers | Indicative Timing |
|---|---|
| Africa | |
| Gambia | Mid 2000 |
| Nigeria | March 2000 |
| Sierra Leone | Mid 2000 (depending on current military situation) |
| Asia | |
| Indonesia | June 2000 |
| Latin America/Caribbean | |
| Mexico | Undecided |
| Belize | January 2000 |
| Windward Islands | January 2000 |
| Jamaica | April 2000 |
| Eastern Europe/FSU | |
| Macedonia | June 2000 |
| Albania | March 2000 |
| Croatia | June 2000 |
| Kosovo | January 2000 |
| Institutional Strategy Papers | To be confirmed |
| Target Strategy Papers (consultation document plus final version) | |
| Targets statement | To be confirmed |
| Increased Economic Well-being | To be confirmed |
| Better Education | To be confirmed |
| Gender Equality | To be confirmed |
| Better Management of the Environment | To be confirmed |
| Water and Environmental Sanitation | To be confirmed |
| Good Governance | To be confirmed |
| Human Rights | To be confirmed |
| Others | |
| DFID Departmental Report 1999 | March 2000 |
| Statistics on International Development 1995-96 to 1999-2000 | December 2000 |
Departmental Accounting
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the methods of depreciation her Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [96926]
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Clare Short:
The Department for International Development (DFID) will be applying the straight line method of depreciation to fixed assets in preparing the balance sheet for the current financial year.
Ms Atherton:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's funding to the Sasi it has spent on (a) health projects and (b) education for the San Bushmen of South Africa. [96400]
Clare Short:
The South African San Institute (SASI) programme supported by DFID will help build the capacity of San communities to secure access to public health and education services. Funds have not been earmarked for health and education projects, but there will be health and education components to SASI supported activities in livelihood and cultural development, and to tackle substance abuse and violence against women and children.
Ms Atherton:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work her Department has undertaken in South Africa in tackling alcohol abuse among the San Bushmen. [96401]
Clare Short:
My Department is supporting the South African San Institute (SASI), which plans to develop rehabilitation and counselling services to deal with substance abuse.
Ms Atherton:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to support the San Bushmen of South Africa. [96399]
Clare Short:
My Department has assisted San communities in South Africa through the South African Government's Land Reform programme, which included advice on formulation of the successful land claim by the Southern Kalahari San, an indigenous San group located throughout the Mier area of South Africa near the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park.
Building on this support, my Department has made available £0.5 million to the South African San Institute (SASI) to help San communities create sustainable livelihoods and secure their constitutional rights to development and use of traditional language.
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