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European State Aid
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 25 October 1999, Official Report, column 656, for what reason approved State aid to the sectors listed is not broken down by country by the Commission; and if he will estimate the figures for each sector in each country. [97228]
Mrs. Liddell:
Although the Commission surveys on State aid contain information on assistance to each sector across the EU, this information is not broken down by country. UK officials are discussing with the Commission
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ways in which the publication of data on State aid might be improved.
The detailed information is not therefore available in the form requested.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Dr. Julian Braybrook, of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, chaired an Expert Committee on phthalates in toys, set up by the Weinberg Group; and if he will make a statement. [97462]
Dr. Howells:
Dr. Braybrook chaired an independent scientific committee convened by the Weinberg Group. The remit of the committee, which met only once, was to comment on the initial opinion of the EU Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response he has made to the statement made by the European Union Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment on 28 September on the adequacy of the tests developed by the Laboratory of the Government Scientist, for toys containing phthalates; and if he will make a statement. [97464]
Dr. Howells:
My Department wrote to the Commission expressing disappointment that the Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (SCTEE) could not accept the test developed by the LGC in its current form and concern that the Commission had not encouraged further discussion to address the points raised by the SCTEE. Many of the points raised in the SCTEE opinion could have been addressed in discussions between the LGC and the SCTEE before any final views were published. We believed, and continue to believe, that by working together it should be possible to establish a test which could be used for enforcement purposes across Europe, and which would have relevance beyond the safety of phthalates alone.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role the Laboratory of the Government Chemist has played in relation to phthalates in toys and in (a) advising and (b) representing the Government on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [97460]
Dr. Howells:
LGC, a privatised and independent laboratory, was contracted to act in an advisory capacity to my Department on matters related to the migration behaviour of phthalates. An LGC scientist has attended certain meetings when technical issues in respect of phthalates were discussed. LGC has also been commissioned by my Department to develop a migration test to measure leaching levels from toys mouthed by children, and to test products currently on the UK market. LGC has also been funded by my Department to participate in work undertaken by both the European Commission and by the so called Dutch "consensus group".
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to ensure that British children are not exposed to phthalates in toys and to support the temporary ban proposed by the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection; and if he will make a statement. [97465]
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Dr. Howells:
All the scientific evidence to date has shown that phthalates can be safely used and our research shows that toys sold in the UK are safe. However, it is important to reach a Community solution, particularly in the interests of consistency in consumer safety so that consumers across Europe do not remain confused and concerned. In the light of this, if the Commission does adopt the draft proposal currently under discussion, I would be willing to accept a ban on phthalates in toys intended to be mouthed. Regarding a ban through emergency measures under the General Product Safety Directive, this would be the first time that such measures were used to ban a product. The measures are there to be used where risk is serious and immediate, and given the scientific evidence regarding phthalates, their use in this case would, in our view, be inappropriate.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Dr. Julian Baybrook, of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, wrote on behalf of the Weinberg Group Experts' Committee to all European Commissioners against an emergency ban on toys containing phthalates; and if he will make a statement. [97463]
Dr. Howells:
No. Dr. Braybrook did not write to European Commissioners, nor to any other bodies, regarding an emergency ban.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Dr. Julian Braybrook, of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, participated as a UK Government delegate in the European Commission's Emergencies Committee meeting on 14 July 1998; and if he will make a statement. [97461]
Dr. Howells:
Dr. Braybrook attended a meeting of the Emergencies Committee on 14 September, at the request of the Commission, to present the migration test devised by the LGC. He has attended other meetings as scientific adviser to the UK delegation.
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he will be taking to promote the work of the Commonwealth Partnership for Technology at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Durban on 9 to 11 November. [97245]
Mr. Byers:
The Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management's Report "CPTM into the New Millennium" is on the Agenda of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Durban from 12-15 November. The Department of Trade and Industry has promoted the useful work which the CPTM has undertaken since its inception in 1995. I endorse the call made by the Commonwealth Secretary General to Governments to support the continuation of its activities.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 26 May 1999, Official Report, column 201, on RDX explosives, what export licences have been issued since May for explosives containing RDX; and how many applications are currently pending. [97114]
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Dr. Howells:
I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible, and place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will rank the sectors of the economy according to their percentage consumption of the UK's total energy, indicating the percentages in each case; and if he will make a statement. [97630]
Mrs. Liddell:
The percentage of total UK energy consumed by each sector, in 1998, was as follows:
| Sector | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Transport | 34 |
| Domestic | 29 |
| Industry | 22 |
| Services | 14 |
The Government are committed to promoting the more efficient use of energy in all sectors of the economy, as part of their policy to encourage sustainable development. A draft Climate Change Programme, to be issued around the turn of the year, will set out a draft programme, for public consultation, about how the Government should move towards their goals for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The Government aim to present a balanced, equitable programme which engages all sectors of the economy and society in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which sector of the economy he has identified as the fastest-growing consumer of energy; and if he will make a statement. [97629]
Mrs. Liddell:
Since 1990, energy consumption has increased fastest in the transport, domestic and service sectors. The increases in energy consumption, by sector, between 1990 and 1998, were as follows:
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the increase in energy use between 1990 and 1998 by (i) industry, (ii) the domestic sector, (iii) transport, (iv) consumer and (v) other; and if he will make a statement. [97631]
Mrs. Liddell:
Energy consumption by sector between 1990 and 1998 was as follows:
Transport--up 10 per cent.
Domestic--up 13 per cent.
Services--up 13 per cent.
Industry--down 10 per cent.
Energy consumption fluctuates from one year to another, in particular with differences in temperature and the state of the economy.
Source:
DTI's Digest of UK Energy Statistics 1999
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Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which sectors of industry he has assessed as having substantial opportunities to reduce their energy consumption; and if he will make a statement. [97624]
Mrs. Liddell: Analysis carried out by the Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) indicates that there is significant scope for cost-effective energy saving measures across a wide range of industrial sectors.
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