Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide details of licences granted to Sidem Ltd. for the export of small arms to Turkey since 2 May 1997. [104157]
Dr. Howells: The export of small arms is controlled under entries ML1 and PL5018 in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended, commonly known as the Military List. The entry in the legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated, and no standard or open individual licences covering goods with the relevant ratings are recorded as having been issued to this company between 2 May 1997 and 3 January 2000 for the export to consignees or end-users in Turkey.
This information should be considered in light of the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 307-08W.
Ann Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department is required to grant permission before a foreign company can export weapons manufactured under a licensed production agreement with a British company; and if he will list the actions taken (a) by his Department and (b) in conjunction with British Aerospace, to ensure that foreign companies manufacturing Heckler and Koch weapons using British Aerospace technology under licensed production agreements adhere to export control requirements within their licence agreements. [104295]
Dr. Howells:
As I stated in answer to my hon. Friend on 22 March 1999, Official Report, column 117W, companies wishing to license overseas production of their products do not require DTI approval, nor are they required to notify DTI of arrangements entered into. The control of exports from another country of goods manufactured in that country under such an arrangement is a matter for the competent authorities of the Government concerned.
Furthermore, as stated previously, the issue of controls on licensed production overseas was raised in a number of the responses to the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, and is therefore being considered in the review of the White Paper proposals in light of the results of the consultation.
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the banking industry on advertising charges for the use of cash machines. [104285]
Dr. Howells:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has corresponded with the British Bankers Association about charges for cash machines. My officials have also met representatives of Barclays Bank, the Nationwide Building Society and the British Bankers Association to discuss this issue.
10 Jan 2000 : Column: 29W
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure clearing bank cash machines pre-notify customers of charges. [104284]
Dr. Howells:
My Department is currently discussing the issue of charges for bank cash machines with the banking industry, HM Treasury and Don Cruickshank's team.
Our approach to this issue was set out by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 13 December 1999, Official Report, column 16W.
Mr. Crausby:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many clearing banks pre-notify charges for cash machine withdrawals. [104286]
Dr. Howells:
I understand that banks generally inform their customers about such charges by letter or when cash cards are issued.
While some banks' cash machines give a general on-screen warning to the effect that a particular card issuer may levy a charge, I am not aware of any bank which indicates on-screen how much any charge will be.
Mr. Denzil Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who represented Her Majesty's Government at the meeting of the General Council of the WTO held in Geneva on Friday 17 December. [104105]
Mr. Caborn:
The Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom Mission in Geneva attended the meeting of the WTO General Council. However, it is the European Commission that represents and speaks on behalf of the European Union and its member states at meetings of the WTO General Council.
Mr. Denzil Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the minutes of the meeting of the General Council of the WTO held in Geneva on Friday 17 December will be published. [104106]
Mr. Caborn:
The minutes will be circulated to WTO members in January. They will be made available to the public by the WTO secretariat eight months after circulation in accordance with a WTO General Council decision dated 26 July 1996. We are pressing in the WTO, through the European Union, for an elimination of the delay between initial circulation and derestriction as part of our broader WTO transparency aims.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of match public funds from (a) his Department and (b) the Department for Education and Employment are available to EU Objective 1 regions for each of the next seven calendar years. [104306]
Mr. Caborn:
It is not possible to identify match funding from DTI sources for the next seven calendar years since the Department's current expenditure plan runs until the end of the financial year 2000-01. Spending for following years will be determined as part of the next spending review. The DTI has many programmes which may provide match funding in Objective 1 regions,
10 Jan 2000 : Column: 30W
eg Business Links, Foresight, Smart, LINK. Regional Government Offices can advise potential applicants for European structural funding on all of these.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the requirements for match public funds from his Department for the EU Objective 1 regions of (a) Cornwall and Scilly, (b) Merseyside and (c) South Yorkshire for each of the seven years of the programme. [104351]
Mr. Caborn:
I refer the hon. Member to answer given on 10 November 1999, Official Report, column 637W.
Responsibility for identifying match funding is a matter for the partnerships in the regions concerned.
The Government decided two years ago on the levels of public spending for all departments for a three-year period. We shall review spending plans and bids in the next spending review for the period 2001-04.
The Regional Government Offices are best placed to advise the partnerships on the sources of departmental funding which can be used to match Structural Funds. The Government is updating and improving guidance on match funding. Given that UK annual public expenditure on industry, agriculture and employment alone is around ten times as much as annual commitments from the structural funds, there should be no difficulty for projects in finding match funding.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Parcelforce will continue to have preferential customs clearance facilities following the implementation of the Post Office White Paper proposals. [104250]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
There are no plans to make changes to Post Office customs procedures in the forthcoming Post Office Bill. Customs are in discussion with Parcelforce concerning international clearance facilities at their new Coventry depot.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Parcelforce's compulsory purchase powers will be retained following the implementation of the Post Office White Paper. [104249]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
It is intended that these powers will be retained by the Post Office but extended to other licensed Universal Service Providers.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what progress the Post Office has made in implementing the cost-based accounting system proposed in the Post Office White Paper; [104179]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The Post Office is making good progress in implementing the necessary cost-based accounting systems and it is expected that the EC Directive 97/67 deadline requirements for transparent accounting will be met.
10 Jan 2000 : Column: 31W
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) first class stamps and (b) second class stamps were sold in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997 and (iv) 1998. [104251]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
I understand from the Post Office that it is not possible to record the numbers of first and second class stamps sold because stamps are sold through independent retailers as well as through the Post Office network. The Post Office have supplied the following figures for the numbers of first and second class stamps produced:
(2) what assessment he has made of progress made by the Post Office towards meeting the February 2000 deadline for the implementation of transparent accounting. [104178]
Year | First class | Second class |
---|---|---|
1995-96 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
1996-97 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
1997-98 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
1998-99 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he took of EU proposals for a reduction in the postal monopoly when approving the increase in price of the first class stamp. [104182]
Mr. Alan Johnson: The Post Office have referred their proposals for letter tariff increases to the Post Office Users' National Council for consultation as statutorily required. My right hon. Friend will consider in due course any views and comments received from the Council.
Next Section | Index | Home Page |