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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 20 January 2000
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Horizon Working Group
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the report of the Horizon Working Group on post office business issues submitted to the Cabinet Office in December 1999; and if he will make a statement. [104724]
Mr. Byers: The document concerned represents work in progress and contains commercially sensitive information.
Post Offices
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there were in (a) Somerset and (b) the Yeovil constituency in each year from 1980 to 1999; and if he will make a statement. [104748]
Mr. Byers: I understand from the Post Office that they do not hold historic information on the numbers of post offices in each parliamentary constituency or local administrative area and that such information cannot readily be compiled.
The Post Office advise that in October 1999 the number of post offices in Somerset was 234 and in the Yeovil constituency was 42.
Mr. Jack:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals are being considered by his Department to help sustain and develop the viability of rural and urban sub-post offices. [105859]
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Mr. Alan Johnson:
The Government are making a substantial contribution to the costs of automating the entire post office counters network to strengthen the viability of the network as a whole. Automation will enable Post Office Counters Ltd. to offer substantial enhancements to the services it is able to offer to clients and customers which in turn will increase the attractiveness of post offices compared with other service delivery channels. In addition, the Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office is carrying out an urgent study on the post office network.
Mrs. Browning:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under which section of the Companies Act 1985 he asked officials to investigate Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare in 1999. [106005]
Mr. Byers:
I have never asked my officials to investigate Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will prevent recent proposed changes in the ownership of newspapers circulating in Wales. [105423]
Dr. Howells:
I understand that the question refers to the proposal by Trinity Mirror plc ("Trinity Mirror") to acquire the newspapers and related assets of News Communications & Media plc. Under section 58 of the Fair Trading Act 1973, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's prior written consent is required before such an acquisition is made. I announced on 21 December that I was referring Trinity Mirror's application for consent to the Competition Commission. The reference, which was mandatory under the terms of the Act, does not prejudge the issues involved. The Competition Commission will investigate and report their findings to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State by 13 March 2000.
Joan Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much soya was imported from the USA to the UK in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998 and (d) 1999. [106092]
Mr. Caborn:
The available information is as follows:
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| SITC/CN/Description | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999(1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08131 Oil cake and residues of soya beans | 15,635 | 34,487 | 28,836 | 12,645 |
| 22220 Soya beans | 77,892 | 86,232 | 71,054 | 20,329 |
| 120810000 Flours and meals of soya beans | 32 | 21 | 16 | 19 |
| 42111 Crude soya bean oil | 1 | 0 | 47 | 96 |
| 42119 Refined soya bean oil | 25 | 32 | 22 | 1 |
| Total | 93,585 | 120,772 | 99,975 | 33,090 |
(1) January-November
Source:
Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, HM Customs and Excise
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National Assembly for Wales
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what training staff in his Department have received on the implications of the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales on their work in giving advice in response to inquiries. [106070]
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Mr. Caborn:
Information and guidance on the implications of devolution on the work of the Department, including handling of correspondence and inquiries, has been promulgated to staff throughout the Department and placed on the Department's intranet. In addition, a number of seminars have been held to provide information to staff
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and to encourage discussion on the effect of devolution on their responsibilities. I have also written to all senior officials in DTI to remind them of the need to work with the devolved administrations in accordance with the arrangements set out in the Memorandum of Understanding and concordats (Command Paper Cm 4444, published on 1 October 1999) and in a bilateral concordat between DTI and the National Assembly for Wales which I expect to be published shortly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the new EU regional assistance map for the UK to be agreed. [106078]
Mr. Caborn:
Discussions with the Commission on the proposals for new Assisted Areas are continuing. We will announce the new map as soon as possible.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the payment of compensation to ex-coalminers and their widows in respect of emphysema and chronic bronchitis includes an element of compensation for pain and suffering; and if he will make a statement. [106074]
Mrs. Liddell:
Compensation for successful claims in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema includes general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those properties held by his Department and agencies responsible to him which are (a) wholly and (b) mainly unoccupied at present, giving locations and when they became so unoccupied in each case. [105307]
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 19 January 2000]: The information is as follows:
(a) None.
(b) Three.
(i) Lime Grove, Eastcote, Middlesex
My Department vacated this site in late 1998. Part of the site, however, continues to be occupied by US Forces personnel and my officials are therefore exploring a transfer of site responsibility to the Ministry of Defence.
(ii) Dee Hills Park, Chester
(iii) Gordon House, Rochester
These freehold properties were vacated on 6 December 1999 and 9 January 2000 respectively. Sales of both are expected to be completed shortly.
Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the manufacturing capacity of glassmaking in the UK, expressed in tonnes per day. [104766]
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Mr. Alan Johnson:
This Department has responsibility only for the lead crystal, container, scientific/technical and automotive glassware sectors. No such assessment of the manufacturing capacity in these industries has been undertaken.
Mr. Rammell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the medium-term demand for manufactured glass in Britain. [104765]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
This Department has responsibility only for the lead crystal, container, scientific/technical and automotive glassware sectors. No such assessment of the medium-term demand for manufactured glass in Britain has been undertaken. However, independent reports suggest that the UK glassware market is being increasingly influenced by fashion and design as part of the general trend towards casual dining which has increased the demand for glassware products.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the moratorium on gas-fired power stations, including the direct and indirect impact on employment. [105160]
Mrs. Liddell:
I am monitoring carefully the economic impact of the Government's policy of stricter consents for gas-fired power stations. In particular, I have received representations about the impact of the policy on proposals for industrial regeneration in local economies and the impact on employment in the oil and gas, power generation equipment and other sectors. However, the policy is necessary, as a temporary measure, to protect security and diversity of supply while the electricity market is reformed. It will be relaxed as soon as the reform programme has been undertaken and the distortions in the market have been removed.
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