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Science Parks
29. Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions his Department is taking to promote science parks based at leading universities. [105779]
Ms Hewitt: The Government are wholly aware of the importance of business incubation and science parks and has provided £35 million to set up UK Business Incubation as a centre for promoting best practice among fledging companies. The centre acts as a catalyst to extract the maximum benefit from the business incubation process in the UK by promoting best practices, better networking, and encouraging uptake of business incubation. Turning to science parks there over 60 science parks in the UK, including Cambridge, Aston, Durham and Coventry; the majority are based in or around major universities. There are close links between the parks and universities which strengthen the transfer of technology and business skills in order to foster the development and growth of business.
Out-of-town Supermarkets
31. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's competition policy in relation to out-of-town supermarkets. [105781]
Dr. Howells: The Competition Commission is currently investigating the supply of groceries in the UK. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on matters which may form part of the Commission's inquiry.
Scientific Research
32. Mr. Ian Stewart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to enable the longer-term planning of Government-funded scientific research. [105782]
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Ms Hewitt:
As a result of the Government's decision in the Comprehensive Spending Review to allocate money for three years instead of one, Departments and Research Councils can now plan ahead with more certainty than before.
The Government confirmed, in their response of 13 September 1999 to the July 1999 report by the Council for Science and Technology (CST) of its review of science and technology across Government, that it fully accepted the advice that Departments should adopt a more strategic forward-looking approach to science and technology. The response noted that many departments already made substantial efforts here and went a long way towards meeting the recommendation but accepted that there was more that could be done.
Many Departments are already closely engaged with the UK Foresight programme which aims to develop a culture of forward thinking on science and technology. In response to the CST report, Departments will decide how to make better use of Foresight as part of the development of their science and technology strategies. Work to implement this and other recommendations from the Council for Science and Technology's report is ongoing as part of wider work on a science and innovation strategy.
33. Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on prospects for trade in manufactured goods between Britain and its European Union partners. [105783]
Mr. Caborn:
The prospects for trade with our European Union partners are improving. Respected forecasters expect that market growth across the European Union will strengthen this year. This is already reflected in better export figures, which show that in the three months to November the value of exports to Germany, our main European Union trading partner, were 4 per cent. higher than the previous three months.
The CBI survey of manufacturers shows that optimism about export prospects for the coming 12 months is positive for the first time since October 1996, suggesting that companies share this view.
34. Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to recover Government grants to TransTec; and if he will make a statement. [105784]
Mr. Caborn:
Details of the Department's dealings with businesses over grants are confidential.
Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much public money has been given by his Department to TransTec since its establishment in (a) grants and (b) loans. [105635]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton (Mrs. Browning) on 25 January 2000, Official Report, columns 205-06W.
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35. Mr. Michael J. Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that the exploitation of the UK science base will lead to increased wealth and job creation. [105785]
Ms Hewitt:
The Government are committed to encouraging the exploitation of the UK science base and spending on this sector has increased steadily over the last few years. A number of schemes have been set up to encourage the development and exploitation of research which will place the UK at the cutting edge of technology thereby increasing its ability to compete in the 21st Century and in so doing boosting the economy and creating jobs.
36. Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will be announcing new measures to help renewable energy producers. [105786]
Mrs. Liddell:
The Government intend to make a statement on new and renewable energy shortly, at the time of the Second Reading of the Utilities Bill.
37. Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make an announcement on the location of the new synchrotron. [105787]
Ms Hewitt:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in his reply to Parliamentary Question 99739, dated 25 November 1999, Official Report, column 164W, said that he would make a final decision as to the location of the new synchrotron in the light of all the evidence and announce it by mid January. He is currently evaluating all the information available and will be making the announcement in the near future.
38. Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department is taking to promote cluster developments. [105788]
Ms Hewitt:
The Government attach considerable importance to clusters and are currently putting in place new mechanisms for taking forward the development of its clusters policy. These include a Clusters Policy Steering Group to be chaired by my noble friend Lord Sainsbury, the Minister for Science and a full mapping study of cluster activity in the UK. Membership of the Steering Group and the successful bidders for the mapping study will be announced shortly.
Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in meeting retired miners health-related compensation claims. [105767]
Mrs. Liddell:
We have made over 6,000 offers based on spirometry testing and so far 927 claimants have accepted. Over 16,000 individual interim payments have been made. So far over £45 million in compensation has been paid to ex-miners and their families. The first full medical assessments have begun and we anticipate that substantial numbers of offers will rapidly follow.
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In addition we have settled over 10,000 claims for Vibration White Finger and paid out over £63 million in compensation to ex-miners.
Mr. Denis Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress his Department is making in relation to the settlement of damages claims made by former mineworkers for chronic bronchitis and emphysema; how many claims have been (a) received and (b) settled; and what action is being taken to ensure the speedy processing of the outstanding claims. [106931]
Mrs. Liddell:
As at 25 January, the Department has received 94,011 claims of which 1,047 have been settled in full and final payment. In addition the Department has made 16,390 interim payments to ex-miners and their families. To date over £46 million has been paid in damages.
Some 39,479 screening spirometry tests have now been conducted meeting the required target when the contract was let. Screening spirometry should be completed for the vast majority of remaining claimants by March 2000.
Eight centres have so far been established to provide the services for the full Medical Assessment Process and 23 teams are currently engaged in collecting medical records. A total of 25 centres will be established by the end of February 2000. The first assessments have begun and the infrastructure is in place to process claims fully in accordance with the Handling Agreement reached with the solicitors representing former miners.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will quantify the risk his Department assesses can be posed to young children from the ingestion of phthalates. [106965]
Dr. Howells:
The European Commission's independent Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (SCTEE) was consulted on the use of six phthalates in toys and child care articles intended to be mouthed. It concluded that these phthalates could be safely used, provided that any leaching from the toy or child care article did not exceed scientifically established tolerable daily intake (TDI) levels. The DTI, on the advice of the Department of Health, has supported the SCTEE conclusions with regard to DINP. As well as being subject to a very high safety margin for use, there is considerable evidence to indicate that humans are much less sensitive to the liver toxicity which rats exposed to extremely high doses demonstrate. Where the UK does consider there may be cause for greater EU-wide restrictions is in the use of another phthalate, DEHP, where scientific concerns have been raised. DEHP is not used in toys in the UK.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason he does not support a ban on phthalates in toys which are not designed to be sucked or chewed by young children but could be. [106968]
Dr. Howells:
The Government have taken their steer from the European Commission's independent Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (SCTEE). The SCTEE has held that, provided migration
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does not exceed scientifically established levels, phthalates can be safely used. Testing has shown that products currently on UK shelves do not give any cause for concern. However, given public concern, and to try to bring in a harmonised EU approach, the Commission introduced a Decision, supported by all member states, to ban phthalates in items intended to be mouthed by small children. Phthalates leach only with difficulty, requiring very prolonged chewing before they are dislodged. When we consider the science and the risks, the ban reflects a very cautious approach. Had the science indicated otherwise, the Commission would have proposed a more stringent measure than the current ban.
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