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Post Offices
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the effect on sub-post offices' assigned office payments of the Government's plans to pay benefits and pensions directly into bank accounts starting in 2003; if he will estimate the effect on assigned office payments for each of the years (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04, (c) 2004-05, (d) 2005-06 and (e) 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [109468]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 10 February 2000]: The ability of the Post Office to continue making assigned office payments to subpostmasters is governed by the income levels it receives from its clients, such as the Benefits Agency, for undertaking work on their behalf.
The effect on Post Office income of payment of benefits and pensions direct into bank accounts from 2003 depends on the detailed plans for the migration. The Post Office's ability to finance assigned payments will depend on its overall level of income from all sources, including new and additional business opportunities generated by the Horizon automated system.
Newsprint Industry
Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will calculate the annual growth of consumption of newsprint in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of that increase was made up of recycled newsprint. [110106]
Ms Hewitt: The information for the yearly change of consumption of newsprint is in the table. The Pulp and Paper Information Centre estimate that the recycled content has increased from 27.3 per cent. in 1992 to 52.4 per cent. in 1998. Over this period, the tonnage of recycled newsprint increased by more than overall consumption.
| Year | Tonnage '000 consumption | Change per cent. |
|---|---|---|
| 1989(12) | 2,055 | 7.1 |
| 1990 | 1,895 | -7.8 |
| 1991 | 1,851 | -2.3 |
| 1992 | 1,860 | 0.5 |
| 1993 | 1,937 | 2.0 |
| 1994(12) | 2,312 | 19.4 |
| 1995 | 2,214 | -4.2 |
| 1996 | 2,221 | 0.3 |
| 1997 | 2,350 | 5.8 |
| 1998 | 2,497 | 6.2 |
| 1999(13) | 2,507 | 0.4 |
(12)53 week year
(13) Estimate
Source:
The Paper Federation of Great Britain
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Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the future role of incineration in the United Kingdom newsprint industry. [110102]
Ms Hewitt: The Government believe that incineration with energy recovery has an important role to play as one of the options in an integrated waste strategy. It can be the best practicable environmental option where the opportunity for recycling newsprint does not exist. For example, at least one leading paper mill utilises energy from waste.
The role of incineration was considered as one of the waste options when Regulatory Impact Assessments for the draft Waste Strategy and the Limiting Landfill consultation paper were drawn up.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the employment implications of newspaper recycling. [110104]
Ms Hewitt:
While environmental policies can have positive or negative effects on employment in individual sectors there is no presumption that they lead to net (overall) employment gains or losses. Generally, environmental policies are justified on the basis of environmental objectives, taking account of the costs and benefits of the policy.
Mrs. Browning:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the reasons for his referral of matters relating to grants paid to subsidiaries of TransTec plc to the police. [110051]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 14 February 2000]: In reaching this decision I took account of the information received by the Department, the allegations being made and consultations with the police. I concluded that it was appropriate for the police to consider, independently, the allegations that fraud had been committed against the Department.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the latest report of the Low Pay Commission with the Commission's recommendation on a minimum wage for 2000-01. [110208]
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he received the latest report of the Low Pay Commission; and when he will respond to its recommendations. [110206]
Mr. Byers:
The Government are grateful to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) for its report. Its findings confirm that the introduction of the national minimum wage (NMW) has been successful in helping take some 1.5 million people out of the trap of poverty wages, with no significant impact on jobs or the economy. The report presents evidence that the minimum wage has had a positive impact on business, in terms of improving performance and productivity, and helping to alleviate
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some of the worst aspects of low pay. The LPC report finds that the minimum wage has been introduced sensibly and smoothly.
The report makes 16 important operational recommendations and suggestions, covering aspects of the technical application and enforcement of the national minimum wage, and one recommendation on the treatment of 21-year-olds. It also repeats its view, expressed in the first report, that the main rate should be increased to £3.70 this year.
The Government have decided, in the light of the positive findings in the report and our own analysis, to accept this suggestion and increase the main rate from £3.60 to £3.70 an hour in October this year. By introducing it in October we will provide time for business to prepare for such an increase. The LPC stressed the importance of a reasonable time for implementation. The Government also accept all 16 of the LPC's operational recommendations and suggestions, subject to the usual detailed consideration of practicality and resources. In addition, the Government confirm that the development rate for young people will rise from its current level of £3.00 an hour to £3.20 an hour from June 2000.
The LPC report comes just nine months after the introduction of the NMW. Assessing the full impact of the NMW will take a little longer. A more thorough analysis will be possible when more data become available on earnings, compliance and the interaction of the NMW with the Working Families Tax Credit. The Government will therefore ask the LPC to monitor the NMW and produce a further report, including on whether there is a case for an increase and if so to what level, by July next year.
In its next report the LPC will be asked to take into account movements in earnings and other factors, as well as impacts on the economy, including competitiveness, jobs and on training with particular attention to the youth labour market and the impact on low paying sectors and small firms, as well as the effect of the minimum wage on particular groups of workers. The Government will take decisions on the basis of this report so that any further increase can take place by October 2001.
The Government have decided not to implement the LPC recommendations that 21-year-old workers should be treated as adults rather than young workers for the purposes of national minimum wage. The Government are not shelving this matter--they will consider in detail the LPC's case for changing the treatment of 21-year-olds when they report on the general case for an increase next year. Copies of the LPC's second report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Simon Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there are in the county of Ceredigion; and how many of them derive 40 per cent. or more of their workload from Benefits Agency-related work. [110119]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
I understand from the Post Office that there are 73 post offices in the Parliamentary
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constituency of Ceredigion of which 44 derive 40 per cent. or more of their workload from Benefits Agency-related work.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many legal aid franchises have been issued in the last five years; how many legal aid franchises there are in each parliamentary constituency; and how lists of these franchise holders will be made available to the public. [109518]
Mr. Lock:
The first Legal Aid Board Franchises were awarded in August 1994-95 and by the end of that financial year a total of 1,050 solicitors' offices and other organisations had been franchised. This total rose to 1,295 by the end of 1995-96, to 1,820 by the end of 1996-97, to 2,382 by the end of 1997-98 and to 2,780 by the end of 1998-99. In the lead-up to the introduction of civil contracting in January 2000, the numbers continued to rise and on 10 February 2000 stood at 3,697. 2,000 further offices and organisations have applied for a franchise and passed a preliminary audit.
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