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Technology-based Companies
37. Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to extend the availability of venture capital for technology-based companies. [111568]
Ms Hewitt: The Government have created a £180 million Enterprise Fund to address the difficulties growth businesses face in accessing appropriate finance. This Fund will complement existing market provision, using public resources to partner private sector funds to address acknowledged gaps in the market.
An integral part of the Enterprise Fund is the UK High Technology Fund. The Fund will raise some £105 million from the private sector alongside some £20 million of Government money to invest in the United Kingdom's early stage high technology businesses.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 10 November last year that Westport Private Equity Ltd. had been appointed to manage the UK High Technology Fund.
The Fund Manager has already secured over £50 million of private sector investment alongside the Government's investment of £20 million.
38. Mr. Fraser:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the future of the sub-post office network in Britain. [111569]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The Government are fully committed to a nationwide network of post offices, and are contributing nearly £500 million towards the cost of equipping the network with a modern, automated, online IT platform. This system, which will be installed at nearly 40,000 counter positions in some 18,000 post offices throughout the country, will enable the Post Office to improve its services to existing clients and to take advantage of new business opportunities in the marketplace. Under the provisions of the Post Office Reform Bill, the Postal Services Commission, assisted by the Post Office Users National Council will monitor developments in the network of post offices against published access criteria. In addition, the Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office is carrying out a study to identify the contribution made by post offices to the vitality of local communities, and to consider how the network can best contribute to the Government's objectives for the future.
Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received regarding the conduct of competition policy. [111550]
Dr. Howells:
My right hon. Friend and the Secretary of State and I receive a number of representations covering a variety of competition policy matters.
Mrs. Ann Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has
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had with representation of business and commerce on the cost of replacing the pound with the single European currency. [111552]
Mr. Byers:
I have regular meetings with business representatives to discuss a range of issues including the single currency.
Mr. Brady:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on business competitiveness of labour market reforms introduced since May 1997. [111558]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The Government's labour market policies help people into work and provide additional flexibility and security for those in work. These policies are good for individuals, good for business and good for the economy as a whole. Employment is at its highest ever level. Unemployment is at its lowest level for 20 years. Decent minimum employment standards promote employee commitment, reduce absenteeism and staff turnover and increase incentives for individuals and employers to invest in training and lifelong learning.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to assist the textile sector. [111562]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The DTI is currently funding around 30 projects to encourage the growth and competitiveness of the UK textiles and clothing industry. These projects cover research into product innovation and development, design, education and training, benchmarking and the development of supply chain partnerships.
On a national level, my Department has been actively involved in an industry led-group, the Textile and Clothing Strategy Group (TCSG), which has been established in direct response to concerns from the industry about its future. A draft report containing several recommendations aimed at helping safeguard the future of the sector has recently been produced by the Group and is currently out for consultation among the industry.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the Government's response to the recent consultation exercise upon the future for renewable energy. [101071]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 2 December 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Watts) on 1 February 2000, Official Report, column 536-37W.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential for increased British exports under the Clean Development Mechanism of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. [112067]
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Ms Hewitt:
The UK Government fully support the aims of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): to help achieve sustainable development and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We wish to see the CDM operate in a way that fully encourages business involvement to help achieve these goals.
It is too early usefully to quantify the effect of CDM activity on UK exports, since the rules for its operation will not be agreed until the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Sixth Conference of the Parties in November 2000.
However, we are already promoting business awareness of the CDM through, for example, our work with the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE) and a joint DTI-DETR website and named contact points. Furthermore, British Trade International are appointing an Export Promoter for Energy and the Environment, who will work closely with the Power Sector Working Group and with two existing renewable energy Export Promoters, to raise awareness of, and developing, export opportunities arising from the Kyoto provisions.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he or officials of his Department have received from representatives of the British or foreign nuclear industry concerning the eligibility of nuclear power projects under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. [112068]
Ms Hewitt:
My Department has received representations from a number of organisations, including representatives of the British nuclear industry, about the eligibility of nuclear power projects for the Clean Development Mechanism and has noted their concerns. Neither I, nor my officials, have received any representations from representatives of foreign nuclear industry.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes were made in the draft map of authorities designated for Objective 2 status, including internal ward changes, prior to publication of the final map; and how such changes were made. [111920]
Mr. Caborn:
The Government made some small changes in England and some in Scotland to the UK Objective 2 proposals which were submitted to the Commission on 8 October. The changes set out below were made following discussions with the European Commission, in order to meet the requirements of the Structural Fund Regulation on statistical data and size of each proposed area. The changes were made with the agreement of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions for England, and of the Scottish Executive for Scotland.
Mr. Savidge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if ECGD support has been (a) discussed, (b) requested and (c) granted for any projects of the South East Anatolia Development Project in Turkey other than the Ilisu Dam. [112329]
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Mr. Caborn:
ECGD support has not been granted for any project in the South East Anatolia Development Project, including Ilisu.
There are no current applications for projects in the South East Anatolia Development Project other than Ilisu and the wastewater treatment plant at Diyarbakir.
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