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Agriculture (Greater London)
Ms Ryan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total hectarage of (a) registered and (b) non-registered land under agricultural management within Greater London. [114556]
Ms Quin: The total area on agricultural holdings in Greater London was 13,322 hectares at June 1999. This includes estimates for minor holdings. Information is not available on unregistered holdings.
Ms Ryan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) agricultural land holdings and (b) other agricultural practices there are within Greater London. [114557]
Ms Quin: The number of agricultural holdings in Greater London was 479 at June 1999. This includes estimates for minor holdings. Information on other agricultural practices is not available.
Primates
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates have arrived in the UK via Dover port in (a) October 1999, (b) November 1999, (c) December 1999 and (d) January 2000; and of those how many were found to be (i) ill and (ii) dead. [114419]
Ms Quin [holding answer 14 March 2000]: According to our records, 124 primates arrived in the UK via Dover port in October 1999, 60 arrived in November 1999, 44 in December 1999 and 124 in January 2000. These were inspected by a veterinary surgeon at the quarantine premises which was their destination and were found to have travelled well with no signs of ill health or disease.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
International Price Comparisons
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response the Government have made to the recent OECD report on international price comparisons. [114079]
Dr. Howells: OECD statistics on purchasing power parity are a regular statistical publication. No official response is made regarding such routine statistical publications by the OECD.
Gas-powered Vehicles
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the development and promotion of liquefied petroleum gas-powered vehicles in rural areas. [113933]
Mr. Alan Johnson
[holding answer 13 March 2000]: The Department's Foresight Vehicle programme provides funding of up to 50 per cent. for the development of innovative technologies for future vehicles. This includes developments of systems for hybrid electric and alternatively fuelled vehicles including LPG. Bi-fuelled LPG vehicles are, however, already available for purchase.
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The Department is also jointly responsible with DETR for the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force, which aims to promote the production, marketing, purchasing and use of cleaner vehicles and fuels in all areas, both rural and urban.
A sub group of the Task Force is specifically looking at the role and cost effectiveness of alternatively fuelled vehicles and their fuels. It is drawing up recommendations to help develop the necessary infrastructure needed for these fuels, and will be reporting its conclusions to the Task Force next month.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what factors the Low Pay Commission takes into account when setting the accommodation offset for the national minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [114789]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
Before making their recommendation on the level of the accommodation offset for the introduction of the national minimum wage, the Low Pay Commission undertook an extensive and wide ranging consultation exercise, which included written and oral evidence from organisations and individuals in various sectors that provide accommodation for workers. They also examined current charges in the agricultural and hotel industries and took account of the rates set in the former Wages Councils. In view of the representations received during the consultation exercise on the draft National Minimum Wage Regulations, the Government asked the Commission to look again at this issue in February 1999. The Commission also considered the offset for their second report, which monitored the impact of the minimum wage since its introduction in April.
The Government believe that workers should be paid a reasonable wage and not have to rely on benefits in kind. The accommodation offset figure is not intended to be a commercial valuation but is designed to protect workers from unreasonable accommodation charges, while recognising that these arrangements are of benefit to worker and employer.
The Commission has recommended that the offset should be retained at its present level and considered again when the national minimum wage is next reviewed. The Government accepted this recommendation.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the accommodation offset for the national minimum wage has been calculated; and if he will make a statement. [114790]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
The maximum amount which can be offset against national minimum wage pay by employers who provide accommodation is £19.95 a week. This is to be calculated at either £2.85 per day or 50p an hour, up to the maximum. The two different methods of calculation ensure that part-time workers do not lose out.
The maximum amount reflects the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission in their first report in June 1998. The amount is not meant to reflect the commercial value of the accommodation provided. The accommodation offset was considered further in the Commission's special report on the offset produced in March 1999, which
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concluded that it was set at the right level. The most recent Commission report, published in February 2000, recommended that
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it is his policy to make available secondhand refurbished computers to socially excluded groups; and if he will make a statement. [114999]
Dr. Howells:
The majority of the Department's IT equipment is owned by UNITAS (a consortium of ICL and CMG) who provide the equipment under a private finance arrangement. UNITAS are responsible for the disposal of this equipment.
In respect of other equipment that remains the Department's property, contracts are in place for recycling that which is surplus to requirements. Under these contracts, London Computer Auctions and Recycle IT refurbish such equipment, where suitable, and sell it to schools at a low cost.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will be in a position to make a statement about the outcome of the Office of Fair Trading consultation with the impulse ice cream industry regarding Walls distribution. [114794]
Mr. Byers:
As announced in my press notice of 28 January, I have invited views from the industry to be put to the Director General by the end of the month. He will advise me by Easter on the remedy and I will make an announcement once I have considered his advice.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that personal shareholders are represented on the consultative committee when carrying out its review into company law; and if he will make a statement. [115029]
Dr. Howells
[holding answer 16 March 2000]: The company law review is designed to take into account as many views and interests as possible. It is an open and consultative exercise, and the consultative committee is an important aspect of that process. While the consultative committee already represents a very wide range of interests, I am considering whether it adequately reflects the views of personal shareholders, and will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what involvement David McLachlan had in the decision of the ECGD to support the (a) nuclear power project in Ain Shan China Phase III, (b) coal handling export terminal in Tianjin, China, (c) coal-fired power station in Manjing, Malaysia and (d) line of credit for the Korean Development Bank. [114786]
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Mr. Caborn:
In his capacity as a banking member of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council, Mr. David McLachlan may be asked for his advice from time to time on cases which are being put forward for underwriting decisions. Such advice is sought only from a Council Member who has no direct business interest in the relevant transaction.
"the accommodation deductor should be retained at its present rate and its level considered again when the national minimum wage is reviewed."
The Government accepted this recommendation.
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