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Council for Science and Technology
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if new appointments have been made to the Council for Science and Technology. [119985]
Mr. Byers: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has recently decided to increase the number of independent members to 16 and to appoint the following as new members:
- Mr. Javaid Aziz, CEO, Aspective
- Mr. Euan Baird, Chairman, Schlumberger Ltd.
- Professor Vicki Bruce, Deputy Principal of Research, University of Stirling
- Professor Sir Paul Nurse, Director General, Imperial Cancer Research Fund
- Professor Peter Schuddeboom, Vice President, Nortel Networks
- Professor David VandeLinde, Vice-Chancellor, University of Bath
- Mr. John Weston, Chief Executive, BAE Systems.
- Dame Bridget Ogilvie, Chairman, COPUS
- Sir Robin Nicholson, Chairman, Rolls Royce plc
- Professor Sir Stewart Sutherland, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh
- Mr. J. Martin Taylor, Chairman, W. H. Smith Group
- Professor Sir Keith O'Nions, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence (from January 2000).
- Sir Richard Sykes, Chairman, Glaxo Wellcome plc (until March 2003)
- Professor Sir Aaron Klug, President of the Royal Society (until the end of his Presidency of the Royal Society later this year)
- Professor Kumar Bhattacharyya, Director, Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick (until March 2003).
Collum Report
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he plans to take on the Collum report on BNFL; and if he will make a statement. [118798]
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Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 14 April 2000]: I have now received an outline of the proposed changes from the BNFL Chairman and Chief Executive, following their initial review of BNFL management. It will be for the company to implement the proposed changes, which will be achieved over a period of time. Where relevant, these will need to be fully consistent with the company's site licence obligations and agreed by the Government as shareholder. More detailed announcements related to the Review will be made in due course.
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the Collum report on BNFL. [118790]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 12 April 2000]: I understand that Hugh Collum, the BNFL Chairman, intends shortly to make an announcement about the conclusions of his review.
Online Services
Mr. Robert Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the services which (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies responsible to his Department (i) provide online and (ii) expect to be deliverable online by 2002. [119435]
Ms Hewitt: So that the Cabinet Office can publish the Spring 2000 report monitoring progress towards delivery of all Government services electronically by 2005, we are currently collecting data which will include our progress on delivering 25 per cent. of Government services electronically by 2002. I do not wish to pre-empt that report but I can say that we currently provide a range of services electronically which includes information and advice to small and medium enterprises via the Small Business Service Internet 'gateway', and other websites covering science and technology, information on 1.4 million companies (and facilities to register changes to company status), plus the award winning consumer gateway. By 2002, we shall be providing and contributing to more services in these areas and others such as trade promotion, company formations, oil well consents and applications for research grants.
Enterprise Fund
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he sought clearance from the EU Commission for the Enterprise Fund; and when he expects to reach agreement with the EU Commission on it. [119311]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 17 April 2000]: The Enterprise Fund consists of a number of elements.
The existing Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme element of the Enterprise Fund continues to operate under "de minimis" arrangements, apart from in the agriculture and fisheries/aquaculture sectors, which have been separately notified and cleared. The "de minimis" arrangements allow for schemes that contain aid falling below a minimum threshold level to be accepted without State Aid notification.
With regard to the venture capital elements of the fund, my Department's officials are working with Commission officials to assist them in their development of a
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framework for dealing with venture capital schemes on a community-wide basis. We expect this framework to be in place by summer 2000.
We expect the full amounts previously announced to be committed within this spending round.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he announced the establishment of the Enterprise Fund; and when the first payments will be made from it. [119310]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 17 April 2000]: The Enterprise Fund was announced in the December 1998 Competitiveness White Paper (Cm 4176). Payments are already being made under the fund.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes the EU has asked for to his Department's scheme for an Enterprise Fund. [119312]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 17 April 2000]: The EU has not asked for any changes to be made to my Department's scheme for the Enterprise Fund.
KONVER
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2000, Official Report, column 274W, on KONVER, for what reason the KONVER Programme II Initiative was not renewed. [119051]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 17 April 2000]: The European Commission proposed to reduce the number of Community Initiative programmes from 13 to three as part of the Agenda 2000 package. There is no proposal to continue with the KONVER initiative.
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Although Community Initiatives provided benefits in many areas of the country it was often the case that effort involved by all concerned in implementing their relatively small programmes was out of all proportion to the amount of money involved.
Mobile Phone Networks
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to include the recommendations of the Stewart report in the contract requirements for the new mobile phone network contracts. [119689]
Ms Hewitt: The Government regulate mobile phone networks via licences granted under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 and the Telecommunications Act 1984.
The Report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones chaired by Sir William Stewart is expected to be published in May. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on it until that time.
Longbridge Task Force
Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the names and occupations are of the members of the Longbridge Task Force. [119016]
Mr. Alan Johnson: The members of the Rover Task Force have been drawn from a wide range of organisations and between them represent the regional key partners in the West Midlands region.
The original membership has expanded to 20 under the chairmanship of Alex Stephenson, who also chairs the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands.
The current members and their occupations are:
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| Member | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Alex Stephenson | Task Force Chair and Chairman of Advantage West Midlands |
| Sue Battle | Chief Executive Officer of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce |
| Colin Beardwood | Councillor, Worcestershire County Council and Chair of the Regional Chamber of the Local Government Association |
| Kumar Bhattacharyya | Director, Warwick Manufacturing Group, Warwick University |
| Albert Bore | Leader of Birmingham City Council and university lecturer |
| Gerard Coyne | TGWU Regional Industrial Organiser and Birmingham City councillor |
| David Cragg | Chief Executive of Birmingham and Solihull TEC |
| Tom Watson | Policy Adviser to the AEEU |
| Nick Paul | Chair of CBI and also Deputy Chief Executive of IMI PLC |
| Mike Wright | Vice Chancellor of Aston University |
| David Ritchie | Regional Director, Government Office for the West Midlands |
| Rosemary Thew | Regional Director, West Midlands Employment Service |
| Mr. Graham Broome | Chief Executive Officer, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders |
| Richard Burden MP | MP, Northfield constituency in Birmingham |
| Rt. Revd Mark Santer | Bishop of Birmingham |
| David Botterill | Chief Executive, Engineering Employers Federation |
| Ian Pearson MP | MP, Dudley South constituency |
| Sir Norman Fowler MP | MP, Sutton Coldfield constituency |
| Bill Holmes | Midlands Secretary of Manufacturing, Science and Finance Trades Union and regional Chair of the TUC |
| David Nicholas | Managing Director, Unipart |
| Keith Hirst | Chief Executive of Metsec PLC and Chair of Black Country Consortium |
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