| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Oil
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the recent research by the International Energy Agency on future supplies and prices of oil; and if he will make a statement. [121421]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 9 May 2000]: The International Energy Agency's (IEA) latest "World Energy Outlook (1998)" considers energy demand and supply for 10 world regions over the period to 2020 and concludes that world oil production from conventional sources could peak around 2015. This would result in a transfer from conventional oil to unconventional oil (for additional supplies) and might produce a rise in oil prices. The IEA's conclusions fall roughly in the middle of a range of projections from researchers which, at the extremes, envisage oil production peaking as early as 2005, or as late as 2050.
The IEA is currently preparing its "World Energy Outlook 2000", and hopes to publish this document in November 2000. My officials have been in contact with their IEA colleagues and I understand that some changes will be made to the methodology adopted by the IEA which will further improve the value of their research into future world energy demand and supply.
Coal Industry (State Aids)
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when and how the consultation procedure on coal state aid that he referred to in his statement on Energy Policy on 17 April will take place. [121748]
Mrs. Liddell: I have today placed in the Library a consultation document setting out proposals for a coal subsidy scheme. The consultation document is also available on the DTI's internet site at www.dti.gov.uk\consultations\
Staff Bonuses (Millennium Period)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the New Year period; what are the (a) maximum and (b) minimum bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payments; and if he will make a statement. [104490]
Dr. Howells [pursuant to his reply, 1 February 2000, c. 531-32W]: The information requested for the headquarters Department is now available. The total amount paid as Millennium extras was £27,430 to 100 staff. Two members of staff received the maximum payment of £1,040 and seven received the minimum payment of £65.
Exports (EU)
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of goods exported to other EU countries in 1999; and what proportion of those goods were trans-shipped in Continental ports to go on to non-EU destinations. [121410]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
10 May 2000 : Column: 401W
HM Customs & Excise are the Department responsible for collecting trade statistics on the movement of goods with other countries.
The value of goods exported to other EC countries in 1999 was £96.85 billion. Where goods are moved in transit through other EC countries en route to non-EC countries, exporters are required to report the country of final destination and such goods will not be counted as EC trade.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Lloyds TSB
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the outcome of her Department's recent legal action against Lloyds TSB. [120915]
Mr. Foulkes: Legal action against Lloyds TSB is still proceeding and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment on this matter at present.
Pitcairn Islands
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what subsidies were paid by the Government to the Pitcairn Islands in each year from 1989-90 to 1999-2000; what is the estimated expenditure for 2000-01; what control the Government exercise over how such subsidy is spent by the Pitcairn authorities; what is the Government's policy towards the level and maintenance of subsidy and bilateral aid to the Pitcairn Islands; and if she will make a statement. [121140]
Mr. Foulkes: HMG do not give revenue subsidy to the Pitcairn Government. Last year their Government spent £31,000 subsidising electricity and shipping and freight charges. Figures for previous years are not readily available. An analysis of Pitcairn's financial situation has concluded that Pitcairn will exhaust its Investment Fund (income mainly derived from the sale of postage stamps), without remedial action. Therefore, the Island Council has decided that it should remove subsidies while making provision for vulnerable people.
Our Department is consulting the Island Council and the Commissioner for Pitcairn on a medium term financial framework which will look at ways of increasing revenue from areas such as tourism, niche food products, and the issuing of fishing licences.
HMG have recently paid for the refurbishment of all the public buildings on the island, a project to market Pitcairn honey and the upgrading of the electricity distribution network.
We have also approved a £0.5 million contribution to the proposed "Hill of Difficulty" road which our Department is co-financing with the European Commission.
SCOTLAND
Birth Certificates
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what purposes his Department requires a birth certificate to
10 May 2000 : Column: 402W
be furnished by (a) employees, (b) contractors, (c) those applying for employment and contracts and (d) other persons. [120314]
Dr. Reid: The Scotland Office requires the production of a birth certificate or similar documentary evidence for one or more of the following reasons:
- Proof of identity
- Proof of eligibility under the Civil Service nationality rules
- Proof of age.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Domestic Violence
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of domestic violence the police were called out to deal with in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and what the cost was to public funds. [120658]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is not available.
The latest available estimate of domestic violence incidents recorded by the police, obtained from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary 1998-99 Annual Statistical Return, is that there were approximately 355,000 such incidents in that year in England and Wales.
Another source of information on domestic violence is the British Crime Survey. This suggests that the actual prevalence of domestic violence is significantly higher. For the years 1981, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997 the estimated number of domestic violence incidents were as follows:
| Year | 1981 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All incidents | 290 | 538 | 1,179 | 992 | 835 |
| Reported incidents | 57 | 126 | 271 | 296 | 220 |
Changes in the extent to which respondents are willing to divulge their experience may have influenced these trends.
The costs of police operations concerning domestic violence are not collected centrally. However, a report by Professor Elizabeth Stanko and others, "Counting the costs; estimating the impact of domestic violence in the London Borough of Hackney", was published by Crime Concern in 1998. This estimated the total cost in 1996 to the public sector of providing services for women and children facing domestic violence in Hackney at around £90 per annum per household. A copy of this report has been placed in the Library.
Racial Incidents
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many London borough councils have developed systems with the local police to combat racial incidents within their borough. [121119]
10 May 2000 : Column: 403W
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that all 32 London boroughs have Community Safety Units which are the focal point of liaison between the police and local councils in relation to racial incidents.
Drug-related Deaths
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will fund the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths publication entitled "Drug- related Deaths" as reported by coroners in England and Wales. [121263]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Government are currently reviewing data collection requirements in relation to drug-related deaths and it would be premature to take a decision on the funding of the database maintained by the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths while this review is ongoing.
Life-term Prisoners
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners serving life terms in United Kingdom jails have served (a) more than 25 years, (b) more than 30 years, (c) more than 35 years and (d) more than 40 years; and how many such prisoners there are in total. [121262]
Mr. Boateng: Responsibility for persons detained in prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland lies with the First Minister of the Scottish Executive and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.
As at 31 March 2000, a total of 4,469 persons were serving life sentences in prisons in England and Wales. A breakdown of these inmates, showing the time elapsed since reception under sentence, is given in the table. Prisoners who had been released on licence and subsequently recalled are included in the statistics. Such time spent on licence is included in the calculation of the time since sentenced.
| Time since sentenced (4) | Number |
|---|---|
| Up to 25 years | 4,303 |
| Over 25 up to 30 years | 97 |
| Over 30 up to 35 years | 50 |
| Over 35 up to 40 years | 11 |
| Over 40 years | 8 |
| All life sentence prisoners | 4,469 |
(4) Including any time spent on release under licence but excluding any time spent on remand before sentencing.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |