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Gas Transporters

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the companies, organisations and public bodies he has consulted over the removal of geographic exclusivity of licensed areas for gas transporters. [122324]

Mrs. Liddell: In October 1998, my Department published a consultation paper on the future of gas and electricity regulation. Among other things, this paper invited views on the abolition of geographic exclusivity. In October 1999, the Government's proposals for legislation in this area were published. That document set out the Government's decision to abolish geographic exclusivity. It also contained a list of those who had responded to the consultation paper, leaving aside only those who had requested confidentiality. Copies of that document were placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

British Energy and AES

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the reference to the Competition Commission of British Energy and AES. [122330]

Dr. Howells: This reference has been made by the Director General for Electricity Supply under the terms of the Electricity Act 1989 and the Competition Commission will report to him at the end of their inquiries.

Parental Leave

Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the terms of reference of the Parental Leave Monitoring Group and the review of maternity pay and leave and parental leave. [122360]

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Mr. Alan Johnson: The Parental Leave Monitoring Group will assess the impact of parental leave and look at the take-up of the new right by men and women. We are currently considering the terms of reference of the group in the light of the review on maternity pay and parental leave. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made an announcement on 9 May setting out the scope of the review on maternity pay and parental leave.

Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Parental Leave Monitoring Group will meet. [122359]

Mr. Alan Johnson: We are currently considering the terms of reference of the group in the light of the review on parental leave and maternity pay and a meeting will be convened in due course.

Domestic Fuels

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the sales methods used by suppliers of domestic gas and electricity for new residents who are taking over previous contracts. [122353]

Mrs. Liddell: The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for regulating the activities of gas and electricity suppliers. It imposes a licence condition in respect of sales and marketing practices, which has recently been extended to 31 March 2002. Ofgem closely monitors the sales and marketing activities of suppliers, and is working with the industry to ensure that abuses are avoided. Where necessary it will take formal action against individual suppliers under the licence condition.

Genes (Patents)

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many UK patents have been granted for (a) human genes, (b) animal genes and (c) plant genes. [121305]

Dr. Howells: Patents are only available for inventions for new technical solutions. Under the Patents Act 1977 and a recent EC Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, genes as they exist in nature cannot be the subject of patent rights. However, material--including genes--isolated from its natural environment by means of an inventive technical process may be subject to patent rights. To be patentable, such inventions would have to satisfy the general criteria for patentability that the invention is new and would not be obvious to someone in the technical field.

To date, approximately 50 patents relating principally to human genes or variants thereof; approximately 10 patents relating to animal genes or variants thereof; and, approximately nine patents relating to plant genes or variants thereof have been granted by the United Kingdom Patent Office.

Animal Welfare

Mr. Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to promote the development of internationally-agreed animal welfare standards in the context of the WTO negotiations building on existing work in the Council of Europe. [120123]

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Mr. Morley [holding answer 20 April 2000]: I have been asked to reply.

We strongly supported the requirement in Article 8 of Directive 98/58/EC for the European Commission to report on the scope for developing wider international acceptance of EU farm welfare standards. Their report--which is overdue--will be a key element in defining how to approach this issue. For our own part, we have argued for the Office International des Epizooties to extend its activities to animal welfare: and we will take all opportunities offered by international gatherings such as the Animals 2000 World Congress of the World Society for the Protection of Animals to make contracts and advance this question.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND

THE REGIONS

DVLA

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the differences between DVLA's procedures for processing applications for vehicles purchased from (a) car importers and (b) traditional dealers. [121316]

Mr. Hill: When presented with an application for the registration of a new vehicle the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) needs to be satisfied that (a) the vehicle is new (b) it meets type approval requirements and (c) VAT has been/or will be paid. Longstanding arrangements allow franchise dealers to register new vehicles without producing documentary evidence. This facility is not currently available to independent commercial importers.

The Agency is developing similar arrangements for importers. It is intended that a revised manual system of registration which will not require documentary evidence will be available to them by the end of the summer. An electronic system should become operational in 2001.

Sub-post Offices

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the documents and publications produced by his Department and Agencies that are available at sub-post offices. [121627]

Ms Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, my hon. Friend the Member for Hull, West and Hessle (Mr. Johnson), on 15 May 2000, Official Report, column 23W.

Tunnels (Fire Resistance)

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives are being pursued to introduce fire-resistant materials in new tunnels. [121722]

Mr. Hill: For roads, there are a number of initiatives directly or indirectly concerned with fire and safety issues in tunnels. They are being undertaken by European and other international expert bodies. If these initiatives

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indicate it is appropriate that more fire resistant materials should be introduced into tunnels, they will be included into the UK's current tunnel design standards.

Following the fire in the Channel Tunnel, research has been done into increasing the resistance of concrete tunnel linings under conditions of extreme and prolonged heat. This research has been adopted by the designers of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) and fire protected concrete will be used in the new rail tunnels under London and the Thames.

Penalty Clauses

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the contracts entered into with private sector companies for the provision of goods or services since May 1997 where penalty clauses were triggered for non-performance; and if he will make a statement. [122011]

Ms Beverley Hughes: It is not the policy of the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions to use penalty clauses in its contracts as they are not legally enforceable. Legally valid clauses which require the contractor to make payments when in default have been invoked in 17 contracts since May 1997.

Jet-skis and Water Bikes

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Government's policy is on bringing in new legislation to give local authorities control over jet skis and wet bikes; and if he will make a statement. [121926]

Mr. Meacher: Local authorities have the power to regulate personal watercraft, such as jet-skis and water bikes, through local byelaws. For instance, strict speed limits may be imposed to exclude watercraft from specific areas. My Department's Review of Byelaw Powers for the Coast recommended, among other things, that local authorities should be given a new power to create bathing-only zones and more general powers to regulate activities on the coast which affect the wider environment, such as the use of personal watercraft. We shall introduce legislation where it is needed to implement the Review's recommendations. In the meantime, we have published a voluntary code of best and safe practice for leisure craft users, and we are exploring options for a voluntary boat registration and identification scheme, which would include jet-skis.

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