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Photodynamic Therapy

Mr. Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health authorities which have agreed to fund the cost of drugs for use within the photodynamic therapy trials currently being conducted in Liverpool. [123892]

Ms Stuart: None of the drugs on trial in Liverpool have yet been licensed in this country. In line with normal practice for any clinical trial, all supplies at this stage are funded by the drug companies concerned. It is unlikely that health authorities will yet have considered or discussed possible future funding arrangements.

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Cancer Services (Dorset)

Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the National Health Service's ability to ensure that cancer patients in Dorset will be seen by consultants within two weeks of referral. [124518]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 5 June 2000]: Dorset patients with suspected breast cancer who have been referred as urgent by their general practitioner have all been seen within two weeks of referral. The South West Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive has assessed Dorset Health Authority's plans and is satisfied that they have the capacity to meet the two week target for urgent referrals in other cancers.

Non-English Speaking Patients

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's estimate of the extra cost to the NHS of (a) interpretation services and (b) other costs resulting from providing services for patients who do not speak English in each of the last five years. [124398]

Mr. Denham: Information on the costs of interpretation services and other services for patients who do not speak English is not collected centrally.

NHS Executive

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's estimate of the annual savings resulting from the location of NHS Executive staff in Quarry House, Leeds rather than in London. [124399]

Ms Stuart: The outturn review of the financial appraisal for the relocation of the National Health Service Executive carried out in July 1995 estimated net annual savings of £10.1 million from 2000-01 onwards (at 1993-94 prices).

Secondments

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 February 2000, Official Report, column 119W, concerning secondments, which of the secondees listed were appointed for a period of 12 months or less. [124828]

Ms Stuart: Secondees from Hempsons, Dickinson Dees, Addleshaw Booth and Company, Berwin Leighton, Herbert Smith and one from Private Finance Panel Executive were appointed for a period of 12 months or less.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Secondments

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 11 February 2000, Official Report, columns 313-16W, concerning secondments, which of the secondees listed were appointed for a period of 12 months or less. [124821]

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Dr. Howells: Giving the information in the same format as set out in my answer of 11 February, the details of those secondments that were for a period of less than 12 months are:











































Contracts (Bribes)

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government intends to introduce (a) legislative and (b) other steps to meet the United Kingdom's treaty obligations in respect of prosecuting British businesses and individual business personnel who offer bribes and other unlawful inducements to obtain contracts abroad; and if he will make a statement. [124839]

Mr. Caborn: The Government are already able to comply with their relevant treaty obligations. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary plans however to set out

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the Government's proposals for the reform of the law of corruption shortly. The Government will look to introduce legislation as soon as a suitable opportunity arises.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from other Governments about United Kingdom action to combat the offering by British businesses and individual business personnel of bribes and other unlawful inducements in order to obtain contracts abroad; and if he will make a statement. [124838]

Mr. Caborn: The Government have received a number of representations about this issue. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary plans to set out the Government's position as part of its wider proposals for the reform of the law on corruption shortly.

Combined Heat and Power

Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will be in a position to announce his decisions on those applications for gas-fired combined heat and power stations that are awaiting determination. [125246]

Mrs. Liddell: I have today announced the following decisions:







The decisions to give clearance to these proposals on energy policy grounds are without prejudice to any decision that may be taken on whether or not planning permissions are granted.

These decisions have been taken in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper entitled "Conclusions of the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071).

Copies of the Press Notice and clearances are being placed in the Library of the House.

Information and Communication Technologies

Mr. Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department is doing to help the United Kingdom manufacturing sector, with particular reference to small and medium-sized enterprises, to maximise the potential benefits from the use of information and communication technologies. [125068]

Ms Hewitt: I have today announced the launch of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Carrier Programme.

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The ICT-Carrier Programme is valued at £12,000,000, including industrial contributions of £6 million.

The programme aims to improve the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in engineering industries by adapting and transferring examples of good practice in the use of ICT from one sector to another. It forms part of the Department's drive to improve the competitiveness of manufacturing industry in a knowledge driven economy.

Internal Market Council (Brussels)

Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Internal Market Council held in Brussels on 25 May; and if he will make a statement. [124666]

Mrs. Liddell: I represented the UK at the Internal Market Council in Brussels on 25 May.

The Council discussed the Commission's first review of the Internal Market Strategy and broadly endorsed its priority actions, although I emphasised that the UK could not endorse every action, such as some of those relating to tax. The Commission presented the latest version of the Single Market Scoreboard and France and Sweden outlined their priorities for the Single Market for their Presidencies in the context of the Joint Work Programme of the Three Presidencies. The Council approved the draft Conclusions on the review of the Simpler Legislation in the Internal Market (SLIM) initiative, which took full account of input from the UK. The Council also endorsed the report of discussions of the Commission's White Paper on Food Safety. The Commission's draft eEurope Action Plan, which is to be implemented by the end of 2002 and is intended to enhance European competitiveness by accelerating e-commerce, reducing internet access costs and promoting skills and training, was welcomed.

The Council reached political agreement on the Winding up of Insurance Undertakings Directive (with Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg abstaining) and the Clinical Trials Directive, which will harmonise the procedures and standards of clinical trials for medicine (with Austria abstaining). The Honey Directive (with UK and Belgium abstaining) and the Chocolate Directive (with Belgium voting against) were agreed as "A" points.

The Commission presented its proposals for amending the Directives on public procurement and reported progress on the Community Design and on its proposals for making permanent its temporary ban on the use of phthalates in toys and child care articles. The Commission announced that it had decided not to carry out further work on international exhaustion of trademarks, though a number of member states, including the UK, argued that the issue needed further consideration; the Council agreed to revert to the subject at a future session.

There was no agreement on the Copyright in the Information Society Directive, which updates the framework of EU copyright law to take account of digital technology and the internet. The Council attempted to resolve issues relating to exceptions to copyright and made good progress in identifying the likely framework for a deal. Discussions will continue at Coreper, with the Portuguese intending to achieve political agreement during their Presidency.

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Over lunch, the Council discussed the follow-up to the Lisbon European Council.

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