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Regional ITV Companies
Mr. Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the economic impact of regional ITV companies on their region. [124584]
Dr. Howells: As high technology companies employing people with valuable skills, ITV companies are likely to have a significant impact on the economies of the regions they are in.
Pringle's Knitwear Factory
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the Berwick Task Force following the closure of the Pringle's knitwear factory. [124610]
Mr. Caborn: The Task Force, set up after the announcement of the closure of the Pringles knitwear factory in Berwick, has met on a number of occasions since July 1998, the latest meeting being held this week. A consultancy firm has been engaged to work with the Task Force and the local authority to help establish a comprehensive regeneration strategy for the town, and a bid for further Single Regeneration Budget funding is likely.
Rats
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to collect figures on expenditure by (a) catering establishments, (b) farms and agricultural holdings, (c) water and sewerage companies, (d) other business and (e) local authorities of (i) treating rat infestations and (ii) remedying damage caused by rats. [113047]
Ms Hewitt: I have no plans to do so.
Correspondence
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South will receive a reply to his letters of 16 December and 7 March, concerning Mr. James Murdoch, of Kilwinning. [125387]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I have replied to my hon. Friend today.
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Animal Testing
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to require cosmetic products imported into the United Kingdom which have been tested on animals to be labelled with this information; and if he will make a statement. [125952]
Dr. Howells: Under the current Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996, any reference to testing on animals in the labelling of a cosmetic product must state clearly whether the tests carried out involved the cosmetic product itself or its ingredients. (However, if manufacturers market their products without any reference to animal testing, the regulations do not require them to alter that practice).
The European Commission has proposed a 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive, which aims to ban animal testing in the EU. One aspect of the proposed amendment will be that the Commission, in collaboration with member states, will produce guidelines to ensure that common criteria are applied to any claims relating to animal testing, and that such claims do not mislead the consumer.
Inward Investment
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the current UK share is of internationally mobile projects with growth potential; and by how much he aims to increase this in 2000-01. [125968]
Mr. Caborn: The UK's share of inward investment stock reached a record figure of £244.1 billion at the end of 1999, an increase of 26 per cent. over the previous year. This is a larger share than for any other EU member state.
The Government are fully committed to ensuring that the UK remains the No. 1 location in Europe for inward investment, including for projects with growth potential. We will continue to pursue economic policies which enhance the UK's attractions including: developing a skills base, provide flexible labour markets and a stable economy.
Broadband Fixed Wireless Access
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements he intends to make for the licensing of broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz. [126773]
Ms Hewitt: Following extensive consultation with interested parties, I intend to award by auction later this year licences for the provision of broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz. There will be three licences available in each of 11 English licence areas and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each licence will have forward and return channels of 112 MHz. A successful bidder will be able to hold just one licence in each licence area, but will be able to hold a licence in any number of licence areas. Licences will be for a term of 15 years.
I will shortly be publishing draft Regulations to be made under section 3 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 to provide for this auction. The period for comments to be received concludes on 17 July. I hope to lay the Regulations before Parliament by the end of July. With
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the draft Regulations I am also publishing for comment a draft of the Notice that I intend to issue under the Regulations. The Notice sets out the detailed arrangements for the auction and will include the date on which applications should be made. I am placing copies of the draft Regulations and the draft Notice in the Libraries of the House.
Gas-fired Power Station, Avonmouth
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Northern Electric plc's proposal to build a gas-fired power station at Sevelco works, Avonmouth. [126774]
Mrs. Liddell: The proposal to build a new 180 MW gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Sevelco works, Avonmouth, has several potential benefits particularly those to the local area in terms of atmospheric pollution and the requirements of the Environment Agency for a pollution control arrangement. The Station being combined heat and power, albeit not fully meeting the criteria given in the Energy White Paper, the benefits are such that I have decided not to use my powers, under section 14(3) of the Energy Act 1976, to defer or halt this project. However, local planning and other clearances are still required under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
I have placed copies of this Press Notice and the decision letter in the Library of the House.
Merchant Vessels
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total gross registered tonnage of merchant vessels constructed in United Kingdom shipyards in (a) 1990, (b) 1995 and (c) 1999. [124605]
Mr. Caborn: The information for merchant vessels completed in the United Kingdom is in the table.
| Number | Gross tonnage (thousand) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 28 | 127 |
| 1995 | 24 | 127 |
| 1999 | 13 | 23 |
Source:
Lloyd's Register, World Fleet Statistics
Textiles Industry
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the prospects for future employment in the UK textiles industry. [124582]
Mr. Byers: I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber), Official Report, column 1097.
World Trade Organisation
Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of World Trade Organisation negotiations since the Seattle meeting. [124590]
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Mr. Caborn: Since Seattle, the mandated negotiations on agriculture and on services have been launched. Consultations have also been conducted by the Director-General and the Chair of the General Council. The General Council meeting on 3-8 May included discussion on the progress of two areas of consultation. The first involved a package of confidence-building measures aimed at helping developing countries, including establishing an implementation review mechanism. Discussions on the second, on improving consultative and decision-making procedures, are continuing in Geneva.
PRIME MINISTER
Strategic Communications Unit
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister what controls there are on the Downing Street Strategic Communications Unit to prevent it furthering party purposes. [125728]
The Prime Minister: Staff in the Strategic Communications Unit are subject to the requirements of the "Civil Service Code" and "Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service", which make clear that public resources must not be used for party political purposes. Ministers are also under a duty, set out in the "Ministerial Code", to uphold the political impartiality of the civil service, and not to ask civil servants to act in any way which would conflict with the "Civil Service Code".
Government Annual Report
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to publish the Government's third annual report. [126217]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his hon. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 14 June 2000, Official Report, column 647W.
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