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Advertising
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997. [125695]
Dr. Moonie: This information is not required in the requested format, for internal MOD management purposes and, as a result, is not collected centrally. It could, therefore, be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, related cost information is as set out.
| Financial year | PR Marketing and business support services | Expenditure by the Chief of Public Relations(4) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 0.502 | 2.267 |
| 1998-99 | 0.844 | 2.328 |
| 1999-2000 | 1.114 | 2.741 |
(4) Excluding staff salaries or associated costs
Security
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of DA-Notice No. 4, how many (a) sites and (b) individuals have been identified where disclosure of locations and addresses would not be in the public interest. [126876]
Mr. Spellar: There are under 10 sites where disclosure of location would not be in the public interest. The locations of other sites covered by DA-Notice No. 4 are not concealed, although their security arrangements are classified.
Each Ministry involved in security and counter-terrorist measures holds its own list of high threat personnel addresses. That for the Ministry of Defence contains those of 22 serving military personnel, 46 retired military personnel, three civil servants and four Ministers.
Munitions Stocks
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps have been taken to restore stocks of precision guided and non-precision guided munitions back to pre-operation levels following Operation Allied Force; and if he will make a statement; [124207]
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- (2) what contracts have been placed to replace (a) Paveway II, (b) Paveway III, (c) RBL 755, (d) 1000lb bomb, (e) Alarm and (f) TLAM expended during operations in Kosovo, listing in each case the (i) company involved, (ii) estimated date of delivery, (iii) value of the contract and (iv) cost per unit; and if he will make a statement. [124221]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 5 June 2000] [pursuant to his reply, 13 June 2000, c. 559-60W]: The unit price of Paveway II is some £18,000 (VAT exclusive) and not £8,000 as previously stated.
PRIME MINISTER
Correspondence
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) special advisers and (b) officials are authorised to respond to correspondence on his behalf. [126506]
The Prime Minister: The nature and origin of correspondence will determine whether a Minister, official or special adviser replies.
Press Contacts
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will introduce a code for Ministers and special advisers on contacts with the Press. [126502]
The Prime Minister: Guidance for Ministers on contacts with the Press is set out in the "Ministerial Code". Guidance for all civil servants, including special advisers, on contacts with the Press is set out in "Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service".
Special Advisers
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what methods are used to resolve conflicts of interest within the terms and conditions of employment in the case of special advisers invested with power to direct civil servants. [126297]
The Prime Minister: Advice on handling conflicts of interests for all civil servants is set out in the "Civil Service Management Code". For Special Advisers, this is supplemented by guidance set out in the "Model Contract for Special Advisers".
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the visits undertaken to the United States by (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers since 1 May 1997. [126549]
The Prime Minister: Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally. A list of Cabinet Ministers' visits overseas costing more than £500, and information on spend by all Ministers on travel overseas for the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999 was placed in the Library of the House on 17 June 1999, Official Report, columns 196-97W. This included the costs of accompanying special advisers. A similar list and information on spend for the financial year 1999-2000 is currently being assembled and will be published shortly.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Holocaust Survivors
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress with his discussions with the banking industry concerning charges levied on holocaust survivors in respect of conversion of pensions from deutschmarks to sterling. [122449]
Mr. Byers: Earlier this year I approached a number of major banks about their charging policy in respect of regular payments made by the German Government to survivors of the Holocaust living in the UK.
I am pleased that all the major banks have agreed to waive their charges relating to holocaust payments in future. The Department of Trade and Industry will seek the help of the German authorities to identify those who might benefit from this arrangement, but in the meantime potential beneficiaries should make themselves known to one of the following banks: Bank of Scotland; Barclays; HSBC; Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland/ National Westminster.
These banks have agreed to waive future charges. Because of the large number of other payments the banks process, those who receive Holocaust-related payments from the German Government through a bank account should contact one of these banks to benefit from this new arrangement.
Distance Selling
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the (a) organisations and companies consulted in 1998-99 as part of the consultation on the EU directive on distance selling and (b) those organisations and companies that responded to this consultation. [125951]
Dr. Howells: Consultations on the implementation of the Directive 97/7/EC on the Protection of Consumers in respect of Distance Contracts (the Distance Selling Directive) were conducted in June 1998 and November 1999. A total of 576 organisations, including consumer and business organisations, individual businesses, and local authority trading standards departments, were consulted. In addition, there have been over 350 downloadings of the second consultation document from the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/CACP/ca/distance/
A list of the organisations, businesses and individuals consulted in 1998-99 and those that responded to this consultation has been made available for inspection in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the organisations and companies consulted in 1998-99 as part of the consultation on the EU directive on distance selling, indicating the organisations and companies that responded to the consultation. [126894]
Dr. Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him today to his question above.
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Insolvency
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he defines the difference between responsible risk takers and culpable bankrupts for the purpose of implementing the recommendations of the Insolvency Working Party; and if he will estimate the proportion of each. [126035]
Dr. Howells: I am satisfied that there is a clear distinction to be drawn between individuals who are dishonest or whose conduct with regard to their creditors is irresponsible and those whose use of credit and treatment of their creditors is conscientious and above board. Examples of irresponsible conduct would be an individual continuing to trade and incur credit at a time when he or she knew themselves to be insolvent; or an individual consumer obtaining credit without any regard to his ability to repay the debts incurred. Information available from Official Receivers indicates that the very great majority of individuals subject to bankruptcy are neither dishonest nor irresponsible.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what basis he estimates that seven to 12 per cent. of bankrupts are culpable; and what relationship these percentages have to the findings of the Insolvency Service's Study of Business Failures in January and February 1999. [126040]
Dr. Howells: An estimate of the number of bankrupts who may have been guilty of misconduct in relation to their creditors can be made by reference to the number of bankrupts reported by Official Receivers as having, prima facie, committed criminal offences; the number of bankrupts identified by Official Receivers as having committed criminal offences but in respect of whose affairs further investigation or prosecution would not, in the public interest, be warranted; and information obtained from Official Receivers as in their survey of Business Failures.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) individuals and (b) firms are regulated by each of the bodies responsible for regulating the insolvency industry. [126484]
Dr. Howells: The Insolvency authorising bodies are responsible for the authorisation of individuals as insolvency practitioners. Firms cannot be authorised. The numbers of individuals concerned are:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | 155 |
| Insolvency Practitioners Association | 330 |
| The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales | 784 |
| The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland | 68 |
| The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland | 156 |
| The Law Society | 196 |
| The Law Society of Scotland | 20 |
| The Secretary of State | 125 |
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department has taken over the report issued by Mr. Justice Ferris and his proposals for setting the fees of insolvency practitioners. [126486]
Dr. Howells: Following receipt of the first report by Mr. Justice Ferris, The Association of Business Recovery Professionals (formerly the Society of Practitioners of
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Insolvency) issued preliminary guidance to its members on the possible format of application for fee approval. Further guidance is awaiting publication of the final report of the Ferris Working Party and the issue of a revised Statement of Insolvency Practice on remuneration of office holders. My Department is represented on the Working Party and is continuing to monitor the position.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inquiries his Department has made into (a) receiverships and (b) liquidations started more than 10 years ago but still not finalised; and how many liquidators come into this category. [126479]
Dr. Howells: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints about the conduct of the insolvency practitioners have been lodged with each of the bodies responsible for regulating the insolvency industry since 1997. [126485]
Dr. Howells: The number of complaints about insolvency practitioners received between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 1999 for each authorising body is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | 118 |
| Insolvency Practitioners Association | 347 |
| Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales | 597 |
| Institute of Charted Accountants in Ireland | 23 |
| Institute of Charted Accountants in Scotland | 115 |
| The Law Society | 7 |
| The Law Society of Scotland | 0 |
| The Secretary of State | 132 |
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set up an independent investigation into the administration and liquidation of (a) J. S. Bass & Co. Limited and (b) Exchange Travel. [126476]
Dr. Howells: No. However, as I indicated in my recent letter to my hon. Friend, officials are in touch with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales concerning the handling of the complaint about the insolvency practitioners in the Bass case.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place the comments received on the Insolvency Working Party's interim and final reports in the Library. [126482]
Dr. Howells: The Insolvency Regulation Working Party was established by the insolvency authorising bodies and comments made to it were a matter for the Working Party and not for Ministers.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the receiverships and liquidations begun more than 20 years ago and still not finalised. [126480]
Dr. Howells: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation under which the receivers and liquidators will be required to owe a duty of care to all the stakeholders affected by their decisions. [126481]
Dr. Howells: I have no plans to do so.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department has taken over the receivership of Heritage plc. [126490]
Dr. Howells: The complaint about the receivers of Heritage plc was a matter for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the authorising body of the practitioners concerned. The Institute found there to be no prima facie case of misconduct.
In view of continuing concerns expressed by the complainant, officials have been in touch with the Institute and are in the process of carrying out a review of the handling of the complaint.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the (a) Atlantic Computers, (b) Coloroll, (c) Barlow Clowes and (d) Stone Platt receiverships and liquidations began; when they were finalised; what fees have been collected by the insolvency practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [126478]
Dr. Howells: The information requested is not immediately available. I will write to my hon. Friend about this matter and place a copy of that letter in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for expanding the supply of insolvency practitioners. [126489]
Dr. Howells: The requirements to be fit and proper and to meet certain criteria as to education, practical training and experience are designed to ensure that authorisation will only be granted to individuals who can demonstrate a high standard of integrity and professionalism.
There are presently 1,834 authorised insolvency practitioners of whom some 1,270 are currently understood to take appointments.
The Insolvency Bill presently before Parliament provides for the Secretary of State to have the additional power to recognise a body so that it may authorise individuals to take appointments but only in the capacity of nominee or supervisor of a voluntary arrangement.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action (a) he and (b) the Recognised Professional Bodies have taken against the insolvency practitioners whose actions were highlighted in Channel 4's "Dispatches" programme broadcast on 19 June 1996. [126477]
Dr. Howells: The relevant Recognised Professional Bodies were made aware of the programme at the time and I have no reason to doubt that any matters arising which related to the conduct of authorised insolvency practitioners would have been fully and thoroughly investigated by the bodies concerned.
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