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Auditors

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose legislation which will prevent auditors acting as consultants for their audit clients. [126487]

Dr. Howells: We have no plans to do so.

It is central to the role of the company auditor that he or she is independent in mind and in appearance. The provision of non-audit services to audit clients can call into question the auditor's independence of the entities being reported on. It will be appropriate for the new Ethics Standards Board, when it is established as part of the new independent Framework of Regulation for the accountancy profession, to look at the ethical rules and guidance in this area.

The law in the UK already requires that the bodies responsible for supervising the work of company auditors have adequate rules to ensure that the auditor does not have an interest likely to conflict with the proper conduct of the audit. The current professional guidance, which forms part of those rules, acknowledges that the provision of non-audit services may give rise to threats to independence. The auditor is required to put in place appropriate safeguards and to be able to demonstrate that he or she has reasonably concluded that those safeguards are adequate. Otherwise the auditor either cannot take on the audit engagement or cannot provide the non-audit service.

Science Enterprise Challenge

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the outcome of the additional round of Science Enterprise Challenge will be announced. [126744]

Mr. Byers: I have today announced that four additional enterprise centres are to be established at the universities of Durham, Oxford, Ulster and Warwick.

These centres will join the existing network of eight centres I announced in September 1999. These centres will foster the commercialisation of research and new ideas, will help stimulate scientific entrepreneurialism and will incorporate the teaching of enterprise into science and engineering curricula in universities.

The quality of the proposals demonstrates the wealth of talent and creativity within our science and engineering community, and the enthusiasm for innovative thinking and entrepreneurialism.

I very much look forward to seeing these centres develop. I am confident that they will make a significant contribution to the enterprise and innovation culture in the UK.

Robert Maxwell

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list (a) the date when the inspectors were appointed to investigate the affairs of the business dealings of the late Robert Maxwell, (b) the cost of the investigation to date, (c) the likely date of publication, (d) representations received from any party which objects to the publication of the inspectors' report and (e) the reasons for the delay in publishing the report. [126488]

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 142W

Dr. Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 5 May 1999, Official Report, column 416W. The cost to date of the inspection into the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers is £7,676,952. The inspectors have not yet reported to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I am not aware that any representations have been received which object to the publication of the inspectors' report.

Personal Care Occupations

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those occupations which involve grooming and other aspects of personal care which are not regulated. [126415]

Dr. Howells: The grooming and personal care occupations cover a number of different industries, all of which are governed by general legislation on the supply of goods and services. There are no sector specific regulations.

Following publication of the Consumer White Paper "Modern markets: confident consumers", we continue to encourage sectors to develop effective codes of practice. These can raise standards of consumer protection and help inform consumers of the level of service they can expect and of methods of redress should the service not meet their expectations.

Parental Leave Directive

Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library the letter of warning from the European Commission regarding the incorrect transposition of the Parental Leave Directive and the response from the Government to this letter. [126286]

Mr. Alan Johnson: Correspondence between the European Commission and the UK Government on the implementation of the Parental Leave Directive is confidential.

ECGD (Sudan)

Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been received from United Kingdom companies for ECGD cover concerned with projects relating to the Sudan oil industry in each of the last three years. [126659]

Mr. Caborn: One application has been received in 1997 but no ECGD cover was provided.

Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Sudan is accepted for ECGD cover. [126660]

Mr. Caborn: No.

Corruption and Bribery

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the British companies which have been banned from World bank contracts because of fraud and corruption in the last five years. [127076]

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 143W

Mr. Caborn: The companies and individuals debarred by the World bank for infringing its procurement guidelines and which are listed on the World bank's website are as follows:



It is understood that a number of the companies and individuals dispute the findings which led to the debarments.

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many British companies have been prosecuted in the UK for bribing foreign officials in the last five years. [127077]

Mr. Caborn: Official records do not distinguish between prosecutions of companies or individuals; nor do they distinguish between prosecutions in respect of domestic or foreign officials. The figures for prosecutions

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 144W

in England and Wales under the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 1916 for the last five years for which figures are currently available are as follows:

YearNumber
199335
199446
199560
199660
199758

Advertising Standards Authority

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Advertising Standards Authority. [126329]

Dr. Howells: As we stated in the White Paper "Modern Markets: Confident Consumers" (Cm 4410 July 1999), the Government strongly support the self-regulatory controls on advertising in the UK run by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). We remain of the view that the ASA is a good example of effective self-regulation, which has succeeded in maintaining standards in the field of advertising.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many referrals the OFT has received from the Advertising Standards Authority since 1 May 1997. [126330]

Dr. Howells: The Office of Fair Trading report having received three cases referred for consideration under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 by the Advertising Standards Authority since 1 May 1997.

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