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Euro

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the cost to his Department of converting to the euro. [139510]

Mr. Byers: The costs to my Department would depend on the approach taken by the public sector as a whole.

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Enterprise Funds

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was (a) spent and (b) loaned by the Enterprise Funds (i) in 1999-2000 and (ii) so far in 2000-01. [139731]

Mr. Byers: During the financial years 1999-2000 £39.11 million (gross) was spent on the Enterprise Fund's programmes. For the financial year 2000-01 £25.05 million (gross) has been spent on the Fund's programmes to the end of October.

In neither of the financial years has any money been loaned by the Enterprise Fund.

Clean Coal Technology

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department's expenditure on clean coal technology (a) was in 1999-2000 and (b) is planned for 2000-01. [139730]

Mr. Byers: My Department's expenditure on clean coal technology in 1999-00 was £2.5 million. Expenditure presently planned for 2000-01 is £4.3 million.

Both figures are net of VAT.

BNFL

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans BNFL have to order new nuclear reactors. [139732]

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Mr. Byers: I understand that BNFL have no plans to order new nuclear reactors.

Venture Capital

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who has been appointed as the Fund of Funds manager to lead his Department's venture capital activity; and what this manager's budget is for 2000-01. [139728]

Mr. Byers: No such post exists.

Westport Private Equity was appointed Fund of Funds manager for the UK High Technology Fund.

Legal Profession (OFT Inquiry)

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report of the OFT inquiry into the legal profession. [139737]

Mr. Byers: The Director General of Fair Trading expects to deliver his report on restrictions in the professions to me during December.

European Union (Public Undertakings)

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which article of a European Union or Community treaty prohibits a member state from (a) initiating or providing a public monopoly service not subject to competition or long-term leasing or management contract by competition or a chosen non-public agency and (b) establishing or re-establishing publicly-owned public service monopolies. [139933]

Dr. Howells: The EC Treaty contains a number of provisions that may be relevant to the provision of public services. Of particular relevance may be Article 86 (formerly Article 90), which among other things provides that in the case of public undertakings and undertakings to which member states grant special or exclusive rights, member states shall neither enact nor maintain in force any measure contrary to the rules contained in this Treaty, in particular to those rules provided for in Article 12 (formerly Article 6) and Articles 81 to 89 (formerly Articles 85 to 94).

Block Exemption (Car Manufacture)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the operation of the block exemption by car manufacturers, in relation to EC Council Regulation 1475/95. [139903]

Dr. Howells: The European Commission published its evaluation of the operation of the EC cars block exemption (EC Council Regulation 1475/95) on 15 November. The Government are studying this carefully but note its conclusion that the block exemption has not achieved all of its aims. In particular, the report concludes that consumers do not derive a fair share of the benefits of the European Single market from the operation of the selective and exclusive distribution system permitted by the block exemption.

Earlier this year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry accepted the conclusion of the UK Competition Commission that the system of

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selective and exclusive distribution, which is used by nearly all car suppliers in the UK, operates against the public interest.

False Trade References (Scotland)

Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce legislation to make the giving of false trade references a criminal offence in Scotland. [140075]

Dr. Howells: I have no plans for such legislation. It would already be a criminal offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for a trader knowingly or recklessly to mislead by misdescribing goods or services.

Motor Vehicle Clocking

Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to make the clocking of motor vehicle odometers a criminal offence. [140074]

Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to reply I gave him on 21 November 2000, Official Report, column 106W.

Nissan (Sunderland)

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what aid he plans to pay to Nissan in respect of its Sunderland plant; and how much has been paid to date. [140166]

Mr. Byers: A grant offer of £40 million of Regional Selective Assistance has been made to Nissan to secure production of the new Micra for the Sunderland plant. The offer is currently being appraised by the European Commission.

Haulage Companies

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many haulage companies were declared bankrupt in 1994. [140265]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 24 November 2000]: The number of company compulsory liquidations for the road transport industry in England and Wales in 1994 was 235. The corresponding number for individual bankruptcy orders was 1,149. The road transport industry includes road haulage, car hire, taxis, bus services, and other road passenger transport--detailed figures solely for road haulage are not available.

Receivership (Astra Holdings)

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what papers have been removed from the Official Receiver by the administrative receivers relating to (a) John Drewe, (b) Allivane International and (c) companies associated with Astra Holdings; for what reason and under whose authority the papers were removed; and if he will make a statement. [138748]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The Official Receiver is not aware that any of the accounting records of Astra Holdings plc, stored on his behalf with a commercial storage company, have been removed by the administrative receivers.

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Community Hospitals Group

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on the Competition Commission's report on the proposed takeover of Community Hospitals Group by BUPA. [140573]

Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will publish the Competition Commission's report on BUPA's proposed acquisition of Community Hospitals Group as soon as is practicable.

Industry (Funding)

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value was of (a) Government and (b) EU financial assistance to British industry, excluding agriculture and fishing, in the last financial year; and what his most recent estimate is for the current financial year. [140380]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 27 November 2000]: DTI's expenditure in support of its objective of promoting enterprises, innovation and increased productivity was £730 million in 1999-2000, and is expected to be £935 million in 2000-01. These figures include expenditure by British Trade International and exclude all science expenditure.

It is not possible to supply figures for EU assistance given to British industry or to supply them in financial years. Allocations for Britain's Objective 1, 2 and 5b areas (i.e. excluding Northern Ireland) for the two calendar years 1999 and 2000 are £960 million and £980 million respectively. This is mainly European Regional Development Fund allocations but includes approximately £120 million in each year for agricultural purposes.

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Money Management Education

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has to provide more support to money management education. [140095]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I see all forms of consumer education as a priority, and acknowledge that money management is an essential part of everyday life. People need basic skills, knowledge and understanding to manage their personal finances and provide for their future. Consumer education should be a continuing process, starting in schools and continuing through adult life.

Changes to the National Curriculum have brought consumer education and personal finance education to the fore.

That is why the DTI, in partnership with the DfEE, Financial Services Authority, the Basic Skills Agency and the Consumers' Association, is managing an EU funded project to produce high quality teaching materials. The teaching materials will help young people and adults develop consumer skills and knowledge in various topics including budgeting and banking; money management and also personal finance for 14-16 year olds. In Spring 2001 the materials will be disseminated though teaching establishments and the local communities in England and Wales.

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