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Research Organisations

Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research organisations are owned by his Department; and what their budgets are for the year 2000-01. [R] [140155]

Ms Hewitt: The Department of Trade and Industry has responsibility for two organisations which conduct scientific research: the National Physical Laboratory (a government-owned, contractor-operated organisation) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (a non-departmental public body; NDPB).

DTI also has accounting officer responsibilities for the Research Councils which are established as seven separate NDPBs. As well as funding research and training in the science and engineering base some of the Research Councils operate research institutes, as shown in the table.

The budgets for 2000-01 are necessarily estimates. The figures given are the estimated total budgets for the individual organisations. These estimates will typically include predicted income from a number of different sources including other parts of the public sector, the private sector and international sources. The estimated income will not all be directed to the funding for research as the same organisations also carry out other functions of a technical nature (this is particularly the case for UKAEA).

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£ million

Research organisation	Estimated budget 2000-01
Government-owned, contractor-operated
National Physical Laboratory	(1)50
Non-Departmental Public Bodies
UK Atomic Energy Authority	(2)240
BBSRC
The Babraham Institute	16.0
Institute for Animal Health	25.1
Institute of Arable Crop Research	25.1
Institute of Food Research	14.0
Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research	14.8
John Innes Centre	22.3
Roslin Institute	13.3
Silsoe Research Institute	9.8
Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Council	(3)111.4
Medical Research Council
Institutes and Units(4)	179.5
NERC
British Antarctic Survey	32.8
British Geological Survey	35.1
Centre for Coastal & Marine Sciences	(5)15.2
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology	31.2
Southampton Oceanography Centre	(6)6.3
PPARC
UK Astronomy Technology Centre	2.6

Note:

1. The estimated current financial year's turnover of National Physical Laboratory Management Limited, which is the company contracted to run the National Physical Laboratory for the Department.

2. The main activity of the UKAEA is to manage nuclear liabilities in a way which is safe, secure and environmentally responsible. Their principal research activity is into the use of nuclear fusion as a future energy source, this programme's budget is estimated to be £14.3 million in 2000-01.

3. CCLRC is funded primarily through other Research Councils.

4. MRC units are internal divisions of the MRC and individual budgets are not available.

5. NERC is in the process of re-organising the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences.

6. The figure for the Southampton Oceanography Centre is the contribution for the science budget only. As SOC is a joint venture between NERC and the University of Southampton it is not possible to give an equivalent figure for external receipts.

Insolvency Service Agency

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Quinquennial Review of the Insolvency Service Agency will be completed within the six month time scale. [140233]

Dr. Howells: Stage 1 of the Quinquennial Review of the Insolvency Service was completed in September. Stage 2 will commence following the announcement of the Stage 1 report, and is expected to be completed within three months.

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation arrangements he proposes between the Insolvency Service Agency and the relevant trade unions to discuss Stages I and II of the Agency Quinquennial Review; and when this consultation will (a) take place and (b) be concluded. [140236]

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Dr. Howells: The relevant trade unions and staff have been consulted by the Quinquennial Review Team as part of the Stage 1 review, in accordance with the Cabinet Office Guidance on the conduct of Quinquennial Reviews. When ministerial decisions have been reached and announced, the Insolvency Service will discuss the implementation of the conclusions of the Quinquennial Review with the relevant trade unions through the normal Whitley channels. As in Stage 1, the relevant trade unions will be invited to meet the Quinquennial Review Team to discuss Stage 2 issues when the Review Team begin their work. This will follow the announcement of the Stage 1 report.

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place a copy of the Stage I Quinquennial Review report for the Insolvency Service Agency in the Library. [140234]

Dr. Howells: A copy of the Stage 1 Quinquennial Review Report will be placed in the Library of the House when the Stage 1 Report is announced to the House.

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when (a) the Insolvency Service Agency trade union side and (b) members of staff in the Insolvency Service will be informed of the results of Stage I of the Agency Quinquennial Review. [140235]

Dr. Howells: The Insolvency Service Agency Trade Union Side and staff will be informed of the results of Stage 1 of the Insolvency Service Quinquennial Review when recommendations have been agreed by DTI, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office Ministers, and the report has been announced to the House. The Quinquennial Review report was presented to Ministers on 27 October 2000. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

Lead-replacement Petrol Duty

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that the proposed reduction in lead-replacement petrol duty will be passed on by (a) petrol retailers and (b) oil companies to motorists. [140445]

Mr. Byers: The retail price of gasoline is set at forecourts by competitive marketing between petrol retailers. Competitive pressure is likely to result in the proposed reduction in lead replacement petrol duty being passed on to consumers at the pump.

Oil Supplies

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research he has commissioned into the future supply of oil. [140610]

Mr. Byers [holding answer 28 November 2000]: The Department is aware of a wide range of academic and industry studies which look at future world oil supplies and meets regularly with experts to discuss this and other oil market issues.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his latest estimate is of the extent of (a) United Kingdom oil reserves and (b) world oil reserves. [140612]

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Mr. Byers [holding answer 28 November 2000]: My Department publishes estimates of remaining recoverable oil and gas reserves in the annual "Brown Book". The latest edition (Development of UK Oil and Gas Resources 2000) is available in the Library of the House and on the Web at http://www.dbd-date.co.uk/bbonline/

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimates he has made of the future demand for oil in (a) the UK, (b) the EU and (c) the world. [140592]

Mr. Byers: My Department has just completed a revised set of energy projections for the UK. The projections will be published as Energy Paper 68 entitled: "Energy Projections for the UK" and include estimates for the use of oil and other fuels. Energy Paper 68 is provisionally expected to be available from the Stationery Office on 8 December. Copies will also be lodged in the Library of the House.

The DTI makes no projections of oil demand outside of the UK. Some bodies make such projections, principally the International Energy Agency and the European Commission. The latter's baseline scenario projects modest growth in the use of oil.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the extent of the availability of unconventional oil sources including (a) gas to distillates, (b) heavy oils and (c) sands and shales. [140593]

Mr. Byers: The gas from the UK Continental Shelf would be suitable as a feedstock for gas to distillates technology. The exploitation of this technology would depend on the business case for this process in a UK context. The UK does not have significant reserves of either of the other two sources.

Departmental Payment

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department within 30 days of receipt of goods and services or a valid invoice in the last 12 months. [140728]

Mr. Byers: The percentage of correctly presented bills which were paid within 30 days of receipt of goods and services or a valid invoice, for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 October 2000, was 93 per cent.

Comparable information prior to 1 January 2000 is not available.

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