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Oil and Gas Prices
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is regarding the de-linking of oil and gas prices; and if he will make a statement. [140844]
Mr. Byers: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe's answer on 6 November 2000, Official Report, column 13W.
European Coal and Steel Community
Mr. Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the EU inter-Governmental legal requirements of transferring the assets of the European Steel and Coal Community to the European Community budget. [141281]
Mr. Alan Johnson: At the Amsterdam Council in 1997 and in two further Council decisions in 1998 and 1999, it was unanimously agreed by EU member states that when the ECSC expires in July 2002 its assets should be transferred to the European Community budget and used to fund research into the coal and steel sectors. These industries fully support this decision since the ECSC's assets derive from the ECSC levy paid by them until 1997. The Legal Services of the Council of the EU have advised that such a transfer cannot be achieved under the Treaty Establishing the European Community as it stands, as there is no legal provision for it. Member states all agree that the forthcoming inter-governmental conference meeting in Nice should be invited to adopt, as part of the Nice Treaty, a protocol which will be attached to the Treaty Establishing the European Community. This will enable the transfer to take place. Parliament will be asked to ratify the protocol before it comes into force.
Steel Industry
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the price paid for electricity by the United Kingdom steel industry. [139536]
Mr. Alan Johnson: The Department conducts a quarterly survey of 1,200 manufacturing companies in Great Britain, the results of which are published in "Energy Trends". Data collected by the survey for Quarter 2 2000 indicate that extra large industrial users of electricity, i.e. those consuming more than 150,000 kWh per annum, pay 2.57p/kWh.
The average price of electricity for extra large industrial consumers has fallen continually in real terms over the past five years. Between Q2 1995 and Q2 2000 the average price paid by extra large industrial consumers had decreased by nearly 25 per cent. in real terms.
The New Electricity Trading Arrangements (NETA) will put significant downward pressure on electricity prices. Indeed, in anticipation of NETA, forward prices for 2001 are already 30 per cent. lower in real terms than in 1998. The programme of plant divestment by major electricity generators has also contributed to these price reductions.
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 754W
Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the total cost of decommissioning the UK's nuclear power stations. [141191]
Mr. Byers: The total undiscounted cost of decommissioning the UK's nuclear power stations is currently estimated at £12.6 billion.
Medical Tests (Wales)
Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many medical assessment procedures were conducted at each of the testing centres in Wales in each calendar month from January to date. [141151]
Mr. Byers: Since January this year the Department has carried out a total 4,326 medical tests in Wales, some 1,769 full Medical Assessment Processes and 2,557 spirometry tests. These are broken down by centre as follows:
(1) Healthcall have carried out spirometry assessments on all those claimants in the Swansea area for whom they have details but the centre will remain open to assess new claimants as and when their details are passed to Healthcall.
(2) The Cardiff centre is a spirometry only centre. As with Swansea, Healthcall have carried out spirometry assessments on all those claimants in the Cardiff area for whom they have details.
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 755W
Employment Agencies Act
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to introduce changes to the regulations under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 restricting temporary to permanent fees; and if he will make a statement. [141269]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of that letter in the Libraries of the House.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Home Care Charging Policy
Mr. Burstow: To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer of 27 November 2000, Official Report, column 486W, on home care charging policy, for how long Oldham Council had had a Liberal Democrat majority when she provided her oral answer of 11 May 2000, Official Report, column 1015; and if the council had undertaken a review of its charging policy during that time. [141068]
Mrs. Beckett: Oldham Council has had a Liberal Democrat majority since 4 May. I understand that no review of the council's charging policy has taken place since then.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2000, Official Report, column 1W, on special advisers, if she will list the destination and the total cost, including travel, accommodation and subsistence allowance, on the occasion when departmental or non-departmental special advisers travelled abroad in an official capacity. [135252]
Mrs. Beckett: During the period 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2000, a special adviser travelled abroad on official business on one occasion--on a visit to the Netherlands on Millennium Bug business. The total cost of this visit was £936. The cost of this visit was accounted for in expenditure on Ministers' travel overseas published by the Prime Minister on 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 968W, which for 1999-2000 was £4.6 million compared to £7.9 million for the last year of the previous Administration.
30 Nov 2000 : Column: 756W
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Greenhouse Gases
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the contribution made by (a) UK-based airlines and (b) UK airports to greenhouse gas emissions; and what contributions they are expected to make to help the UK reach its Kyoto targets. [136197]
Mr. Mullin: The UK reports its emissions as required by internationally agreed reporting guidelines, including greenhouse gas emissions. In 1998 greenhouse gas emissions from civil aviation movements entirely within the UK were 0.95 MtC. Under the Kyoto Protocol, emissions from international flights are not allocated to individual countries. Emissions from UK airports are not reported separately. The UK total greenhouse gas emissions in 1998 were 192.65 MtC.
Details of action being taken, both in the UK and internationally to reduce future aviation emissions, will be set out in the UK's climate change programme to be published shortly. It is not possible to quantify the contribution that the results of this action may make to achieving the UK's Kyoto target. But in any event action in other areas of the transport sector and in other sectors of the economy is expected to achieve the target and move the UK towards its domestic goal to cut emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 per cent. by 2010.
In keeping with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol, the UK is working within the International Civil Aviation Organisation on measures to reduce emissions from international civil aviation. Options include technological and operational improvements and market-based incentives. An ICAO decision on policy options is expected in autumn 2001.
The UK supports an emissions trading scheme in the long term and an emissions charge in the meantime.
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