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Measurement Conversion
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the conversion of measurement from imperial to metric will be finally concluded; and if he will make a statement. [99853]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 26 November 1999]: Under legislation made in 1994, goods sold loose by weight--mainly fresh food--must be priced and weighed in grams and kilograms after 31 December 1999. This change will complete the metrication programme for units of measurement that are used for trade within the meaning of the Weights and Measures Act 1985.
E-commerce
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he plans to accept the proposed Article 15 of the draft Brussels Regulation on e-commerce and Article 13 of the Regulation in their current form. [100303]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 29 November 1999]: The Commission's proposals seem to go further than member states envisaged when they reviewed the Brussels Convention on jurisdiction and enforcement of judgments. We are actively discussing the implications with the Commission and other member states and we are consulting business and consumer organisations. We aim to finalise our negotiating position shortly. It is vital to accelerate the contribution of e-commerce to economic growth in the EU by agreeing as soon as possible on a legislative framework which gives maximum confidence to everyone engaged in buying and selling on-line.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to change the home country principle contained in the draft e-commerce directive to amend private international law; and what plans he has to seek changes in the use of private international law to remove barriers to the completion of the EU internal market. [100304]
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Ms Hewitt
[holding answer 29 November 1999]: We have no plans to seek to change the country of origin in the draft e-commerce directive. In a case where rules of private international law would adversely affect the freedom to provide information society services in the internal market, the country of origin principle would take precedence. We support this general approach and the proposed exceptions to it, such as for contractual obligations concerning certain consumer contracts. As regards rules of private international law, the Government are considering the Commission's proposals to convert the Brussels Convention, concerning choice of jurisdiction, into a Community Regulation. A revision of the Rome Convention, concerning applicable law, may begin next year.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases have been reported to his Department of individuals who remain unemployed as a result of temp-to-perm arrangements operating within the private recruitment industry. [100302]
Mr. Alan Johnson
[holding answer 29 November 1999]: There is no obligation to report such cases to my Department and we do not maintain a systematic record of those cases coming to our attention.
Dr. Ladyman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on making National Health Service patient data available to industry for the purposes of research. [99757]
Mr. Byers:
I have not had any discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on this matter.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many homes in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire will benefit from the increase in maternity leave under the Employment Relations Act 1999 and its associated regulations; and if he will make a statement. [100598]
Mr. Alan Johnson:
No information is available at this level of geographical detail. However, nationally 2.8 million female employees under 40 could benefit from the increase in statutory maternity leave should they become pregnant, and 1 million from the wider entitlement to additional maternity leave should they become pregnant. In the West Midlands there are 256,000 female employees under 40 who would benefit from the increase in statutory maternity leave should they become pregnant and 82,000 who would benefit from the wider entitlement to additional maternity leave should they become pregnant.
Mrs. Organ:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the Competition Commission's report into the ice cream industry; and if he will publish his Department's response. [100678]
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Mr. Byers:
The Competition Commission report on impulse ice cream was delivered on 21 September. The report, and any decisions made on it, will be published as soon as practicable.
Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the potential of photovoltaics to reduce carbon emissions. [99029]
Mrs. Liddell:
The technical potential for building integrated PV in the UK is currently estimated at 15 terrawatt hours (TWh), which represents less than 5 per cent. of current electricity consumption. The potential savings in CO2 emissions if all this resource could be utilised, which is unlikely for practical, economic and environmental reasons, would amount to some 7 million tonnes per year.
The average cost of electricity from building integrated PV is currently around six times that of electricity generated from conventional fuels, and is unlikely to decrease sufficiently over the next ten years to make more than a small contribution to the carbon emission reductions necessary by 2012. The current annual generating capacity of installed PV in the UK is some 0.5 gigawatt hours (GWh).
However, in the longer term, PV has the potential to make a significant contribution to carbon savings. The DTI has been supporting a programme of research, development and demonstration of the technology in the UK for several years and, together with support from the European Union, a number of major examples on building intergrated photovoltaics are now operating.
Mr. Alasdair Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the claims received from ex-miners in Scotland for chronic bronchitis and emphysema have been fully processed; and how many claimants have died before their claims were fully processed. [100270]
Mrs. Liddell:
As at 22 November, the Department had made 133 full and final payments to Scottish ex-miners, totalling some £218,000. Prior to the signing of the Handling Agreement for England and Wales on 24 September, we had commenced discussions with Scottish solicitors to adapt the Agreement to take into consideration the differences between English and Welsh, and Scottish law. The Department expects to sign an agreement with Scottish solicitors shortly and this will enable the number of offers to increase.
As at 24 November IRISC, the Department's claims handler, had been informed of 217 claims where the date of death recorded occurred since their date of claim.
Ms Squire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) miners and (b) retired miners have died before receiving full compensation payments from public funds for chronic respiratory diseases in the last 12 months. [99856]
Mrs. Liddell:
As at 24 November IRISC, the Department's claims handler, had been informed of 1,896 claims where the date of death recorded occurred in the last 12 months. One of these claims was in
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respect of a currently employed minor. It is not known how many of these claims would have qualified for full compensation under the Handling Agreement concluded on 24 September 1999.
The contract to carry out the medical assessments of live and deceased claims which will form the basis for paying full compensation where appropriate was let on 5 October. Where claims are progressed by an estate or dependant they will be assessed under the Handling Agreement.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on export subsidies to developing countries in relation to the forthcoming World Trade Organisation Round. [100422]
Mr. Caborn:
I have received a large number of representations about this issue in the run up to the WTO Ministerial meeting in Seattle, particularly in relation to agricultural trade. I have made clear my support for a substantial reduction in these trade distorting subsidies as part of a new Trade Round.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to raise the issue of zero tariffs for developing countries at the World Trade Organisation Conference in Seattle. [100425]
Mr. Caborn:
At Seattle, I shall be pressing for other industrialised countries to support the proposal agreed within the EU to provide duty-free access for essentially all products from the least developed countries no later than the end of the new Round of negotiations (2003). More generally, the Government will continue to call for zero tariffs to be applied to all goods from the least developed countries, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister promised in his speech at Mansion House on 22 November.
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received relating to the position adopted by the European Union on the labelling of genetically modified foods in advance of the World Trade Organisation Conference in Seattle. [100424]
Mr. Caborn:
I have received a number of representations on the subject of labelling of genetically modified food and on other aspects of labelling, both in writing and when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have met representatives of the civil society in person, in advance of the World Trade Organisation conference in Seattle on 29 November-3 December.
The Government share the EU objective to seek clarification of the terms of the WTO Agreement as concerns labelling, so that it is clear that labelling requirements can be used as a means of responding to consumer demands for information, where appropriate and without placing excessive burdens on, and unfairly restricting, export opportunities for our trading partners. On the specific question of genetically modified food, the Government are committed to labelling where there are measurable differences between GM and non-GM products, to allow consumers to make informed choices.
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Mr. Breed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations the Government will make at the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Seattle to other industrialised countries concerning the implementation of agreements to reduce trade barriers to developing countries; and if he will make a statement. [100813]
Mr. Caborn:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I will urge others to join the UK and EU in indicating strong support for the implementation of agreements to reduce trade barriers to developing countries, both in respect of those commitments entered into as part of the Uruguay Round, and in respect of new initiatives, such as the EU proposal that all industrialised countries should agree to provide duty-free access for essentially all goods from the Least Developed Countries no later than the end of the next round of negotiations (2003).
Mr. Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will raise the matter of labour standards in developing countries at the Seattle Conference of the World Trade Organisation. [100426]
Mr. Caborn:
The Government are firmly committed to securing the EU proposals on trade and labour, including the creation of a Joint ILO/WTO Standing Working Forum on trade, globalisation and labour issues.
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