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Cat and Dog Fur

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the quantity of (a) cat and (b) dog fur imported into the United Kingdom in each year for the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [142131]

Mr. Caborn: The information requested is not available because the system of classification used to record trade does not separately identify cat and dog skins.

Hope FM

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason Hope FM has been required to reduce its broadcasting power to 15 watts; and if he will make a statement. [142162]

Ms Hewitt: The decision to grant a temporary Restricted Service broadcasting licence to Hope FM and the conditions attached to it (such as the transmitter power) was made, independently of the Government, by the Radio Authority using their powers under the Broadcasting Acts.

The scope for licensing Restricted Services, within the arrangements for licensing long-term Independent Radio licences, is very limited and the Radio Authority has to balance the heavy demand for such licences with a finite

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supply of spectrum. Similarly, in considering the terms attached to such licences (for example, the power, the population coverage and duration), the Authority seeks to ensure, as far as possible, that all Restricted Service licensees are treated equally and fairly, and that no interference is caused to other broadcasters by such services. This allows the limited amount of spectrum to be used and re-used by as many different operators as possible in an area and over a period of time.

Broadband Fixed Wireless

Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when further licences for the provision of broadband fixed wireless access at 40 GHz will be awarded by auction. [141662]

Ms Hewitt: We will be consulting industry on a range of options for awarding broadband fixed wireless access licences at 40 GHz. We have not yet decided what method should be used for awarding licences.

Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reasons underlay the decision to award by auction licences for the provision of broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz. [141660]

Ms Hewitt: In choosing an auction the overriding consideration was that well designed auctions place spectrum in the hands of those who value it most and are likely to develop it most effectively, generating the greatest long-term benefit for UK consumers and the national economy.

Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the reasons for the outcome of the auction for licences for broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz; what contingency plans were in place for such an outcome; and how he intends to award the remaining licences. [141661]

Ms Hewitt: I have asked the Radiocommunications Agency for a report on the outcome of the auction and they will be reporting back to me shortly. It is a feature of spectrum auctions that some licences may remain unsold. I will be reviewing whether unsold licences should be awarded at a later date in the light of the Agency's report, which will explore ways of awarding licences in those regions where licences remained unsold.

Gas-fired Power Stations

Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Veridian Cogeneration's proposal to build a gas-fired power station at the Rugby Cement works at Barton-on-Humber, North Lincolnshire. [142976]

Mrs. Liddell: I have today given clearance under section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976 to Veridian Cogeneration to build a 14 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Rugby Cement works at South Ferriby, Barton-on-Humber, North Lincolnshire. Combined heat and power plants are designed to produce both electricity and usable heat. They have environmental benefits due to their high levels of energy efficiency. The decision demonstrates the Government's continuing commitment to promote CHP, wherever practicable, and our commitment to reducing emissions of carbon to fulfil

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the promises we gave at Kyoto. Copies of the Press Notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Montell UK Ltd.'s proposal to build a gas-fired power station at the Montell UK Ltd. works at Carrington, Greater Manchester. [142978]

Mrs. Liddell: I have today given clearance under section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976 to Montell UK Ltd. to build a 60 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Montell Polyolefins works at Carrington, Greater Manchester. Combined heat and power plants are designed to produce both electricity and usable heat. They have environmental benefits due to their high levels of efficiency.

The decision demonstrates the Government's continuing commitment to promote CHP, wherever practicable, and our commitment to reducing emissions of carbon to fulfil the promises we gave at Kyoto.

The decision to give clearance to the proposal on energy policy grounds is without prejudice to any determination under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Copies of the Press Notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Scottish and Southern Energy plc's proposal to build a gas-fired power station at the Kimberly-Clark paper mill at Northfleet, Kent. [142975]

Mrs. Liddell: I have today given clearance under section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976 to Scottish and Southern Energy plc to build a 110 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Kimberly-Clark paper mill at Northfleet in Kent. Combined heat and power plants are designed to produce both electricity and usable heat. They have environmental benefits due to their high levels of efficiency.

The decision demonstrates the Government's continuing commitment to promote CHP, wherever practicable, and our commitment to reducing emissions of carbon to fulfil the promises we gave at Kyoto. The decision to give clearance to the proposal on energy policy grounds is without prejudice to any determination under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Copies of the Press Notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

Batteries and Accumulators Regulations

Mr. Michael J. Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government will introduce regulations to amend the Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) Regulations 1994. [142977]

Ms Hewitt: The Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 were made on 20 November and laid in the House on 22 November 2000. The Regulations will be available from the Stationary Office.

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The Regulations implement Commission Directive 98/101/EC of 22 December 1998, which adapts to technical progress the Batteries and Accumulators Containing Certain Dangerous Substances Directive (91/157/EEC).

The Regulations come into force in Britain on 18 December 2000 and ban the marketing of consumer batteries and accumulators which contain more than 0.0005 per cent. of mercury by weight and mercuric-oxide button cells batteries which contain more than 2 per cent. of mercury by weight. The level of fine will be increased from 1 on the standard scale, to level 5, which currently stands at £5,000. This is to bring the Regulations into line with other recent environmental legislation.

A consultation paper on these Regulations was issued by the Department on 18 September this year.

Sub-post Offices

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the names and addresses of the sub-post offices which have closed since May 1997. [142465]

Mr. Byers [holding answer 12 December 2000]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 16 November 2000, Official Report, column 718W.

Departmental Policies (Blackpool, South)

Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Blackpool, South constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [142223]

Mr. Caborn: My Department does not maintain statistical information down to constituency level.

Constituents in Blackpool, South will have benefited from my Department's Employment Rights policies, which include the National Minimum Wage, the Working Time Directive, Part-Time Working Regulations and improved Maternity Leave. In addition, Blackpool, South is eligible for the Enterprise Grant Scheme.

In the north-west we are also promoting regional innovation including the use of new technology, supporting small business, and developing Manufacturing Centres of Excellence.

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