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European Court of Justice and

Court of First Instance

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the effect of the Nice Treaty on UK subjects committing perjury before the European Court of Justice and Court of First Instance. [144630]

Mr. Vaz: I have been asked to reply.

The Nice Treaty will have no effect on UK subjects committing perjury before the European Court of Justice and Court of First Instance.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Kosovo

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 21 December 2000, Official Report, column 263W, if she will make a statement on the result of the investigation into support for centres of social welfare in Kosovo. [144668]

Clare Short: We have received a preliminary report from the joint World bank and DFID team that is assisting UNMIK to prepare a social protection strategy for Kosovo. The team found that Centres for Social Welfare lack basic facilities, and has made preliminary proposals for reorganising their responsibilities and training their staff. The team will now begin a programme of work to follow up its preliminary observations. A DFID team will also visit Kosovo later this month and will discuss possible provision of training for staff of Centres for Social Welfare.

St. Helena

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the aid given to St. Helena in each of the last six years for which figures are available. [144970]

Clare Short: Expenditure figures for UK development assistance to St. Helena over the last six financial year were:

£ million

YearTotal DFID programme
1994-957,786
1995-968,695
1996-977,792
1997-988,386
1998-998,585
1999-20009,194


15 Jan 2001 : Column: 6W

South Africa

Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the level of Government aid was for South Africa for each year between 1995 and 2000; and how much has been spent on projects for the modernisation of Government in South Africa. [145220]

Clare Short: In addition to contributions through multilateral agencies, DFID's direct expenditure in South Africa since 1995 has been as follows:

Year£
1995-9617,194,000
1996-9718,955,000
1997-9825,823,000
1998-9929,131,000
1999-200029,602,000

Most of this money has been spent on working with various parts of government in South Africa to improve service delivery. We currently have specific commitments totalling £13.5 million to support improved public administration in national, provincial and local government.

Depleted Uranium

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what advice in respect of the potential health hazards posed by depleted uranium dispersed in the environment from NATO shelling has been given to British aid workers deployed in Kosovo. [145290]

Clare Short: KFOR has provided the United Nations Mines Action and Co-ordination Centre (UNMACC) with an information pack about depleted uranium which UNMACC distributed to each mine clearance organisation.

It has not been necessary to provide advice more widely to aid workers on this issue. The interim statement of the United Nations Environment Programme's survey of sites where depleted uranium was used in Kosovo states that they found slightly raised levels of radiation at eight sites. We are awaiting their final report. The Royal Society is also conducting a general review of depleted uranium. We shall review our practice on advice to aid workers in the light of both reports. Our present view is that mines and unexploded ordnance pose a greater risk to assistance workers and all personnel are given mines awareness training before deployment to Kosovo.

Land Mines

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the landmine clearance programmes in which her Department is involved. [144902]

Clare Short: My Department is supporting the following landmine clearance programmes:


15 Jan 2001 : Column: 7W


The second progress report on all activities within my Department's Humanitarian Mine Action Programme was published in September 2000. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Terrorism Act 2000

Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to lay before Parliament the draft code of practice and the sound and vision video recording code of practice under the Terrorism Act 2000. [145840]

Mr. Ingram: I have today laid before Parliament a draft police code of practice, made under section 99 of the Terrorism Act, and a draft sound and vision video recording code of practice under paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 8 to the Act.

Pensioners

Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will estimate the number of additional retirement pensioners in Northern Ireland who will become eligible to receive the Minimum Income Guarantee, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit in consequence of the measures announced in 2000; [145119]

Mr. Mandelson: Responsibility for this subject has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

TransTec Plc

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants were paid to TransTec plc and its subsidiaries between 1994 and 1998. [144822]

Mr. Byers: I have been asked to reply.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 2000, Official Report, columns 205-06W.

15 Jan 2001 : Column: 8W

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Renewable Energy

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the potential energy generation from (a) off-shore wind turbines, (b) land-based wind turbines, (c) wave power and (d) other renewable sources; what proportion of the United Kingdom's annual electricity consumption this represents; and if he will make a statement. [144671]

Mrs. Liddell: An assessment of the prospects for the different forms of renewable energy in the UK is contained in a report produced at time of the Government's consultation on renewable energy in March 1999: "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects in the UK for the 21 Century: Supporting Analysis". A copy is in the Library of the House. The report presents different possible scenarios for the future of renewable energy in the UK.

Assessments are currently being carried out of potential renewable energy resources in each of the English regions, Scotland and Wales.

The Renewables Obligation will provide a sound framework for the long-term development of renewable energy in the UK. The Government have proposed targets of obtaining 5 per cent. of UK electricity supplies from renewable sources by the end of 2003 and 10 per cent. by 2010, subject to the cost being acceptable to consumers. The Government do not propose, however, to prescribe targets for each different form of renewable energy, as the balance between the different forms of renewable energy is a matter best determined by the market.

Newsagents

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that independent newsagents are not subject to unfair competition; and if he will make a statement. [145076]

Dr. Howells: Under UK competition legislation, responsibility for investigating allegations of anti- competitive practices, abuse of monopoly position and restrictive trade practices lies with the Director General of Fair Trading.

Any evidence of abuse of anti-competitive behaviour should be passed to the Director General of Fair Trading.

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