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BNFL

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 2001, Official Report, column 281W, on BNFL, how many (a) non-management employees, (b) managers, (c) senior managers and (d) directors were (i) dismissed and (ii) disciplined by BNFL as a result of the MDF data falsification at Sellafield. [151663]

Mr. Hain: The detail of the changes made and actions taken by BNFL in response to the MOX data falsification issue is a matter for the company. The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) report on the MDF data falsification incident, published on 18 February 2000, included 15 recommendations which BNFL had to address to HSE's satisfaction. A number of the HSE recommendations related to identifying and dealing with specific workforce problems and improving management arrangements. A copy of the HSE report is in the Library of the House. A copy of BNFL's response to the HSE report, which was published on 18 April 2000, is also in the Library of the House. That response set out details of the programme of work through which BNFL planned to address HSE's recommendations. On 18 December 2000, HSE closed out its 15 recommendations, since they had been satisfactorily addressed by BNFL. On 22 February 2001, HSE published a further report updating the progress made by BNFL in responding to the three HSE reports published in February 2000. A copy of this report is also in the Library of the House.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 2001, Official Report, column 281W, on BNFL, when he was first informed that the quality control worker who discovered the falsification of data at the Sellafield MDF plant was a non-BNFL employee; and for what reason this information was not included in the Health and Safety Executive's report published on 18 February 2000. [151664]

Mr. Hain: I first received information about this matter when receiving advice on how to respond to the hon. Gentleman's previous question on the same subject, which I answered on 15 February 2001, Official Report, column 281W.

The question of whether to record in the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) report, published on 18 February 2000, the fact that the member of BNFL's Quality Control Team at MDF to whom you refer was, at that time, employed as a contractor to BNFL through the Employment Agency NRL, is a matter for HSE. I understand that HSE will be writing to the hon. Member shortly on this matter in response to his recent letter to it.

Glass Industry

Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for regional selective assistance grants for the glass industry were received by his Department during February. [152447]

Mr. Caborn: No applications for regional selective assistance grants for the glass industry were received by this Department during February.

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However, an application was received in January, though rules on commercial confidentiality prevent my identifying the names of applicants without first obtaining their approval for disclosure.

Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the review of the British glass industry being undertaken by his Department. [152445]

Mr. Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry hopes to release the results of new market research commissioned by the Department into the glass packaging industry later this month.

Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria have been included in the review of the British glass industry being undertaken by his Department. [152446]

Mr. Alan Johnson: The review concerns only the UK glass packaging industry and is focused on the market prospects for the industry.

Rural Petrol Stations

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many rural filling stations closed in 2000; and what action he is taking to ensure the viability of rural petrol stations. [152363]

Mr. Hain [holding answer 5 March 2001]: The Institute of Petroleum's (IP) UK Retail Marketing Survey (last published in March 2000) shows that the total number of petrol retail outlets in the UK in 1999 was 13,716, a reduction of 42 compared to 1998. The IP survey for 2001 will be published shortly.

On 1 March, the Government announced their implementation plan for the Rural White Paper "A Fair Deal for Rural England". In the plan, the Government stated that they intended to extend the village shop rate relief scheme to certain food shops, pubs and garages in small rural settlements as soon as parliamentary time allowed. This would give many petrol retail outlets mandatory rate relief of 50 per cent. provided their rateable value was less than £6,000.

Departmental Policies (Warrington, North)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Warrington, North constituency, the effects on Warrington, North of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [152321]

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

My hon. Friend's constituents, like many others throughout Warrington, will have benefited from our employment rights policies, which include the national minimum wage, the working time directive, part-time working regulations and improved maternity leave.

In addition, the ward of Burtonwood is eligible for regional selective assistance and the enterprise grant scheme.

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In the north-west region, my Department's policies have contributed to growth in employment by 107,000 and a fall in unemployment by 63,000, and to reductions in youth unemployment by 75 per cent. and long-term unemployment by 54 per cent.

Fireworks

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many commercial fireworks were imported into the United Kingdom in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what controls apply as to their end use; and if he will make a statement. [152369]

Dr. Howells: The overseas trade statistics do not separately identify commercial fireworks or provide numbers imported. The value and weight of fireworks imported into the United Kingdom during the 12 months from December 1999 to November 2000 are £22.4 million and 12,575 metric tons respectively.

The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 introduced comprehensive controls on the types and sizes of fireworks which can be sold to the public.

Provincial Newspapers

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what investigations he has undertaken into monopolies in provincial newspapers; and if he will make a statement. [152292]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 5 March 2001]: Under UK competition legislation, the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and considering allegations of anti-competitive behaviour including abuse of monopoly position. Any evidence of abuse or anti-competitive behaviour should be passed to the Director General of Fair Trading.

E-mail Procedures

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what way his Department is revising its internal guidance to staff for writing and distributing e-mails; for what reasons his Department is revising this guidance; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the current internal guidance on e-mail procedures. [151903]

Dr. Howells: My Department regularly reviews its internal guidance on e-mail procedures. This is to ensure that e-mail is used effectively to meet the business needs of the Department and its customers including the need to keep accurate records and to take account of advances in technology and best practice in the private and public sector.

I have arranged for a copy of the current internal guidance on e-mail procedures to be placed in the Library of the House.

PetroChina

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the recent discussions held with his Chinese counterparts concerning BP's stake in PetroChina. [151594]

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Mr. Byers [holding answer 1 March 2001]: HM Government have had no recent discussions with the Government of the People's Republic of China about BP's stake in PetroChina. However, during his recent visit to China, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade emphasised to his counterparts the importance of incorporating the best modern environmental and social standards into the development of major projects in China. He also pointed out that the best British companies operate to those standards.

Community Finance Initiative

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out (a) the timetable and (b) the criteria for the introduction of funding to support businesses in deprived areas under the Community Finance Initiative; and if he will make a statement. [152147]

Ms Hewitt: I am pleased to be able to report that the chief executive of the Small Business Service announced on 1 March 2001 that 15 organisations have been successful in securing awards from the first round of Phoenix Fund support for Community Finance Initiatives (CFIs). These awards amount to £5.5 million over the next three years.

CFI support from the Phoenix Fund is allocated on a competitive challenge basis. The assessment process has two elements being, (i) review by SBS against key criteria stated in the bidding guidance, (ii) an independent assessment panel to advise the SBS Chief Executive on the final award of Phoenix Fund support. In reviewing the bids the panel was concerned with the soundness of each proposal, its impact on entrepreneurship in areas of disadvantage, impact on the growth of the CFI sector in the UK and development of appropriate models and good practice.

Bidding guidance for the first round of Phoenix Fund support for CFIs was issued in June 2000 and copies are held in the Library of the House.

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