House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 6 Mar 2001 (pt 6)

Timber

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much certified timber has been purchased over the past six months; and what proportion of total timber purchases this represents. [152044]

Ms Hewitt: The Department of Trade and Industry has an environmental management system in place accredited to BSEN ISO 14001. Within that system DTI has "opted in" to include the procurement of timber and timber products to ensure that such items are procured in accordance with the Government's commitment on buying from sustainable and legal sources.

The interdepartmental timber working group is working to develop a common reporting template which will form the basis for future reporting by all Departments on timber procurement. However, that system is not yet in place, and DTI is unable to provide data on the proportion of certified timber purchased over the last six months without incurring disproportionate costs.

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department's annual report on timber procurement to the Committee of Green Ministers will be published. [152046]

6 Mar 2001 : Column: 142W

Ms Hewitt: No. The DTI will report through the next Green Ministers Annual Report, which is expected to be published in November 2001.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Road Schemes

Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if it is his policy that alternative options should be considered in undertaking an appraisal under the Government's new approach to appraisal for major road schemes; [150897]

Mr. Hill: Consideration of alternative options is part of the New Approach to Appraisal.

Authorities (including the Highways Agency) submitting proposals for all major road schemes as part of their plans were required to follow the Guidance on the New Approach to Appraisal (GNATA). The GNATA appraisal summary table (AST) includes a box for a statement of other options considered when putting forward a road proposal.

Where major public transport schemes formed part of plans, authorities were asked to include an appropriate assessment of the proposed scheme against alternative options, including an AST for each. However, production of separate ASTs was not considered necessary where the choice between options was clear-cut or the scheme was in relative terms small, so in practice ASTs for alternative options were prepared for about half of the major public transport schemes given full or provisional approval in the local transport settlement.

Regional Development Agencies

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many staff are employed by regional development agencies in offices outside the United Kingdom; at which locations; and at what cost; [149505]

(a)

(b)

Ms Beverley Hughes [holding answer 26 February 2001]: The table sets out the offices currently maintained by the regional development agencies outside England, with details of how many staff are employed by regional development agencies in offices outside the United Kingdom; where; and at what cost and where facilities are shared with each other and other Government agencies or local authority offices.

The table has been updated since the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Regions on 25 January 2001, Official Report, columns 667-70W. Yorkshire Forward has opened an

6 Mar 2001 : Column: 143W

office in Brussels since the original question was answered. In addition, the information given for North West Development Agency and One NorthEast in the previous answer was not complete and this has been corrected in the table.

6 Mar 2001 : Column: 144W

A condition of funding for 2001-02 will be that ministerial prior approval will be required for any proposal to extend or create new RDA overseas offices involved in inward investment or trade promotion activities.

6 Mar 2001 : Column: 143W

RDA/Office location Opened Number of employees Annual cost to RDAs (£) Other comments

Yorkshire Forward

Asia Pacific

Japan 1983 2 full-time 130,000

Europe

Brussels February 2001 3 full-time 30,000 Yorkshire Forward contributes to costs. Office is run and staff are employed by Regional Assembly

North West Development Agency

Asia Pacific

Japan Late 1980s 2 part-time 50,000 Also have Marketing Agents since 1993 operating in Taiwan (£20,000)

Europe July 2000 1 full-time 45,000 Co-funded by the Regional Assembly in an office co-habited by Sub Regional Officers (Lancashire, Cheshire, Manchester, Merseyside)

Advantage West Midlands

Europe

Brussels November 2000 6 full-time 170,000 The West Midlands in Europe Office is a joint office with the West Midlands Local Government Association, Higher Education, the CBI, NEC Group, Engineering Employers Federation, Chambers of Commerce, Voluntary Sector, Further Education and has close links with Eversheds and PWC. The total cost is £500,000 of which the RDA contributes £170,000

One rep in Germany since September 2000, that incurs salary costs only of £80,000.

One part-time rep in Taiwan since April 1998, incurring salary costs only of £40,000

Two part-time agents in Korea since April 1996, incurring salary costs of only £20,000

From January 2001 six month contract for one rep in Australia incurring salary costs of £65,000

East of England Development Agency

Europe Contribute 4 per cent. of total cost of office to East of England European Partnership Office in Brussels. The office is sponsored by local authorities and the seven TECS in the region.

EEDA's contribution is £12,000

North America East of England Investment Agency, who carry out inward investment on behalf of EEDA, have a number of strategic alliances overseas, but at negligible cost. There is one part-time marketing agent in the USA at an annual cost of £5,000

East Midlands Development Agency

Europe

(Germany) 2 part-time agents 28,000

Asia Pacific 1 part-time agent 50,000

2 part-time agents

South East of England Development Agency

Europe

Brussels September 2000 1 full-time⁽⁸⁾ 79,000 Collaborative office with South East Local Authorities and Regional Assembly

South West of England Regional Development Agency

Asia Pacific

Japan 1990 3 full-time 174,000⁽⁹⁾

North America Also have five staff working from their homes in Sonoma California, Chicago, and Boston

The total cost of American and Japanese operations is £565,000 (£391,000 from public and private sector partners)

One NorthEast

Asia Pacific

Japan 1974 2 full-time 200,000

Korea 1990 1 x 0.5 30,000

Taiwan 1989 1 full-time 45,000

275,000

Europe

Brussels September 1992 43,000⁽¹⁰⁾ The Agency makes a financial contribution towards the running costs, including staff costs of the North of England Office in Brussels, which is a partnership for the region

50,000⁽¹¹⁾ The office also receives funding from the North East Regional Assembly

North of England Collaborative Office

North America

(Chicago, Boston⁽¹²⁾, Atlanta⁽¹²⁾, West Coast) October 2000 15 full-time⁽¹³⁾ 500,000 Joint operations between; One NorthEast, North West Development Agency and Yorkshire Forward

Official Launch February 2001

Total cost of the Collaborative Office is £1 million. 50 per cent. of costs come from other public and private sector funding

Balance met equally between the three RDAs

Midlands Collaborative US Office

North America

Chicago October 2000 2 full-time 448,000⁽¹⁴⁾ Pre-September 2000 EMDA had office in Virginia at annual cost of £90,000

San Diego October 2000 2 full-time reps Joint operation between East and West Midlands

Pittsburgh May 1992 Cost is shared between each RDA

Midlands Collaborative Japanese Office

Asia Pacific

Japan 1997 2 full-time 200,000 As above

1 part-time

London First Centre

Asia Pacific Please note that London First Centre are a private company limited by guarantee, and they carry out inward investment promotion on behalf of London Development Agency.

North America No overseas offices, however do use consultants/agents in selected locations

0.5 of two people in Taiwan since 1998, cost £22,500

0.5 of one person in Korea since 1998, cost £7,500

Two agents in USA since 1996, cost £165,000

⁽⁸⁾ Regional Assembly contributes 50 per cent. to salary of full-time officer.

⁽⁹⁾ Combined cost of American and Japanese operations.

⁽¹⁰⁾ 2000-01

⁽¹¹⁾ 2001-02

⁽¹²⁾ Operations in Boston and Atlanta predate the establishment of the Collaborative Office

⁽¹³⁾ Projected

⁽¹⁴⁾ Includes UK seconded staff costs

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RDA/Office location	Opened	Number of employees	Annual cost to RDAs (£)	Other comments
Yorkshire Forward
Asia Pacific
Japan	1983	2 full-time	130,000
Europe
Brussels	February 2001	3 full-time	30,000	Yorkshire Forward contributes to costs. Office is run and staff are employed by Regional Assembly

North West Development Agency
Asia Pacific
Japan	Late 1980s	2 part-time	50,000	Also have Marketing Agents since 1993 operating in Taiwan (£20,000)
Europe	July 2000	1 full-time	45,000	Co-funded by the Regional Assembly in an office co-habited by Sub Regional Officers (Lancashire, Cheshire, Manchester, Merseyside)

Advantage West Midlands
Europe
Brussels	November 2000	6 full-time	170,000	The West Midlands in Europe Office is a joint office with the West Midlands Local Government Association, Higher Education, the CBI, NEC Group, Engineering Employers Federation, Chambers of Commerce, Voluntary Sector, Further Education and has close links with Eversheds and PWC. The total cost is £500,000 of which the RDA contributes £170,000
				One rep in Germany since September 2000, that incurs salary costs only of £80,000.
				One part-time rep in Taiwan since April 1998, incurring salary costs only of £40,000
				Two part-time agents in Korea since April 1996, incurring salary costs of only £20,000
				From January 2001 six month contract for one rep in Australia incurring salary costs of £65,000

East of England Development Agency
Europe				Contribute 4 per cent. of total cost of office to East of England European Partnership Office in Brussels. The office is sponsored by local authorities and the seven TECS in the region.
				EEDA's contribution is £12,000
North America				East of England Investment Agency, who carry out inward investment on behalf of EEDA, have a number of strategic alliances overseas, but at negligible cost. There is one part-time marketing agent in the USA at an annual cost of £5,000

East Midlands Development Agency
Europe
(Germany)		2 part-time agents	28,000
Asia Pacific		1 part-time agent	50,000
		2 part-time agents

	South East of England Development Agency
Europe
Brussels	September 2000	1 full-time⁽⁸⁾	79,000	Collaborative office with South East Local Authorities and Regional Assembly

	South West of England Regional Development Agency
Asia Pacific
Japan	1990	3 full-time	174,000⁽⁹⁾
North America				Also have five staff working from their homes in Sonoma California, Chicago, and Boston
				The total cost of American and Japanese operations is £565,000 (£391,000 from public and private sector partners)
One NorthEast
Asia Pacific
Japan	1974	2 full-time	200,000
Korea	1990	1 x 0.5	30,000
Taiwan	1989	1 full-time	45,000
			275,000
Europe
Brussels	September 1992		43,000⁽¹⁰⁾	The Agency makes a financial contribution towards the running costs, including staff costs of the North of England Office in Brussels, which is a partnership for the region
			50,000⁽¹¹⁾	The office also receives funding from the North East Regional Assembly

North of England Collaborative Office
North America
(Chicago, Boston⁽¹²⁾, Atlanta⁽¹²⁾, West Coast)	October 2000	15 full-time⁽¹³⁾	500,000	Joint operations between; One NorthEast, North West Development Agency and Yorkshire Forward
				Official Launch February 2001
				Total cost of the Collaborative Office is £1 million. 50 per cent. of costs come from other public and private sector funding
				Balance met equally between the three RDAs

Midlands Collaborative US Office
North America
Chicago	October 2000	2 full-time	448,000⁽¹⁴⁾	Pre-September 2000 EMDA had office in Virginia at annual cost of £90,000
San Diego	October 2000	2 full-time reps		Joint operation between East and West Midlands
Pittsburgh	May 1992			Cost is shared between each RDA

	Midlands Collaborative Japanese Office
Asia Pacific
Japan	1997	2 full-time	200,000	As above
		1 part-time

London First Centre
Asia Pacific				Please note that London First Centre are a private company limited by guarantee, and they carry out inward investment promotion on behalf of London Development Agency.
North America				No overseas offices, however do use consultants/agents in selected locations
				0.5 of two people in Taiwan since 1998, cost £22,500
				0.5 of one person in Korea since 1998, cost £7,500
				Two agents in USA since 1996, cost £165,000