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Road Accidents (Balkans)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the UK has paid out in compensation because of road accidents to non-UK persons for road accidents involving UK personnel; how many civilians have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in such accidents in (i) Bosnia and (ii) Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [152596]

Mr. Spellar: A total of £808,674.78 has been paid in compensation to non-UK persons involved in road traffic accidents involving UK personnel in Bosnia. This sum includes compensation in respect of five fatalities and 50 cases of personal injury. No compensation has been paid so far in similar circumstances in Kosovo.

Centre for Defence Medicine

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research facilities exist at the Centre for Defence Medicine; how much money has been earmarked for the development of research facilities; and if he will make statement. [151801]

Dr. Moonie: The Centre for Defence Medicine will develop medical research opportunities which are relevant to the Defence Medical Services in close conjunction with its partners, in particular the University of Birmingham. It will also work closely with other elements of the

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Ministry of Defence concerned with medical research activities. No dedicated military medical research facilities are currently envisaged.

MOD Establishments (Security)

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the state of security at his Department's bases and headquarters in the UK and the steps taken to deter unwanted intrusion; what review of security procedures at his Department's bases and headquarters he plans to undertake; what the remit of the investigations will be; which bases and headquarters will be investigated; when he expects investigations to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [151805]

Mr. Hoon: Security at Ministry of Defence (MOD) establishments is given the highest priority and procedures are kept under constant review. For obvious reasons it is not the practice to discuss MOD security measures publicly. However, I can assure the right hon. Member that wherever a security incident occurs, it is speedily investigated and remedial action is taken if appropriate.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many breaches of security were reported at his Department's bases and headquarters in each of the last five years; how many arrests and prosecutions have resulted; and if he will make a statement. [151806]

Mr. Hoon: Taking breaches of security incursions on to the Ministry of Defence estate, the figures for each of the last four years were: 1996-97: 67; 1997-98: 87; 1998-99: 182; 1999-2000: 239; central records were not kept prior to 1996-97. The figures cover sites in Great Britain (excluding USAF installations) and Germany. The great majority of the incursions related to anti-nuclear demonstrators, whose activities have increased over the last two years. I will write to the right hon. and learned Member with the numbers of arrests and prosecutions recorded by the Ministry of Defence police. Information on incidents dealt with by local constabularies could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Parental Leave

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to give mothers and fathers the right to work reduced hours after the birth of a child. [152279]

Mr. Alan Johnson: The Green Paper "Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice", published by the Government in December 2000, sets out a number of options to help parents balance their family and work responsibilities. It includes three options on a right to work reduced hours:

whether there should be a right for mothers to work reduced hours during the period of maternity leave,

whether fathers should have a right to work reduced hours during the period of maternity leave,

or whether both parents should have a right to work reduced hours when the mother's maternity leave ends.

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The options included the fact that the impact on employers would be minimised through giving employers the right to refuse requests if to grant them would unduly disrupt the business and an exemption for employers of a certain size.

The Green Paper makes it clear that not all options can be pursued. Employers, large and small, and parents have been invited to indicate which options are of greatest priority to them. The closing date for comments is 7 March 2001. Responses to the consultation are being considered carefully.

Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce flexible paid parental leave. [152282]

Mr. Alan Johnson: The Green Paper "Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice", published by the Government in December 2000, sets out a number of options to help parents balance their family and work responsibilities. It invites views on whether paid parental leave should be introduced, although it notes that the cost to employers and the State of doing so would be considerable. Another option is whether funding should be available to help employers develop more flexible parental leave schemes.

The Green Paper makes it clear that not all options can be pursued. Employers, large and small, and parents have been invited to indicate which options are of greatest priority to them. The closing date for comments is 7 March 2001. Responses to the consultation are being considered carefully.

Mercedes-Benz

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have held with (i) Mercedes-Benz (UK) and (ii) the Retail Motor Industry Federation on the future plans for the sale of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [152097]

{**con**}{**/con**}

Mr. Alan Johnson: (i) Neither I nor my officials have had any discussions as yet with Mercedes-Benz (UK) on the future plans for the sale of their cars in the UK.

(ii) My officials have had preliminary discussions with the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) on the future plans of Mercedes-Benz. The Retail Motor Industry Federation has written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, requesting a meeting to discuss this subject along with other issues pertaining to the retail motor industry. This is in the process of being arranged.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Director General of Fair Trading on the proposals by Mercedes- Benz (UK) for their planned future car sales structure in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [152096]

Mr. Alan Johnson: I have had no discussions as yet with the Director General of Fair Trading on the proposals by Mercedes-Benz (UK) for their planned future car sales structure in the UK. I understand that Mercedes-Benz Dealer representatives have sent a letter to DaimlerChrysler UK calling on the company to justify or withdraw the termination notices, failing which the Dealers intend to commence legal proceedings.

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Miners' Compensation (Warrington, North)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former miners in Warrington, North have (a) claimed and (b) received payments in compensation for (i) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (ii) vibration white finger. [152458]

Mr. Hain: In the area of Warrington, as defined by the postcodes WA2, WA3, WA12 and M44, which encompasses the Warrington, North constituency, IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, have registered 274 claims in respect of compensation for respiratory disease and 176 claims in relation to Vibration White Finger, VWF. To date, there have been 65 individual payments totalling £236,000 in respect of respiratory disease and 59 individual payments in respect of VWF amounting to £358,000.

Directors' Remuneration

Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he intends to take forward the proposals in his Department's consultative document on directors' remuneration. [152845]

Mr. Byers: My Department received 140 responses to its consultative document on directors' remuneration. Most respondents supported the Government's proposals to promote a more effective linkage between performance and boardroom pay. The Government have now decided to introduce secondary legislation under the Companies Act 1985 which will require quoted companies incorporated in Great Britain to publish a report on directors' remuneration as part of the company's annual reporting cycle. Companies will be required to disclose within the report details of individual directors' remuneration packages, the role of the board's remuneration committee and the board's remuneration policy, including information on performance linkage, directors' service contracts and compensation payments.

The Government recognise that it is also important that directors are accountable to shareholders in this area, not least because boards of directors face a conflict of interest in relation to directors' remuneration. The Government continue to be concerned that many quoted companies are failing to respond adequately to the best practice recommendations on accountability, but they are also aware that the Company Law Review is looking at a number of issues in adjacent areas. I will therefore take a final decision on how to improve accountability on boardroom pay, including whether or not to introduce a compulsory vote on the board's remuneration report, in the light of the Review's wider recommendations on company law reform.

Ahead of this there is of course nothing to stop institutional investors taking action now. I have had helpful discussions with the Association of British Insurers and the National Association of Pension Funds and with some of their members about the action they are taking to improve compliance with best practice in this area. In particular, I will be looking to see further evidence that:

remuneration committees are composed exclusively of independent non-executive directors;

companies are complying with the spirit of existing best practice on accountability and that shareholders are fully involved.

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