| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Low Sulphur Petrol
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many garages in England and Wales sell low sulphur petrol. [155651]
Mr. Hain: My department estimates that 68 per cent. of total UK petrol retail sites have converted to ultra-low sulphur petrol (ULSP). This corresponds to 77 per cent. of total petrol sales being ULSP. There are no separate figures for England and Wales.
Palestine
Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives his Department has undertaken to encourage British companies to invest in the territory under the administration of the Palestinan National Authority. [155449]
Mr. Hain: Trade Partners UK, in conjunction with the British Consulate-General Jerusalem, provide a wide range of services including advice and information for
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 587W
British companies considering doing business in the territories under the administration of the Palestine National Authority. In November 1999 in conjunction with the Middle East Association, Trade Partners UK organised a seminar in support of the Bethlehem 2000 Project. In July 2000 the Export Promoter for West Bank and Gaza arranged with the support of the BC-G Jerusalem and the Institute of Packaging, two seminars in market and earlier this year Trade Partners UK organised an inward mission to a UK exhibition for the hospitality industry.
Medicines
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to support the reform of the trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement to improve poor people's access to essential drugs and medicines. [155480]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 26 March 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 9 March 2001, Official Report, column 348W.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is on the proposed introduction of TRIPs plus laws; and if he will make a statement. [155482]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 26 March 2001]: The UK and EU have no intention of seeking to impose on other countries intellectual property rights regimes that are more stringent than the minimum standards of TRIPs. Standards higher than these are a matter of policy for individual governments to decide.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce compulsory licences to reduce the price of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and related infections under the TRIPs proposals. [155479]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 26 March 2001]: Compulsory licences are a matter for national law. I have no plans to introduce compulsory licences to reduce the price of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and related infections in the UK market. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 9 March 2001, Official Report, column 349W.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the introduction of compulsory licences to reduce the price of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and related infections under the TRIPs proposals. [155478]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 26 March 2001]: None in respect of the UK which is the only market where the Government would have the right, in certain circumstances, to issue a compulsory licence. I also refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 9 March 2001, Official Report, columns 348-50W.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the use of World Trade Organisation-sponsored trade sanctions against
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 588W
developing countries which produce and export cheap generic medicines used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. [155481]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 26 March 2001]: Generic medicines are those which are off patent and are therefore not covered by the TRIPS Agreement. Copies of patented drugs can be legitimately made under the TRIPS Agreement through voluntary or, in certain circumstances, compulsory licensing arrangements. There are no examples where, consequent upon the decision of a Dispute Settlement Panel, WTO sanctions have been imposed on intellectual property rights grounds.
Sub-post Offices (Cornwall)
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former non-Crown sub-post offices there were in the St. Ives constituency in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 2001. [155737]
Mr. Alan Johnson: I understand from the Post Office that data on the post office network are not held on a Parliamentary constituency basis.
Miners' Pensions
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a decision in respect of sacked miners' eligibility for pensions; and if he will make a statement. [154641]
Mr. Hain: The Department is giving full consideration to responses to the consultation document issued on this subject last year and I will make a full statement in due course.
Sudan
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the United Kingdom Government are taking to encourage investment by UK companies in Sudan. [155148]
Mr. Caborn: Trade Partners UK, in consultation with the British Embassy in Khartoum as necessary, provides frank and comprehensive information about the investment climate in Sudan. In particular, we point out current FCO travel advice and sign-post companies to relevant web based resources.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Young Offenders
Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been set aside to provide payment to private consultants to achieve the Government's pledge with regard to young offenders; and if such funding will be available in future years. [155846]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Youth Justice Board has provided £49,075 in 1998-99, £1,624,932 in 1999-2000 and £2,879,237 in 2000-01 for private consultants to tackle delays in the youth justice system including with persistent young offenders. It will provide further funding in 2001-02.
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 589W
Police Numbers
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Pond) of 22 March 2001, Official Report, columns 323-28W, on police numbers, if
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 590W
he will provide a breakdown by rank of police strength for each force and for England and Wales as a whole at 31 January. [155941]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The requested details are in the table.
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 589W
| Police force | Chief constables | Assistant chief constables | Superintendents | Chief inspectors | Inspectors | Sergeants | Constables | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset | 1 | 3 | 20 | 34 | 146 | 447 | 2,318 | 2,968 |
| Bedfordshire | 0 | 2 | 13 | 14 | 51 | 138 | 813 | 1,031 |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 72 | 208 | 999 | 1,309 |
| Cheshire | 1 | 3 | 16 | 26 | 102 | 331 | 1,543 | 2,021 |
| Cleveland | 1 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 74 | 207 | 1,116 | 1,426 |
| Cumbria | 1 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 49 | 162 | 813 | 1,049 |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 3 | 23 | 23 | 88 | 282 | 1,397 | 1,816 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 1 | 4 | 35 | 35 | 143 | 415 | 2,294 | 2,927 |
| Dorset | 1 | 2 | 15 | 22 | 64 | 201 | 1,034 | 1,339 |
| Durham | 1 | 2 | 19 | 23 | 81 | 213 | 1,258 | 1,596 |
| Essex | 1 | 3 | 26 | 42 | 132 | 441 | 2,214 | 2,859 |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 55 | 169 | 905 | 1,160 |
| Greater Manchester | 1 | 6 | 80 | 90 | 333 | 970 | 5,387 | 6,867 |
| Hampshire | 1 | 3 | 34 | 43 | 166 | 551 | 2,653 | 3,451 |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 3 | 22 | 29 | 108 | 278 | 1,513 | 1,954 |
| Humberside | 1 | 2 | 21 | 22 | 97 | 274 | 1,485 | 1,902 |
| Kent | 1 | 4 | 27 | 43 | 144 | 477 | 2,612 | 3,308 |
| Lancashire | 1 | 3 | 32 | 34 | 157 | 506 | 2,512 | 3,245 |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 3 | 16 | 21 | 95 | 268 | 1,617 | 2,021 |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 61 | 182 | 918 | 1,190 |
| London, City of | 1 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 46 | 103 | 537 | 711 |
| Merseyside | 1 | 4 | 43 | 49 | 170 | 604 | 3,205 | 4,076 |
| Metropolitan police | 5 | 29 | 186 | 386 | 1,218 | 4,077 | 18,959 | 24,861 |
| Norfolk | 1 | 2 | 12 | 22 | 67 | 211 | 1,082 | 1,397 |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 52 | 164 | 921 | 1,161 |
| Northumbria | 1 | 4 | 40 | 58 | 182 | 542 | 3,041 | 3,868 |
| North Yorkshire | 1 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 63 | 210 | 1,003 | 1,299 |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 3 | 20 | 18 | 110 | 293 | 1,814 | 2,258 |
| South Yorkshire | 1 | 4 | 39 | 49 | 175 | 499 | 2,424 | 3,190 |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 2 | 19 | 23 | 101 | 342 | 1,651 | 2,138 |
| Suffolk | 1 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 55 | 168 | 880 | 1,133 |
| Surrey | 1 | 3 | 16 | 22 | 92 | 298 | 1,655 | 2,088 |
| Sussex | 1 | 5 | 32 | 38 | 167 | 445 | 2,163 | 2,851 |
| Thames Valley | 1 | 4 | 44 | 35 | 185 | 549 | 2,906 | 3,723 |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 42 | 126 | 748 | 942 |
| West Mercia | 1 | 3 | 17 | 33 | 92 | 288 | 1,464 | 1,899 |
| West Midlands | 1 | 4 | 60 | 48 | 301 | 981 | 6,043 | 7,438 |
| West Yorkshire | 1 | 6 | 47 | 69 | 240 | 637 | 3,804 | 4,804 |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 59 | 179 | 845 | 1,114 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 1 | 2 | 13 | 18 | 47 | 178 | 804 | 1,063 |
| Gwent | 1 | 2 | 11 | 15 | 59 | 198 | 979 | 1,265 |
| North Wales | 1 | 2 | 13 | 26 | 68 | 231 | 1,091 | 1,432 |
| South Wales | 1 | 4 | 30 | 38 | 162 | 448 | 2,421 | 3,103 |
| Total all forces | 46 | 151 | 1,180 | 1,580 | 5,969 | 18,489 | 95,841 | 123,256 |
Notes:
1. These figures are in terms of full-time equivalents, and have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Consequently, the force figures do not necessarily add precisely to the total.
2. The figures exclude secondment to NCS, NCIS, central services and inter-force units.
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 589W
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Pond) of 22 March 2001, Official Report, columns 323-28W, on police numbers, if he will list the (a) wastage and (b) recruitment figures for each police force in England and Wales for the period 30 September 2000 to 31 January. [155940]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The requested details are in the table.
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 590W
Notes:
1. Recruitment and wastage figures are in terms of numbers of officers (whereas the total strength figures are in full-time equivalents).
2. The force figures exclude transfers to and from other England and Wales forces.
3. For the reasons stated above, the previous strength total plusrecruitment minus wastage does not equal the current strength total.
27 Mar 2001 : Column: 591W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |