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Ministerial Meetings

Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many ministerial meetings with hon. Members have been cancelled by Ministers since 1 January. [155235]

Mr. Byers: Two meetings between DTI Ministers and hon. Members have been cancelled since 1 January 2001.

Gas-fired Power Stations

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on BP Energy Ltd.'s proposal to build a combined heat and power gas-fired power station at the Jaguar works at Halewood. [157220]

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Mr. Byers: I have today given consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to BP Energy Ltd. and clearance under section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976, to build a 70 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Jaguar works at Halewood near Liverpool. Planning permission for the station was granted subject to 51 conditions agreed with Knowsley Metropolitan borough council.

Combined heat and power plants are designed to produce both electricity and usable heat. They have environmental benefits due to their high levels of energy efficiency.

The decision demonstrates the Government's continuing commitment to promote CHP, wherever practicable, and our commitment to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to fulfil the promises we gave at Kyoto.

The decision also shows the commitment of Ford to Merseyside as the power station will supply the current and future needs of the Jaguar works which will shortly be producing a new range.

Copies of the press notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Anthony D. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Great Yarmouth Power Ltd.'s application to increase the size of the South Denes gas-fired power station. [157221]

Mr. Byers: I have today granted consent to increase the size of the South Denes 350 MW combined cycle gas turbine power station to 400 MW. The extension is a result of new technology which is more efficient than that originally proposed and will result in a reduction of emissions while delivering the same power.

Copies of the press notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

Employment Tribunals (Scotland)

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what restrictions there are on his powers to appoint in Scotland chairmen and part-time chairmen of employment tribunals to Scottish advocates or solicitors only. [156792]

Mr. Alan Johnson [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Under regulations made by my Department, the appointment of chairmen and part-time chairmen of employment tribunals in Scotland is the responsibility of the Lord President of the Court of Session. The regulations stipulate that appointees must be advocates or solicitors of not less than seven years standing.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what period of office part-time chairmen of employment tribunals in Scotland are appointed; on what grounds such part-time chairmen may be removed from office; and what the procedures are for effecting such removal from office. [156791]

Mr. Alan Johnson [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Part-time chairmen of employment tribunals in Scotland are appointed for a term of five years, which is renewable. It would be for the Lord President of the Court of Session to consider whether any part-time chairman should be removed from office. In considering the case for a

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removal, he would be guided by the model rules of procedure on these matters as published by the Lord Chancellor last year. The procedure to be followed would be a matter for the Lord President in the light of his consideration of the circumstances of each case.

Departmental Policies (High Peak)

Mr. Levitt: 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 constituency, the effects on the High Peak constituency of his Department's policies and actions since May 1997. [156780]

Mr. Caborn: The constituency of High Peak has benefited from a range of initiatives since May 1997 including:

Regional Selective Assistance--a discretionary grant which provides assistance towards capital projects which would not otherwise go ahead and will create or safeguard employment in an Assisted Area. Until 31 December 1999 the High Peak area was in an Assisted Area and up to this date grants totalling £455,000 were offered to three companies supporting total capital expenditure of £3,523,000 with the aim of safeguarding 30 existing full-time jobs and creating in excess of 80 new full-time jobs.

Enterprise Grant--a new discretionary grant introduced in 2000. Provides support to SMEs investing in capital projects which would not otherwise go ahead. Although SMEs investing in capital projects in the Peveril ward of High Peak district council, no grants have yet been awarded in this area.

Smart--discretionary grant available to SMEs to help them develop technologically innovative products and processes. Grant totalling £346,857 has been offered to six projects supporting total projects costs in excess of £837,000.

Business Link--the Business Link network provides a wide range of business advice and support to SMEs. It is not possible to accurately isolate Business Link data for the High Peak constituency area. However, from 1997 to date, Business Link North Derbyshire, which now includes the High Peak constituency, has helped a total of 4,987 businesses and assisted 1,422 business start ups.

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)--in addition to its domestic initiatives, the Department of Trade and Industry is also the lead Department for European Structural Funds in the UK. Under ERDF Objective 5b (1994-1999) and the LEADER II Community Initiative, High Peak has benefited from £1.23 million. The projects supported have delivered a range of industrial premises, business support and small community projects.

I understand that my hon. Friend has also asked a similar question in respect of DETR policies and programmes.

Miners (Compensation)

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been registered by ex-miners suffering from respiratory disease who are resident in the constituencies of (a) Caerphilly, (b) Llanelli, (c) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, (d) Neath, (e) Clwyd South, (f) Wrexham and (g) Pontypridd. [155645]

Mr. Hain [holding answer 28 March 2001]: IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, do not collect data by constituency. The following information is collated by reference to the postcodes most closely mapping onto the constituencies in question. The number of claims in respect of respiratory disease in the areas defined by these postcodes are listed in the table:

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Constituency within defined area	Postcode defined area	Number of claims for respiratory disease
Caerphilly	CF 46, 81-83; NP 1	3,231
Llanelli	SA 14-17	1,308
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	NP 2-3; CF 44, 46-48	3,635
Neath	SA 8-11, 18	3,636
Clwyd South	LL 13-14, 20-21; SY 10	516
Wrexham	LL 11-13	502
Pontypridd	CF 37-39	2,122

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation for respiratory disease have been made by ex-miners living in the constituencies of (a) Aberavon, (b) Newport, East, (c) Ogmore, (d) Blaenau Gwent, (e) Bridgend, (f) Rhondda, (g) Islwyn and (h) East Carmarthen and Dinefwr. [155642]

Mr. Hain [holding answer 27 March 2001]: IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, do not collect data by constituency. The information is collated by reference to the postcodes most closely mapping onto the constituencies in question. The number of claims in respect of respiratory disease in the areas defined by these postcodes are listed in the table:

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Constituency within defined area	Postcode defined area	Number of claims for respiratory disease
Aberavon	SA 11-13, CF 34, 42	2,983
Newport, East	NP 26, 9	22
Ogmore	CF 32, 34, 35, 72	2,915
Blaenau Gwent	NP 3, 23	642
Bridgend	CF 33, 31, 35, 32	1,983
Rhondda	CF 40, 42-44	2,563
Islwyn	NP 1, 3	177
East Carmarthen and Dinefwr	SA 17-20, 31-33, 38-39, 44	1,530

New Businesses (Shrewsbury and Atcham)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the number of new businesses in each industrial category started in Shrewsbury and Atcham since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [156512]

Mr. Caborn: The number of businesses, by broad industrial sector, joining the VAT register in the Shrewsbury and Atcham local authority district in each of the last three years for which data are available, is set out in the table.

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	1997	1998	1999	Total
Agriculture, forestry	10	10	10	30
Mining, quarrying; electricity, gas and water supply	0	0	0	0
Manufacturing	15	10	5	30
Construction	20	40	30	90
Wholesale, retail & repairs	65	65	55	185
Hotels, restaurants	40	35	45	120
Transport, storage & communications	10	15	5	30
Financial intermediation	0	5	0	5
Real estate, renting & business activities	80	85	90	255
Public administration; other community, social & personal services	20	20	10	50
Education; health & social work	5	5	0	10
All Sectors	265	290	250	805

Source:

Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations, National Statistics.

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During the period 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1999 some 755 businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham left the VAT register.

During the same period therefore, the stock of VAT registered businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham increased by 50 (1.7 per cent). The equivalent percentage increase for the West Midlands region was 1.2 per cent. and for the UK 3.4 per cent.

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