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NORTHERN IRELAND
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many recipients of Disability Living Allowance higher mobility component in Northern Ireland qualify because they are both blind and deaf; [157408]
- (2) how many Disability Living Allowance recipients, whose main disability is deafness, are aged between 16 and 64 and live in Northern Ireland; [157410]
(3) how many Disability Living Allowance recipients there are in Northern Ireland; and how many there were in each of the last seven years, whose main disabling condition is deafness; [157405]
(4) if he will publish a breakdown of disability living allowance awards in Northern Ireland for which deafness is the main disabling condition by (a) the rate of each component and (b) age; [157407]
(5) if he will publish a breakdown of Disability Living Allowance awards in Northern Ireland for which deafness is the main disabling condition by (a) age and (b) type of
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- award, indicating (i) care only components, (ii) mobility only components and (iii) combined care and mobility components; [157406]
(6) how many recipients there are in Northern Ireland of (a) higher and (b) lower rate Attendance Allowance. [157409]
Dr. Reid: Responsibility for this matter has now been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what considerations underlay the decision to exclude housing benefit and income support on mortgage interest from a household's income when determining whether that household suffers fuel poverty, as stated in Box 10.1 of The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy. [157452]
Dr. Reid: Responsibility for this matter has now been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times (a) Lord Sainsbury and (b) other Ministers from his Department met with Nadhmi Auchi of General Mediterranean Holdings Ltd.; and if he will list the (i) dates and (ii) locations of those meetings. [156883]
Mr. Byers [holding answer 4 April 2001]: Lord Sainsbury has met Mr. Auchi on one occasion, at a dinner hosted by Mr. Auchi on 23 April 1999 at the Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly. The Department has no record of any other meetings having taken place between DTI Ministers and Mr. Auchi.
Departmental Policies (Amber Valley)
Judy Mallaber: 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 Amber Valley constituency, the effects on Amber Valley of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [157135]
Mr. Caborn: The constituency of Amber Valley has benefited from a range of initiatives since May 1997 including:
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. Grant totalling £3,405,000 has been offered to 10 companies supporting total capital expenditure of £19,126,000 with the aim of safeguarding 559 existing full time jobs and creating in excess of 160 new full time jobs.
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Smart
Discretionary grant available to SMEs to help them develop technologically innovative products and processes. Grant totalling £643,819 has been offered to nine projects supporting total project costs in excess of £1,822,000.
A new discretionary grant introduced in 2000. Provides support to SMEs investing in capital projects which would not otherwise go ahead. Grant totalling £286,389 has been offered to eight businesses supporting project costs in excess of £2,258,000.
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 Amber Valley constituency area. However, from 1997 to date, Business Link South Derbyshire, which includes the Amber Valley constituency, has helped a total of 2005 businesses and assisted 668 business start ups.
Gibraltar
Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received regarding using the Gibraltar international direct dialling code prefix 350; [156129]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the arrangement set in place to handle internationally dialled telephone calls to Gibraltar using the Gibraltar international direct dialling code prefix 350; [156133]
(3) what representations he has made to the European Commission regarding the handling of internationally dialled telephone calls routed through Spain and destined for Gibraltar. [156130]
Ms Hewitt: We remain deeply concerned about the unsatisfactory situation of telecommunications services in Gibraltar. Spain does not recognise Gibraltar's international direct dialling code (350). This code is however recognised by every other country in the world.
The Government of Gibraltar have brought to our attention the increasing problem of international calls from countries other than Spain failing to reach their destination in Gibraltar. Some calls from third countries are diverted via Spain by Lease Cost Routing technology, in order to reduce costs.
We are working hard to ascertain the exact cause of the problem of dropped calls, and to identify the best way forward. There are a number of possible technical and commercial considerations which need to be examined. We have drawn the situation to the attention of both the Spanish Government and the Commission, and will pursue the problem as a matter of urgency.
Digital Television
Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact the Office of Fair Trading
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inquiry into BSkyB will have on the timetable to switch off analogue television channels and accelerate the take-up of digital TV. [R] [157142]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is unable to comment on a Competition Act inquiry by the Office of Fair Trading while it is being undertaken. The Director General of Fair Trading expects to reach a view by this summer on whether or not an infringement decision should be issued against BSkyB.
Postal Services
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who will represent the United Kingdom at the next meeting of the Council of the European Union (Transport and Communications); and what position the UK's representative will take on amending Directive 96/97/EC with regard to the further opening up to competition of Community postal services. [157391]
Mr. Alan Johnson: My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Small Business and E-Commerce represented the UK at this month's Transport and Telecommunications Council on 4-5 April 2001. There are no plans for a substantive discussion on the proposal to amend Directive 97/67/EC at this Council; this item is on the agenda for information only in order to provide a progress report and an indication of the Presidency's plans for taking forward the debate with the aim of achieving a political compromise at the Telecommunications Council to be held at the end of June. The UK supports the Presidency in its objective to work for an agreement on the further opening up to competition of Community postal services provided appropriate safeguards are in place to maintain the universal service at a uniform tariff.
Civil Aircraft Projects
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Government aid has been granted by his Department, and its predecessor, in support of civil aircraft projects since 1971, excluding Airbus projects; and if he will set out the amounts (a) granted in respect of each project and (b) recovered by way of sales and licensing levies. [157377]
Mr. Alan Johnson: Since 1971 the following launch investment project (a) commitments and (b) amounts recovered, excluding Airbus projects, which the Government have made are as follows:
| (a) | (b) | |
|---|---|---|
| To Rolls-Royce for the Trent 600/900 in 2001 | 200 | (8)-- |
| To Rolls-Royce for the Trent aeroengine in 1997 | 250 | 7.7 |
| To Shorts for the Learjet 45 in 1995 | 17.7 | (8)-- |
| To Rolls-Royce for the V2500 in 1985 | 60 | 29.6 |
| To Westland for the EH101 in 1984 | 60 | (8)-- |
| To Westland for the W30-200 in 1982 | 39.3 | (9)-- |
| To Rolls-Royce for the RB211 in 1974 | 439.4 | 277.2 |
| To Hawker Siddeley for the HS146 in 1972 | 7.8 | (10)-- |
(8) Not yet due
(9) None recovered
(10) Levies not payable
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