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Information Technology Industry

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what measures her Department has taken to ensure that United States law does not affect trade in software in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement; [3712]

(2) what action she has taken in respect of the impact of US legislation on trade in information technology on the UK; and if she will make a statement; [3742]

(3) what complaints relating to breaches of (a) UK law and (b) international law in the field of information technology her Department has received in the past year; and if she will make a statement; [3710]

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(4) what notice has been given to her Department in the last six months of breaches of UK law relating to the information technology industry; and if she will make a statement on her policy on this subject. [3426]

Mr. Alexander: My Department is responsible for a wide range of areas on information technology. I would ask the hon. Member to write to me indicating his specific areas of concern.

Gas Prices

Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made with the inquiry into non-domestic gas prices. [1950]

Mr. Wilson: There has been no formal inquiry into gas prices. However, a key part of the Government's strategy to address the problem of high gas prices is to take action against any anti-competitive behaviour. At the Government's request, the EU Commission is conducting an inquiry into the operation of the UK-Belgium interconnector.

Meanwhile, DTI, Ofgem and OFT continue to monitor the market closely. Ofgem and OFT have strong powers under the Competition Act 1998 to act against anti- competitive behaviour if necessary.

Innovation

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives she intends to take to support innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises. [3945]

Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 13 June a review of all DTI business support schemes, and I cannot pre-empt the results of that review.

In the meantime—through its agency, the Small Business Service—the DTI is continuing to support innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with schemes such as Smart and TCS. Smart helps SMEs fund research and development into innovative products and processes, or buy external consultancy to improve their use and exploitation of technology, while TCS helps businesses access the knowledge and expertise available in universities, higher education institutions and research organisations.

The DTI also worked with the Treasury on the introduction last year of the research and development tax credit for SMEs, to help meet the costs of developing innovations.

Export Licences (Israel)

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 3 July 2001, Official Report, column 88W, on export licences (Israel), what was the nature of the end use restrictions of the two SIELs granted between 1 January and 31 May. [2835]

Nigel Griffiths: Licences for items rated "End-use" do not usually have provisos or restrictions placed on them other than the standard conditions. I can confirm that there were no additional restrictions placed on these two licences. The rating "End Use" covers items that do not normally require an export licence but are subject to control because the exporter has been told or knows or

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suspects that the items would or might be used in activities connected with weapons of mass destruction or missiles for their delivery. This is a dual-use rating under Council regulation (EC) No. 1334/2000.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will revise estimates of emissions of carbon dioxide from the electricity sector to take account of changes (a) in operational management of centralised power stations and (b) since the start of the New Electricity Trading Arrangements; and if she will make a statement. [3740]

Mr. Wilson: Actual CO ₂ emissions from the electricity generation sector since the start of the new electricity trading arrangements (NETA) are not yet available. Government projections of emissions were last published in November 2000 as energy paper 68 ¹ . These are long-term projections, which we see no reason to revise at this stage. We do not, as yet, have sufficient information (including the generation fuel mix) to assess any resulting changes in the electricity sector. In any event, we are still in the early days of NETA and generator behaviour in response to the new arrangements is unlikely to have settled down. There have been particular issues regarding the impact of NETA on renewables and CHP, on which Ofgem will shortly be publishing a report.

¹ Energy Projections for the UK, 2000–20. Energy Paper 68. Published November 2000.

Wind Farms

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence about the development of wind farms within the operational low flying tactical training areas; and if she will make a statement. [3416]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 12 July 2001]: Ministers in the two Departments discussed the issue of wind farms in May and this has been followed by meetings with officials. Both Departments are working closely together to co-ordinate policy so that we can successfully balance our efforts to address the needs of renewable energy, while ensuring that defence concerns are properly taken into account.

NIREX

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the findings of the internal investigation by NIREX into allegations of mismanagement. [4060]

Mr. Wilson: I welcome the commendable efforts which NIREX has made to address the criticisms levelled against it, and its intention to adopt more positive policies in the future. This investigation is an important part of those efforts and I have placed a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses.

Unlicensed Broadcasting

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints her Department has received about unlicensed broadcasting stations in each of the last five years. [3475]

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Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The Radiocommunications Agency has no centrally held figures for 1996, 1997 and the first quarter of 1998. On 1 April 1998, the agency's pirate radio reporting point started recording specific complaints about pirate radio interference in keeping with the provisions of the Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 1996. The figures for 1 April to 31 December 1998 and 1999–2000 are as follows:

Year	Number
1998	83
1999	150
2000	187

The number of complaints received in 2001 stands at 148 as at 13 July.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of unlicensed broadcasting stations operating in the United Kingdom. [3474]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The Radiocommunications Agency, which is responsible for taking action against pirate radio stations, undertook operations against 231 identified stations in 2000.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many seizures of equipment from the Voice of Africa pirate radio station have been made. [3476]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: Radiocommunications Agency staff undertook 13 operations against the Voice of Africa in 2000 and six so far this year, with equipment seized on each occasion.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the deterrent effect of penalties available for unlicensed broadcasting. [3478]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The maximum penalties on indictment for unlicensed broadcasting under section 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 are up to two years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The actual penalties are for the courts to determine.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many convictions of unlicensed broadcasting stations under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 have been obtained in each of the last five years. [3481]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The number of convictions secured by the Radiocommunications Agency against persons for unlicensed broadcasting in the last five years is:

Year	Number
1996	28
1997	41
1998	53
1999	47
2000	41

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Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions have been undertaken against unlicensed broadcasting stations in each of the last five years. [3482]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The number of prosecutions undertaken by the Radiocommunications Agency against persons for unlicensed broadcasting in the last five years is:

Year	Number
1996	28
1997	41
1998	53
1999	47
2000	41

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints her Department has received about unlicensed broadcasting by Voice of Africa. [3479]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The Radiocommunications Agency has received four complaints addressed to headquarters and one to its London regional office about interference caused by Voice of Africa. All the complaints have been by an authorised broadcaster.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many seizures of equipment from unlicensed broadcasters have taken place in each of the last five years. [3477]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The number of equipment seizures by Radiocommunications Agency staff from pirate broadcasters in each of the last five years is as follows:

Year	Number
1996	842
1997	820
1998	928
1999	1,414
2000	1,494

The figure for seizures of equipment in 2001 stands at 801 as at 29 June.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been (a) the maximum and (b) the average fine imposed by the courts for unlicensed broadcasting in breach of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 over the last five years. [3480]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The information is as follows:

Year	£ maximum	Average
1996	400	350
1997	500	272
1998	750	452
1999	500	193
2000	1,400	317

In addition to fines, the courts have also awarded periods of community service and terms of imprisonment to those convicted of unlicensed broadcasting.

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