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Nuclear Material (Russia)

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2001, Official Report, columns 477–79W, how much of the funding pledged by Her Majesty's Government to tackle nuclear problems in the former Soviet Union has so far been spent. [4094]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 17 July 2001]: Of the some £84 million assistance over the next three years announced by HMG in July 2000, some £10.5 million has been firmly committed, of which some £4.2 million has already been spent.

The spend breaks down as follows:

£3.84 million—contribution to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund


£0.03 million—nuclear materials accountancy


£0.13 million—Nuclear Safety Projects


£0.03 million—physical protection of sites projects


£0.09 million—NW Russia spent nuclear fuel storage facility.

Further spend, commitments and project proposals are in the pipeline.

National Weights and Measures Laboratory

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets she has set her Department's National Weights and Measures Laboratory for 2001–02. [5738]

Ms Hewitt: I have set the National Weights and Measures Laboratory the following quality of service and efficiency targets for 2001–02.

Financial Targets

To report a break-even situation in the Income and Expenditure Account 2001–02.

To meet the net vote target in 2001–02.

To contribute to continuous efficiency improvement by ensuring that total overhead costs are less than 55 per cent. of total costs.

To achieve continuous growth in its non-DTI income, with an increase of 7.5 per cent. in 2001–02.

Operational Targets

To meet the expectations of its customers by completing at least 90 per cent. of European type approvals within 10 weeks.

To complete European type approvals within an average of six weeks.

To complete calibration jobs within the time requested by customers, with at least 95 per cent. of all jobs (including preparation of certificates) completed within 18 working days of acceptance of the work and an average completion time of less than 14 days.

To complete the National Measurement System (NMS) legal metrology programme, and achieve 72 per cent. of the milestones in the programme by their due dates.

To satisfy its customers as demonstrated by at least 95 per cent. of them rating NWML's provision of services as satisfactory or better.

Questions delegated to the Chief Executive

Chief Executive to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.

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University Employment Tribunals

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information she has collated on the number of academic staff employment tribunals conducted in each university in the last two years. [4664]

Alan Johnson: No information has been collated on the number of academic staff who may have taken cases to employment tribunals in the last two years.

Seeboard

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information she has collated on the number of power cuts experienced by residents and businesses in the Seeboard area over the last five years; and what representations she has made to energy producers concerning cuts in supply to customers. [4573]

Mr. Wilson: Over the last five years the number of power cuts in the Seeboard area has varied between 95.5 and 88.5 per 100 customers. Over the same period the average duration of a power cut in the Seeboard area has varied between 92 minutes and 74.5 minutes.

Ofgem will shortly carry out initial consultation with the electricity companies in order to extend the guaranteed and overall standards to include the maximum number of power cuts, which individual customers should experience in any single year. This is being carried out under Ofgem's information and incentive project with the aim of introducing it in April 2002. The target figure has yet to be set on the maximum number of power cuts.

Ministerial Duties

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list for each week from Monday 23 July to Monday 8 October which departmental ministers will be on duty (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in London. [4891]

Ms Hewitt: It is not the normal practice of Government to publish a ministerial duty roster. The Department will ensure that it has sufficient cover through the summer recess in line with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.

Dounreay

Mr. MacDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will announce a decision about the future of the prototype reactor fuel at Dounreay; and if she will make a statement. [5607]

Mr. Wilson: I have considered carefully the advice I have received about the future of this fuel, and the implications of this decision for the major goal of restoring the Dounreay site. I have concluded that refurbishment of the reprocessing facilities at Dounreay is not justified. I have consequently asked UKAEA to take whatever action is necessary to ensure the safety and security of the PFR fuel, and to agree with its regulators the most appropriate means of doing so.

I am confident that this decision will allow the management and workforce at Dounreay to focus exclusively on the environmental restoration of the site.

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This is a project of national importance and the staff at Dounreay have my full support in undertaking this challenging task.

I am placing a copy of a document summarising my decision along with the responses to the public consultation in the Library of the House.

Institute of Export

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice and assistance her Department (a) gives and (b) has given during the last two years to the Institute of Export. [4772]

Nigel Griffiths: The Department of Trade and Industry—through British Trade International—maintains close links with the Institute of Export and supports the institute's work to promote the importance of exporting and to improve the performance of British exporters. In the last two years BTI and the Institute of Export have worked together on the development of the regional delivery of BTI services, the design of a self-diagnostic test for potential exporters and the development of a training package for BTI staff.

Green Ministers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will set out the terms of reference for the role of the Green Minister in her Department; and if she will make a statement. [4825]

Mr. Wilson: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minster for the Environment on 13 July 2001, Official Report, column 690W.

Research Council (Luxembourg)

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Research Council held in Luxembourg on 26 June; and if she will make a statement. [5739]

Ms Hewitt: The Research Council of 26 June:

1. Held an orientation debate on Commission proposals for the next EU Research and Development Framework Programme. Subsequently the Council adopted conclusions inviting COREPER to pursue its examination of all outstanding issues with a view to enabling the Council to reach a common position as soon as possible. The Council also invited the Commission to provide further clarification on a number of elements of the proposals, including research in support of Community policies and the application of new funding mechanisms.

2. Adopted a Resolution on Science and Society and conclusions on Research Infrastructures.

3. Received progress reports from the Commission on the benchmarking of national research policies, the mobility of researchers and the international dimension of the next Framework Programme.

4. Received a progress report from the Commission on the production of a comprehensive inventory of research into Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies.

5. Received a progress report from the Commission on strategic initiatives in biotechnology, on which the Commission plan to issue a communication by the end of the year.

6. Under other business, received a progress report from the Commission on the Global Monitoring on Environment and Security satellite system (GMES).

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Energy Efficiency Commitment

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on assets purchased by a utility company in order to deliver its commitment under the Energy Efficiency Commitment; and to whom and in what manner the assets should accrue. [4408]

Mr. Meacher: I have been asked to reply.

Under the proposed Energy Efficiency Commitment for 2002–05, electricity and gas suppliers will be required to meet energy efficiency targets. It is proposed that companies should be free to develop schemes to meet their targets in the most cost-effective way. I propose to issue a consultation paper on the commitment in the summer.

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