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Manchester (EU Funding)

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the cost of remodelling the Arndale Centre and the new Exchange Square in Manchester has been met from EU funding. [4373]

Miss Melanie Johnson: £20 million was allocated from the European Regional Development Fund for the redevelopment of Manchester City Centre. Of this, £1.79 million was directly allocated to the Exchange Square project. £4.4 million was allocated to 'public realm' improvements in the City Centre, which included work on the public areas surrounding the Arndale Centre.

Assisted Area Status (Scotland)

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions she has had with the European Union with regard to assisted area status in Scotland; [5073]

(2) what proposals she has for the review of assisted area status in (a) Scotland and (b) Angus; [5071]

(3) what criteria will be used to determine which areas of Scotland will be put forward to the European Union for assisted area status; [5070]

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(4) when she will next review the provision of assisted area status in Scotland; [5074]

(5) what representations she has had from (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) other organisations in Scotland in relation to assisted area status within Scotland. [5072]

Alan Johnson: The European Commission approved the UK areas eligible for regional state aid in July 2000; these were then implemented through the Assisted Areas Order 2000. The European Commission approval lasts until the end of 2006; the Government are not planning to review the assisted areas until it is necessary to develop proposals for the subsequent period. At that stage they will consult interested bodies on the selection of areas, including the Scottish Executive and others in Scotland.

Third Generation Telecommunications

Technology

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what appraisal was undertaken of the environmental impacts of granting licences for the development of third generation communications technology; and if she will publish it. [3866]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 17 July 2001]: Installations are subject to planning law which deals with environmental considerations as it applies to Public Telecommunications Operators.

Government strongly encourage the sharing of masts and sites in order to minimise environmental impact and operators must show that they have considered sharing options as part of the planning process in order to minimise the environmental impact of networks.

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many additional telecommunications masts she estimates will be needed in (a) urban and (b) rural areas for the effective development of third generation telecommunications technology. [3865]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 17 July 2001]: The number of additional telecommunications masts that will be needed for the effective development of third generation mobile communications will depend on commercial decisions by the network operators on how they configure and roll out their networks.

The Information Memorandum for the third generation mobile auction sets out the means by which the Government strongly encourage mobile telecommunications network operators to share masts and sites, in order to minimise the environmental impact of networks.

Renewable Energy

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list for (a) each county and (b) each region the percentage of electricity generated by renewable sources; and if she will make a statement. [4440]

Mr. Wilson: Published statistics on renewable energy relate to the United Kingdom as a whole, as do published electricity generation statistics. In 2000, 2.8 per cent. of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom was from renewables.

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Estimates by my Department show that in England about 1½ per cent. of the electricity generated came from renewable resources in 2000, while in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the proportions were about 8¾ per cent, 3¼ per cent. and 1½ per cent., respectively. The percentages are higher in Scotland and Wales because large scale hydro generation (which accounts for almost half of generation from renewables) is concentrated there. In the United Kingdom as a whole, if large scale hydro generation is excluded, about 1½ per cent. of electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2000. On this basis the proportions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were 1½ per cent, ½ per cent, 2 per cent. and 1½ per cent, respectively.

Information is not available on a county basis.

Trawlermen (Compensation)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) average, (b) mean and (c) median length of time is taken to process (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful applications from former Icelandic Waters trawlermen for compensation for each region and nation of the UK; and if she will make a statement. [3906]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 16 July 2001]: Statistics are not available in the form requested.

Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation have been received from former distant water trawlermen living in Lancashire; how many claims have been paid; and how much the total payment is for (a) Fleetwood, (b) Blackpool and (c) the remainder of Lancashire. [3809]

Nigel Griffiths: At 13 July 2001, 174 payments had been made to claimants living in Fleetwood totalling £1,812,204. The corresponding figures for Blackpool are 27 and £226,299. I regret that the other information requested is not available.

Energy Research

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution the United Kingdom is making to the European Commission's MOX fuel research programme. [3946]

Mr. Wilson: Research projects on MOX fuel are included under the research area of the (European Atomic Energy Community) EURATOM Fission Programme aimed at improving the safety of existing nuclear installations and future systems. BNFL participates in one of these collaborative research projects, along with other European partners.

Slate Quarrymen (Industrial Diseases)

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will recognise emphysema and chronic bronchitis as industrial diseases for slate quarrymen and former slate quarrymen. [4481]

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.

We have no plans to prescribe chronic bronchitis and emphysema as a prescribed disease in the industrial injuries scheme for slate quarrymen and former slate quarrymen. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, is advised on such questions by the independent Industrial

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Injuries Advisory Council who have reported on lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema in 1973, 1988 and 1992 (Cmnd 5443, Cm 379 and Cm 2091).

The Council's present conclusions are that there is no scientific or medical evidence which would justify prescription of chronic bronchitis and emphysema for occupations other than coal workers. The Council keeps the list of prescribed diseases under review. If the hon. Member has evidence he wishes to submit to the Council, he is invited to write directly to the Chairman of the Council Professor Anthony Newman Taylor c/o Room 605, The Adelphi, 1–11 John Adam Street, London WC2 6HT.

Independent Insurance

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information, prior to Independent Insurance going into liquidation, was provided to (a) her Department and (b) the FSA relating to the French regulator's review of the company's French branch; and when this information was provided. [5286]

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.

The French regulator, the Commission de Contrôle des Assurances (CCA), first wrote to the FSA expressing their concerns about the French insurance subsidiary of the Independent Insurance Group on 11 January 2001. This company was a sister company of the UK-supervised insurer, representing about 5 per cent. of group premium income, and was subject to French supervision. The FSA, following discussions with the UK company, and having received copies of the company's own detailed responses to the French authorities, replied to the CCA in March 2001. In that letter, the FSA noted its understanding that the group had provided additional financing to the French subsidiary. The FSA subsequently had a number of further contacts with the CCA including a visit to their offices in Paris, provided financial information about the financial position of the UK company, and kept the CCA informed of events in the period leading to the company's closure.

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