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Intellectual Property Rights

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the research commissioned by the Patent Office and conducted by Mori

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into public attitudes towards intellectual property rights; and what action her Department will take to safeguard those rights based upon the results of this research. [8279]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Mori research showed that long-term and sustainable action to improve public perceptions is needed and messages are more likely to be understood by the public if they can see the direct impact on them. The work the Department had already commenced, based on these approaches, is therefore continuing. Introducing school children to intellectual property concepts, improving the information available to creators and users of intellectual property and campaigning to highlight the consumer as well as business detriment where counterfeiting and piracy occurs are all key areas.

Local Business Partnerships

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many local business partnerships are operating in the United Kingdom. [8282]

Nigel Griffiths: There are 101 local business partnerships. They help local authorities and small businesses work together to achieve effective local regulation and reduce administrative burdens on small businesses.

Sparkling Wines

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has had from UK industry with regard to the abolition of the imperial pint measurement for sparkling wines; and if she will make a statement. [8264]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 18 October 2001]: I have received no representations asking for the pint to be permitted for sparkling wines.

Boardroom Pay

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has reached a decision on how to improve accountability on boardroom pay. [9588]

Ms Hewitt: The Government believe that it is important that directors are seen to be accountable to shareholders. Dialogue between directors and shareholders on remuneration issues is more likely to be effective if underpinned by a framework that ensures that shareholders can vote on directors' remuneration. Equally, it is clear that despite the actions of many well intentioned institutional investors, many quoted companies have failed to respond adequately to the best practice recommendations on accountability to shareholders and performance linkage. The Government will therefore introduce secondary legislation to require quoted companies to put forward a resolution to shareholders on the directors' remuneration report every year. This will complement the Government's earlier announcement that it will legislate to strengthen the disclosure requirements in this area, particularly with regard to the linkage between pay and performance.

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HEALTH

Digital Hearing Aids

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to grant free access to digital hearing aids to people hard of hearing; and if he will make a statement. [9021]

Jacqui Smith: Twenty national health service trusts in England have been fitting digital hearing aids for NHS patients since October 2000, as part of the Department's "modernising NHS hearing aid services" project. The project also includes increased investment in information technology, equipment and modernised patient processes. The Institute of Hearing Research is evaluating the project and its findings will help determine how changes in hearing aid services might be extended to all NHS audiology departments.

In the meantime all NHS trusts with the staff, training, equipment and experience necessary to fit digital hearing aids, are able to apply for access to the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) contract for digital hearing aids. Twenty five trusts have been given access to the contract allowing them to fit digital aids for patients outside the project.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Communications

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish the terms of reference given to Towers Perrin in relation to the development of the draft Communications Bill. [3850]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 13 July 2001]: A Steering Group, drawn from the five existing regulators and officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry, is advising the Government on the practical steps required to create Ofcom. Towers Perrin is assisting in this work to:

provide a clear overall view of the functions, processes, structures and resources in each of the existing regulators;

assess the options for Ofcom under each of these four headings;

propose criteria for evaluating these options; and

set out a clear timetable for the stages of work that will need to be carried out in order to get from where we are now to a fully functioning Ofcom in 2003.

The report was published on 12 October 2001 and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she will take to ensure that the consumers panel envisaged in the Communications White Paper will be representative of consumer opinion. [3853]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 13 July 2001]: Detailed provisions for the Consumer Panel will be included in the draft Communications Bill we shall be publishing later in the current Session. The White Paper makes it clear that the panel will have a remit to research consumer views and concerns, and will be able to decide its own research objectives. The panel will also have an explicit obligation to take due account of the views of consumers with special needs, including those on low incomes or with

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disabilities. These will be important elements in ensuring that the Panel's advice to Ofcom takes full account of all shades of consumer experience and opinion.

World Athletics Championships

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what actions the Government have taken to maintain the United Kingdom's bid for the 2005 World Athletics Championships. [7694]

Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 815W.

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reasons underlay the rejection of the Crystal Palace athletics complex as the officially recommended venue for the world athletics championship to be based in London. [8866]

Mr. Caborn: Patrick Carter's review of the Picketts Lock project commissioned by Sport England looked at a number of alternative venues for staging the world athletics championships in 2005, including Crystal Palace. Mr. Carter concluded that Crystal Palace was not a viable alternative venue for the 2005 championships due to the range of significant risks in delivering the necessary improvements to the stadium, athletes' accommodation and transport infrastructure.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the use of the Commonwealth Stadium in Manchester for the world athletics championships. [8737]

Mr. Caborn: Patrick Carter's review of the Picketts Lock project commissioned by Sport England looked at a number of alternative venues for staging the world athletics championships in 2005. Following receipt of Patrick Carter's report, DCMS and Sport England officials initiated discussions with representatives of Manchester city council and Sheffield city council. The other alternative venues considered by Patrick Carter either offered no certainty of being delivered on time or no significantly lesser risk or cost than Picketts Lock.

The Government are grateful to Manchester and Sheffield city councils for their assistance in this process. It was clear that both cities would be suitable for staging the championships. However the costs of delaying the reconfiguration of the City of Manchester Stadium into football mode and the costs of compensation to Manchester city council and Manchester City football club would have exceeded the costs of improving the existing Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield.

Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she made of the on-going revenue cost of Picketts Lock; and if she will make a statement. [9083]

Mr. Caborn: Patrick Carter's review of the Picketts Lock project commissioned by Sport England included an assessment that the Picketts Lock centre would run at an annual deficit of between £1 million and £1.5 million. Patrick Carter's report is available from the Sport England website on www.sportengland.org.uk.

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Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions were held with the International Association of Athletics Federations at Edmonton about the Picketts Lock athletics project; [9081]

(2) if she will list the meetings held by her Department with the International Association of Athletics Federation officials in Edmonton during the World Athletics Championships. [9080]

Mr. Caborn: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 15 October, Official Report, column 815W.

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