| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Medicines (Developing Countries)
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will press the forthcoming WTO summit to take steps to ensure that developing countries have access to cheap medicines. [11466]
Nigel Griffiths: We are working with the European Union and others to ensure that the WTO's existing rules on intellectual property help developing countries gain access to medicines. This means making sure that new medicines are developed while at the same time allowing developing countries to take appropriate measures to protect public health in national emergencies.
Intellectual property rights need to be part of wider action to address the problems facing developing countries in delivering effective healthcare to all their
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 706W
citizens. That is why the UK strongly supports the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and why my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development to form a high level working group to report back by May 2002 on what else needs to be done.
Post Office Closures
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices were closed in each quarter of each financial year for 1979–80 to 2000–01. [10134]
Ms Hewitt: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that compilation of post office closure statistics on a quarterly basis was only introduced last year. The available quarterly figures for net post office closures are:
- October to December 2000—135
January to March 2001—113
April to June 2001—119.
A £2 million fund to support relocation and refurbishment initiatives by volunteer or community groups to maintain or reopen post office facilities in rural areas where the traditional post office is closing received parliamentary approval in July.
Icelandic Trawlermen (Compensation)
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims made under the Icelandic trawlermen's compensation scheme which have been refused at appeal have been taken to the independent adjudicator; and how many have been successful. [10783]
Nigel Griffiths: As at 29 October, 101 appeals have been sent to the independent adjudicator for consideration. So far three have been allowed.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average length of time taken to settle claims made under the Icelandic trawlermen's compensation scheme. [10785]
Nigel Griffiths: Over half of the compensation payments were made within five months of the launch of the scheme.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims under the Icelandic trawlermen's compensation scheme from those who have continued to fish after 1979 have been paid. [10786]
Nigel Griffiths: Trawlermen who qualified for compensation under the initial rules of the scheme may have continued fishing on vessels other than former Icelandic water trawlers or moved out of fishing entirely. I regret that information differentiating these two groups is not available.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims under the Icelandic trawlermen's compensation scheme are outstanding; and if she will make a statement. [10457]
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 707W
Ms Hewitt: All claims received have been scrutinised and entered into the special computer system established for the scheme. Some 1,781 claims have not yet been paid or rejected either because they were on hold or because further information is awaited, often from claimants themselves.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims made under the Icelandic trawlermen's compensation scheme have been refused; how many have been subsequently appealed; and how many appeals have been successful. [10784]
Nigel Griffiths: As of 29 October, 4,199 claims have been rejected. 101 appeals have been sent to the independent adjudicator for consideration, of which three have been allowed so far.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total amount paid so far is under the Icelandic trawlermen's compensation scheme. [10787]
Nigel Griffiths: At 22 October, £22.8 million had been paid out in compensation under the scheme.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Ladbroke Grove Rail Disaster
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Solicitor-General what the basis was for the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service to the British Transport police relating to a further investigation arising from the Ladbroke Grove disaster. [11719]
Mr. Drew: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to proceed with its case with regard to the Paddington rail disaster. [11457]
The Solicitor-General: I shall place in the Library tomorrow a statement by the Crown Prosecution Service explaining the basis for the advice that it has given to the British Transport police to enable the British Transport police to decide whether to conduct any further investigations arising out of the tragic circumstances of this disaster.
Personal Injury Claims
Mr. Drew: To ask the Solicitor-General what plans she has to review the process of personal injury claims, with particular reference to the role of insurance companies. [10697]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
There are no specific plans, but the Government keep developments in personal injury cases and their funding under general review and are currently evaluating the Civil Justice Reforms which have been implemented since April 1999.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Solicitor-General what powers she has to intervene in personal injury claims when it is clear that there is deliberate delay on the part of one party. [10698]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 708W
The Lord Chancellor has responsibility for civil court procedure and he has no power to intervene in individual cases.
Since the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules in April 1999 the courts have been required to manage cases actively and may impose sanctions for delay or unreasonable behaviour either before or during a claim. A party who has experienced delays when attempting to resolve the dispute should bring the matter to the court's attention. The sanctions can vary according to the nature and the effect of the delay. They range from ordering additional costs to be paid by the party causing the delay to striking out a claim or a defence.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Individual Learning Accounts
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have registered for individual learning accounts. [9684]
John Healey: By 26 October 2,490,966 individual learning accounts had been opened in England.
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the total cost of the suspension of individual learning accounts. [11540]
John Healey: It is not possible to estimate the total cost at this stage. However, letters notifying our 2.5 million individual learning account (ILA) holders that the programme is to be withdrawn from 7 December were sent out from 29 October 2001. The cost to the Department to complete this is £789,000. In addition, notices were placed in nine national newspapers on 26 and 27 October at a cost of £37,679.
In addition, we will be working to ensure that existing account holders can take up learning opportunities booked by 7 December, and to look into complaints made against some learning providers.
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost has been to date of the advertising campaign advising people of the suspension of individual learning accounts. [11541]
John Healey: Notices advising that the individual learning account programme is to be withdrawn in England from 7 December 2001 were placed in nine newspapers on 26 and 27 October—The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, The Daily Star, The Evening Standard, The Independent, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Times.
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has given to UK online centres following the suspension of individual learning accounts. [11542]
John Healey: We immediately acknowledged the concerns of UK online centres through the dedicated centre managers' online resource website. In addition, I wrote to all learning providers who are operating the individual learning accounts (ILAs) programme, informing them of the changes.
31 Oct 2001 : Column: 709W
We have asked centres to inform our partners, the Government offices and the agencies responsible for the UK online centres application process of the impact that the withdrawal of ILAs will have on them. These partners will then be able to provide the Department with a clear picture of the position for UK online centres.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |