---

Royal Mail

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list those parts of the country in which the Royal Mail has withdrawn a morning collection in the last 12 months. [12590]

Mr. Alexander: Under the terms of the licence issued by the independent regulator, the Postal Services Commission, to Consignia to provide postal services, the company is required to make at least one collection of relevant postal packets every working day from each access point. Subject to this requirement the timing and number of collections is an operational issue for Consignia.

I am advised that changes to the frequency of mail collections are being assessed on an area by area basis and that therefore no national data are available in the format requested.

Nuclear Security

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure the security of nuclear power stations. [13473]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 9 November 2001]: The UK's civil nuclear sites apply stringent security measures regulated by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS), the security regulator. The security regulator works closely with the Health and Safety Executive, the safety regulator, which provides advice on the safety implications of events, including external hazards such as plane crashes, at nuclear installations. Security and safety precautions at nuclear sites are kept under regular review. Both regulators are reviewing all relevant precautions in the light of the recent terrorist attacks in the USA. It is not Government policy to disclose details of security measures taken at civil nuclear sites.

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 546W

Greenhouse Gases

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in setting up a greenhouse gases emissions trading scheme. [12816]

Mr. Meacher: I have been asked to reply.

In August 2001, DEFRA published the Framework for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, which sets out the structure of the scheme and what firms need to do to participate. The UK scheme will be the first economy- wide emissions trading scheme in the world.

Currently, we are in the pre-registration period. Firms are registering their interest in the scheme and approaching the Department about their eligibility for joining. For those firms taking on voluntary absolute emissions caps, there is also the opportunity to prepare to bid for a share of the up to £43 million per annum incentive offered by Government. The incentive will be allocated via an auction early next year. Emissions trading will go-live in April 2002. Several forward trades have already taken place.

PRIME MINISTER

Renewable Energy

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from the Performance and Information Unit regarding progress towards meeting the Government's targets for renewable energy supply; and if he will make a statement. [13273]

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office report on UK energy needs will be published; and if he will make a statement. [13881]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 2001]: The Performance and Innovation Unit has published its analysis of how to allocate the extra £100 million support to boost the development of the UK renewable energy industry. This money will help us reach our target that 10 per cent. of electricity sales by licensed suppliers will come from renewable sources eligible for the renewables obligation by 2010.

The unit is conducting a wide ranging analysis of the UK's energy needs. It will be presenting its findings to me by the end of the year.

Public Policy

Mr. Maples: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) names and (b) functions are of the units dealing with the formulation and the delivery of public policy which are answerable to (i) the Prime Minister, (ii) the Deputy Prime Minister and (iii) Ministers in the Cabinet Office. [13181]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 2001]: For information on my office, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 19 October 2001, Official Report, column 1361W.

For details about the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers in the Cabinet Office, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Deputy

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 547W

Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 11 July 2001, Official Report, column 573W.

On Friday 9 November I announced that Baroness Morgan would join my office as the new Head of Political and Government Relations in Downing Street. My hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) will take over the Ministerial responsibilities within the Cabinet Office for equal opportunities and the Women's Unit, reporting to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry as the Cabinet Minister with responsibility for this area. My hon. Friend will continue to report to the Deputy Prime Minister on her existing responsibilities.

Policy Co-ordination

Mr. Maples: To ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants working directly for (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Deputy Prime Minister and (c) Ministers in the Cabinet Office are responsible for the central co-ordination and progress of policy. [13180]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 2001]: As at 1 September 2001, there were 27 civil servants and special advisers working in the Policy Directorate, European Adviser's Office and Foreign Adviser's Office in No. 10. In the Cabinet Office, there were 244 in the Cabinet Secretariats; 12 in the Delivery Unit; 20.5 in the Deputy Prime Minister's Central Policy Group; 62 in the Regional Co-ordination Unit; 39 in the Social Exclusion Unit, and 40 in the Women and Equality Unit and the Equality Secretariat.

Departmental Changes

Mr. Maples: To ask the Prime Minister in respect of each Government Department which has been renamed or had its responsibilities altered since the last general election, what the purpose of the changes was; and if he will make a statement. [13182]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 8 November 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 2 July 2001, Official Report, column 31W.

European Leaders

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with European leaders at No. 10 Downing street on 4 November. [13637]

The Prime Minister: This was a useful and productive discussion, and an important part of our effort to keep in close touch with partners in the campaign against terrorism.

Fishery Harbours

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on departmental responsibility for fishery harbours. [14741]

The Prime Minister: The Transfer of Functions (Fishery Harbours) Order 2001 was laid before Parliament today. It transfers legislative responsibility for English fishery harbours from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 548W

The transfer follows a recommendation of the 1998 Review of Trust Ports, and will improve the efficiency of the Government's involvement in harbour legislation. A consultation exercise showed wide support for the transfer.

Work Force Development

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Prime Minister when he will publish the Performance and Innovation Unit report on work force development. [14240]

The Prime Minister: The PIU report on work force development is expected to be published by the end of the year.

Voluntary Organisations

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Performance and Innovation Unit's review of the legal and regulatory framework for voluntary organisations. [13897]

The Prime Minister: I announced details of the review in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Halton (Derek Twigg) on 3 July 2001, Official Report, column 93W.

As part of the consultation process, public events have been held in London, Manchester, Llandrindod Wells, Edinburgh and Belfast. There have also been a number of seminars with experts in the field. To encourage wider participation the review team is also posting working papers on the Performance and Innovation Unit's website for comment (http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/ innovation/2001/charity/main.shtml).

HEALTH

Care Standards (Young Adults)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial impact will be on individual homes and local authorities of implementing national care standards for younger adults. [9498]

Jacqui Smith: It is not possible to quantify the effect on individual homes of implementing the national minimum standards for younger adults. For some there will be none, for some others the effects will be minimal.

The resources provided for personal social services are increasing by, on average, 3.4 per cent. per annum in real terms over the next three years. We expect home owners will cover the costs of meeting the standards through the fees they charge. Local authorities are funded to meet these additional costs.

---