| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many named day parliamentary written questions were tabled to her Department between 15 October and 5 November; and what proportion of these have received holding answers. [13313]
Ms Hewitt: 104 named day questions were tabled, 52 per cent. received a holding reply.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of those named day parliamentary written questions to her Department that received a holding answer between 15 October and 5 November received the substantive answer (a) within three parliamentary days, (b) within seven parliamentary
16 Nov 2001 : Column: 919W
days, (c) within 10 parliamentary days, (d) within 15 parliamentary days and (e) over 15 parliamentary days after the holding answer was issued. [13332]
Ms Hewitt: The information is as follows.
- (a) 91 per cent.
- (b) 98 per cent.
- (c) 100 per cent.
- (d) 0 per cent.
- (e) 0 per cent.
Energy Sector
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total (a) direct and (b) indirect Government support for the energy sector, excluding oil and gas production, in each year since 1990. [13287]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 8 November 2001]: The information is set out in the table.
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total support | ||
| Year | Direct | Indirect |
| 1990–91 | 283.5 | 127.1 |
| 1991–92 | 571.2 | 809.7 |
| 1992–93 | 814.1 | 892.9 |
| 1993–94 | 595.8 | 963.1 |
| 1994–95 | 372.5 | 988.4 |
| 1995–96 | 236.8 | 793.5 |
| 1996–97 | 197.1 | 112.8 |
| 1997–98 | 215.5 | 126.5 |
| 1998–99 | 317.0 | 127.0 |
| 1999–2000 | 227.0 | 56.4 |
| 2000–01 | 334.1 | 64.9 |
Notes:
1. The figures for direct support include:
(a) direct Government funding for research and development on renewable energy through the DTI's Sustainable Energy Programme and through Research Councils via the Science Budget
(b) support for the coal industry but excluding the impact of debt write-offs and proceeds at the privatisation of British Coal and payments made in respect of historic liabilities retained in the public sector, such as health claims
(c) support for nuclear based on the funding to the UKAEA details of which were included in the reply to a parliamentary question from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell) on 14 November 2001, Official Report, columns 756–57W.
2. The figures for indirect support include:
(a) expenditure through the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO), the Scottish Renewables Obligation and the Northern Ireland NFFO funded by the electricity consumer through the Fossil Fuel Levy in Great Britain and variant arrangements in Northern Ireland.
(b) the premium received by Nuclear Electric plc over and above the market price for electricity in the period 1990–96 details of which were provided in the reply to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell) on 14 November 2001, Official Report, columns 756–57W.
Postcomm
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been issued by Postcomm within the reserved area; and what assessment she has made of their impact on Consignia's ability to meet its universal service obligations. [13743]
16 Nov 2001 : Column: 920W
Mr. Alexander: To date, following consultation, Postcomm has issued a licence to Consignia plc, a condition of which requires the provision of a universal postal service, and four other licences.
Postcomm's primary duty is to exercise its functions in the manner which it considers is best calculated to ensure the provision of a universal postal service. Subject to this duty Postcomm shall exercise its functions in the manner which it considers is best calculated to further the interests of users of postal services, wherever appropriate by promoting effective competition between postal operators.
Consignia
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action Consignia is taking to improve recruitment and retention in areas where this is more difficult. [13733]
Mr. Alexander: As an operational matter, this is an issue for Consignia management.
Consignia is aware that there is a particular problem around staff turnover in the first few months of employment within areas where alternative employment is readily available. In response, with the active support of the Communication Workers Union, the company is trailing a new approach that includes mentoring of new entrants and retention payments.
I am advised that the results of these trials will be available in the new year.
Postal Services Regulatory Regimes
Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the services condition of the European Union and UK postal services regulatory regimes. [13649]
Mr. Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry routinely receives formal and informal representations on different aspects of developments in the United Kingdom and European postal markets including regulatory regimes.
Fur Products
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what measures exist to ensure that consumers are not sold items made of or containing domestic (a) dog and (b) cat fur by (i) mistake and (ii) fraudulent practices; [13794]
- (2) what measures are in place to combat potential consumer fraud with regard to the sale of fur (a) garments and (b) items; [13796]
(3) how many people are employed by her Department to ensure that fur products on sale in the United Kingdom are accurately described; and what is their annual budget; [13795]
(4) what information (a) is given and (b) has to be given by law to consumers regarding the origin by (i) species and (ii) country of (A) fur garments, (B) garments containing fur trim and (C) items made from fur in the United Kingdom; [13793]
16 Nov 2001 : Column: 921W
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department does not enforce legislation which protects consumers from misleading statements about products. Trading standards officers who are employed directly by Local Authorities enforce the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. The Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 place the duty to investigate under the Regulations on the Director General of Fair Trading.
It is a criminal offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for a person in the course of a trade or business to apply, by any means, false or misleading statements to goods, including statements about their composition. Additionally, the Director General of Fair Trading can take injunctive action under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 (as amended) to prevent misleading advertisements. The regulations define an advertisement widely, as any form of representation which is made in connection with a trade or business in order to promote the supply or transfer of goods.
The Trade Descriptions (Sealskin Goods) (Information) Order 1980 requires goods made wholly or partly of, or derived wholly or partly from, sealskin to be legibly and conspicuously marked with, or accompanied by, information to the effect that the goods are made of sealskin and where the seals were taken.
The Department is not aware of any other legislation that requires fur products to be labelled with information.
Nuclear Installations (Security)
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations her Department has had with independent experts in respect of the security of nuclear facilities since 11 September. [14277]
Mr. Wilson: The Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) within my Department is the Government's security regulator for the civil nuclear industry. OCNS has operational and regulatory autonomy in setting security standards and ensuring industry compliance. OCNS and DTI officials liaise with their counterparts in other agencies at home and abroad and with industry experts in the civil nuclear industry.
Community Post Offices
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the role of community post offices in the post office re-invention programme. [13762]
Mr. Alexander [holding answer 9 November 2001]: Among the Performance and Innovation Unit report recommendations, all of which were accepted by Government, was that there should be a programme of modernisation and reinvention of the urban network. This reinvention programme will not be relevant to community post offices, defined by Post Office Ltd. as small rural offices with restricted opening hours, which fall within the rural network of offices serving settlements with less than 10,000 residents.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |