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Written Answers to Questions

Monday 19 November 2001

HOUSE OF COMMONS

House of Commons Passes

Mr. Cox: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many ex-hon. Members have been allowed a House of Commons pass; how long an hon. Member must serve to qualify for such a pass; and when this system was last reviewed. [15301]

Mrs. Roe: I have been asked to reply.

There are currently 117 ex-hon. Members with House of Commons photo identity passes. Ex-hon. Members with 15 years' pensionable service are entitled to apply for a photo identity pass.

The system was last reviewed at a meeting of the Administration Committee on 27 February 2001 in the context of access to the House by Members of devolved legislatures.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Zimbabwe (NGOs)

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the Government of Zimbabwe regarding their decision to prohibit non-governmental organisations from operating in Zimbabwe. [15778]

Clare Short: No such decision has been communicated to us or to NGOs operating in Zimbabwe. NGOs are providing much needed relief to some of Zimbabwe's most vulnerable people. We would hope that any Government who were serious about the welfare of their people would allow such work to continue.

Older People (Discrimination)

Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department has taken to tackle discrimination against older people. [14955]

Clare Short: My Department's aim is the elimination of poverty in poorer countries. Discrimination and marginalisation is frequently a cause of poverty. We are seeking to ensure that poor people are consulted on policies and decisions that affect them. We are using participatory methods to understand people's perception of their rights and the obstacles they face in accessing entitlements. By adopting such rights approaches, we are promoting social justice, including tackling discrimination against older people.

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We are supporting the African Union's leadership in promoting and guiding national policies on ageing in their membership, as well as assisting the policy development process in the preparations for the Second World Assembly on Ageing next spring.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Export Licences (Russia)

Mr. Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many export licences have been issued to (a) Russian companies to the United Kingdom and (b) United Kingdom companies to Russia in the last 12 months. [14727]

Nigel Griffiths: Between 9 November 2000 and 9 November 2001, 50 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and 15 Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export of goods and technology to Russia.

In addition, Russia is a permitted destination on certain Open General Export Licences (OGELs) covering the export of goods on the Military List; copies of all Open General Export Licences are placed in the Library of the House. More information on export licences for Russia can be found in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls (also available in the Library of the House).

Any export licensing requirement for the export of goods and technology to the UK would be a matter for the authorities in the exporting country. We have no information on export licensing decisions made by the Russian authorities.

3G Licensing Sale

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the 3G licensing sale conducted by her Department on (a) employment, (b) growth and (c) debt in the United Kingdom telecoms sector. [14385]

Mr. Alexander: We believe that the medium and long- term prospects for the UK telecoms sector remain strong. The current down-turn is part of a global phenomenon, not limited to countries in which there have been auctions of third generation mobile licences. UK mobile operators are continuing to work towards launch of third generation services as rapidly as is practicable.

WTO Conference (Doha)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive with respect to the preparation of the position of the UK Delegation to the 4 World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in November in Doha. [15064]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 15 November 2001]: Regulation of international trade is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998. The Scottish Executive receive invitations to the Whitehall-wide Trade Policy Group, and through this process of information exchange and consultation, the Scottish Executive are involved in trade policy.

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Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if a representative of the Scottish Executive formed part of the UK Delegation to the fourth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in November in Doha. [15065]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 15 November 2001]: Regulation of international trade is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998, and there was no representative of the Scottish Executive in the delegation. The DTI is in discussion with the Scottish Executive on a number of issues in line with the agreed Memorandum of Understanding and Concordats.

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking at the WTO Ministerial meeting in Doha to meet the concerns of the least developed countries. [14408]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 13 November 2001]: I refer to my Statement to the House on 15 November, reporting on the successful outcome of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha.

As well as launching a development-focused trade round, which we believe offers the best route for the developing world to escape from poverty, the Doha Development Agenda includes a number of measures specifically focused on developing countries, with particular extra benefits in some areas for the least developed countries.

The WTO Ministerial Conference also agreed a Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which clarifies the action that WTO members can take to secure access to essential medicines during public health crises, and a Decision on Implementation-related Issues and Concerns, which contains many provisions specifically intended to benefit least developed countries.

Fireworks

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to restrict the sale of fireworks to those organising professional fireworks displays; and if she will make a statement. [15377]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 16 November 2001]: We have no plans to restrict further the sale of fireworks.

Ilisu Dam

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the Ilisu Dam project from the Secretary of State for International Development. [15129]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 15 November 2001]: I have received no representations on the Ilisu Dam project from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development. Turkey is not a country where the Department for International Development has a programme.

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library copies of the consultants' reports on the Environmental Impact Assessment report and the Resettlement Action Plan on the Ilisu Dam project. [15131]

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Ms Hewitt [holding answer 15 November 2001]: I will place copies of the consultants' reports on the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Resettlement Action Plan on the Ilisu Dam project in the Library after showing them to the Turkish Government and the other Export Credit Agencies considering support for the project. The reports will also be placed on ECGD's website.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions there have been on the Ilisu Dam project; and if he will make a statement. [15316]

Ms Hewitt: Discussions have recently taken place between officials of the Government Departments with an interest in the project (ECGD, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Trade Partners UK and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) regarding the assessment of both the reports produced by independent consultants on the Environmental Assessment Report (EIAR) and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and the comments received from the public and other interest groups. The consultants' reports will be made publicly available in due course. However, Balfour Beatty have now withdrawn from the project.

Consultation Documents

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many consultation documents were issued by her Department from (a) 15 October to 14 January, (b) 15 January to 14 April, (c) 15 April to 14 July and (d) 15 July to 14 October in each year from 1996. [12875]

Ms Hewitt: Since the introduction of the Consultation Code on 1 January 2001, consultation documents have been issued as follows:

Date	Number
1 January to 14 January	1
15 January to 14 April	23
15 April to 14 July	10
15 July to 14 October	17
15 October to date	2

Records relating to consultations issued before the introduction of the Consultation Code on 1 January 2001 are held not centrally, but by the management unit responsible for the policy area concerned. The information requested in relation to this period could be obtained and collated only at disproportionate cost.

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