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Departmental Initiatives
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list for each (a) area based and (b) other regeneration-related initiative for which her department is responsible (i) the amount budgeted and (ii) the total expenditure in each financial year for the planned lifetime of each initiative (A) nationally and (B) in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency. [16450]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 20 November 2001]: No specific area based initiatives are currently listed by the Cabinet Office Regional Co-ordination Unit as being the lead responsibility of my Department.
As part of its promotion of enterprise the Department of Trade and Industry has a number of programmes which can contribute to the regeneration of disadvantaged neighbourhoods, notably the £100 million Phoenix fund.
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Gambling
Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made on the impact of enacting the recommendations in the Budd report on gambling in respect to amusement machines in seaside arcades on (a) employment and (b) exports; and what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. [17366]
Ms Hewitt: We have made no such assessments. I have had no such discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Public Bodies
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will list those public bodies to which her Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000; [17606]
- (2) if she will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of her Department and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000. [17607]
Ms Hewitt: Public Bodies 2000 sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about taskforces, reviews and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by Cabinet Office. Copies of Public Bodies 2000 are in the Library of the House and this publication may be accessed via Cabinet Office's website (http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/ caboff/pb00/pb00.htm). Copies of the annual report on taskforces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and the annual report is being made available on Cabinet Office's website.
The following executive NDPBs have been established since the publication of Public Bodies 2000:
- The Consumer Council for Postal Services
The Gas and Electricity Consumer Council.
- Advisory Committee on Cleaner Coal Technology
Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission
Ethnic Minority Business Advisory Forum
Import Parity Price Panel
Partnership Fund Assessment Panel
Small Business Council
Small Business Investment Taskforce.
- Advantage West Midlands
East Midlands Development Agency
East of England Development Agency
North West Regional Development Agency
One North East
South East England Development Agency
South West England Development Agency
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- Advisory Committee on Work-Life Balance.
Yemen
Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Ministers in her Department have visited Yemen since 1 May 1997 and on what dates; what visits are planned by her Department's Ministers to Yemen; and what dates have been arranged for future visits. [19126]
Ms Hewitt: None. No visits are planned.
Departmental Expenditure Limit
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the total unallocated funds within her departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year and (b) to date; and what was the month seven forecast on outturn underspend against her departmental expenditure limit in (i) real and (ii) percentage terms. [19443]
Ms Hewitt: The departmental unallocated provision (DUP) for the present financial year is contained in "Trade and Industry—The Government's Expenditure Plans 2001–02 to 2003–04" (Cm 5112 at Annex B Tables B6 and B7). Draw-down of the DUP has been reported to Parliament in the Winter Supplementary Estimate. Outturn against six-month forecast for each request for resources will be published in the Winter Supplementary Estimates Summary Request for Supply as usual.
Regulations
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many regulations affecting business have been introduced since 1997. [20096]
Ms Hewitt: My Department has been responsible for the introduction of 533 statutory instruments since May 1997. Of these 533 regulations, we estimate that 9 per cent. reduced costs borne by businesses, charities and voluntary bodies, while over 75 per cent. had no or a negligible effect on costs for businesses, voluntary bodies, and charities. Over 30 per cent. of all the regulations introduced by DTI since May 1997 have been orders licensing firms to provide public telecommunications services, increasing consumer choice and competition in this sector.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Cuba
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance Her Majesty's Government are providing to Cuba in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Michelle; and if she will make a statement. [19999]
Clare Short: We have provided immediate funding of £250,000 for the populations worst affected by the flooding in Cuba which followed Hurricane Michelle. Funding has been allocated through the International
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Federation of the Red Cross (to deliver shelter materials and medicines) and the United Nations Development Programme (for their work on immediate needs for food production and food security, health and social infrastructure, communication and housing).
Financial Deepening Challenge Fund
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what criteria are used for allocation of Financial Deepening Challenge Fund grants; what mechanisms are in place to assess the impact and effectiveness of grants made under the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund; and what assessment her Department has made of the impact and effectiveness of projects funded by the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund; [20646]
- (2) how much money has been allocated in grants through the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund; [20645]
(3) how many companies have received funding through the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund. [20644]
Clare Short: The Financial Deepening Challenge Fund was launched in April 2000. It has since been made available for application by enterprises in 15 countries in Africa, South Asia and the UK. The fund accepts bids for assistance twice a year. All bids are independently assessed on fixed timescales and on a competitive basis. More information on the fund can be obtained from the website: www.challengefunds.org. or by contacting the DFID public information point on 01355 84 3132.
Since the launch of the fund in January 2001, there have been two completed bidding rounds—with the third bidding round currently in progress. In the first two bidding rounds, the fund panel approved seven projects. In total, grants amounting to £3.7 million have been committed to these projects, these amounts being disbursed over the life span of the projects. A number of these projects were submitted by consortiums rather than single companies. In total, seven companies and six non-governmental organisations are expected to be involved in the implementation of these projects.
Business Linkages Challenge Fund
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what criteria are used for allocation of Business Linkages Challenge Fund grants; what mechanisms are in place to assess the impact and effectiveness of grants made under the Business Linkages Challenge Fund; and what assessment her Department has made of the impact and effectiveness of projects funded by the Business Linkages Challenge Fund; [20643]
- (2) how much money has been allocated to grants through the Business Linkages Challenge Fund; [20642]
(3) how many businesses have received funding through the Business Linkages Challenge Fund. [20641]
Clare Short: The Business Linkages Challenge Fund was launched in January 2001. It has since been made available for application by enterprises in 19 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the UK. The fund accepts bids for assistance twice a year. All bids are independently assessed on fixed timescales and on a competitive basis.
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More information on the fund can be obtained from the website: www. challengefunds.org. or by contacting the DFID public inquiry point on 01355 84 3132.
Since the launch of the fund in January 2001, there has been one completed bidding round—with the second bidding round presently in progress. In the first bidding round, the fund panel approved four projects. Contracts for the implementation of these projects are currently being concluded with the bidders, with projects either just commencing or due to commence shortly. The four projects approved will receive grants amounting to circa £700,000.
The four projects approved were all submitted by consortiums. In total, 12 companies, five public bodies, three non-governmental organisations and one university department are expected to be involved in these four consortiums.
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