House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Dec 2001 (pt 36)

Employment Regulation Costs

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the annual cost to employers of implementing the (a) Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1833), (b) employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1996 (i) excluding and (ii) including firms with between 15 to 20 staff, (c) national minimum wage, (d) reduction in the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from two years to one, (e) Public Interest Disclosures Act 1998, (f) rise in the upper limit for compensation for unfair dismissal from £12,000 to £51,700, (g) Maternity Leave etc. Regulations 1999 and other rights for parental leave and (h) the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000. [19760]

Alan Johnson: The Government prepare regulatory impact assessments when proposals for new legislation are introduced. The table summarises the quantified annual costs to employers together with the benefits (both quantified and non-quantified).

Policy costs Implementation costs Benefits

Working Time Regulations £2.3 billion⁽⁴⁰⁾ £1.5 to £3 million⁽⁴⁰⁾ 2 million employees get increased rest periods. 3.5 million night workers get right to health assessments. 3.1 million employees get four weeks paid annual leave (or pro rata for part-time workers).

Disability Discrimination Act Employment provisions

excluding employers with 15 to 20 staff £3.25 million⁽⁴¹⁾ £1 million⁽⁴¹⁾ All disabled employees gain from fairer treatment and greater employment opportunities.

including employers with 15 to 20 staff £3.4 million⁽⁴¹⁾ £1.1 million⁽⁴¹⁾ 0.4 million disabled employees in small enterprises benefit from being treated on the same basis as disabled employees in larger enterprises.

National Minimum Wage (original 1999 Regulations) £2.4 billion⁽⁴¹⁾ £2 to £3 million⁽⁴¹⁾ Workers benefit from higher pay (£2.4 billion).

Increase in youth rate for NMW (2000) £45 million⁽⁴¹⁾ Nil⁽⁴¹⁾ Workers benefit from higher pay (£45 million).

Increase in adult rate for NMW (2000) £180 million⁽⁴¹⁾ Nil⁽⁴¹⁾ Workers benefit from higher pay (£180 million).

Increase in NMW (2001) £635 million⁽⁴²⁾ Nil⁽⁴²⁾ Workers benefit from higher pay (£635 million).

Reduction of qualifying period for unfair dismissal £2.5 to £10 million⁽⁴¹⁾ £2.5 to £4 million⁽⁴¹⁾ 2.8 million employees gain from increased security.

Public Interest Disclosure Act Negligible Negligible Society gains from greater exposure of wrongdoing.

Rise in the upper limit for compensation for unfair dismissal Minimal Nil Potential benefits to a few employees who are wrongly dismissed.

Enhancement to maternity leave £16 million⁽⁴¹⁾ Negligible 85,000 mothers have their leave increased and spend more time with their new-born child.

Parental leave £42 million⁽⁴¹⁾ £0.2 million⁽⁴¹⁾ 2.7 million employees gain the right to parental leave. Improved family life.

Time-off for dependants £7 million⁽⁴⁰⁾ £0.1 million⁽⁴⁰⁾ Employers benefit from improved commitment and reduced turnover. 0.6 million employees benefit directly and 2 million benefit indirectly.

Part-time workers (prevention of less favourable treatment) Regulations £23 million⁽⁴¹⁾ £4 million⁽⁴¹⁾ 400,000 part-time workers benefit directly from improved pay and conditions (£23.4 million), 6 million indirectly through greater security. Employers benefit from increased labour supply.

	Policy costs	Implementation costs	Benefits
Working Time Regulations	£2.3 billion⁽⁴⁰⁾	£1.5 to £3 million⁽⁴⁰⁾	2 million employees get increased rest periods. 3.5 million night workers get right to health assessments. 3.1 million employees get four weeks paid annual leave (or pro rata for part-time workers).

	Disability Discrimination Act Employment provisions
excluding employers with 15 to 20 staff	£3.25 million⁽⁴¹⁾	£1 million⁽⁴¹⁾	All disabled employees gain from fairer treatment and greater employment opportunities.
including employers with 15 to 20 staff	£3.4 million⁽⁴¹⁾	£1.1 million⁽⁴¹⁾	0.4 million disabled employees in small enterprises benefit from being treated on the same basis as disabled employees in larger enterprises.

National Minimum Wage (original 1999 Regulations)	£2.4 billion⁽⁴¹⁾	£2 to £3 million⁽⁴¹⁾	Workers benefit from higher pay (£2.4 billion).

Increase in youth rate for NMW (2000)	£45 million⁽⁴¹⁾	Nil⁽⁴¹⁾	Workers benefit from higher pay (£45 million).

Increase in adult rate for NMW (2000)	£180 million⁽⁴¹⁾	Nil⁽⁴¹⁾	Workers benefit from higher pay (£180 million).

Increase in NMW (2001)	£635 million⁽⁴²⁾	Nil⁽⁴²⁾	Workers benefit from higher pay (£635 million).

Reduction of qualifying period for unfair dismissal	£2.5 to £10 million⁽⁴¹⁾	£2.5 to £4 million⁽⁴¹⁾	2.8 million employees gain from increased security.

Public Interest Disclosure Act	Negligible	Negligible	Society gains from greater exposure of wrongdoing.

Rise in the upper limit for compensation for unfair dismissal	Minimal	Nil	Potential benefits to a few employees who are wrongly dismissed.

Enhancement to maternity leave	£16 million⁽⁴¹⁾	Negligible	85,000 mothers have their leave increased and spend more time with their new-born child.

Parental leave	£42 million⁽⁴¹⁾	£0.2 million⁽⁴¹⁾	2.7 million employees gain the right to parental leave. Improved family life.

Time-off for dependants	£7 million⁽⁴⁰⁾	£0.1 million⁽⁴⁰⁾	Employers benefit from improved commitment and reduced turnover. 0.6 million employees benefit directly and 2 million benefit indirectly.

Part-time workers (prevention of less favourable treatment) Regulations	£23 million⁽⁴¹⁾	£4 million⁽⁴¹⁾	400,000 part-time workers benefit directly from improved pay and conditions (£23.4 million), 6 million indirectly through greater security. Employers benefit from increased labour supply.

⁽⁴⁰⁾ 1998 prices

⁽⁴¹⁾ 1999 prices

⁽⁴²⁾ 2001 prices

10 Dec 2001 : Column: 669W

Rural Petrol Stations

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to ensure the continued supply of road transport fuels at affordable prices in rural areas that are disadvantaged through the closure of retail filling stations. [13262]

Mr. Wilson: I am at present considering whether there is a case for putting in place more effective mechanisms to support the objectives discussed by my hon. Friend.

Acquired Rights Directive

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to ensure that those employers who lost out because of the improper implementation of European Directive 77/187 in the TUPE regulations of 1981 will receive compensation; and if she will make a statement. [21938]

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to ensure recompense for those affected by the UK breach of its obligations under the 1977 Acquired Rights Directive. [20890]

10 Dec 2001 : Column: 670W

Alan Johnson: The Government have admitted that, until the TUPE Regulations were amended in 1993, the Acquired Rights Directive was not implemented correctly, and that this was a sufficiently serious breach of the UK's EC obligations to give rise to a liability for damages, where anyone suffered losses as a result. The Government are therefore prepared to compensate anyone affected provided that they can show that they suffered loss as a result of that breach.

BAE Systems

Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of (a) BAE Systems' decision to close the Regional Jet RJ and RJX programme; and (b) the impact the closure will have on (i) the future prospects and competency of the UK's civilian aerospace industry and (ii) the aerospace component supply industries. [20353]

Mr. Wilson: The Government regret the recent announcements of job losses within BAE Systems and the Department is maintaining a close dialogue with the company to evaluate the situation. Officials of the relevant Government Departments and local support agencies are

10 Dec 2001 : Column: 671W

working with the company to mitigate the effect of the Regional Jet programme closure. I understand that Employment Services met the company on 5 December.

The Government deeply regret any job losses announced as a response to the downturn in aviation. BAE System's announcement is essentially a commercial decision and is partly in response to the downturn in aerospace sector exacerbated by the impact of events of 11 September.

The prospects for the aerospace sector in the medium to long term remain robust.

Textile Industry

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the job losses in the textile industry for each year since 1991. [20250]

Mr. Wilson: Information is not available for job losses.

Public Appointments

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many public appointments she has made since 7 June. [20248]

Ms Hewitt: In the period between 7 June and 30 November 2001 a total of 167 ministerial appointments were made to bodies for which my Department is responsible, of which 99 were re-appointments of serving members.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Mobile Phone Masts

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the (a) DTLR and (b) DTI regarding the environmental impact of third generation mobile phone masts. [19303]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 29 November 2001]: None. The Association of National Park Authorities, together with the Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, have written to me to raise concerns about telecommunications in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. I have asked officials to initiate joint discussions with DTLR and DTI to consider the issues raised.

Recycling

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set out the penalty arrangements which will apply in the event of local authorities failing to meet the Government's targets for recycling. [18541]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 27 November 2001]: The statutory performance standards for household waste recycling and composting are demanding but realistic targets that each local authority should be able to achieve, and ideally exceed, without need for penalties. Nevertheless, the performance standards have been established under the best value regime and this provides extensive powers for direction and, if necessary, intervention in the event of targets not being reached.

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I have made it very clear to all local authorities that the Government expect them to achieve their targets and will use the power available, if necessary, to ensure that they are met.

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of UK municipal waste was recycled in the last 12 months. [19051]

Mr. Meacher: Annual recycling data for UK municipal waste are not available. Information on the percentage of municipal waste that was recycled or composted in England and Wales is obtained from the Department's annual Municipal Waste Management Survey. The latest available data from 1999–2000 show a recycling rate of 11 per cent.

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets the Government have set for domestic waste recycling. [19052]

Mr. Meacher: "Waste Strategy 2000" announced challenging targets to increase the amount of municipal waste recycled and composted in England and Wales. These targets are:

To recycle or compost at least 25 per cent of household waste by 2005

To recycle or compost at least 30 per cent. of household waste by 2010

To recycle or compost at least 33 per cent. of household waste by 2015.

To ensure that local authorities contribute to achieving these targets, the Government have set Statutory Performance Standards for recycling and composting for individual authorities. These can be found in the Government's "Guidance on Municipal Waste Management Strategies", published in March 2001. Copies are available in the House of Commons Library and from the DEFRA website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ environment/waste/management/guidance/mwms/ index.htm

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