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Casim Project
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will ensure that the procedure and process of peer review of the science case of the 4 GLS part of the Casim project are fair and transparent. [35462]
Ms Hewitt: The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, on behalf of all the research councils, is handling the scientific peer review of the 4 GLS science case. To ensure that the process is fair the review is being undertaken by a panel of independent scientists nominated by the research councils. The proposal is being considered against a set of standard, agreed criteria. The reviewers' recommendations will be passed on to the Director General of the research councils, the meeting of the chief executives of the research councils and the scientists involved in the project.
Higher Education Services (GATS)
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what consultations her Department has had with universities and colleges of higher education on the inclusion of higher education services in the United Kingdom as part of the forthcoming World Trade Organisation negotiations on the general agreement on trade in services; and if she will make a statement; [35438]
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- (2) what plans her Department has to include higher education services in the United Kingdom as part of the forthcoming World Trade Organisation negotiations on the general agreement on trade in services. [35439]
Ms Hewitt: My officials and officials from the Department for Education and Skills are consulting Universities UK. In addition the DfES is seeking the views of the devolved Administrations and I understand the Scottish Executive are consulting separately with Universities Scotland.
Working Conditions and Practices
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are employed in her Department on a job share contract; and what percentage of vacant positions was advertised on this basis in the last 12 months. [35368]
Ms Hewitt: Currently we are aware of 28 members of staff employed in a total of 14 job shares in the Department.
Apart from a very small number, where there are particular, fully justifiable business requirements, all vacant positions are advertised as being available on a part-time, job share/split as well as on a full-time basis.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the effect of the Working Time Directive on her Department's employees; how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week; what steps she is taking to reduce this number; and if she will make a statement. [35894]
Ms Hewitt: The information requested is held at local management level and is not readily available centrally.
A partnership project between management and unions is currently looking at improving work/life balance in the Department.
Post Office Closures
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices are planned to close in (a) Coventry and (b) the UK. [34919]
Mr. Alexander [holding answer 12 February 2002]: Post office closures are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. The Government's formal requirement on the Post Office to maintain the rural network and prevent avoidable closure of rural post offices remains in place. In relation to the urban network, detailed discussion continues on the programme to restructure the urban post office network.
Sellafield
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of cracks in the B30 nuclear waste storage facility at Sellafield. [36000]
Mr. Wilson: Inspectors from HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate inspected the B30 plant in 2001. As a result of this inspection, and a subsequent detailed review by BNFL's own experts, BNFL are taking action to institute a programme of remedial work and to enhanced its contingency plans for this plant.
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B30 is one of the older plants at Sellafield that contain the legacy wastes referred to in the statement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to the House on 28 November 2001 on Government proposals to set up a Liabilities Management Agency. These proposals are intended to help to systematically address the UK's historical legacy of radioactive waste, including the decommissioning of such plant as B30. In this particular case HSE is pressing BNFL to establish an early decommissioning programme.
Clean Coal Technology
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding her Department provides for research into clean coal technology. [33807]
Mr. Wilson: The Department is making available some £13 million over the period 2001–02 to 2003–04 for the research and development of clean coal technology. In addition to this some £11 million has been budgeted for underground coal gasification.
Parliamentary Questions
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the questions tabled for answer by the hon. Member for East Carmarthen and Dinefwr on 4 February 2002. [36063]
Ms Hewitt: My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy answered question No. 33111 on 8 February 2002, Official Report, column 1202W, and I answered question No. 33115 today at column 523–24W.
Mineworker's Compensation
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the total of legal fees paid in respect of compensation claims for chronic obstructive and pulmonary disease for former miners who worked in the Leicestershire and south Derbyshire coalfields; what principles underpin the determination of such fees; and if he will make a statement. [35104]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 13 February 2002]: To date, £1.0 million in Leicestershire and £0.3 million in south Derbyshire has been paid in claimants' solicitors costs. Costs and disbursements are paid in line with the handling agreement agreed between the Department and the claimants' solicitors. The costs are fixed in real terms, rising with inflation, and depend on the complexity of the case.
Departmental Contracts
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by her Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, indicating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed. [35876]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 12 February 2002]: Information from the Department's systems indicate the following:
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Information is not held centrally for earlier years and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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