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BNFL
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the issue of the insolvency of BNFL was discussed at the meeting of the Energy Minister with Hugh Collum and Norman Askew on 15 November 2001. [37048]
Mr. Wilson: I meet Hugh Collum and Norman Askew regularly to discuss a range of issues, including financial issues, relating to BNFL.
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Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Stations
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 30 January 2002, Official Report, column 389W, on CCGT power stations, how she intends to discharge her responsibilities on power stations under sections 34 and 35 of the Electricity Act 1989. [37049]
Mr. Wilson: Sections 34 and 35 of the Electricity Act allow my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to issue various directions to power station operators and transmission companies. This would generally be in preparation for, or for the possibility of an emergency in generation, distribution or supply. The directions may include demanding information on stocks or making contingency arrangements for certain fuels and materials and how they are used. The choices would depend on the circumstances at the time.
The Department will shortly be reviewing the emergency arrangements for electricity. All consultation papers etc. will be available on the DTI website throughout the period of the review—www.dti.gov.uk/energy.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff left the service of her Department and its agencies in the year ended 31 March 2001; how many left before attaining the formal retirement age of 60 years; and in respect of how many her Department and its agencies assumed responsibilities for making payments until retirement age. [37544]
Ms Hewitt: 912 staff left the Department and its Agencies in the year ended 31 March 2001. 804 staff left before attaining the formal retirement age of 60 years and the Department and its Agencies assumed responsibility for making payments until retirement age for 25 staff.
This answer covers DTI headquarters and the Insolvency Service Agency, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Employment Tribunal Service,
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Patents Office, Radiocommunications Agency, ACAS and Companies House Agency.
Departmental Overseas Visits
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many overseas visits have been undertaken by parliamentary private secretaries in her Department at departmental expense in each of the last four years; and at what cost to public funds. [36818]
Ms Hewitt: Parliamentary private secretaries supporting Ministers in this Department have travelled overseas on Government business on one occasion at a total cost of £6,184. All travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in relation to the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme, how much aid was paid to coal producers (a) for each mine and (b) on a £/per tonne basis in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; what determinations were made by the Import Parity Price Panel in (A) 2000 and (B) 2002; and whether any members of the Panel did not take part in an individual determination owing to a conflict of interest. [37122]
Brian Wilson: The table at annexe A details the total payments made under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme, by colliery and on a £/tce (tonnes of coal equivalent) basis.
Payments have been made in respect of two tranches: Tranche 1 (17 April 2000 to 31 December 2000) and Tranche 2 (1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001).
The Import Parity Price Panel has given advice on IPPs for contracts relating to Tranche 1 applications under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme. A summary of this advice is given in the table at annex B. No advice has yet been submitted in relation to Tranches 2 and 3.
David Brewer, having declared an interest, did not participate in the IPP determinations for Moorside Mining Co. Ltd. (Eckington Colliery).
| Year 2000 | Year 2001 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colliery | Total Aid (£) | £/tce(72),(73) | Total Aid (£) | £/tce(72),(73) |
| Anthracite Mining Ltd. (Aberpergwm Colliery) | 0 | 1,031,000 | 15.4 | |
| Betws Anthracite Ltd. (Betws Colliery) | 870,200 | 41.4 | 1,966,000 | 51.7 |
| Blenkinsopp Colliery Ltd. (Blenkinsopp Colliery) | 470,500 | 3.7 | 1,168,000 | 7.2 |
| Celtic Energy Ltd. (East Pit Extension) | 2,977,500 | 24.8 | 0 | — |
| Coalpower Ltd. (Hatfield Colliery) | 0 | — | 951,750 | — |
| Ffynonau Duon Mines Ltd. (Blaentillery N#2) | 112,800 | 10.6 | 217,000 | 19.2 |
| Hatfield Coal Company Ltd. (Hatfield Colliery) | 3,931,900 | 19.4 | 2,855,250 | 7.7 |
| HJ Banks (Central Mines) | 661,100 | 3.4 | 0 | — |
| HJ Banks (North East Mines) | 703,200 | 5 | 0 | — |
| J Flack and Sons (Hay Royds Colliery) | 78,900 | 4 | 264,000 | 8 |
| Mining (Scotland) Ltd. (Longannet Mine) | 19,652,800 | 50.9 | 21,525,000 | 23.4 |
| Moorside Mining Ltd. (Eckington Colliery) | 88,200 | 5.04 | 286,000 | 10.25 |
| Tower Colliery Ltd. (Tower Colliery) | 3,317,200 | 8.3 | 0 | — |
| UK Coal (Rossington Colliery) | 3,207,200 | 8.44 | 0 | — |
| UK Coal Plc. (Harworth Colliery) | 14,722,100 | 27.7 | 0 | — |
| UK Coal Plc. (Maltby Colliery) | 13,559,700 | 21.7 | 0 | — |
| UK Coal Plc. (Selby Complex) | 23,186,500 | 8.4 | 20,324,500 | 5.1 |
(72) For the purpose of this table, one tce (tonnes of coal equivalent)= 29.302GJ
(73) In 1999 prices
Notes:
(74) Business of purchaser to be recorded in generic terms: e.g. generator, coke manufacturer, industrial heating, steel production.
(75) Region of purchaser should be one of the nine English regions as used by Government Offices/RDAs (North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands, South East, South West, London), Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Other.
(76) Maximum.
(77) Greater than.
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