5 Mar 2002 : Column 147W
Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 5 March 2002
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Burial Arrangements
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions he has had with leaders of the Muslim community about allowing burials in Church of England graveyards to take place at weekends. [38473]
Mr. Bell: None. So far as I am aware, no approach has been made to the Church of England's national organisations on this topic, and I do not know whether it has arisen in any parishes.
Anyone who was resident in a parish or who died there, whatever his or her faith, is legally entitled to burial in a Church of England parish churchyard, provided it has not been formally closed for burials and space is still available there. It would not be possible to use a non-Christian religious rite in the churchyard, but the Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880 lays down a procedure under which the burial can take place without any religious service, subject to the conditions set out in the Act, for example as to the day and time of the burial. The design of grave markers would be subject to the jurisdiction of the Church's consistory courts.
I understand that issues of timing may also arise in the case of interments in local authority-maintained burial grounds, although that is not a matter for the Church authorities.
Ordained Women
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will estimate the total cost of the compensation scheme for those priests unwilling to accept the Ordination of Women up to the cessation of the scheme. [38495]
Mr. Bell: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 27 February, which stated that expenditure to date and budgeted provision for future expenditure in respect of past and present claims for payment under the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1993 is £24.2 million in total.
The figure will rise if further claims are approved during the remaining lifetime of the legislation, which expires on 21 February 2004.
WALES
Ministerial Trips
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each of the overseas trips made by himself
5 Mar 2002 : Column 148W
and other members of his ministerial team in each of the last four years, specifying the purpose and cost of each trip. [30176]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Deputy Prime Minister on 4 February 2002, Official Report, column 707W.
Entertainment Costs
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for 1997–98 and each subsequent financial year the amount spent by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons; if he will list the proportion of this cost incurred in respect of (x) food and (y) alcohol in each case; and if he will list the average cost per hotel room or similar unit of accommodation provided in each case. [34379]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 14 February 2002, Official Report, column 560W.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the statutory instruments issued by his Department in the last 12 months, indicating (a) the purpose of each and (b) the cost of each to (i) public funds, (ii) businesses and (iii) individuals. [36229]
Mr. Paul Murphy: In the last 12 months my Department has issued the following four statutory instruments:
- The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Land) Order 2001 No. 398 which transferred to the Assembly land for the site of their new debating chamber to be constructed by the Assembly.
The Government of Wales Act 1998 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2001 No. 1756 which brought into force provisions of the Government of Wales Act 1998 relating to the exercise of functions of the Forestry Commissioners in relation to Wales.
The Auditor General for Wales (Transfer of Functions) (General Teaching Council for Wales) Order 2001 No. 2479 which transferred to the Auditor General for Wales the functions of the Controller and Auditor General in relation to the accounts of the General Teaching Council for Wales.
The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 20 and Saving Provision) (Wales) Order 2001 No. 3211 which brought into force for Wales various provisions of th Environment Act 1995 relating to contaminated land.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Official Visits
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 86W, Ref 36818, what was the length and purpose of the overseas visit and the identity of the Parliamentary Private Secretary who undertook it. [39033]
5 Mar 2002 : Column 149W
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 28 February 2002]: In May 1997, my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton) supported the President of the Board of Trade on a three-day visit to Tokyo, Japan, which was focused on inward investment.
Small Businesses
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will publish the Government's response to the Competition Commission's report on small business banking. [39766]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Publication dates for such reports are not announced in advance. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will publish the report as soon as practicable.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the barriers that stand in the way of effective competition between the relatively small and the relatively large construction companies in Government Department construction contracts; and what measures regarding (a) aggregation, (b) contract bundling and (c) framework agreements she has implemented to ensure that businesses are offered a more level playing field. [38685]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 28 February 2002]: Over the past year OGC and the Small Business Service have jointly undertaken research to identify the barriers to effective competition in the government marketplace. No specific research has been conducted in the construction sector.
Aggregation, contract bundling and framework agreements were all raised by small firms as being barriers to accessing the government market. OGC is reviewing best practice in each of these areas to ensure optimum value for money.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mission statement of small business/Europe is. [39647]
Nigel Griffiths: The mission statement of small business/Europe is to maximise the interests of UK small and medium-sized businesses at the European Union level.
Regulatory Impact Assessments
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the regulatory impact assessments which are relevant to small businesses have attracted comments from the Small Business Council. [36976]
Nigel Griffiths: None. It is the role of the Small Business Service to comment on individual regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) and not the Small Business Council.
Engineering Industry
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the earnings on the services account by engineering consultancies and the proportion of exports from the United Kingdom that are manufactured goods. [39527]
5 Mar 2002 : Column 150W
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 4 March 2002]: Information on the overseas earnings of engineering consultancies is given in Table C8.2 of UK Trade in Services 2000 which was published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2000, the latest year for which figures are available, this industry earned £1,449 million from exports overseas, representing 2 per cent. of UK exports of services.
According to information published by ONS in the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, UK exports of manufactured goods in 2001 were worth £160.7 billion, representing 84 per cent. of exports of goods, or 60 per cent. of exports of goods and services, together.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the statement of the working group set up by the Hawley Review in the report "Universe of Engineering" on the research needed to estimate the number of people who practise engineering. [39532]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 4 March 2002]: The "Universe of Engineering" Report was produced by The Royal Academy of Engineering to assist The Hawley Group in its review of the Engineering Council and the needs of the wider engineering and technology community in the UK. The Report concluded that at least 2 million people are now employed in skilled engineering and technology jobs in this country, and that a new type of organisation, taking over from the Engineering Council, was required to support them.
The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) has been established for this purpose and is now starting work with the full support of Government. The ETB's principal aims are:
- (1) Start the reversal of the downward trends in the supply of people (of all ages) with qualifications and skills relevant to engineering and technology based careers and jobs.
- (2) Achieve a marked notable shift in public attitudes towards, and understanding of, engineering and technology in today's economy.
- (3) Build effective and valued links with business and industry, reflecting its real-time and future needs.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |