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Lottery Funds
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Department has to ensure that unused Lottery money is allocated in the next six months. [40633]
Mr. Caborn: All the income received by the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) is allocated to the distributing bodies. At the end of December 2001, commitments by the distributing bodies to projects totalled approximately £3.82 billion, some £290 million more than the NLDF balance at the same date.
The Government are working with the distributing bodies to ensure not only that Lottery funds are committed to projects, but that this money is paid over to project operators as quickly as reasonably possible so that good causes derive the greatest possible benefit from the funds raised by the Lottery. We will set out our proposals in more detail in due course.
Rail Journeys (Staff)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy that rail journeys undertaken by staff in her Department should ordinarily be on standard class tickets. [40436]
Dr. Howells: DCMS travel and subsistence rules encourage staff to use Standard Class travel wherever possible. To obtain best value for money management of the policy is delegated to line management who are responsible for authorisation and economical management of all official travel. While first class travel is permitted for some grades many of them travel at standard class unless, for example, they need extra space or comfort to work during travel.
Capita
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list all contracts awarded by her Department to Capita since 1997, including (a) start and finish date of contract, (b) value of contract, (c) description of work to be carried out, (d) evaluation mechanism for successful delivery of contract, (e) penalty charges for failure to deliver and (f) if penalty charges have been incurred; and if she will make a statement. [40488]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 5 March 2002]: The information is as follows.
Note:
Includes Royal Parks (nil return)
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For each contract, DCMS appoints a "Performance Monitoring Officer". His/her satisfaction is the benchmark for success.
There have been no "penalty charges"—but failure to deliver might lead to the contract being determined, moneys being withheld from the contractor, or the employment of a replacement contractor at the outgoing contractors expense.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Building Research Establishment
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has received from the Building Research Establishment on the disposal of the Building Research Establishment library stock. [36478]
Mr. Wilson: This is a matter for the Building Research Establishment. However I have asked them to write to my hon. Friend and I have received no formal reports from BRE on the disposal of its library stock.
Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the membership of the Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network; and what its terms of reference are. [37747]
Mr. Wilson: The membership of the Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network (AFEN) varies over time. The most recent list of members is:
- Agip (UK) Ltd., Amerada Hess, British Gas E&P Ltd., BP Amoco, Chevron UK Ltd., Conoco (UK) Ltd., Department of Trade and Industry, Enterprise Oil plc, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Phillips Petroleum Company UK Ltd., Scottish Executive—Environment and Rural Affairs Department (Fisheries Research Services), Shell UK Exploration and Production, Statoil and Texaco North Sea UK.
- "The Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network will co-operatively work as an industry to understand the key aspects of the Atlantic Frontier region environment and implement
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- monitoring programmes and protection measures necessary to minimise or eliminate adverse impact. The strategy will be implemented by:
Reviewing, investigating and understanding the natural and physical environment of the Atlantic Margin including:
Seabed sediments and topography
Hydrographic phenomena
Benthic Fauna
Fishing and associated resources
Sea mammals, particularly large cetaceans
Seabirds.
Identifying parts of the environment vulnerable to routine Exploration and Production operations and planning pollution prevention or minimisation strategies. Operations would include:
Seismic
Drilling
Production
Decommissioning
Assessing the risks and possible impacts of unplanned or emergency pollution incidents and implementing response plans.
Developing a wider dialogue and consensus with local communities and parties with a legitimate interest in the offshore environment of the Atlantic Margin."
Development
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how often the Department has applied the special urgency provisions in paragraph 22 of Circular 18/84 (Development by Government Departments) to a development by the Department; and if she will make a statement. [38708]
Ms Hewitt: My Department has not applied the special urgency provisions of DOE Circular 18/84 since it took over overall responsibility for the property management of its estate in April 1996. The DTI does not hold centralised property records prior to 1996.
Electricity
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role she or her officials will play in the DTI study into the electricity transmission and distribution system's resilience; if it will be an independent study; and when and to whom the consultants will report. [39196]
Mr. Wilson: The study has been commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry. It is being carried out by the independent consultants British Power International (BPI), who were appointed following a competitive tender exercise. They are managed by a
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project management team consisting of officials from the Department's Energy Group and a representative from Ofgem. BPI will produce a report for DTI ministers in April 2002. Ministers' role will be to decide on what follow-up action is appropriate.
Small Businesses
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received concerning extending the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme to retail businesses; and if she will make a statement. [39814]
Ms Hewitt: I have received representations from a variety of bodies over a period of time about the reintroduction of retailing as an eligible business activity under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme.
The Scheme is currently being considered as part of the DTI's wider review of business support.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the role of her Department in the operations of small business/Europe, with respect to (a) policy formation, (b) lobbying and (c) personnel. [39645]
Nigel Griffiths: The Small Business Service of the Department of Trade and Industry manages the contract under which small business/europe operates. Small business/europe is, however, a private company that determines its own policy formation and lobbying strategy through consultation with other UK SME representative organisations, trade associations and small and medium sized businesses themselves. The Director of small business/Europe, Ben Butters, is responsible for personnel for the organisation.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on planned funding arrangements for small business/Europe over the medium term. [39659]
Nigel Griffiths: Small business/europe has full Government funding for the first two years of operation and thereafter must find an increasing proportion of its funding from private sources as the funding from the Small Business Service of the Department of Trade and Industry is reduced.
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