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Fraud

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated level of losses to fraud and corruption was in (a) her Department's vote 1 budget and (b) her Department's vote 2 budget for (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01. [54709]

Ms Hewitt: The net losses reported to Treasury as relating to fraud or thefts totalled £18,137 for 1999–2000 and £54,490 for 2000–01. All of these fell to vote 1.

None of these were attributed to corruption.

Military Exports (Israel)

Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many SIELs have been issued, and in what categories, for military exports to Israel since 18 February; and if she will make a statement. [54127]

Nigel Griffiths: Between 18 February and 22 April 2002 18 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering items on the Military List where the end user is Israel. Individual export licences might cover a range of items with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the totals for all the relevant ratings. Details are set out in the table.

8 May 2002 : Column 190W

Rating	Number of SIELs
ML1	1
ML4	4
ML5	2
ML9	2
ML10	2
ML11	3
ML15	3
ML18	1

All export licence applications to Israel are assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time of the application. This means that we will not issue export licences where to do so would be in contravention of the consolidated criteria, including where there is a clear risk that the items might be used in internal repression, international aggression, adversely effect regional stability or prolong internal conflict.

Private Medical Insurance

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employees in (a) her Department and (b) her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–98; what the total cost is; and if she will make a statement. [32327]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 6 February 2002]: None in my Department. I have asked agency chief executives to reply to the hon. Member. Information on non- departmental public bodies is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Letter from Barry Maxwell to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency to your Parliamentary Question, for the number of her employees who have or have had private medical insurance provided for them since 1997–98.

I am sorry you have had to wait so long for a reply. I am writing now to say that, as with DTI, the answer is none.

Letter from Desmond Flynn to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question on how many employees have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–98 and what the total cost is.

The Insolvency Service does not have any employees who have had medical insurance provided for them.

Letter from Peter Bentley to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

I am replying on behalf of the Small Business Service, since our Chief Executive, David Irwin, completed his secondment on 28 March and our new Chief Executive, Martin Wyn Griffith, does not start until 15 April.

No staff in the Small Business Service have had private medical insurance provided for them since it was founded in April 2000.

8 May 2002 : Column 191W

Letter from Dr. J. W. Llewellyn to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question about the number of employees at NWML who have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–98.

No member of staff at NWML has had private medical insurance provided for them in the period specified.

Letter from Roger Heathcote to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

RE: Private Medical Insurance

You tabled a Parliamentary Question on 30 January 2002 to Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, asking how many employees in (a) her Department and (b) her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–8; what the total cost is; and if she will make a statement. I have been asked to reply in respect of the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS), which is an executive agency of the DTI.

No employees in ETS have had private medical insurance provided for them in any year since 1997–8.

Letter from John Holden to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

I refer to your named day Parliamentary Question 2001/2501. I have been asked to respond for Companies House. The answer to your question is none.

Letter from Alison Brimelow to Mr. David Laws, dated 8 May 2002:

I am replying on behalf of the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question 2501 to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the provision of private medical insurance to employees of the Patent Office.

The Patent Office does not provide, or contribute to, private medical insurance for Patent Office employees.

Departmental Policies

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact her Department's policies have had on the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency since 1997. [54336]

Alan Johnson [holding answer 7 May 2002]: During the last five years, businesses in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency have received over £148,000 investment via the enterprise grant scheme and SMART/SPUR awards on capital investment of over £600,000. This has contributed, along with other Government policies and the work of Government agencies such as the Small Business Service, to a 38 per cent. fall in the number of unemployment benefit claimants in the constituency since May 1997. Constituents will also have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage, which has helped an estimated 230,000 people across the north- west region.

Arms Exports

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement about increased powers which the Export Control Bill will give to her to ensure that exported arms are not used for purposes of which the Government does not approve. [54905]

8 May 2002 : Column 192W

Nigel Griffiths: The Export Control Bill provides new powers allowing for the imposition of controls on trade from one overseas country to another, intangible technology transfers and the provision of technical assistance overseas. The Bill allows for these controls to be imposed in relation to military, paramilitary and dual-use goods or technology. The new powers will be used to strengthen the UK's domestic export control law, which at present allows only for controls of tangible exports from the UK. In particular, the new power on trade in controlled goods will be used to introduce controls on trade in all military equipment already subject to export control, and also to control, and in effect prohibit, trade in arms to embargoed destinations and trade in equipment used for torture to any destination.

The Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, as announced to Parliament on 26 October 2000, will continue to be the basis for licence decision-making under the Export Control Bill. Before taking a decision on an export licence under the Consolidated Criteria, Ministers take into account all reliable information about end-users of potential concern, including reporting from other Government Departments and UK posts overseas. The Government will not issue a licence where there is a clear risk that the equipment could be used for internal repression or international aggression, or where there is an unacceptable risk of diversion.

Broadband/Highband

Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings her Department (a) has had and (b) is planning to have with the DTLR regarding the impact of the line rental scheme on Government policies to encourage the roll-out of broad band and high band width networks. [54112]

Mr. Alexander: Officials in my Department, together with regulators responsible for all the utilities, have met with DTLR on a number of occasions to discuss lane rental, and will continue to meet to monitor the effects of the lane rental pilot schemes which are being implemented in Camden and Middlesbrough and will extend until May 2004.

The effects of national implementation of lane rental charging on the roll out of broadband and 3G mobile networks will be taken into account in these reviews.

Departmental Retirement Ages

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the retirement ages that apply to the employees of her Department and its agencies, including how many and which categories of employees are affected by each; and if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on flexible retirement. [32831]

Ms Hewitt [pursuant to her reply, 6 February 2002, c. 973W]: Unfortunately due to an administrative oversight the replies from the chief executive to the agencies were not given as part of my answer. These now follow.

8 May 2002 : Column 193W

Letter from Barry Maxwell to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency to your Parliamentary Question, for a list of the retirement ages that apply to the employees of her Department and its Agencies.

I am sorry you have had to wait so long for a reply, but can now say that the retirement ages for Agency staff are the same as that of the DTI.

Letter from Dr. J. W. Llewellyn to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question about the retirement ages that apply to the employees of NWML, including how many and which categories of employees are affected by each; and the Agency's policy on flexible retirement.

The normal retirement age in NWML is 65 for staff in Band A (covering administrative and support staff). For all other staff (covering staff at range 5 and above) the retirement age is 60. At 1 April 2001 there were 14 staff in Band A and 45 staff above this level.

Flexible retirement is considered on a case by case basis under certain criteria laid down by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Letter from John Holden to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

I refer to your Parliamentary Question 2001/2571. I have been asked to reply for Companies House.

The retirement age for ranges 1–4 is 65, range 5 and above 60. We have 893 staff in ranges 1–4 and 293 in range 5 and above.

Letter from Roger Heathcote to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

You tabled a Parliamentary Question on 31 January 2002 to Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, asking if she will list the retirement ages that apply to the employees of her Department and its agencies, including how many and which categories of employees are affected by each; and if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on flexible retirement. I have been asked to reply in respect of the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS), which is an executive agency of the DTI.

The normal retirement age in my agency is 65 years for staff in Band A (covering administrative and support staff). For all other staff (covering staff at range 5—formerly Executive Officer level—and above) the retirement age is 60 years. At 1 April 2001 there were 559 staff in Band A and 150 staff above this level.

Letter from Peter Bentley to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

I am replying on behalf of the Small Business Service, since our Chief Executive, David Irwin, completed his secondment to SBS on 28 March and our new Chief Executive, Martin Wyn Griffith, does not start until 15 April.

The normal retirement age in the Small Business Service is 65 for staff in Band A (covering administrative and support staff). For all other staff (covering staff at range 5—formerly Executive Officer level—and above) the retirement age is 60. At 1 April 2002 there were 61 staff in Band A and 213 staff above this level.

Please note that staff in the SBS Regional teams work to Government Office terms and conditions and they adhere to the same Retirement policy as their Parent Department. SBS Regional Teams have 37 staff at Band A and 99 Staff above this level.

8 May 2002 : Column 194W

Letter from Alison Brimelow to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

I am replying on behalf of the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question 2571 to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry relating to retirement ages and policy on flexible retirement.

The normal retirement age in the Patent Office is 65 in Band A (covering administrative and support staff). For all other staff (covering staff at B1 formerly Executive Officer level—and above) the retirement age is 60. At 1 April 2001 there were 353 staff in Band A and 566 staff above this level.

Flexible retirement is considered on a case by case basis under the criteria laid down by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Letter from Desmond Flynn to Mr. Steven Webb, dated 8 May 2002:

The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question on the retirement ages that apply to the employees in The Insolvency Service, including how many and which categories of employees are affected by each.

The Insolvency Service does not have delegated authority for retirement policy and so the guidelines are the same as that of the Department of Trade and Industry. The notional retirement age for staff in Band A (administrative and support staff) is 65. For all other staff in Band B and above (formerly Executive Officer level and above) the retirement age is 60. The number of permanent staff in post in The Insolvency Service at 1 April 2001 was 1303 (full time equivalent); of which 580 staff are in Band A and 723 are in Band B and above.

Flexible retirement is considered on a case by case basis under the criteria laid down by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

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