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"Your Guide"
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the "Your Guide" scheme will be introduced across the UK. [57946]
Mr. Alexander: The evaluation of the pilot of the "Your Guide" service of post offices as Government as General practitioners is well advanced. All relevant evidence from the pilot is being fully evaluated to determine whether the concept works. Further work to establish whether a national scheme could provide value for money to Government and help revitalise the post office network is being completed. The decision whether or not to roll out a national service, the form in which it would be offered and the timing of roll-out, will depend on the outcome of this work.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had about the United Kingdom's renewable energy manufacturing industry with (a) the devolved Administrations, (b) the regional development agencies, (c) her Department's sustainable energy policy unit and (d) other Government departments; and if she will make a statement. [58542]
Mr. Wilson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary and State for Trade and Industry and I have regular meetings with the various parties mentioned on matters including energy policy.
The development of the UK's renewable energy manufacturing industry is an integral part of the Government's strategy for renewable energy, to ensure that the UK obtains maximum advantage, in terms of new jobs and investment opportunities, from the planned expansion in renewable energy generation over the years ahead. We recently established the new unit, Renewables UK, with a specific responsibility to support the UK renewable energy manufacturing industry.
Coal Industry Pensions
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the reports of the Asset Liability Study carried out by the Mineworkers Pension Scheme and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme have been received by (a) the trustees of the two schemes and (b) her Department. [57825]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: The results from the Asset Liability Studies commissioned by the Trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme have been presented to the two Schemes' Trustees and also made available to my Department in its capacity as the Guarantor of the two Schemes.
Beer Sales
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on Government policy towards ending short beer measures. [57375]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: Under existing case law, trading standards departments have difficulty in securing convictions for short measure beer unless the quantity of liquid served is
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less than 90 per cent after the collapse of the head of froth. On 18 March the Department published a consultation paper inviting comments on the proposal that measures should comprise not less than 95 per cent liquid after the collapse of the head of froth.
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact on the brewing trade's revenue of proposals to allow public houses and other establishments to serve a pint at 95 per cent. of volume. [57374]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: The Department estimates that in order to serve measures containing not less than 95 per cent liquid, licensees would have to buy extra beer from brewers at a total cost of about £38 million at wholesale prices.
Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from consumer groups about proposals to allow public houses and other establishments to serve a pint at 95 per cent of volume. [57373]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: The consultation period runs until 1 July. To date, I have received a representation from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
Tourism
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance she is providing to regional development agencies on the importance of tourism in setting priorities for capital investment in their regions. [58582]
Alan Johnson: It is for the Regional Development Agencies to determine how best to deliver their Regional Economic Strategies, in consultation with their regional partners. Under the Single Budget, operating since 1 April this year, the Agencies have much greater flexibility to target their resources on regional priorities, which may include appropriate tourism-linked measures. However, corporate planning guidance issued to the Agencies in October 2001 set out the Government's expectations of the Agencies in terms of the development and implementation from April 2002 of sustainable tourism strategies. We expect that Regional Development agencies will take account of the importance of capital investment in their regions in planning all their activities, including those related to tourism.
MOX Fuel Shipments
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent the approval process for the shipment and the transport package for the MOX fuel due to be returned from Japan to Sellafield, and the nuclear safety case associated therewith, has taken account of (a) reasonably foreseeable actions from malicious intent that could arise in United Kingdom territorial waters and during docking, handling and onward transport from Barrow to Sellafield, (b) how such actions have been incorporated in the nuclear safety assessment and licensing process as specific design basis threats, (c) whether the personnel and systems involved in all
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elements of the transportation and transfer from one mode of transport to another have been tested and trialled against a simulation of the appropriate design basis threat and (d) how each element has been assessed in terms of the personnel and systems deployed being shown to be adequate to maintain the MOX fuel in a safe state. [56103]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 22 May 2002]: The transport of MOX fuel at all stages is subject to the most stringent regulation. The Government's security advisers have assessed the potential threats posed to this shipment and are satisfied that the thorough precautions taken to prevent theft or sabotage are adequate and make the security risks associated with the shipment negligible. The precautions taken are designed to cope with all credible threats and comply with all relevant international obligations and recommendations on the physical protection of nuclear material and ensure that the security risks associated with this shipment are negligible. The shipment is accompanied by armed police officers from the United Kingdoms Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary who are trained to deal with any threats to the transportation.
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on the proposed European Commission Directive on temporary workers. [58205]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 23 May 2002]: I refer my hon. Friend to the Explanatory Memorandum on the proposed directive on temporary agency workers, a copy of which is in the Libraries of the House. I intend to hold a public consultation on the proposed directive in due course.
Timeshares
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when her Department will publish the results of its consultation paper "Timeshare Sales—Improving the protection of consumers". [60382]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has today published a response to the consultation. I have placed copies of the document in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will announce the names of the independent members to be appointed to the Strategy, Executive and other Departmental Boards. [60381]
Ms Hewitt: Further to my announcement to Parliament on 1 February, Official Report, column 619W, on the procedure by which independent members were to be appointed to my Department's new Boards, I am pleased to announce that the following people have now been appointed to the Boards. This information is also available on the DTI website.
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