| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
European Investment Bank
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much venture capital the European Investment Bank has made available to small businesses since the European Council's meeting at Lisbon; how much of this capital has been made available to British businesses; and if she will make a statement. [57556]
Nigel Griffiths: The European Investment Bank (EIB) does not have direct responsibility for venture capital. Since June 2000 the European Investment Fund (EIF) has carried out all of EIB venture capital activity as the EIB's specialist risk capital arm.
During 2001 the EIF has invested EUR 800 million in 57 funds across Europe, primarily in the SME and start-up segments. As at the end of April 2002, EIF had a total of EUR 2115 million in venture capital operations signed.
EIF has invested EUR 504 million in UK funds including those that primarily invest in the UK and those based in the UK that have a multi-country investment strategy. This includes the single largest operation the EIF has approved with its commitment to invest EUR 86 million (£53.5 million) in the Regional Venture Capital Fund programme. Overall more than 400 companies based in Britain are benefiting from support through EIF venture capital activities.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list items exported to Zimbabwe from the UK since June 2001 of military use, with particular reference to Hawk parts. [57873]
10 Jun 2002 : Column 978W
Nigel Griffiths: Between 1 June 2001 and 3 May 2002 no Standard Individual Export Licences or Open Individual Export Licences have been issued where the end user is Zimbabwe for items on the Military List. I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Member for Livingston to my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley East and Mexborough of 12 May 2000, Official Report, columns 493–4W.
Export Finance
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the net cost or profit was of the fixed rate export finance scheme in each of the last three years excluding (a) transactions that were supported by SDR-based interest rates, (b) aerospace business under the Large Aircraft Sector Understanding and (c) the cost of ECGD's hedging operations. [58027]
Ms Hewitt: ECGD does not maintain its records in a way which enables it readily to report the net cost or profit of the FREF scheme on the basis you have asked.
However I can advise you that for each of the last three years for which audited figures are available the cost of FREF on all supported loans, not including the cost of ECGD's hedging operations, amounted to the following:
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 56.4 |
| 1999–2000 | 21.8 |
| 2000–01 | 65.1 |
Export Credits
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which coal-powered plants British businesses have been involved in for which they have received ECGD support; and what was (a) the name and location of, (b) the company involved, (c) the nature of the involvement of the British company, (d) the capacity in MW, (e) the estimated annual carbon dioxide emissions and (f) the amount of financial assistance provided by the ECGD in each case. [60617]
Ms Hewitt: The table lists the project name, country location, UK company involved, the nature of the involvement of that company, the capacity in MW, estimated carbon dioxide emissions and the value of the loan guaranteed by ECGD for each of the coal-fired power stations ECGD has supported since 1997.
In addition, ECGD has provided Overseas Investment Insurance and other insurances for seven other coal-fired power-stations with a total capacity of 4,960 MW and annual CO 2 emissions of approximately 17.9 million tonnes per year. Details of these projects are not disclosed, since such cases are treated as commercial in confidence.
It has been assumed that, upon completion, the plants listed below will operate for 60 per cent. of the time. CO 2 emissions have been calculated using the conversion factor of 0.687 tonnes of CO 2 per MW per hour. This is taken from The Greenhouse Gas Protocol website ("www.ghgprotocol.org") and is the 1999 average values for power plants in "Economies In Transition". These are the markets where ECGD most commonly provide guarantees.
10 Jun 2002 : Column 979W
It should be noted that for most large power projects ECGD is only one of several finance providers. Scaling the carbon emissions by the proportion of finance guaranteed by ECGD would give a figure of less than 14 million tonnes per year of carbon that is directly attributable to ECGD's participation.
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much financial assistance was provided by the ECGD for British companies involved in the Sual power plant in the Philippines while it was being built; and how much of this money was (a) used by the companies involved and (b) returned to the ECGD. [60619]
Ms Hewitt: ECGD does not provide financial assistance for companies. It provides guarantees and insurance. In 1995 ECGD provided a guarantee to the value of £432 million in support of GEC Alstom's contract relating to the construction of the Saul Power Project.
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which UK companies the Export Credits Guarantee Department (a) has and (b) is supporting regarding their involvement in the Sual plant since it began operations; and how much financial assistance each company has received. [60618]
Ms Hewitt: ECGD does not provide financial assistance for companies. It provides guarantees and insurance. In 1995 ECGD provided a guarantee to the value of £432 million in support of GEC Alstom's contract relating to the construction of Sual Power Project.
Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Government have taken in relation to breaches of OPCW financial regulations by other member states. [57680]
Nigel Griffiths: The UK takes every opportunity in the OPCW Executive Council and also in private contacts to draw to the attention of states parties the need to pay their assessments in full and on time.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2002, Official Report, column 304W, what Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regulation permits the delay of payments by the US, Germany and Japan beyond the first day of the financial period to which they relate. [57679]
Nigel Griffiths: Financial Regulation 5.4 requires payment of contributions to the OPCW budget within 30 days of receipt of the notice of assessment or the first day of the financial period (1 January), whichever is the later. It has, however, been the practice of some member
10 Jun 2002 : Column 980W
states to make staged payments or their entire payment at different times of the year to fit in with budgetary cycles or for other reasons.
40 of the 145 states parties, including the UK, paid their 2002 assessment by early January. At 15 May this had risen to 69 (including the USA). Germany has made a partial payment and is expected to pay in full by mid-year. Japan is expected to pay in full by mid-year.
Work-related Illness
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many days of sick leave were taken by employees in her Department in the last year for which records are available; what proportion of those were due to work-related illness or injury; and what the cost was to the Department. [56099]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 20 May 2002]: The average number of staff days lost per staff year through sickness absence in the DTI Group in 2000 (the most recent figure available) was 7.5. The figure is taken from the annual report on public sector sick absence commissioned by the Cabinet Office each year. The DTI Group, in addition to DTI HQ, consists of: ACAS, Companies House, Patent Office, Insolvency Service, National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Employment Tribunals Service, and The Radiocommunications Agency.
The additional information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The DTI is committed to reducing the number of working days lost due to sickness absence including time lost due to work-related injuries and illness.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for work-related illness were settled by her Department in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost was in compensation. [56097]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 20 May 2002]: None in the financial year ended 31 March 2002.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employees of her Department retired through work-related ill-health in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost was to the Department. [56098]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 20 May 2002]: Records are not maintained by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which enable ill-health retirements to be separately identified as work-related. For DTI the number of staff retired with a medical retirement certificate issued by the civil service pension scheme medical adviser for the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 was 17. Benefits provided on medical retirement are as set out in the rules
10 Jun 2002 : Column 981W
of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme and laid before Parliament, and provide for an immediate payment of an enhanced pension and lump sum. Ill-health retirement expenditure is met centrally from the Civil Superannuation Vote. For the year ending March 2002, provisional expenditure met from the Vote was £310 million in respect of all civil service cases for which an ill-health pension has been awarded. These cases number approximately 67,000 and include those who have formerly been ill-health retired but who have now reached and exceeded the normal retirement age.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |