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Coal Industry

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much coal has been imported into (a) Scotland and (b) Wales in each year since 1997. [60281]

Mr. Wilson: Separate import figures for Scotland and Wales are not available. Total imports of coal into the UK since 1997, in millions of tonnes, were as follows:

	Tonnes (million)
1997	19.7
1998	21.2
1999	20.3
2000	23.4
2001	(4)35.5

⁽⁴⁾ Provisional

Sources:

Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2001 (The Stationery Office)

Energy Trends, March 2002 (DTI publication)

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Textile Industry

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the contribution to the UK economy of the textile industry. [63671]

Mr. Timms: The UK textiles industry accounted for 0.4 per cent. of UK GDP in 2000. In 2001, UK employment in the sector was 107,000 and UK exports were valued at £3.6 billion.

My Department recognises the UK textile industry as an important contributor to the UK economy and through its active support of the industry-led Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group, will continue to work with this key manufacturing sector to ensure it continues to improve and develop in the global economy.

Working Hours

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average number of working hours per week for UK workers was in the last year for which figures are available; and what plans she has to move this closer to the EU average. [63956]

Alan Johnson: The average number of working hours per week for all UK workers (including part-time workers) was 37.7 in 2000, which is comparable to the EU average of 37.8.

BNFL

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether British Nuclear Fuels consulted her Department in advance of appointing Dr. Jim Currie to the BNFL Board. [63845]

Mr. Wilson: Yes.

Solar Energy

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with BP on the building and operation of a solar photovoltaic cells plant in Wales. [63851]

Mr. Wilson: My predecessor and I have had meetings with a number of PV cell manufacturers, including BP Solar, to discuss the possibility of establishing manufacturing plants in the UK.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives she plans to take to increase expenditure on solar energy technology, with specific reference to (a) photovoltaics, (b) solar water heating and (c) solar interseasonal heat storage technologies respectively. [63855]

Mr. Wilson:

(a) On 26 March I launched the £20 million First Phase of the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme (MDP), which should result in 3,000 domestic roofs and 140 larger non-residential buildings receiving PV systems over the next three years. In addition, the Domestic and Large Scale Field Trails are already underway with a combined budget of around £10 million. They should result in at least 500 domestic roofs

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and 15 large public buildings receiving PV installations. Subsequent phases of the MDP are dependent on the success of the First Phase and on sufficient funds being available.

(b) Solar Water Heating is a proven and reliable technology with an established but small market in the UK. We are considering support for it, along with other small-scale renewable technologies, under the £10 million Community and Household Scheme, which is currently being designed. An announcement will be made in the autumn and grants are likely to be available by the end of this year.

(c) Little work has been done in the UK on interseasonal storage. While heat may be 'free' and the technology itself quite simple, the cost of the necessary equipment and infrastructure is the barrier to wider exploitation. We will, however, be keeping a watching brief on seasonal heat storage developments.

Renewables Advisory Board

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the members of the Renewables Advisory Board are; and what their qualifications are to sit on the board. [63856]

Mr. Wilson: Provisional members attended the first interim meeting of the Renewables Advisory Board on 21 May 2002. We shall publicise shortly the details of the formal selection process, including the skills required, and will invite applications for the appointment of members to the full Board.

Nuclear Waste (Russia)

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with Russian representatives on security of nuclear waste. [62136]

Mr. Wilson: The Department is responsible for the management of the interdepartmental programme for addressing the nuclear legacy in the Former Soviet Union (FSU), and Ministers and officials, plus those in other Government Departments are in regular discussion with their counterparts on a range of nuclear issues, not just the security of nuclear waste. The £84 million programme to tackle nuclear problems in the Former Soviet Union was announced to Parliament in July 2000 to cover the period 2001 to 2004, and future funding levels will depend on the outcome of the current Spending Review. The programme has, as one of its priorities, nuclear safety and security issues in Russia. An important element of the UK programme is assisting Russia in tackling the nuclear waste problems associated with the 100+ decommissioned nuclear submarines in NW Russia; particularly the safe disposal and secure storage of spent nuclear fuel from such vessels. Current discussions with Russia centre on concluding a legal framework agreement covering liability, tax and access issues etc.

Construction Industry

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to prosecute construction companies who operate in the black economy. [63050]

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.

The actions which the revenue Departments will take against those who operate in the informal economy and commit tax offences are laid down in the published

25 Jun 2002 : Column 795W

prosecution policies of the responsible Departments. They will also work with colleagues in other Departments when other offences, such as benefit fraud, exist too.

National Insurance

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total amount of national insurance contributions lost owing to false self-employment claims on CIS4 tax certificates was in each year for the last three years; and if she will make a statement. [63097]

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is not available.

Endangered Species (Derived Products)

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new steps her Department has taken to regulate British companies trading in products derived from endangered and threatened species. [63059]

Mr. Meacher: I have been asked to reply.

British companies are subject to the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which is implemented in the EU by Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1808/02.

25 Jun 2002 : Column 796W

Under these Regulations all commercial trade in endangered species is prohibited and permits may only be granted for trade in threatened species where it is clear that trade will not be detrimental and that the specimens were lawfully acquired. No new steps to regulate British companies have been taken, although the Regulations governing the enforcement of CITES are under review. One of the issues being considered is whether offences relating to internal trade should be made arrestable and the existing penalties increased. We intend to go out to public consultation on these proposals later in the year.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Extortion

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions for extortion have been pursued in Northern Ireland in each year since 1994; and how many convictions have resulted. [63430]

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.

There is no one offence for extortion. The following tables provide the most relevant offences and convictions related to extortion during the period 1994 to 1999. Figures from 1999 to date are not yet available.

Table 1: Northern Ireland prosecutions for offences related to extortion: 1994–99

Offence	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Blackmail	22	38	25	14	32	5
Bribery	0	0	0	0	1	0
Kidnapping	19	26	35	17	15	13
Soliciting financial support for proscribed organisation	0	2	0	0	0	0
Soliciting or inviting support for proscribed organisation	0	0	0	0	0	0
Intimidation—residence/occupation	56	9	25	43	22	21
Intimidation—person leave employment	0	2	1	1	0	1
Intimidation—to do/refrain from doing any act	12	9	9	7	7	7
Threats to harm	0	0	0	0	0	1
Total	109	86	95	82	77	48

Table 2: Northern Ireland convictions for offences related to extortion: 1994–99

Offence	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Blackmail	9	28	13	14	26	4
Bribery	0	0	0	0	1	0
Kidnapping	8	20	14	12	12	10
Soliciting financial support for proscribed organisation	0	2	0	0	0	0
Soliciting or inviting support for proscribed organisation	0	0	0	0	0	0
Intimidation—residence/occupation	18	5	17	24	13	9
Intimidation—person leave employment	0	1	1	0	0	1
Intimidation—to do/refrain from doing any act	8	6	5	4	3	5
Threats to harm	0	0	0	0	0	1
Total	43	62	50	54	55	30

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