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Aircraft Movements

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the daily average number of aircraft movements was for each of the 15 busiest airports in the United Kingdom over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [65201]

Mr. Jamieson: The average daily number of aircraft movements at the 15 busiest airports in the United Kingdom over the last five years is reported in the table. These statistics relate to commercial movements only and exclude flights undertaken for private military and training purposes as well as business aviation.

Average daily commercial aircraft movements

Airport	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Heathrow	1,180	1,212	1,235	1,262	1,255
Gatwick	629	665	676	693	673
Manchester	404	446	466	489	502
Stansted	231	287	372	402	419
Birmingham	219	242	271	299	305
Edinburgh	197	208	232	244	274
Glasgow	224	236	242	248	263
Aberdeen	238	250	227	226	243
Luton	110	131	151	164	164
London City	90	103	116	137	150
Belfast International	96	107	123	118	130
Newcastle	116	118	119	120	127
East Midlands	112	118	117	119	120
Belfast City	91	95	91	91	92

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South Coast Multi-Modal Study

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs were of the South Coast multi-modal study broken down by (a) staff and (b) other costs. [65148]

Mr. Jamieson: The current cost of contract for the South Coast multi-modal study is £1,727,000 (excluding VAT). This figure incorporates (a) staff and (b) other costs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Committee Mandates

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Committee on the Implementation of Projects Promoting Co-operation and Commercial Relations between the European Union and the Industrialised Countries of North America, the Far East and Australasia is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55395]

Ms Hewitt: EC Council Regulation 382/2001 provides for a programme of measures and actions to complement and bring added value to the efforts undertaken by member states and other European public bodies in the Japanese market, and establishes a Committee to assist the Commission in the implementation of this programme. This Regulation also provides for co-operative activities between the EC on the one hand and North America and Australasia on the other, but the Committee has had no role in these activities. The Committee has met once in the last 12 months. A British Trade International official represents the UK. It is impossible to calculate the cost of its work to public funds without incurring disproportionate cost. The Committee is currently considering the detailed arrangements for the EU trade promotion campaign towards Japan "Gateway to Japan III". Any European Community proposal that goes to the Council of Ministers would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny procedures.

Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to 'simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission'. As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (COM(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through the website.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on Opening Up Public Contracts is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is

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to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [61701]

Ms Hewitt: The EC Advisory Committee on Opening Up Public Contracts is composed of up to 25 independent experts whose business and industrial experience, and whose competence regarding public procurement, are widely recognised. The Committee assists the Commission in assessing the economic, technical, legal and social aspects of public procurement. It has no decision taking powers.

The European Commission appoints the members of the Committee after consultation with business and industry. The representatives from the UK are Dr. Sue Arrowsmith, Professor of Law at the university of Nottingham and Mr. Colin Maund, Chairman of the CBI's Public Procurement Contract Group.

The Committee has met on three occasions over the last year. There is no cost to public funds.

The issues discussed during the last meeting of the Committee were: electronic purchasing; the Remedies Directives; the European Parliament vote on the new legislative package; in-house contracts.

Unfair Dismissal

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will review its unfair dismissal procedure; and if she will make a statement. [55905]

Ms Hewitt: The Employment Bill contains proposals for amendments to certain aspects of the unfair dismissal legislation. My Department has no plans to review the legislation.

Arms Export Licences

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of CS pellets to Malaysia where the final end-use destination was in a different country. [60696]

Nigel Griffiths: The export of CS pellets is controlled under entries ML3, ML4 and ML7 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended.

Between 2 May 1997 and 10 June 2002 three Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the rating ML4 where the consignee was in Malaysia and the end user was in a different country. During that same period there were no SIELs issued covering the ratings ML3 and ML7 where the consignee was in Malaysia and the end user was in a different country. This information should be considered in light of the answer tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–71.

The Export Control Organisation's computer database records only permitted destinations for all Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs). Details of all SIELs and OIELs are published in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. Copies of the 1997,

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1998, 1999 and 2000 Annual Reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 Annual Report will be published soon.

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what end-use documentation British companies are required to supply when applying for licences for small arms exports to (a) EU or NATO countries and (b) non-EU or non-NATO countries. [62017]

Nigel Griffiths: Applications to export small arms to Government bodies in any country would normally need to be supported by an end-user undertaking. In certain circumstances a purchase order, or a copy of the relevant pages from a contract might be accepted in lieu of an undertaking.

Special arrangements apply to the transfer of small arms to non-Government end users in EU member states under the provisions of the EC Directive on Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Weapons "the EC Weapons Directive" (91/477/EEC). Exporters are required to obtain prior import consent from the receiving member state and complete certain transfer documentation.

For exports of small arms to non-Government end users in non EU countries, DTI would normally require, in addition to an end-user undertaking, to see a copy of an import permit or some other form of declaration issued by the authorities of the importing state to confirm that they were content for the individual or dealer to possess the weapons in the licence application.

In addition, at the request of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an export licence for small arms to destinations covered by the moratorium on the Import, Export and Manufacture of Light Weapons will not be issued unless the ECOWAS Secretariat have issued confirmation that ECOWAS Governments have been consulted and are content.

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on the grant of export licences for sale of arms to India and Pakistan. [64389]

Nigel Griffiths: All relevant export licence applications for India and Pakistan are considered on a case-by-case basis in the context of the current situation in the region, against the Consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, and in the light of my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter statement of 15 March 2002, Official Report, columns 1296–98W. The Consolidated Criteria include a specific reference to the preservation of regional peace, security and stability.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my noble Friend the Lord Sainsbury of Turville in another place on 28 May 2002, Official Report, columns 1147–1149.

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