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Business Ethics Training

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the SBS Business Incubation Fund has been allocated; how many applications have been rejected; how many applications are awaiting a decision; and if she will make a statement. [70194]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 22 July 2002]: The SBS Business Incubation Fund was created in October 2001.

Applications totalling £4.5 million have been received. The fund's panel of independent experts are evaluating these. Further applications from projects, currently at an early stage, are expected to be made to the fund once they reach their appropriate level of development. To date, three have been rejected.

Auditing and Accounting

Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Government are taking to strengthen auditing and accounting requirements. [72969]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement to the House earlier today.

Office for Civil Nuclear Security

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2002, Official Report, column 353W, on OCNS, which other Government agencies are used to train OCNS staff; and for what reason the publication of the first annual report from OCNS was not accompanied by a press release. [72603]

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Mr. Wilson [holding answer 23 July 2002]: OCNS staff are given the training which is considered necessary in order to complete their tasks. This training will vary from task to task and from person to person, therefore the agency giving the training will vary according to the requirement.

It was thought more appropriate for the publication of the OCNS annual report to be placed in the Library of both Houses and to be made generally available on the DTI website.

European Energy and Transport Forum

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the European Energy and Transport Forum will meet; where it will meet; how often meetings will take place; and if she will make a statement. [72674]

Mr. Wilson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 1 July 2002, Official Report, column 132W. The European Energy and Transport Forum is a Commission Committee. It is for the Commission to decide organisational arrangements for meetings.

Council for Excellence in Management and

Leadership

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times in the last 12 months members of the SBS have met the Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership. [70193]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 22 July 2002]: Seven.

Employment Tribunals

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects the Employment Tribunal System Taskforce to report; and if she will publish the report. [73548]

Alan Johnson: The Employment Tribunal System Taskforce have just completed their work. I expect to receive their report shortly. I know that Members of the House and the public are keen to see the outcome of their work, so I hope to publish as soon as practical after receipt of the report; copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Regional Development Agencies

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the regional development agencies have prepared annual accounts and reports for 2001–02; and if she will make a statement. [73549]

Alan Johnson: The regional development agencies' annual reports and accounts for 2001–02 have been published today. Copies have been laid before Parliament. These cover the period from 1 April 2001 through to 31 March 2002. The Government welcome the continued progress made by agencies to improving the economic regeneration, skills and competitiveness of the regions.

Company Auditors (Supervisory Bodies)

Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has received the annual reports for

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2001 from the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors under Part II of the Companies Act 1989; and if she will make a statement. [73550]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I have received the annual reports for the year 2001 from the five recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors: a combined report from the institutes of chartered accountants in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, and one each from the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants and the Association of Authorised Public Accountants. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Schedule 11 of the Companies Act 1989 sets out the requirements which a body must meet to be eligible for recognised supervisory body status. These include requirements to have adequate arrangements for monitoring and enforcing compliance with its rules relating to membership and eligibility (e.g. holding an appropriate qualification, being a fit and proper person, working to technical and ethical standards, maintaining competence), discipline and investigation of complaints. In these reports, the recognised bodies inform the Government about their activities in relation to these arrangements. We shall discuss the reports with the bodies shortly, and will do so in the light of the interim report of the co-ordinating group on audit and accounting issues.

These arrangements now also fall within the oversight remit of the Review Board. It is currently completing a study of the bodies' discipline and complaints arrangements and will start work shortly on a study of their systems for registration and monitoring of auditors.

Penrose Inquiry

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she expects the Penrose Inquiry to be published in 2002; and if she will make a statement. [72837]

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) on 19 July 2002, Official Report, column 636W.

Directives (Trade Barriers)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the EU Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of directives on the removal of technical barriers to trade in the sector of colouring matters which may be added to medicinal products is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [66426]

Mr. Lammy: I have been asked to reply.

The UK representatives on the European Union Committee for the adaptation to technical progress of directives on the removal of technical barriers to trade in the sector of colouring matters which may be added to medicinal products are the chief executive of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) in relation to medicines for human use, and the chief executive of the

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Veterinary Medicines Directorate in relation to veterinary medicines. We have not received notification of any committee meetings planned for the future.

The committee is a regulatory committee which assists the European Commission in exercising its powers of implementation and facilitates the adoption of draft measures in the field of permitted colours for medicinal products.

EU Committees (Scottish Representation)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the EU Committee overseeing the conditions governing imports of agricultural products originating in third countries following the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [68563]

Ms Blears: I have been asked to reply.

The ad hoc comitology committee set up to advise the European Commission on measures needed to control agricultural products originating in third countries affected by fallout from the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station has no date set for its next meeting. The United Kingdom is represented on the committee by an official from the Food Standards Agency who consults with all interested parties, including the Scottish Executive, prior to committee meetings. The Scottish Executive has never had a separate representative on the committee.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister for Women (1) what is the budget of the Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence; [59848]

(2) how many times the Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence has met in the last 12 months; and on what dates; [59846]

(3) how many letters from the public the Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence has received. [59849]

Mr. Denham: I have been asked to reply.

The Ministerial Group itself has not received any letters from the public, but the Home Office has received 20 such letters since 5 February, relating to domestic violence. As chair of the Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence, I have received nine further letters from other members of the group and Members of Parliament. Other members of the Ministerial Group may have received letters specific to their policy areas.

The Ministerial Group has met three times in the last seven months, on 10 January 202 (its inaugural meeting), 5 February 2002, and 12 June 2002.

The Ministerial Group does not have a specific budget as it utilises resources currently available within each Department to help tackle domestic violence.

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