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Broadband

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives her Department has to extend the availability of broadband internet provision to rural Somerset; and if she will make a statement. [73260]

Stephen Timms: We are working with the Broadband Stakeholder Group to help industry increase availability and take-up of broadband throughout the country.

As part of this strategy, we have provided £30 million to the RDAs and DAs to help develop innovative solutions for extending networks into areas considered commercially unattractive. The South West RDA received £3.78 million for such projects, details of which can be found on the DTI web site.

On top of this we are acting to improve the business case for service providers in rural areas by examining how the public sector can most effectively procure its own broadband. On June 26, I announced my intention to establish a new Regional Broadband Unit. Its purpose will be to stimulate economic development and enhance the delivery of public services through extending broadband services at the regional and local level.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of households in the Portsmouth, South constituency have access to broadband lines; and if she will make a statement. [72673]

Ms Hewitt: Broadband services by one or more of ADSL, cable and wireless are available to around 66 per cent. of the population. Satellite broadband is available throughout the country.

A map showing geographical availability of broadband services can be found in the UK Online Annual Report [http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk/ukonline/champions/anrep–menu.htm].

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of homes can access ADSL broadband services; and what plans she has to ensure an increase in ADSL broadband services. [72394]

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Ms Hewitt: At the end of May 2002, ADSL was available to 66 per cent. of households. We are working with the Broadband Stakeholder Group to help industry increase availability and take-up of broadband in general.

As part of this strategy, we have provided £30 million to the RDAs and DAs to help develop innovative solutions for extending networks into areas considered commercially unattractive. On top of this we are acting to improve the business case for service providers in rural areas by examining how the public sector can most effectively procure its own broadband.

As a result of the Government's policy of promoting greater competition in broadband services, prices for broadband in the UK are now as cheap as in France, Germany and the US, following recent wholesale price cuts. Taking DSL alone, prices fell by 39 per cent. between January and June, meaning that UK prices are cheaper for DSL than in France and Germany.

More recently, I announced my intention to establish a new Regional Broadband Unit. Its purpose will be to stimulate economic development and enhance the delivery of public services through extending broadband services at the regional and local level.

OFCOM

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the consultancy work being carried out by Towers-Perrin into the structure of OFCOM for her Department was put out to competitive tender; and if she will make a statement. [72225]

Stephen Timms: A consortium of consultants, led by Towers Perrin and assisted by Ernst and Young and Differentis, is currently working on a wide range of organisational issues, including OFCOM's structure, as part of the preparations for the new regulator. This work was subject to full competitive tender in line with Government and EC requirements, following publication of a Notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The outcome of the tendering process was also published in the Official Journal.

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation is taking place with the radio industry about the future structure of OFCOM. [72226]

Stephen Timms: The radio industry is engaged in regular meetings with the Communications Bill Team and the existing communications regulators and has had informal discussion with the OFCOM Transition Team. Formal consultation on OFCOM structure and other organisational arrangements will be a matter for the OFCOM Chairman and Board, once they are in post.

Newspaper Circulation

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 18 July, ref. 70135, what information she has on the percentage of circulation that the five leading newspaper groups hold in (a) regional evening papers, (b) regional morning papers, (c) local weeklies and (d) local weekly freesheets. [72307]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The available information is as follows:

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Company	Total sales or distribution per week (per cent.)	Daily or Sunday titles sales or distribution per week (per cent.)	Weekly titles sales or distribution per week (per cent.)
Trinity Mirror	24.0	24.3	23.6
DMGT	21.3	31.2	9.0
Gannett	14.1	8.7	20.7
Johnston Press	7.7	4.7	11.4
RIM	4.6	5.3	3.7
Total	71.7	74.2	68.4

Source:

Table 3.1 "Top 20 publishers of regional/local newspapers in the UK, 2001", from the Competition Commission's report "Johnston Press plc and Trinity Mirror plc: A report into the proposed merger", Cm 5495, May 2002. Since the data were compiled, Johnston Press has acquired RIM.

Periodicals

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from the Periodical Publishers' Association on proposed changes in the charging system for postage of periodicals. [72084]

Stephen Timms: The Periodical Publisher's Association wrote to me on 19 July. Changes to the charging system for postage are a commercial matter for Consignia within the regulatory framework laid down in the Postal Services Act 2001. I understand that the Association is in discussion with the company on this issue.

Consignia undertook the consultation with customers and trade associations about the introduction of a new pricing system which takes into account the size of an item and I understand that the company is now assessing the responses to the consultation. If the company does wish to proceed, it will make a submission to the Postal Services Commission and the postal consumer body, Postwatch. The Commission will have to approve any proposals and will follow their own consultation process before agreeing to any major changes in the way mail is priced.

National Transmission System

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has made to Ofgem with regards to the proposed changes to the auction system for capacity to the National Transmission System at St Fergus. [72558]

Mr. Wilson: The arrangements for allocating entry capacity into the National Transmission System are specified in Transco's Network Code. The Network Code is the property of Transco and the shippers for which Transco conveys gas; it is regulated by Ofgem, which adjudicates on proposed amendments to the Code. My Department has regular contacts with Transco, shippers and Ofgem, to discuss Network Code matters of common interest. The details of such discussions are commercially confidential.

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Digital Services

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) conditions and (b) restrictions will be placed on the BBC and Crown Castle in their promotion of digital television via marketing strategies. [69075]

Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.

This is a matter for the ITC and the BBC's Board of Governors and is subject also to the provisions of UK and EU competition policy.

Benefit Payments

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been compiled on the cost savings relating to the changeover of benefit payments from payment book to ACT; with what results; and if she will make a statement. [70192]

Stephen Timms [holding answer 22 July 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 23 July 2002, Official Report, column 806W by the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Corruption

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the ECGD obtained the judgment by Judge Cullinan in Lesotho in the bribery case against Masupha Sole; and how they obtained it. [72580]

Ms Hewitt: ECGD received a copy of the Judgement on 3 July 2002. This was obtained by the British High Commission in Maseru from the Secretary to Justice Cullinan

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many allegations of corruption the ECGD has received, and how many of these allegations it has referred to, the (a) Serious Fraud Office, (b) National Criminal Intelligence Service and (c) Scotland Yard in the last three years. [72587]

Ms Hewitt: In the last three years ECGD has received three allegations of corruption, and one has been referred to the SFO. None has been referred to NCIS or Scotland Yard.

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the ECGD has investigated bribery allegations in the deal it between BAe Systems and the Government of Qatar; and whether it has referred this case to the relevant external investigatory body. [72586]

Ms Hewitt: No allegations have been received by ECGD, although the Department is aware of allegations in the press. Matters connected with these assertions were investigated by the Jersey authorities and ECGD responded to enquiries made of it by the Jersey authorities.

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