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19 Sept 2002 : Column 181W—continued
EU Directives
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government policy is towards the EU Hallmarking Directive; and if she will make a statement. [71867]
Mr. Wilson: The draft Directive proposing a single market in hallmarking precious metals is not the subject of current negotiations. Should they resume in future, the Government would wish to participate constructively to work for a fair outcome for business and consumers. The Department encourages key stakeholders to consider the implications of a possible Directive.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the EU Hallmarking Directive on UK assay offices; and if she will make a statement. [71868]
Mr. Wilson: The draft Hallmarking Directive has not progressed in Europe for a number of years due to unresolved difference and it is unclear whether or when it may do so. In the event of further discussions or new proposals coming forward, impact on a wide range of interests will need to be assessed, including business and consumers and others such as assay offices.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the EU directives and regulations that have been implemented through her Department in 2002; and what was the cost of each to public funds. [64989]
Ms Hewitt: Five EU directives have been implemented by DTI so far in 2002:
Directives 97/64/EC, 98/44/EC, 1999/42/EC, 1999/93/EC, and 2001/77/EC.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the EU directives relating to her Department which have been (a) amended and (b) repealed in 2002. [64939]
Ms Hewitt: The following EU directives relating to DTI have been amended or repealed so far in 2002.
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Ms Hewitt: No meeting of the EU Committee on Directives relating to Textile Names and Labelling is scheduled currently. When it does meet the UK is normally represented by one official from the Department of Trade and Industry. The Scottish Executive is regularly consulted on, and is fully involved in discussions, at official and Ministerial level, with the Department on the formulation of EU policy which touch on matters which fall within the responsibilities of the Scottish Executive.
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 protective equipment and systems for use in explosive atmospheres 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. [66437]
Ms Hewitt: It is my understanding that the hon Member is referring to the Standing Committee set up under Article 6 of Council Directive 94/9/EC of 23 March 1994 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres (the so-called ATEX Directive). The date of the next meeting of the Standing Committee is 11 December 2002.
Representation from the United Kingdom is led by officials from the Department of Trade and Industry, supported by a technical expert from the Health and Safety Executive to provide technical advice. The Scottish Executive is regularly consulted on, and is fully involved in discussions, at official and Ministerial level, with the Department on the formulation of EU policy which touch on matters which fall within the responsibilities of the Scottish Executive.
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 pressure vessels 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. [66427]
Ms Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) earlier today.
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 electric materials used in an explosive atmosphere 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. [66438]
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Ms Hewitt: It is my understanding that the hon. Member is referring to the committee responsible for adaptation to technical progress of the Directives on the removal of technical barriers to trade in electrical equipment for use in explosive atmospheres set up under Article 6 of Directive 76/117/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The committee has not met for several years and is unlikely to meet again because Directive 76/117/EEC is being superseded by Directive 94/9/EC (the ATEX Directive) and will be repealed on 1 July 2003 when Directive 94/9/EC comes fully into force.
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 construction plant and equipment 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. [66428]
Ms Hewitt: It is my understanding that the hon Member is referring to the Committee on the Adaptation to Technical Progress set up under Article 4 of Directive 79/113/EEC on the approximation of laws of the Member States relating to the determination of the noise emission of construction plant and equipment. Directive 79/113/EEC has been superseded by Directive 2000/14/EC and was repealed on 3 January 2002 when Directive 2000/14/EC came fully into force. Therefore, this Committee will not meet again. However, at previous meetings the UK was normally represented by two officials from the Department of Trade and Industry. The Scottish Executive is regularly consulted on, and is fully involved in discussions, at official and Ministerial level, on the formulation of EU policy which touch on matters which fall within the responsibilities of the Scottish Executive.
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 lifting and mechanical handling appliances 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. [66439]
Ms Hewitt: Directive 84/528/EEC, on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to common provisions for lifting and mechanical handling appliances, was repealed on 1 July 1999 by the Lifts Directive 95/16/EC.
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 cosmetics 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. [66425]
Ms Hewitt: The EU Technical Adaptation Committee on the safety of cosmetic products next met on 22 July. The UK is represented by two officials from the Department of Trade and Industry. The Scottish Executive is regularly consulted on, and is fully involved in
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discussions, at official and Ministerial level, with the Department on the formulation of EU policy which touch on matters which fall within the responsibilities of the Scottish Executive.
Consignia
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what redundancy package has been agreed with Consignia; and if she will make a statement. [72507]
Stephen Timms [holding answer 24 July 2002]: Redundancy packages are an operational issue for the company in consultation with the unions.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how Consignia measures and calculates its quality of service targets; and if she will make a statement. [73231]
Ms Hewitt: Targets for scheduled services and standards are set in the licence issued by the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) and agreed between Consignia and the Consumer Council for Postal Services (Postwatch). The system for measurement of performance against those targets is a matter for the company. However independent auditors appointed by Postwatch conduct ongoing audits of the figures to ensure that the reported results are calculated correctly and are an unbiased representation of the actual quality of service. As this is an operational matter for the company I have asked Consignia's Chief Executive to write direct to the hon Member.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what costs are associated with the (a) formation, (b) printing, (c) publishing and (d) distribution of Consignia's annual report and accounts; and if she will make a statement; [72508]
- (2) how many modified sub-postmasters offices have closed since 1997, listing for each year the reasons why the office was closed; and if she will make a statement; [72830]
(3) if she will make a statement on the employment status of modified sub-postmasters/mistresses; [72831]
(4) how many modified subpostmasters' offices are run by (a) the self-employed and (b) employees of Consignia; and if she will make a statement. [72840]
Stephen Timms [holding answer 24 July 2002]: These are matters that fall within the day to day responsibility of Consignia and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what tender process was used to select companies involved in non-audit services provided to the Post Office in 2001–02; and if she will make a statement; [73235]
- (2) which Post Office branches will have cash machines installed by March 2003 broken down by constituency; and if she will make a statement; [73233]
(3) if she will list the charitable donations made by Consignia since 1997; and if she will make a statement; [73298]
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(4) how many cash machines are installed in Post Office branches; and if she will make a statement. [73232]
Stephen Timms: These are matters that fall within the day to day responsibility of Consignia and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon member.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what provision has been made by Consignia to compensate modified post offices for loss of income from ACT; and if she will make a statement. [72832]
Stephen Timms [holding answer 24 July 2002]: The Government is committed to the future of the post office network. £480 million has already been invested in modernisation of the post office network. In addition, the Government as owner of the Consignia Group, has taken steps to strengthen the management of the company, including the appointment of David Mills as Chief Executive for Post Office Limited who has been charged with development of a strategic plan to include widening commercial opportunities for the network.
Banking will be a central part of post offices' strategy to move forward. Universal banking services, together with Post Office Limited's plans for an expansion of network banking—the provision of counter services for ordinary current accounts—should lead to a substantial increase in the range and volume of banking at post offices, tapping into a very much larger customer base than benefit recipients alone. This should benefit subpostmasters both directly and through increased footfall, providing a major income stream offsetting the loss over time of the benefit book related revenue.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many days were lost due to (a) sickness, (b) official industrial action and (c) unofficial industrial action in each of the last five years; broken down by grade, by (i) Consignia, (ii) Royal Mail and (iii) Post Office Counters; and if she will make a statement. [72491]
Stephen Timms [holding answer 23 July 2002]: These are matters that fall within the day to day responsibility of Consignia and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with (a) Postcomm and (b) Postwatch regarding the maintenance of the universal service obligation on the Post Office. [72802]
Stephen Timms: Ministers regularly have discussions with Postcomm and Postwatch on strategic postal issues.
The postal universal service obligation was laid down in the Postal Services Act 2000 and consists of a service provided at an affordable price determined by a public tariff uniform throughout the United Kingdom. It includes the delivery each working day to the home or premises of every individual in the United Kingdom and a collection each working day from access points, subject to the exceptions to this agreed with Postcomm.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between the Government and Consignia to merge the services
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provided by "your guide" with the website www.ukonline.gov.uk; and if she will make a statement. [70518]
Stephen Timms [holding answer 22 July 2002]: Post Office Limited discussed with Government a wide range of services which might potentially be offered via a Your Guide-type scheme, including the possibility of access to ukonline. My Department has worked closely with the Office of the eEnvoy on the options.
Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when her Department was informed of the decision to change the name of the Post Office to Consignia. [70883]
Stephen Timms: The Department was informed by the Post Office in November 2000 of the proposed name of the company that was to be designated as the Post Office company.
Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when her Department was informed of the proposal to charge to deliver early morning mail for small businesses receiving fewer than 20 letters per day. [70882]
Stephen Timms: The Department was informed about the level of the charge for Consignia's additional service a few days before Consignia announced that it would be running pilots of its new Tailored Delivery Service on 10 July. The service will now be trialled at £5, £10 and around £14 per week for the pilots but the Chairman of Consignia, Allan Leighton, has said that the final proposed price will be part of the evaluation of the pilots in consultation with the regulator, the Postal Services Commission, and the consumer body, Postwatch.
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