---

15 Oct 2002 : Column 663W—continued

Consultancy Contracts

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list external (a) public relations/ commercial companies, (b) advertising and marketing companies, (c) management consultancies, (d) accountancy companies, (e) banking firms, (f) individual consultants and (g) other specialist consultancies used by her Department since June 2001; what actions those consultancies/companies have performed within her Department; and what cost have been incurred through use of these consultancies/companies. [74683]

Clare Short: Information in the format requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost but DFID has let consultancy contracts to a value of approximately #300 million in 2001–2002.

World Bank Group

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if, when carrying out her functions as Governor of the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, she has sole responsibility for instructing the UK Executive Director as to how to exercise the UK's vote on the board of the IFC; which other departments are involved in this role; and if she will make a statement; [74579]

(2) what guidelines exist concerning the manner in which instructions are given to the UK Executive Director as to how to exercise the UK's votes on the Board of the International Finance Corporation or on the Board of other of the World Bank Group institutions; if she will place such material in the library; and if she will make a statement. [74578]

Clare Short: My Department is responsible for the UK Government's relations with the World Bank Group, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC). We are represented on the Boards of the World Bank Group by the UK Executive Director or members of his staff in the UK Delegation to the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Washington. The UK Executive Director and his team take instructions from my department and receive guidance from, liaise closely with and report fully to my department and, as appropriate, other interested Whitehall departments and the Bank of England.

All papers for consideration by the IFC Board are received by the UK Delegation and forwarded to DFID officials in London who consider these on the basis of agreed Government policy. If any issues arising in the papers appear controversial or are of particular interest, officials bring these to my attention or to the attention of other relevant government departments.

The majority of papers are uncontroversial and we are content to support the recommendations of IFC management. Where necessary, DFID officials provide briefing and points for the UK Delegation to make in the Board discussion. As with the rest of the World

15 Oct 2002 : Column 664W

Bank Group, nearly all Board decisions are taken on the basis of consensus, to reflect Board discussions, and decisions rarely go to direct votes.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

EU Committees

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 dangerous substances and preparations 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. [66418]

Mr. Meacher: I have been asked to reply.

The Committee for the Adaptation to Technical Progress of Directive 76/769/EEC on the restrictions on the Marketing and Use of Dangerous Substances and Preparations is expected to meet again later this year. UK representation varies according to the agenda for each meeting and may include members of the Scottish Executive and other devolved administrations where there are items of sufficient interest. Members of the Scottish Executive have not attended any meetings so far, although as with other Committees of this type, discussion with them and the other devolved administrations is a continuous process during development of the UK position.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the EU Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods with non-member countries 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. [71837]

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.

The Committee on Statistics relating to the trading of goods with non member countries is due to meet on 14 and 15 November 2002.

The legal basis for the collection of statistics relating to the trading of goods with non member countries is Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/95, which requires that statistics are collected on a UK wide basis.

The UK is normally represented by two officials from HM Customs and Excise. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have never been and are not members of the Committee.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the EU Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between member states 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. [71832]

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.

The Committee on Statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States is due to meet on 14 and 15 November 2002.

15 Oct 2002 : Column 665W

The legal basis for the collection of statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States is Council Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91, which requires that statistics are collected on a UK wide basis.

The UK is normally represented by two officials from HM Customs and Excise. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have never been and are not members of the Committee.

Telecommunications Masts

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she takes to monitor the installation of mobile telephone masts; and what steps she has taken to implement recommendation 1.37 of the Stewart report. [73369]

Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not routinely monitor the installation of mobile phone masts.

Recommendation 1.37 of the Stewart report proposed that, at national Government level, a template of protocols be developed, in concert with industry and consumers, which can be use to inform the planning process and that it should be assiduously and openly followed before the granting of permission for the siting of a new base station.

On 22 August last year, taking into account the recommendations in the Stewart Report published in May 2000 and following public consultation, the Government introduced changes that significantly improved the planning procedures and guidance for telecommunications mast development. The changes:

strengthened public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 metres and below so that they are the same as for planning applications

increased the time for an authority to deal with prior approval applications to 56 days

underlined that school governors must be consulted on all proposals for new masts on or near a school or college; and

increased fees to enable authorities to carry out full public consultation.

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she has taken to ensure that local authorities maintain a mast register of local installations; and how many local authorities have such a register. [73370]

Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's existing Code of Best Practice advises that local planning authorities should maintain a mast register of local installations. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently revising the Code of Best Practice.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not monitor how many local planning authorities have such registers.

The Radiocommunications Agency has made information available to the public about existing mobile phone masts via their website (www.radio.gov.uk). The database, called ''Sitefinder'', gives map-based details about all operational mobile phone base stations and their emissions.

15 Oct 2002 : Column 666W

Microsoft

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the level of faults found in Microsoft products used by the UK Government in the last five years. [73826]

Mr. Boateng: I have been asked to reply.

This information is not held centrally.

Your Guide

Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a Your Guide service will be rolled out nationally following a pilot of the concept in Leicestershire and Rutland between July 2001 and March 2002. [74663]

Mr. Timms: The pilot showed that Your Guide was popular but that its impact was limited. It would neither significantly improve Government Departments' ability to meet their objectives nor generate a viable level of income for Post Office Limited and its branches. A publicly funded Your Guide scheme would not therefore represent value for money and we have concluded that it should not be rolled out nationally.

However, Your Guide has highlighted the potential for Government Departments to deliver services through post offices in future. There is also significant commercial interest in placing kiosks in post offices. A commercial kiosk service, based on kiosks in retail outlets—including some sub-post offices—is expected to be piloted in Cornwall from next year.

---