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Exports (Iran)

Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licence applications for the export of beryllium to Iran have been made in each year since 1997; how many applications have been granted; what quantity and value of beryllium has been exported to Iran in each year; what undertakings were sought about end-use; and what end-use monitoring has been undertaken. [74740]

Nigel Griffiths: The number of Standard Individual Export Licence applications that have been received and granted in each year since 2 May 1997, for the proposed export of beryllium to Iran, is one in 2001.

Between 2 May 1997 and 17 September 2002, no Open Individual Export Licence applications were received or granted for the proposed export of beryllium to Iran.

The DTI issued a licence in January for the export of 10 grams—less than half an ounce of beryllium to the University of Science and Technology in Tehran. Written assurances were received in relation to the use of this.

End-use Monitoring is undertaken by the FCO.

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to grant an export licence to A. W. Plume Ltd in respect of their application of 20 August 2002 to export pneumatic and electrical components to Iran. [75859]

Nigel Griffiths: A decision has not yet been reached on the application from A. W. Plume Ltd in respect of the proposed export of pneumatic and electrical components to Iran, but will be taken as quickly as possible consistent with the need to give full consideration to the issues involved.

Departmental Websites

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the website links associated with her Department, including sites now dormant or closed, and indicating whether they are live, dormant or closed; what the start up costs were for each site listed; what the operating costs were in each year since start up for each site; which company hosted each site; what assessment takes place for each site; which company does the assessment; if she will place the assessment reports in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [75580]

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Stephen Timms: The Department does not keep this information centrally, and to gather all the information would incur disproportionate costs. The principal DTI web site is at http://www.dti.gov.uk, and this provides links to other web sites associated with the Department.

SMEs

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 19 September 2002, Official Report, column 170W, on SMEs, when she expects the figures for 2001 to be made available; and if she will make a statement. [75216]

Nigel Griffiths: The 2001 figures are now available and include full-time and part-time employment.

Employment (thousands, start 2001)

Small (0–49 employees)	Medium (50–249 employees)	Large (250+ employees)	Total
9,809	2,720	10,092	22,622

Sources:

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)

Statistics for the United Kingdom 2001,

Small Business Service.

Small businesses, accounted for over 99 per cent. of businesses, about 43 per cent. of non-government employment and 36 per cent. of turnover. In contrast the 7,000 largest businesses accounted for 45 per cent. of non-government employment and 49 per cent. of turnover.

During 2000, employment in small businesses saw a rise in numbers in line with the UK increase of 2 per cent. Employment in medium sized business saw a 7 per cent. increase during the year, and large businesses saw a 1 per cent. increase.

Small Business Service

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what operational targets she has set for the Small Business Service for 2002–03. [76733]

Nigel Griffiths: The Small Business Service was established on 3 April 2000.

The vision of the SBS is for the UK, by 2005, to be the best place in the world to start and grow a business. Its purpose is to build an enterprise society in which small businesses thrive and achieve their potential.

The SBS will review its priorities regularly in response to the needs of small business. In line with the requirement for Executive Agencies to be given operational targets, I have set the following targets for the 2002–3 year:-

Publish by October 2002 a strategy for the SBS for the years 2003–4 to 2005–6.

10 per cent. increase in the number of people aged under 30 years participating in Enterprise Insight, Young Enterprise and STEP.

Implement the small firms litmus test across government by March 2003.

Reduce the gap in business start-up rates between the most and least disadvantaged local authority wards by 1 percentage point a year.

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By end 2002–3, establish and implement an accreditation system for Community Development Finance Institutions to enable businesses to benefit from the community investment tax credit in the 2002 Budget.

Launch the ''Bridges'' Community Development Venture Fund (formerly known as the Community Development Venture Fund) by June 2002.

Publish an action plan in response to consultation on a national strategy for start-ups by October 2002.

Increase the market penetration and overall customer satisfaction level of the business Link operator network over 2001–2 levels.

Improve small business access to finance, through:

the 6 remaining Regional Venture Capital Funds to be launched by 31 December 2002;

6 Investment Readiness demonstration projects to be underway by September 2002;

Early Growth funds to invest in 200 small businesses by March 2003.

Achieve recognition as an Investor in People in 2002–3.

Improve on prompt payment performance from 2001–2 to achieve payment of 100 per cent. of valid invoices within 30 days.

Energywatch

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when Energywatch's report and Account for November 2001 to March 2002 will be laid before Parliament. [76734]

Mr. Wilson: I laid a copy before each House of Parliament yesterday.

Export Licences

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the countries identified as those where sustainable development is likely to be an issue in respect of applying criterion 8 in determining applications for export licences. [75226]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 21 October 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 31 July 2002, Official Report, columns 309–12W.

Mobile Phone Operators

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to receive the Deloitte and Touche audit of the UK mobile phone operators' compliance and implementation of the voluntary code; and if she will make this public. [75979]

Stephen Timms [holding answer 21 October 2002]: The Federation of the Electronics Industry has commissioned an independent review by Deloitte and Touche of the implementation by the five mobile phone licensees of their ''Ten Commitments'' to best practice in consultation about the siting of mobile phone base stations. The FEI expects to be able to publish this by the end of 2002.

Broadband

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of households in the Torbay constituency have access to broadband lines; and if she will make a statement. [74859]

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Stephen Timms: The Government do not compile figures for broadband connections broken down into individual constituencies. However, a map showing geographical availability broadband services can be found in the UK Online Annual Report (http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk/oee/oee.nsf/sections/reports-anrep2001-images/$file/fig01.pdf).

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement about the role of her Department's broadband regional strategy; how many staff are employed by her Department to promote broadband; and what progress has been made in extending broadband to rural areas. [74934]

Stephen Timms: At a regional level, DTI is currently setting up a new regional broadband unit, whereby a broadband expert will be located in each of the English regions and the devolved administrations, with the aim of stimulating the take-up and availability of broadband across the UK. The work of this unit will therefore include looking at extending broadband to rural and remote areas. The Department has also provided the regions and devolved administrations with the #30 million Broadband Fund to develop innovative schemes and pilot projects to help extend broadband networks.

When current recruitment exercises have been completed, the number of people employed by the Department to promote our broadband strategy will be around 20, which includes the regional broadband unit. The Department's UK Online for Business and Digital Content and Publishing teams also contribute to our broadband work.

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