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6 Nov 2002 : Column 390W—continued
Electricity Supply (Hertfordshire)
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will take steps to assist the homes in Herefordshire that have been without electricity for more than five days. [79981]
Mr. Wilson: I understand that all those who were cut off from electricity supply as a result of the storms have now been re-connected. Customers who have been cut off may apply to their suppliers for compensation.
Initially, it will be for the companies themselves to decide whether compensation should be offered. However, consumers can challenge non-payment through Energywatch and Ofgem. In the determination of such disputes, Ofgem would apply three tests:
- whether severe weather occurred and whether it resulted in the interruption of the customers' supply;
- whether the company took reasonable steps to prevent the severe weather causing an interruption to the customer's supply; and
- whether the restoration process undertaken by the company was reasonable given the circumstances.
Sudanese Oil
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans her Department has to promote the suspension of (a) oil extraction and (b) the trading of Sudanese oil pending the signing of a sustainable peace agreement in the Sudan. [79445]
Mr. Wilson: The Department do not have any policy to halt commercial interests in Sudan. In general this Government believe that multilateral action is more effective than unilateral sanctions.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what advice is being given to UK companies involved in the (a) extraction and (b) trading of Sudanese oil. [79444]
Mr. Wilson: The Department gives full and frank advice to UK companies involved in the (a) extraction and (b) trading of Sudanese oil based on the current security situation in Sudan. We have no ongoing campaign promoting investment in the Sudanese oil industry, nor do we have any policy to halt commercial interests.
Sellafield
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which counties of the UK have been most affected by radiological leaks from Sellafield. [77545]
Margaret Beckett: I have been asked to reply.
There have been a small number of radiological leaks from Sellafield. Although these have not been radiologically significant, the Environment Agency
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monitors such events closely and takes appropriate regulatory action. The areas affected are close to Sellafield in Cumbria. No other counties have been affected.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which recent representation she has had from Nordic countries on radiological pollution from Sellafield. [77543]
Margaret Beckett: I have been asked to reply.
Over the past 18 months, the Government have received a number of representations from Nordic countries about discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield. My Department, jointly with the Department of Health, has responsibility for the regulatory regime under which such discharges are controlled.
Representations have been received from both the Governments of Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden and organisations representing fisheries industries in Scandinavia. The representations have centred on concerns that technetium-99, which does not occur naturally but is discharged from Sellafield, can be detected at very low levels, in marine organisms off the coasts of Scandinavian countries. All radioactive discharges from a site such as Sellafield have to be made within the limits of discharge authorizations set by the Environment Agency. The current levels of discharge of technetium-99 are well within the relevant discharge limit. At Ministers' request, the Environment Agency has recently reviewed the discharges of technetium-99 and made recommendations about how its discharge limit could be further reduced. The Government is currently considering its response to the Agency's recommendations.
DEFENCE
Military Commissions
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the compatability of the United States President's proposed special military commissions with international human rights standards as provided in the statute of the International Criminal Court; and what procedures will be adopted by these bodies to reflect international standards in respect to protection of the right to a fair trial; [17755]
- (2) what international rules govern the handover of prisoners of war to the jurisdiction of (a) state parties and (b) to non-state parties that (i) are not party to international rules governing use of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and (ii) may subject individuals to the death penalty. [17754]
Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
MoD Estate
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are working for private companies working on contract on the MoD estate; what the cost to these companies is of employing
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these officers; what his Department charges for the service personnel per hour; and if he will make a statement. [26708]
Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Parliamentary Questions
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many written parliamentary questions regarding private finance initiatives have been tabled since 1 January 2000; and in how many of these information has not been provided on the grounds of commercial confidentiality. [31856]
Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has had since 1997 with (a) Arthur Andersen and (b) Accenture for (i) accountancy, (ii) audit and (iii) consultancy work; and what staff have been seconded (A) to his Department and (B) from her Department to these firms. [32425]
Dr. Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations which previously held contracts with his Department (a) won new contracts at the culmination of the existing contracts and (b) won new contracts after a period of inactivity with his Department in each of the past five years; [38757]
- (2) for which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations have won new contracts with (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies in each of the past five years; [38756]
(3) if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date, indicating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed. [38758]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 28 February 2002]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Sponsorship
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the events which have been sponsored by a private organisation in (a) his Department, (b) the Office of Government Commerce, (c) the Inland Revenue and (d) Customs and Excise since May 1997 and the names of the sponsoring organisations; and if he will make a statement. [32510]
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Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Forces (Scotland)
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of each of His Forces are stationed in Scotland; how many of his Department's civilians are in Scotland; and what the projected totals are for (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [312450]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 1 February 2002]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Trident
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) direct and (b) indirect civilian jobs rely upon the Trident programme; and how many will rely on it in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2020. [32437]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 1 February 2002]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
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