---

3 Dec 2002 : Column 683W—continued

Broadband

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 26 November 2002, Official Report, column 228W, on priority areas, if she will place in the Library the broadband strategy that SEEDA is implementing; and what discussions SEEDA has had with BT to upgrade their exchange on the Isle of Sheppey so broadband can be delivered there. [85001]

Mr. Timms: I understand that the Chief Executive of SEEDA has written to my hon. Friend proposing they meet to discuss SEEDA's approach to the promotion of broadband availability in the region. The process for upgrading exchanges for the delivery of broadband involves the setting by BT of registration thresholds, which can be viewed on the BT website. Through its discussions with SEEDA, BT has confirmed that exchanges on Sheppey which are awaiting upgrade to

3 Dec 2002 : Column 684W

broadband are subject to the same registration process as that which applies to all other exchanges in the region.

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the publications produced by her Department that refer people to the Citizens Advice Bureau Service for advice and assistance; and whether Citizens Advice Scotland is made aware of such referrals prior to publication. [84155]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 2 December 2002]: The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Service in England and Wales, and in Scotland is a valuable source of independent advice and information on a wide range of issues that affect and concern the citizen. The very positive findings of the Quinquennial Review of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) which I announced on 23 July 2002, Official Report, column 943W, and 4 November 2002, Official Report, column 829 respectively confirmed and emphasised this point. Given the CAB Service's knowledge and expertise and the fact that it has a national network of advice centres, Government frequently mentions CABx as a further source of advice and information in its publications as well as in other media such as websites, press notices and in its replies to correspondence from a number of interested parties.

DTI and other Departments have a good working relationship with both NACAB and CAS. Regular meetings are held at both ministerial and official level to inform each other of developments and any other issues that might impact on the Service in both England and Wales and Scotland.

Dungeness

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what emergency measures are in place to deal with a release of radioactive material from the nuclear facilities at Dungeness. [84745]

Mr. Wilson: There are well tried and tested emergency plans to deal with a release of radioactive material from Dungeness nuclear facilities. These plans are maintained under the license condition arrangements for all such sites and have been reviewed and tested at regular intervals over many years. The revised off-site emergency plan, prepared by Kent county council in consultation with the emergency services and power stations, has just been published in accordance with the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001. The plan covers procedures, facilities and equipment. The last off-site emergency exercise for Dungeness was the major national exercise for 2001–02, and took place on 27 March 2002. It involved relevant local and national agencies.

Energy Efficiency

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has to introduce targeting of programmes and aid to promote energy efficiency. [84812]

3 Dec 2002 : Column 685W

Mr. Wilson: The Government are currently caring out a review of future energy policy with a view to issuing a White Paper early in the new year. As a part of this review it is considering mechanisms for the promotion of energy efficiency.

Export Licence OIEL No.45

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) type, (b) quantity and (c) total value of components supplied to India under Export Licence OIEL No.45 of 6 September 2001; and if she will make a statement. [83531]

Nigel Griffiths: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 53W.

Leg-irons and Cuffs

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been (a) made and (b) granted for export licences for (i) leg-irons and (ii) over-sized cuffs in each year since 1997. [82940]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 26 November 2002]: The export of leg-irons, over-sized handcuffs and individual cuffs are controlled under entry PL5001 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended, to ensure as far as possible, full compliance by the UK on the embargo on instruments of torture.

The number of Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) applications and Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) applications that have been made and granted, for the proposed export of over-sized handcuffs, is set out in the table below:

		Over-sized handcuffs
	SIEL applications received	SIELs issued	OIEL applications received	OIELs issued
2 May 1997–31 December 1997	4	3	0	0
1998	10	10	0	0
1999	7	6	0	0
2000	9	5	1	0
2001	6	4	0	0
1 January 2002– 15 November 2002	5	6	0	0

During the same period, no SIEL applications or OIEL applications were made or granted for the proposed export of leg-irons or over-sized individual cuffs.

This information should be considered in light of the answer tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–871.

Miners' Compensation

Mr. Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average payment made to

3 Dec 2002 : Column 686W

ex-miners in compensation for respiratory disease was in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001; and how many claims were settled in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001, in each constituency. [84314]

Mr. Wilson: The average payment made to ex-miners for respiratory disease as of 24 November 2002 is £6,421. It is not possible to give the average figure for 1999, 2000, and 2001 in the time available or to provide the number of claims settled in each year for each constituency. However, I would like to refer the hon. Member to the Department's coal health claims website which contains regularly updated breakdowns of statistics for coal health claims for each constituency and has a profile of payments made.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims by ex-miners for compensation for respiratory disease were settled using the fast-track procedure; and what the average payment was under the fast track procedure in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [84315]

Mr. Wilson: The figures are as follows.

	Number of expedited payments	Average value of expedited payment (£)
1999	806	5,739
2000	3,675	5,013
2001	6,574	4,564

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Ministers whose responsibilities have included the payment of miners compensation have been in post since 1997. [84316]

Mr. Wilson: Since 1997 there have been four energy Ministers whose responsibilities have included the payment of miners compensation: my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds West (Mr. Battle), my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Mr. Liddell), my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Peter Hain) and myself.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many medical examination centres are operational for examining ex-miners who have lodged applications for compensation for respiratory disease; and how many there were in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000. [84317]

Mr. Wilson: As of 28 November 2002 there are 29 operational medical testing centres for examining ex-miners who have lodged applications for compensation for respiratory disease. Eight of these are operating at double capacity and one is operating as a triple centre. In addition to these medical testing centres there are two mobile testing units.

There were no testing centres opened at the end of 1999, as the medical contract with Healthcall was just signed at the end of October 1999. As of the end of 2000 there were 27 fully operational medical testing centres, two of which were double centres.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met representatives of the mining unions to discuss issues relating to the payment of miners' compensation claims. [84319]

3 Dec 2002 : Column 687W

Mr. Wilson: Representatives of mining unions are on the various ministerial monitoring groups which advise the Department on the compensation schemes. I last met the National Monitoring Group on 12 November and have meetings every 3 to 4 months. I regularly meet with union representatives in the open meetings I have been holding in mining areas.

---