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9 Dec 2002 : Column 65W—continued
Chemicals Innovation and Growth Team Reports
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Chemicals Innovation and Growth Team will produce its reports. [85490]
Alan Johnson: The Report will be available on 11 December, and I will place copies in the Libraries of the House.
Combined Heat and Power
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with interested parties about the contribution of CHP to Britain's future energy needs. [86188]
Mr. Wilson: I have had several meetings with interested parties from the CHP industry over the last year, where a range of issues affecting CHP were discussed.
Commonwealth Countries (Trade)
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the volume of trade between the UK and each Commonwealth country was in the last year for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of UK investment in Commonwealth countries. [85716]
Nigel Griffiths: Statistics on UK trade in goods are published by HM Customs and Excise while those on UK investment overseas are compiled by the Office for National Statistics. The latest available information is as follows:
(10) Disclosive
(11) Not separately available
Note:
n/a = Not available
Sources:
HM Customs and Excise
Office for National Statistics
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Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to encourage trade between Commonwealth countries. [85811]
Ms Hewitt: The Government have acted on specific commitments in the Edinburgh Commonwealth Economic Declaration of 1997 by vigorously supporting: the EU's stance on multilateral liberalisation, notably through the launch of the WTO Round at Doha; the full opening of the EU's market to the least developed countries, 14 of whom are in the Commonwealth; the launch and work programme of the Commonwealth Business Council, whose task is to promote Commonwealth trade and investment. DTI Ministers have also encouraged effective Commonwealth networking on trade through informal discussions with their counterparts and in an ongoing series of seminars with High Commissions in London. Trade Partners UK is responsible for helping UK companies export and invest overseas, including to our Commonwealth partners.
Construction Industry
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she has taken to encourage a healthy and efficient construction and building industry in the last 12 months. [85825]
Mr. Wilson: I attach considerable importance to the health and efficiency of the UK construction industry. Construction represents 8 per cent. of GDP and employs almost two million people. Construction is central to the delivery and maintenance of the national infrastructure and therefore to all our public service, including health care, transportation, housing and education. The Government's Rethinking Construction initiative aims to work with the industry improve its productivity and competitiveness by addressing issues such as the efficiency of processes and the quality of the end product.
Departmental Grants
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the grants funded by her Department for which individual members of the public and organisations may apply; and if she will make a statement as to (a) the total of such funding in the last financial year, (b) the total number of awards and (c) their administrative costs. [82191]
Ms Hewitt: (a) Information on the Department's grant-making schemes together with funding for 2001–02 is available in Annex Bl and in the text of my 2002 Expenditure Plans Report (Cm 5416), a copy of which is in the Libraries of the House.
(b) Information on numbers of awards is not held centrally by the Department and to provide it would entail disproportionate cost.
(c) It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of related administrative costs as a large number of different units within the Department are involved with a wide range of staff making a contribution.
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India First
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial support her Department gives to the organisation India First. [84923]
Manufacturing Summit
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to hold a manufacturing summit (a) in the UK and (b) elsewhere. [83923]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 28 November 2002]: We have no current plans to hold a manufacturing summit in the UK or elsewhere.
We meet industrial partners frequently to share views on the key manufacturing issues, and to focus on the practical steps of taking forward the Government's Manufacturing Strategy. For example, my colleague the Minister for Small Business met Chairs of the Regional Development Agencies, together with Digby Jones of the CBI, Brendan Barber of the TUC, and Martin Temple of the EEF on 3 December to discuss the publication of the Regional Development Agencies' reports on manufacturing which set out specific achievements to date and key strategic initiatives for the delivery of the Manufacturing Strategy at the regional level.
Post Offices
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices in Lancashire are open for less than full-time hours; and what the corresponding figure was for 1997. [85340]
Mr. Timms: These are matters that fall within the day to day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
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