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18 Dec 2002 : Column 822W—continued

Post Office Benefit Payments

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who will oversee the second card option for post office payment after the changes in 2003. [86557]

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Mr. Timms: This is a matter which falls within the day-to-day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Productivity

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the impact on productivity of the growth of the service sector relative to the manufacturing sector. [87838]

Alan Johnson [holding answer 17 December 2002]: Concern is sometimes expressed that the growth of the service sector may slow overall productivity growth because measured productivity growth is lower in the service sector than in the rest of the economy. However this conclusion, which emerged in academic research in the 1960s, has been called into question by later research. Moreover a number of studies show that the UK service sector has considerable potential to catch up with best-practice productivity levels elsewhere. The Government are keen to encourage productivity growth and narrow the productivity gap in all sectors of the economy.

Renewable Energy

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the costs of establishing a target of (a) 25 per cent. and (b) 30 per cent. of the UK's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. [87882]

Miss Melanie Johnson: Prospects for renewable energy, including the question of possible targets beyond the 10 per cent. target for 2010, will be addressed in the Energy White Paper which we expect to publish in the new year.

Social Chapter

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 520W, on the Social Chapter, what estimates her Department has made of (a) the overall cost to date and (b) the annual cost hereafter to businesses in the UK of implementing the five directives transposed from the Social Chapter. [87674]

Alan Johnson: Estimates of the overall cost to businesses in the UK of implementing regulations transposing the five Social Chapter directives listed as follows were published in Regulatory Impact Assessments which are available from the Libraries of the House.

The estimated total annual recurring implementation cost is as follows:

Parental Leave Directive, including the 1999 extension to the implementing Regulations—#0.2 million;


European Works Council Directive—nil;


Part-time Work Directive—#4 million;


Burden of Proof Directive in Sex Discrimination cases—#0.6 million;


Fixed Term Employees Directive—#2 million.

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Solar Photovoltaics

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria have been used to exclude (a) on grid solar PV, (b) off grid solar PV and (c) hybrid systems including solar PV, from the proposed new community and household renewable energy grant scheme to be launched in January 2003. [87715]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The Performance and Innovation Unit's 'Renewable Energy in the UK—Building for the Future' report recommended that up to #10 million of support be provided as capital grants specifically for renewable energy schemes that engage local communities or individual households.

The DTI has since undertaken a broad consultation exercise to inform the positioning, design and workings of this scheme. Through the consultation the DTI has revisited the initial recommendations of the PIU. An initial scoping exercise identified schemes, which had potential overlap with the proposed Community and Household Scheme (CHS), and concluded that such a scheme would be beneficial for the advancement of renewables in the UK.

Although the PIU recommended that no restrictions be placed on technology, the DTI has sought to identify which technologies would enhance the public's understanding of renewables. The scheme has also been designed so that it would not duplicate work under way through other Government or Industry initiatives. Although solar PV has a significant contribution to make to enhancing the public's understanding of renewables, it is already supported by the first phase of the PV Major Demonstration Programme (MDP) which has a budget of #20 million. The programme has already supported PV installations by homeowners and local groups. Technologies such as solar water heating, small wind and micro hydro can also make a positive contribution to the public's understanding of renewables. These technologies, in contrast to solar PV, receive little or no Government support.

The scheme also aims to tackle some of the other barriers to uptake such as installer accreditation. Again installer accreditation for solar PV occurs under the MDP and so any such work in the Community and Household would be redundant.

On off grid applications, the DTI are currently looking at whether to expand the MDP to include off grid PV systems. On hybrid systems, customers will be able to apply to the CHS for the non solar PV component and to the MDP for the solar PV component of the hybrid system.

The technologies supported by the CHS will be reviewed throughout the lifetime of the scheme and altered if necessary.

Trawlermen (Compensation)

Mr. Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many refused claims for compensation for former Icelandic trawlermen based in the city of Aberdeen are awaiting (a) first appeal and (b) a decision by the independent adjudicator. [87638]

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Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 17 December 2002]: The information is as follows:

(a) 51 Aberdeen-based claimants are currently awaiting a decision on their claim by the official responsible for considering queries about the initial decision of the Watford office.

(b) Eight Aberdeen-based claimants are currently awaiting a decision on their claim by the independent adjudicator.

Mr. Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many refused claims for compensation for former Icelandic trawlermen based in the City of Aberdeen have been overturned (a) at first appeal and (b) by the independent adjudicator. [87639]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 17 December 2002]: The information is as follows:

(a) The official responsible for considering queries about the initial decision of the Watford office (as regards either refusal of compensation or the amount awarded) has found in the claimant's favour in 51 cases involving Aberdeen-based claimants. Of these:

Nine were as a result of rule changes made in November 2001;


27 were as a result of new documentary evidence being provided to establish a longer period of continuous service than was originally calculated; and


15 were as a result of a different view being taken on the claim.

(b) The independent adjudicator has found in the claimant's favour in two formal appeals by Aberdeen-based claimants.

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims under the Former Icelandic Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme are still to be processed; how many appeals under the scheme are awaiting a decision; and what the average time to process an appeal has been. [87664]

Nigel Griffiths: There are no claims remaining that have not been considered on at least one occasion. There are 180 currently awaiting further information prior to an initial decision of the Watford office. There are 193 queries regarding the initial decision of the Watford office currently under consideration by the responsible DTI official. Over 1,600 other queries have already been responded to by him. There are 43 formal appeals currently with the independent adjudicator for consideration. The average time taken to process a formal appeal has been 57 days.

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps were taken by her Department to publicise the Former Icelandic Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme; how many representations her Department has received from fishermen enquiring about compensation under the scheme since the expiry date; and if she will extend the application process beyond that date. [87665]

Nigel Griffiths: The scheme was publicised in the local press and other relevant publications, with port area MPs and with the British Fishermen's Association, and on the DTI website. While the scheme was in operation, DTI officials also made numerous visits to the main port areas to meet former trawlermen and/or their representatives. Further publicity was arranged in

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relevant publications and with port area representatives in advance of the 1 October 2002 closure date for new claims. Since that date, DTI officials have received fewer than 10 new inquiries from individuals who might have wished to claim compensation. The scheme rules made clear the closure date was final.

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Former Icelandic Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme, affidavits from independent witnesses testifying that a certain ship has been to Icelandic waters during the relevant period will be accepted as proof of that ship's validity and will trigger compensation for those having served on it; and if she will make a statement. [87666]

Nigel Griffiths: At the outset of the scheme, officials— in conjunction with local trawlermen and their representatives—compiled a list of Icelandic-water vessels based on independent contemporary documentary evidence. More vessels have been added to this list as further such evidence has come to light during the period of operation of the Scheme. There are now over 700 vessels on the list. We continue to believe that independent contemporary documentary evidence provides the best basis for assessing the status of particular vessels.

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