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28 Apr 2003 : Column 108W—continued
Property Portfolio
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated value is of the property portfolio held by her Department. [108362]
Ms Hewitt: As at 31 March 2002 the net book value of the Department of Trade and Industry and its Agencies property portfolio was £78,953 as shown in the Department's 2001–2002 Consolidated Resource Accounts—document number HC280.
Regions White Paper
Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made by the Department towards the aim in the White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice, of encouraging applicants to public bodies from all parts of England; and what change there has been in the geographical diversity of appointees to NDPBs and other public bodies sponsored by the Department since the publication of the White Paper. [108566]
Ms Hewitt: My Department is keen to promote diversity on all public bodies that it sponsors. Applications are sought from all members of the community irrespective of gender, ethnicity and geographical location. Vacancies on DTI sponsored NDPBs and other public bodies are advertised in the national and regional press; in trade and professional journals, on our web site and on the Cabinet Office's new vacancies website. During 2002, I led with my hon. Friend the Deputy Minister for Women, a national outreach programme involving 8 regional seminars. The seminars were aimed at increasing the numbers of women from the regions, minority ethnic women and disabled women applying for public appointments.
Between 14 May 2002 and 31 March 2003 I and my Ministerial colleagues in the DTI made 368 new appointments. The breakdown by region, based on home address is:
| Region | |
|---|---|
| East Midlands | 39 |
| Eastern | 62 |
| London | 37 |
| North East | 18 |
| North West | 25 |
| South East | 76 |
| South West | 23 |
| West Midlands | 26 |
| Yorkshire and Humber | 13 |
| Undisclosed | 49 |
28 Apr 2003 : Column 109W
Research Councils
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how much was provided by her Department to (a) NERC, (b) BBSRC and (c) MRC to ameliorate the impact of the retrospective application of phase 1 of Resource Accounting and Budgeting; when such funding was provided; and if she will make a statement; [108837]
- (2) when her Department was first informed of the impact that the retrospective application of phase 1 of Resource Accounting and Budgeting to research councils would have on (a) the Natural Environment Research Council, (b) the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and (c) the Medical Research Council; and if she will make a statement; [108835]
(3) what discussions her Department had with each research council on the retrospective application of phase 1 of Resource Accounting and Budgeting; when such discussions were first held; and if she will make a statement. [108836]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 14 April 2003]: The 2000 Spending Review introduced Phase 1 of Resource Budgeting, which became the sole method of reporting and control for departments' budgets with effect from 1 April 2001. Prior to that, accounts and budgets were controlled on a cash basis. In preparation for the 2000 Spending Review the Treasury asked departments to restate baselines on the basis of the phase 1 resource budgeting rules. In addition the Treasury required 2000–01 expenditure outturn to be reported on both a cash and a resource basis. Accordingly, the three Councils reported provisional 2000–01 outturns in May 2001 and later reported audited figures, which the Department in turn reported in May 2002 to the Treasury as required.
As part of this process, the MRC raised questions with the Department in January 2002 about the classification of its End of Year Flexibility at the transition to Phase 1 of Resource Budgeting. These were satisfactorily resolved. The BBSRC also raised questions and these were satisfactorily resolved in July 2002. In the last quarter of 2001–02 NERC informed the Department that the Council was experiencing difficulties associated with the assessment of End of Year Flexibility on a resource basis, which were resolved.
I have assisted some of the Research Councils in the transition from cash to resource accounting and budgeting by agreeing to minor reprofiling of their budgets. However, no additional resource has been made available to any of these Councils as a result.
My Department has had, and continues to have, in its role of sponsor Department for the Research Councils, extensive discussions with them about the implementation of Resource Accounting and Budgeting.
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Where implementation has thrown up any particular issues of concern to the Research Councils, my Department has discussed these with them immediately.
Solar Photovoltaics
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the total expenditure in 2002–03 on the Solar PV Major Demonstration Programme has been spent on administration and management of the programme; and what percentage has been allocated to customers in capital grants. [109103]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 14 April 2003]: In the first financial year of the programme, a total of over £6.83 million (93.85 per cent.) has been allocated in grants, and £0.42 (6.15 per cent.) million has spent on management and administration, including operating the installer accreditation scheme and inspection regime, and the costs of marketing and promoting the programme.
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department has taken to minimise the management and administrative costs of the Solar PV Major Demonstration Programme; and if she will make a statement. [109104]
Mr. Wilson [holding answer 14 April 2003]: The Management Contract for the programme was competitively tendered and the bidder which offered the best level of service at most reasonable cost was selected. In addition, we have sought to keep the application process as simple as possible while ensuring proposals are treated fairly and the high quality of installations and service is maintained. A significant part of the costs goes on administering the installer accreditation scheme and on inspecting the installations. All marketing and promotion is closely controlled and we make use of the existing channels of the Management consortium.
Staff Numbers
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff were employed by her Department in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [106972]
Ms Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 4 April 2003, Official Report, columns 891–92W.
Sunset Clauses
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the sunset clauses included in legislation from her Department since 1997. [106952]
Ms Hewitt: Two Bills introduced by my Department in the last five years contained a sunset clause.
Section 16(4) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 provides for the repeal of Part 1 of the Act five years from Royal Assent if no order is made before then under Section 16(2).
During the current session, Clause 4 of the Electricity (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill contains a time limit that applies to that clause only.
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The use of such clauses in future Bills will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in line with Cabinet Office guidance.
Trading Scheme (Exclusion) Regulations
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government has to reform
28 Apr 2003 : Column 112W
the Trading Scheme (Exclusion) Regulations 1997 to improve the protection of potential participants in trading schemes which present risks to those with little commercial experience; and if she will make a statement. [109106]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 14 April 2003]: There are no plans to review the Regulations.
28 Apr 2003 : Column 113W
PRIME MINISTER
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions he has had with the US Administration regarding the longer term plans for the oversight of the oil industry in Iraq; [110014]
- (2) if he will make a statement on his policy on the long-term plans for the oversight of the oil industry in Iraq. [110013]
(3) what his policy is on whether Iraqi oil, following the conflict in the Gulf, should be sold in (a) dollars and (b) euros; and what discussions he has had with the US Administration on this issue. [109382]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) and for Blyth Valley (Mr. Campbell) in the House on 14 April 2003, Official Report, columns 627 and 630–31.
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had on lifting UN sanctions on Iraq. [110039]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) in the House on 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 620.
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had on a debt restructuring conference for post-war Iraq. [110041]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) in the House on 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 620.
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the US Government on deployment of international civilian police force in Iraq following the conflict to (a) assist in civil security needs and (b) help train and monitor Iraq's civilian police. [110043]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I gave in the House on 14 April 2003.
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