House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 May 2003 (pt 4)

12 May 2003 : Column 11W—continued

Solvents Emissions Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what date she has set for the full implementation of the EU Solvents Emissions Directive; and if she will make a statement. [112391]

Alun Michael: We expect to consult this summer on draft regulations to complete transposition of the Solvent Emissions Directive (1999/13/EC). In the light of the responses to the consultation, we expect the regulations to enter into force probably by the end of the year subject to parliamentary procedures. Implementation will follow; the Directive does not require existing installations to comply with the emission limit values in the Directive until 31 October 2007.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Barmouth Road Post Office

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effects on (a) pensioners, (b) the disabled and (c) the local community of the closure of the Barmouth Road Post Office, Wandsworth, SW18. [112054]

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Mr. Timms: Assessment of the effects on customers of proposals for closure of each specific post office under their urban reinvention programme, including comments received during the public consultation period, is an operational matter for Post Office Limited and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to my hon. Friend.

Biofuels

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have been held between her Department and its counterparts in the US Administration regarding (a) the future development of biofuels and (b) a reduction in the use of petrol. [110869]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 6 May 2003]: Officials in this Department hold regular discussions with their US counterparts on a wide range of energy issues. In the course of this dialogue, there has been no specific discussion of either the development of biofuels or reduction in the use of petrol. However, the US sees potential for hydrogen as a transport fuel that would displace petrol and thereby reduce consumption. The hydrogen economy and fuel cells are the subject of ongoing discussions between both sides. There have also been detailed bilateral discussions on biomass technologies, including a joint workshop on advanced conversion technologies for biomass which was held in London in 2002.

Builders (Doorstep Inquiries)

Mrs. Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to alert householders to the risks of dealing with doorstep callers from the building industry seeking work; and if she will introduce a requirement that all such callers should carry a valid insurance certificate for Employers Liability and Public Liability, giving the (a) name, (b) company name and (c) registered address of the insurers. [111908]

Mr. Wilson: The Office of Fair Trading is currently investigating the doorstep selling sector as a super complaint within the terms of the Enterprise Act 2002. Its report is expected later this year. Any recommendations will be carefully considered.

Counselling Services

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are made in her Department to allow staff to access counselling services. [111949]

Ms Hewitt: All DTI staff have access to in house counsellors. They can also be referred on by the in house team to external counselling if needed. DTI aims to be a first rate employer. It recognises that by helping staff and managers tackle personal and work problems, counselling makes a valuable contribution to its people's morale and effectiveness.

Employment Tribunals

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the chief executive officer of Employment Tribunals is. [112708]

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Alan Johnson: Responsibility for the operation of the Employment Tribunals rests with the President of the Employment Tribunals in England and Wales, His Honour Judge Meeran and the President of the Employment Tribunals in Scotland, Mr. Colin Milne.

The Chief Executive of the Employment Tribunals Service which provides administrative support for the Employment Tribunals is Dr. Roger Heathcote.

EU Committees

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU Technical Adaptation Committee on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110303]

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.

European Council Directive 89/391/EEC 'on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work', makes provisions for committees to work on

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"the purely technical adjustments to the individual Directives provided for in Article 16 (1) to take account of: the adoption of Directives in the field of technical harmonization and standardization; and/or technical progress, changes in international regulations or specifications, and new findings . . ."

The UK representatives at such meetings would be drawn from staff with relevant technical and policy responsibilities within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Since January 2002 HSE have received no invitations to such technical meetings; nor are HSE aware of any currently scheduled.

EU Funding

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding has been allocated to the UK through (a) Objective One and (b) Objective Two programmes in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) region and (ii) scheme. [111804]

Alan Johnson: Structural funds comprise the European regional development Fund (ERDF), the European social fund (ESF), and two smaller funds for agriculture (EAGGF) and fisheries (FIFO).

The programmes are all multi-annual and some are multi-fund. The table sets out allocations by region and objective for the last two years of the 1994–99 programming period and the first three years of the 2000–06 period.

There are many thousands of individual projects supported by the funds, and details of expenditure on individual schemes could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Allocations (£s Million)

Region Objective 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

GO North West 1 108 117 113 116 118

2 100 103 83 80 77

GO South West 1 - - 42 43 44

2 8 9 18 23 17

5b⁽⁵⁾ 28 29 - - -

GO Yorkshire and Humberside 1 - - 100 102 104

2 85 87 49 48 48

GO East Midlands 2 23 24 36 35 35

5b⁽⁵⁾ 9 9 - - -

GO West Midlands 2 102 106 84 82 80

5b⁽⁵⁾ 5 5 - - -

GO East of England 2 - - 15 15 15

5b⁽⁵⁾ 8 8 - - -

GO North East 2 82 85 64 65 65

GO London 2 23 24 23 23 23

GO South East 2 4 4 4 4 4

Northern Uplands 5b⁽⁵⁾ 14 14 - - -

Highlands and Islands 1 41 44 - - -

l(Trans) - - 54 46 38

Eastern Scotland 2 31 32 29 27 25

Western Scotland 2 71 73 52 49 47

South Scotland 2 - - 6 7 7

Borders of Scotland 5b⁽⁵⁾ 4 4 - - -

Dumfries and Galloway 5b⁽⁵⁾ 6 6 - - -

Central Scotland/Tayside 5b⁽⁵⁾ 3 3 - - -

Grampian 5b⁽⁵⁾ 5 5 - - -

Northern Ireland 1 163 176 - - -

l(Trans) - - 156 132 108

West Wales and the Valleys 1 - - 157 161 164

East Wales 2 - - 14 13 12

Industrial South Wales 2 49 51 - - -

Rural Wales 5b⁽⁵⁾ 24 24 - - -

Gibraltar 2 1 1 1 1 1

GB 3 315 517 See below See below See below

4⁽⁶⁾ 28 137 - - -

England and Gibraltar 3 - - 349 357 364

Scotland 3 - - 43 43 44

Wales 3 - - 10 11 11

		Allocations (£s Million)
Region	Objective	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
GO North West	1	108	117	113	116	118
	2	100	103	83	80	77
GO South West	1	-	-	42	43	44
	2	8	9	18	23	17
	5b⁽⁵⁾	28	29	-	-	-
GO Yorkshire and Humberside	1	-	-	100	102	104
	2	85	87	49	48	48
GO East Midlands	2	23	24	36	35	35
	5b⁽⁵⁾	9	9	-	-	-
GO West Midlands	2	102	106	84	82	80
	5b⁽⁵⁾	5	5	-	-	-
GO East of England	2	-	-	15	15	15
	5b⁽⁵⁾	8	8	-	-	-
GO North East	2	82	85	64	65	65
GO London	2	23	24	23	23	23
GO South East	2	4	4	4	4	4
Northern Uplands	5b⁽⁵⁾	14	14	-	-	-
Highlands and Islands	1	41	44	-	-	-
	l(Trans)	-	-	54	46	38
Eastern Scotland	2	31	32	29	27	25
Western Scotland	2	71	73	52	49	47
South Scotland	2	-	-	6	7	7
Borders of Scotland	5b⁽⁵⁾	4	4	-	-	-
Dumfries and Galloway	5b⁽⁵⁾	6	6	-	-	-
Central Scotland/Tayside	5b⁽⁵⁾	3	3	-	-	-
Grampian	5b⁽⁵⁾	5	5	-	-	-
Northern Ireland	1	163	176	-	-	-
	l(Trans)	-	-	156	132	108
West Wales and the Valleys	1	-	-	157	161	164
East Wales	2	-	-	14	13	12
Industrial South Wales	2	49	51	-	-	-
Rural Wales	5b⁽⁵⁾	24	24	-	-	-
Gibraltar	2	1	1	1	1	1
GB	3	315	517	See below	See below	See below
	4⁽⁶⁾	28	137	-	-	-
England and Gibraltar	3	-	-	349	357	364
Scotland	3	-	-	43	43	44
Wales	3	-	-	10	11	11

⁽⁵⁾ Objective 5b was subsumed into Objective 2 for the 2000–06 programme period.

⁽⁶⁾ Objective 4 was subsumed into Objective 3.Allocations of structural funds by region and objective in UK.

12 May 2003 : Column 15W

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been distributed by (a) Government offices and (b) regional development agencies in EU Structural Funds to UK organisations in each of the last five years, broken down by region. [111805]

Alan Johnson: The Structural Funds are multi-annual and often multi-regional programmes. In England, the Regional Government Offices are responsible for the implementation of the funds. They provide the secretariats, which distribute the funds to all final beneficiaries, which include the Regional Development Agencies.

Responsibility for the Structural Funds lies with the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) in Wales, the Scottish Executive in Scotland and the Department for Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland.

The relevant Structural Funds programmes cover the periods 1994–99 and 2000–06. The annual allocations were provided in my answer to the hon. Member's question no. 111804, which I have answered today.

The distribution of funds allocated in the 1994–99 period continued in 2000 and 2001. The distribution of funds allocated for the 2000–06 period is still at an early stage. For these current programmes there is a requirement that each annual allocation is spent by the end of the second year following the year of allocation (the N+2 rule). This rule was tested for the first time for Objective 1 regions at the end of 2002, when all but a very small part of the 2000 allocations was fully spent. For the Objective 2 regions, 2003 will be the first year in which the rule applies and it is too early to say what levels of expenditure will be achieved.

More detailed information about the distribution of funds in individual years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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