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5 Jun 2003 : Column 536W—continued
Miners' Compensation
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the setting up of the medical review panel on miners' compensation; and when the panel will begin its work. [116880]
Mr. Wilson: The Review Panel is a feature of a revised version of the medical disputes procedure proposed by the claimants' solicitors and currently under discussion between the parties. A good measure of progress has been made on this issue and it is hoped that agreement can be reached in the near future.
In the meantime, the original version of the medical disputes procedure continues to operate in draft, as agreed by the parties. There is no bar to a claimant bringing a dispute under this version of the medical disputes procedure until the revised version is finalised.
Near Earth Object Task Force
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on the recommendations contained in the Government's Near Earth Object Taskforce Report; how much money has been spent since January 2001 on implementing the recommendations contained in the Government's Near Earth Object Taskforce Report; and if she will make a statement. [116732]
Ms Hewitt: The Government issued its response to the Taskforce Report in February 2001 and an update to the response was issued in January 2002. A key objective for the Government in supporting the thrust of the Task Force's Report was to raise international awareness of this issue and thus to achieve international cooperation in getting to grips with the issues. I believe that this has been achieved. For example, in January 2003 the Global Science Forum of the Organisation for Economic
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Cooperation and Development held a workshop dedicated to the subject, and a report of this workshop will be considered at a July 2003 meeting of the group.
DTI has committed a sum of around £460,000 to the area of Near Earth Objects between January 2001 and March 2004. An update on progress will be provided in the autumn.
Trade (Africa)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to tackle trade barriers (a) between African countries and the United Kingdom and (b) between African countries; and if she will make a statement. [116626]
Ms Hewitt: The UK is working through the EU for a fairer international trading system for all WTO members, with a particular emphasis on developing countries. To maximise the benefits of trade to all African countries the Government are working for the elimination of trade barriers both between themselves and with the EU. This needs to be done in a carefully sequenced manner, together with appropriate complementary policies so that the benefits of freer trade are maximised. The Government are working in partnership with developing countries, the EU and multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, to help developing countries capture new trading opportunities and thus trade their way out of poverty.
In addition, in terms of tackling trade barriers between Africa and the EU, there are several complementary agreements between the EU and Africa. With South Africa there is the EU-South Africa Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement, which provisionally came into force in 2000 and which aims to create a free trade area between the EU and South Africa over 12 years. In the North there is the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership which aims to establish a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area with 12 Mediterranean Partner Countries, four of which are in North Africa, by 2010.
For Sub-Saharan Africa under the "Everything But Arms" initiative all products from the 32 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) already have duty and quota-free access to the EU, with phase in periods for bananas, sugar and rice.
Finally, the UK hopes that the recently launched negotiations under the Cotonou Agreement for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, including all African countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa), will play a significant role in reducing trade barriers between African countries themselves and with the EU. As a result of the negotiations the UK would like to see an outcome which gave all ACP countries duty and quota-free access to the EU.
UK Liability Insurance Market
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Office of Fair Trading fact-finding study into the UK liability insurance market will be published. [116661]
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Miss Melanie Johnson: The Office of Fair Trading fact-finding study into the UK liability insurance market was published on 3 June 2003.
Veterinary Medicines
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the Competition Commission inquiry into the supply of prescription-only veterinary medicines; and if she will make a statement. [116730]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Competition Commission's recommendations and proposed remedies are intended to lead to greater choice and price transparency for animal owners, to increase competition in the market for veterinary medicines while ensuring that we continue to protect both human and animal health.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked the Office of Fair Trading to consult with relevant parties on the appropriate terms of orders to implement the Commission's remedies under the Fair Trading Act 1973.
The regulatory controls relating to the supply of veterinary medicines in the UK are the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently considering the Competition Commission's recommendations relating to the veterinary medicines regulatory system. The Government will publish its response by 10 July 2003.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with which bodies she has had discussions on the recommendations contained in the Competition Commission Report, Veterinary Medicines: A Report on the Supply Within the United Kingdom of Prescription-only Veterinary Medicines. [116106]
Miss Melanie Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked the Office of Fair Trading to consult with relevant parties on the appropriate terms of orders to implement the Commission's remedies under the Fair Trading Act 1973. These include the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association, and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association. After the OFT have reported back, my right hon. Friend will then consult publicly on the terms of the orders.
Wood Residue
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which industries her Department has identified as the major users of wood residue in the United Kingdom. [116266]
Ms Hewitt: The Department has not undertaken any specific analysis of the major users of wood residue in the UK. However, it is understood that a significant proportion of wood residue is used in the manufacture of wood composite board for the construction and furniture manufacturing industries.
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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Chamber Orchestras
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards the funding of chamber orchestras. [115517]
Dr. Howells: Through their recently announced spending allocations for 2004–05 to 2005–06 Arts Council England is to support a portfolio of seven chamber orchestras to serve those areas of the country which currently have little or no access to orchestral provision, and to ensure a rich mix of provision in other areas. As a result of these allocations, funding for the chamber orchestra sector will increase from £1.34 million this financial year to £1.97 million in 2005–06 or 47.2 per cent.
Main beneficiaries of this increase include:
- leading contemporary music ensembles—London Sinfonietta, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the Britten Sinfonia
the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment—one of the country's busiest and most versatile period-instrument orchestras
mainstream chamber orchestras with an already established regional presence—City of London Sinfonia, London Mozart Players, Manchester Camerata.
Correspondence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years. [115885]
Dr. Howells: The information requested is in the following table. Please note these figures are for the correspondence section only. They do not include Ministerial Private Staff or staff in the Parliamentary Unit.
| Year | Staff Employed in the Correspondence Unit |
|---|---|
| April | |
| 2001–02 | 8 |
| 2002–03 | 10 |
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