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24 Jun 2003 : Column 680W—continued
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
A400M
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 3 June, Official Report, column 319W, on the A400M, when the Government was approached to provide financial assistance to Rolls-Royce, and by whom; if she will list the parties involved in the discussion to provide such assistance; when the decision was made to provide a grant to Rolls-Royce, subject to authorisation procedures; and who made that decision. [118839]
Jacqui Smith: This department has held an ongoing dialogue with Rolls-Royce over the provision of engines for the A400M.
Europrop International formally approached DTI requesting HMG support for Rolls-Royce as UK's partner in Europrop International at the end of April. Following close discussions between Rolls-Royce, Ministry of Defence and DTI officials, we felt able to issue a letter of intent to Rolls-Royce on 4 May 2003, indicating a willingness, subject to the usual authorisation procedures, to provide financial support to Rolls-Royce for dual-use engine technology demonstration programmes associated with the
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 3 June, Official Report, column 319W, on the A400M, what the total eligible technology demonstration programme costs are; what estimate she has made of the size of the grant to be provided to Rolls-Royce; what authorisation is being sought; and when approval is expected. [118840]
Jacqui Smith: The eligible costs of the technology demonstration programme(s) and therefore the potential grant related to it are currently being assessed with Rolls-Royce. The support will be delivered under an existing recognised and authorised scheme. The timing of any grant approval is a matter between Rolls-Royce and this Department.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 3 June, Official Report, column 317W, on the A400M, for whom the
24 Jun 2003 : Column 681W
evaluation to which she referred was prepared; how much it cost to research and produce; and who paid these costs. [118841]
Jacqui Smith: DTI, as the issuing authority, will undertake the assessment, evaluation and authorisation of any grant in support of the engine technology demonstration programmes. The cost of the evaluation has not been quantified, but will be picked up within the departmental budget.
Arms Exports
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what circumstances the end-use of UK arms exports would be unacceptable and result in the refusal of an export licence. [121141]
Nigel Griffiths: I refer my Friend to the reply from my right hon. Friend, the Member for Neath, the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to my hon. Friend, the Member for Crawley (Laura Moffatt) on 26 October 2000, Official Report, columns 199–203W.
British American Tobacco (Smuggling)
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the departmental report into alleged involvement by British American Tobacco in smuggling has been completed; and when it will be published. [117588]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 9 June 2003]: Inquiries pursuant to s.447 Companies Act 1985 which were announced on 30 October 2000 are nearing completion. The results of such inquiries under the Companies Act 1985 are not published.
Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the work of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation. [113539]
Mr. Timms: I recognise the positive work the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation does in coalfield areas. I intend to make an announcement on funding for the organisation shortly.
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Coal Miners (Compensation)
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of former coal miner claimants represented by each of the top 10 claims handlers have had their claims for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and (b) vibration white finger denied. [119520]
| Top 10 Solicitors (5) | (6)Denials as a percentage of total offers |
|---|---|
| Thompsons | 11.86 |
| Hugh James Ford Simey | 9.38 |
| UDM | 18.34 |
| Raleys | 6.16 |
| Mark Gilbert Morse | 8.87 |
| Beresfords | 25.28 |
| Browell Smith and Co. | 5.89 |
| Graysons | 16.45 |
| Watson Burton | 6.11 |
| Randall Lloyd Jenkins and Martin | 12.00 |
(5) Top 10 Solicitors are in descending order and based on total claims intimated.
(6) Denials and total offers are based on the last assessment made as reported in the COPD Weekly Statistics (lines 5.12 and 5.13 respectively).
| Top 10 Solicitors(7) | (8)Denials as a percentage of total offers |
|---|---|
| UDM | 30.92 |
| Thompsons | 27.39 |
| Browell Smith and Co. | 29.47 |
| Raleys | 19.51 |
| Hugh James Ford Simey | 23.95 |
| Graysons | 24.39 |
| Watson Burton | 24.74 |
| Towells | 20.62 |
| Beresfords | 44.72 |
| Kidd and Spoor Harper | 22.33 |
(7) Top 10 Solicitors are in descending order and based on total claims intimated.
(8) Includes Group 3 denials for which solicitors can contend the denial by providing evidence in accordance with the Occupational Group Procedure.
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims to date have been received from the Leigh, Makerfield and Wigan constituencies under the coal health compensation scheme for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger; and what percentage of those claims that have (i) received an interim payment, (ii) been fully settled and (iii) not been settled at all. [117936]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 17 June 2003]: The figures as of 31 May 2003 are as follows:
| Constituency | COPD Claims Received | COPD Interims Paid(9) | COPD Claims Settled | COPD Claims Not Settled (10) | VWF Claims Received | VWF Interim Paid(9) | VWF Claims Settled | VWF Claims Not Settled (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leigh | 2,124 | 530 | 28 | 72 | 707 | 285 | 46 | 54 |
| Makerfield | 1,621 | 398 | 23 | 77 | 636 | 326 | 41 | 59 |
| Wigan | 1,329 | 339 | 23 | 77 | 364 | 162 | 40 | 60 |
(9) Figures are for total interims paid. Claimants can receive more than one interim payment.
(10) Some claimants will have received interim payments.
Note:Constituency figures can be found on the Department's website: www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth. The information is compiled in the middle of the month and shows the figures for the end of the previous month.
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Export Credits Guarantee Department
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times the ECGD has circulated details of a case through the Sensitive Case mechanism to the (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) Ministry of Defence, (c) Department for International Development and (d) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and how many of these cases have progressed to approval. [120475]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have each received details of the six cases that have so far been considered under the Sensitive Case mechanism. To date two of these cases have progressed to approval.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications deemed to have high potential impact the Export Credits Guarantee Department has not approved in the last 12 months; and what the project type was of each application. [120729]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: In the last 12 months no applications deemed to have high potential impacts have been refused cover by ECGD.
Employment (Tees Valley)
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of employment in the Tees Valley is dependant on manufacturing. [120735]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Vera Baird, dated 23 June 2003:
- As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the proportion of employment in the Tees Valley area that is dependant on manufacturing. (120735)
- The Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) gives an estimate of the number of employee jobs in December of each year and the latest year for which figures are available is 2001.
- The ABI data for the requested area is shown in the following table:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 39,345 |
| Total | 251,325 |
| percentage | |
| Manufacturing as a proportion of total | 15.7 |
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