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Criminal Cases Review Commission
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Blunkett): I would like to inform the House that Professor Graham Zellick has been appointed as Chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Copies of the press release relating to this appointment are available in the House Library.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Bill Rammell): Following General Elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) on 24 April, which saw the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDM) returned for a third term, the opposition Progressive National Party (PNP) filed election petitions against the results in two of the thirteen constituencies. On 19 June, the Chief Justice declared the results in both districts void with the result that a fresh election was required in each one. This put the governing PDM in a minority in the Legislative Council. The Chief Minister, the Hon Derek Taylor, asked the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Council and to call a new General Election.
The Governor, acting in accordance with the Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands, told the leaders of both parties on 23 June that he was denying both the PDM's request for a new General Election and
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the PNP's request for the immediate appointment of their Leader as Chief Minister, and that he would issue writs for by-elections in the two constituencies affected to be held on 7 August.
This was a difficult decision to take. The Governor weighed the arguments carefully. We support the Governor's decision.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy): The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation has sent me its first annual report under Article 8(2) of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation Regulations 2002. I am grateful to the trustees of the Foundation for the commitment they have demonstrated in seeking to mark the sacrifices and honour the achievements of the RUC.
Copies of the report have been placed in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.
TREASURY
Commemorative Coins
The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Gordon Brown): Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that the following commemorative coins should be issued in 2004:
- A two—pound coin to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first railway locomotive;
A fifty pence piece to mark the 50th anniversary of the first four—minute mile.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
EC Communications Directives
The Minister for Energy, E-Commerce and Postal Services (Mr. Stephen Timms): As indicated in my statement on 24 March, Official Report, column 1WS, it is the Government's intention to implement the four EC Communications Directives by the required deadline of 25 July 2003 through the legislation contained in the Communications Bill (particularly Part 2 of the Bill) and the orders and regulations to be made under that legislation. Subject to the remaining parliamentary processes being completed satisfactorily the Government believe that it is still possible for the Bill to receive Royal Assent before Parliament rises for the summer recess and for the necessary orders and regulations to be made in time to ensure that the Directives are implemented by the required date.
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The time between Royal Assent and 25 July will however mean that the normal 21-day delay between the making of certain orders and regulations and their coming into effect cannot be observed. The Government regret this, but consider inevitable in order to ensure that there is a smooth transition to the new regulatory regime (which is founded on the EC Directives which have to be implemented on 25 July). To alleviate problems which might arise from the short interval between the making of the orders and regulations and 25 July, the Government are today publishing the draft of the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order that will need to be made as soon as the Bill has been passed. This draft takes account of comments received during consultations earlier this year, and in parallel with the revised drafts, my Department is publishing a response document summarising the way in which the issues raised in the consultations have been dealt with. As soon as the Order has been made following the passing of the Communications Bill, my Department will inform all those thought to be interested in the matter and will draw attention to any significant changes from the texts being published today.
My Department is also publishing today revised drafts of the Numbering Exclusion Order and the Electronic Communications (Networks and Services) (Penalties) (Rules for Calculation of Turnover) Order together with response documents describing how the responses to the consultations on those documents have been dealt with. As these orders require affirmative resolution of both Houses, the formal drafts will be laid once the Bill has been passed, and affirmative resolutions sought as soon as Parliamentary time permits.
My Department will also publish within the next week a response to the consultation on the draft Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations, on which consultation closed on 19 June, together with a revised draft of the regulations. Like the Universal Service Order, these regulations will need to be made between Royal Assent to the Bill and the commencement of the relevant provisions, and my Department will therefore also inform interested parties as soon as these regulations have been made.
At least two other orders will also need to be made in the interval between Royal Assent and 25 July—the First Commencement Order, and the Wireless Telegraphy (Limitation of Number of Licences) Order. The Radiocommunications Agency is currently consulting on the latter draft Order, and the text is available on the Radiocommunications Agency website.
The timetable to achieve Royal Assent before 25 July does however remain very tight and, as previously announced, since it would not be an option to fail to implement the directives by 25 July, if the Bill has not been passed in time the Government would need to bring forward regulations under the European Communities Act 1972 to ensure that our obligations were met. My Department consulted on drafts of these regulations in March, and within the next few days will republish the revised texts of the draft regulations together with a response document summarising how issues raised in that consultation have been dealt with. If the Bill does not receive Royal Assent before the
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summer recess, the regulations will be made so as to be effective by 25 July. The interval between the making of the Regulations and their coming into force would also be very short, and accordingly my Department would contact all those thought to be interested in the issue to inform them of the making of the regulations.
Copies of all the documents published today have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and made available on the internet: http://www.communicationsbill.gov.uk/. Copies of the further documents will be published in a similar manner as soon as they are available. My Department is also informing all those thought to be interested in these issues of the publication of the documents. Anyone who has not received personal notification of the publication of the drafts and who wishes to be informed of the further action should contact the Department (at mailto:communications.billconsultation@dti.gsi.gove.uk to ensure they are added to the list of interested parties.
BNFL
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt): I very much welcome BNFL's announcement today of the appointment of Michael Parker as their new Chief Executive. He has a broad range of experience in challenging and senior posts in Dow Chemical. I would also like to pay tribute to Norman Askew, whose contribution to BNFL's progress over the last few years has been immense. He passes on excellent work on which to build a successful future.
I am announcing today that the Government and the BNFL Board have agreed to conduct a joint review of BNFL's future strategy.
There have been significant developments in BNFL's key businesses, the nuclear industry and in the Government's efforts to encourage a competitive clean up market in the UK since 2001. On this basis, the Government has decided that a flotation of the company after the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has been formed should no longer be an option. The review will evaluate options for alternative strategies. It will be conducted against the framework of the Government's policy objectives set out in the White Paper "Managing the Nuclear Legacy—a Strategy for Action" and in particular the need to develop a competitive market for nuclear site management which is fair and open.
One of Michael Parker's key early challenges will be to lead the BNFL team working on the review with the Government. The review's output will be recommendations to Ministers on alternative strategies, with the aim of building on the company's progress towards improved performance across its businesses. In the meantime BNFL will continue to give top priority to improving the performance of its clean up and related operations.
I have asked the review team to report to the BNFL Board and to me in the Autumn.
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