| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 Jul 2003 : Column 367W—continued
Administration/Receivership Services
Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans she has to review (a) the way that companies are charged for administration and receivership services and (b) the ways in which assets of companies placed into administration or receivership are sold. [125197]
-
(2) What procedures are in place to control administration and receivership costs. [125198]
It is a matter for the judgment of the administrator or receiver, usually with the benefit of professional advice, as to the most appropriate method of disposing of the company's assets, with a view to achieving the best price for them. We have no plans to review this or the basis on which an administrator's or receiver's remuneration is fixed.
Mr. Sutcliffe: An administrator is appointed by the court and is required to submit his proposals for achieving the purposes of the administration to the
16 Jul 2003 : Column 368W
company's creditors and members. His remuneration is fixed by reference either to the value of the property with which he has to deal or the time properly given by him and his staff in attending to matters arising in the administration, and it is for the creditors' committee to determine it. If there is no committee or it does not make the required determination, the remuneration can be fixed by resolution of a meeting of the company's creditors. If not fixed in either of these ways, the administrator must apply to the court to fix his remuneration.
The costs of an administrative receiver, including his remuneration, are primarily a matter for agreement between the receiver and the secured creditor by whom he is appointed, but any liquidator appointed in relation to the company has the power to ask the court to fix the receiver's remuneration if he considers that necessary or appropriate.
Fuel Poverty
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government will take to ensure that every home has access to affordable heating. [125582]
Mr. Timms: The Government published its Strategy for dealing with fuel poverty in November 2001, and its first annual progress report in March 2003. These documents set out how the Government intends to ensure that fuel poverty is ended among the vulnerable by 2010 and among the non-vulnerable in England by November 2016, as far as reasonably practicable. This will be done through:
- programmes to improve the home energy efficiency of fuel poor households;
continuing action to maintain the downward pressure on fuel bills, ensuring fair treatment for the less well off, and supporting the development of energy industry initiatives to combat fuel poverty;
continuing action to tackle poverty, low incomes and social exclusion.
BAE Systems
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the management of BAe Systems concerning a possible takeover bid by a foreign company. [125588]
Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has regular meetings with the management of BAe Systems at which a wide range of issues are discussed, including the company's performance, competitiveness, future programmes and future strategy. Such discussions are commercially confidential, under Exemption 13—Third Party's Commercial Confidences of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
16 Jul 2003 : Column 369W
Biotechnology
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her Answer of 26 June 2003, Official Report, column 922W, on biotechnology, how much her Department spent in (a) sponsorships, (b) grants and (c) other financial assistance to biotechnology companies in 2001–02. [125384]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 22 July 2003]: For the most recent financial year (2001/02), the Department's expenditure on grants and other financial assistance for the biotechnology industry sector in the UK was approximately £16 million (excluding Research Councils' funding).
Information on the expenditure by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) was provided in my answer to the hon. Member on 26 June 2003, Official Report, columns 921–22W.
It is not possible to give precise information, due to the lack of a generally accepted definition of biotechnology and the differences in the ways individual Research Councils analyse their annual expenditure.
Broadband
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sums have been paid to (a) NTL and (b) BT to assist in the rollout of broadband services; when such payments were made; and if she will make a statement. [117716]
Mr. Timms [pursuant to the answer, 18 June 2003, Official Report, c. 324W]: In that answer I stated that "Under the Cornwall ActNow project, assisted by EC Objective 1 funding, BT received £237,225 from DTI between December 2001 and August 2002, as a result of a tender process to upgrade exchanges for broadband in a region where such investment would also not be commercially viable". I should now like to clarify the position.
The source of the capital funding for ActNow was EU Objective 1 funding. In addition, some revenue funding was provided via EU Objective 1, other public contributors and the South West of England Regional Development Agency from funds provided by Central Government. None of this funding was paid direct to BT. The applicant for both the capital and revenue funding for ActNow was Cornwall Enterprise, a part of Cornwall county council, on behalf of all public partners in the project. BT was one of a number of partners with a role in fulfilling the project. Cornwall Enterprise also took responsibility for monitoring BT's performance.
Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she intends to publish the recent report by Analysis on the UK's progress on the take-up of broadband across the G7 countries. [126020]
Mr. Timms: The take-up of broadband, which is measured as an index of residential (M.J.A.) broadband penetration across a range of G7 countries, will be published in an extract from the recent report by Analysis on the Department's website in the section headed Broadband progress-national facts and figures by the end of the July.
16 Jul 2003 : Column 370W
Coal Industry
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of when coal will disappear as a plausible energy source owing to emission constraints. [125585]
Mr. Timms: Published supporting analysis to the Energy White Paper published in February 2003 suggests that coal could still represent more than 10 per cent. of total UK energy use in 2010, while falling to somewhat below 10 per cent. by 2020. The fall partly reflects the impact of an increase in the age structure of existing coal plants on plant economics, but also incorporates the impact of certain policies such as the Climate Change Programme, Large Combustion Plant Directive and the National Emissions Ceilings Directive.
The White Paper itself recognizes that the pressures on coal from an environmental direction may increase in future, but comments on the potential for coal to remain as a major fuel source if combined with clean coal technology or capture and storage techniques.
Company Directors
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 569W, on company directors, how many adverse reports in each year were referred by her Department for court action; how many directors were reported on more than one occasion; and how many of these directors were disqualified, and for what period. [125931]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Details of the disqualification actions issued and of the disqualifications obtained are published in the Insolvency Service Agency Annual Report and Accounts. The remaining information cannot be provided except at disproportionate costs.
Correspondence
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 19 May concerning the Early Day Motion calling for a ban on trade in cat and dog fur and which was transferred from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for reply. [126155]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Totnes on 17 July 2003.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings have been held between her Department and the Treasury since the publication of the Energy White Paper in February to discuss fiscal instruments to improve energy efficiency. [123975]
Mr. Timms: The Treasury and Defra lead on the question of fiscal instruments and energy efficiency policy respectively. The DTI has not specifically held meetings with the Treasury on the subject of fiscal instruments for energy efficiency. However on a number of occasions discussions between DTI, Defra and the Treasury on the follow up to the Energy White Paper,
16 Jul 2003 : Column 371W
through the Sustainable Energy Policy Network and otherwise, have addressed the use of fiscal instruments in various aspects of energy policy.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |