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16 Jul 2003 : Column 371W—continued
Energy Imports
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the UK's energy she estimates will be imported in 2023. [125579]
Mr. Timms: As mentioned at Section 6.13 of the Energy White Paper, published in February 2003, we are likely to be importing around three quarters of our primary energy needs by 2020.
European Union Contracts
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the EU concerning reform of the system for advertising EU public sector contracts for which small businesses might bid. [125168]
Jacqui Smith: My hon. Friend the then Minister for Competition, Consumers and Markets met her counterparts in the EU to discuss the need to reform the present system for awarding EU public sector contracts. These exchanges have taken place as part of the discussions held with the European Commission and other member states on the proposals to update, clarify and simplify the existing public procurement directives.
European Union Directives
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the additional cost to businesses arising from the need, under the Government's implementation of the Equal Treatment at Work Directive, to compensate employees taking early retirement who might have worked on until they were 70; and if she will make a statement. [125296]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Early retirement packages are a matter for negotiation between employer and employee. The Government are consulting on proposals to prohibit age discrimination under the EU Employment Directive. The proposals include options relating to retirement age, but would not require changes to the age at which pensions may be payable. They do not, therefore, require additional costs to businesses in relation to early retirement.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the expected quantity of age discrimination claims against employers from employees per year as a result of EU Directives in terms of (a) volume and (b) value; and if she will make a statement. [125297]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Regulatory Impact Assessment that accompanies the "Equality and Diversity: Age Matters" consultation document has used existing discrimination cases as a pointer to estimate the number and cost of age discrimination claims that might arise.
We would expect about 8,000 Employment Tribunal applications to be made per year, at an average cost to an employer of between £2,000 and £4,000 per case. To reduce the potential burden on employers, the
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Government are aiming to have the Regulations outlawing age discrimination in place by the end of 2004 so that employers have ample time to change their internal systems to reduce the likelihood of claims being made against them when the legislation comes into force on 1 October 2006.
Executive Remuneration
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the publications produced by her Department in each year since 1997 which have made reference to executive remuneration. [126077]
Jacqui Smith: The Department has produced consultative documents specifically on the issue of executive remuneration on three occasions since 1997, as follows:
| Date | ||
|---|---|---|
| 99/923 | Directors' Remuneration | July 1999 |
| 01/1400 | Directors' Remuneration | December 2001 |
| 03/652 | "Rewards for Failure" Directors'Remuneration—Contracts,Performance and Severance | June 2003 |
Other publications will also have made reference to executive remuneration but a more detailed answer could be obtained only at disproportionate cost as such information is not held centrally.
Independent Insurance Company
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has received from the administrators concerning the conduct of the directors of Independent Insurance Company; and what action she intends to take concerning the company's collapse. [126073]
Mr. Sutcliffe: On 17 June 2001, the High Court of Justice appointed provisional liquidators of Independent Insurance Company Ltd. The provisional liquidators are responsible for the protection of the company estate until the court determines the winding up petition presented against the company. There is no requirement to submit conduct reports on the company directors, until such time as a winding up order is made by the court, at which time the business affairs and failure of the company would be investigated by the Official Receiver.
Insolvency Service
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licensed insolvency practitioners are employed by the Insolvency Service. [125833]
Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employees are estimated by her Department to lack adequate internal dispute resolution procedures; what proportion of these are small and medium-sized enterprises; how many are
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expected to lack adequate procedures when the new rules come into force in 2004; and if she will make a statement. [125822]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We estimate that there are just over 800,000 employers that do not have adequate dispute resolution procedures in place at this time. 97 per cent. of those firms with inadequate procedures have less than 20 employees.
The statutory dispute resolution procedures (as set out in draft Regulations, under the Employment Act 2002, which were published on 9 July 2003) are planned to come into force in October 2004. The implementation of these procedures will be supported by a broad, wide-reaching information and guidance campaign, in partnership with a range of small firms organisations and other advisory bodies. The campaign aims to ensure that all small firm employers are informed about the new requirements in time to implement them.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has had from small and medium-sized enterprises concerning requirements expected to come into force in 2004 to compel staff wishing to pursue a complaint to go through internal dispute resolution procedures before going to a tribunal. [125823]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The framework for these new dispute resolution procedures was established in the 2002 Employment Act. This was preceded by an extensive public consultation, involving many small and medium-sized firms.
The Government are currently consulting on draft Regulations that will bring these dispute resolution procedures into effect. The draft Regulations were developed with considerable input from an Advisory Group, which included representatives from the Small Business Council, the Small Business Service, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Forum for Private Business. Moreover, in line with Cabinet Office guidelines, two focus groups were held with small businesses to test the proposals.
The ongoing consultation on these draft Regulations will last for 16 weeks until 29 October 2003. We hope to collect more views from small firms, and other organisations, during this time.
Mail Order Companies
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what restrictions there are on mail order companies debiting customers' credit cards where they are unable to give a date when the goods will be available. [125622]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There are no restrictions on mail order companies debiting consumers' credit cards in the circumstances described. However, consumers are protected by the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 which stipulate that unless the parties have agreed otherwise, the supplier must deliver the goods within 30 days; and that if the goods are unavailable the consumer must be informed and reimbursed.
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Nuclear Industry
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government has to support research and development in the nuclear industry. [125581]
Mr. Timms: Direct DTI funding of fission research stopped in 1994 with the cessation of the fast reactor programme and there is none included in current DTI spending plans for the next three years. DTI funding is reviewed annually and will be considered next as part of the 2004 Spending Review, which covers the period 2005–08. The UK nuclear industry currently benefits from Government support for EU and OECD co-ordinated research programmes.
The Research Councils received funding from spending review 2002 for a research programme "Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy" which includes proposals to establish a National Energy Research Network and UK Energy Research Centre. A Scientific Advisory Committee has been established to advise the Councils on the emphasis and scope of the programme and of the Centre. It is however envisaged that the National Energy Research Network would cover a broad range of energy research. In addition, the Research Councils provide funding in the region of £16 million a year for fusion research.
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