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17 Jul 2003 : Column 504W—continued
Asbestos
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the financial impact on the UK insurance and reinsurance industries of the United States Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2002; and if she will make a statement. [125830]
Mr. Browne: I have been asked to reply.
We are aware of the United States Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2003 in the context of maintaining information on employers' liability and asbestos, but we have not undertaken a formal assessment of the Act. We will continue to keep abreast of developments in this area.
Burma
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), of 25 February 2003, Official Report, columns 393–94W, on Burma, if she will provide figures for 2003 to date. [126634]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: According to figures published by HM Customs and Excise, UK imports of goods from Burma for January to May 2003, the latest period for which data are available, were as follows:
Notes:
nes = not elsewhere specified. Products are classified according to the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 2)
Business Support
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of Business Support. [126698]
Ms Hewitt: The DTI invests around £1 billion a year in supporting businesses—of that sum between £400 and £500 million is spent on business support schemes. Our aim is to use this money in a way that ensures the best possible return on that investment for the UK and makes a real difference to business performance.
Excellent progress has been achieved in the radical restructuring of the DTI's business support to create products that promote enterprise and innovation and meet customer need for a streamlined range of products that are easy to access.
As a result of the review we are reducing the number of schemes from over 100 to around 10. These new products are broader, more flexible and better targeted at the needs of our business customers than those they replace. We are carefully planning a transition from the old schemes to the new products.
Four new products have already been launched and are being used by customers. The Small Firms Loan Guarantee builds on the success of its predecessor and the new scheme is expected to increase take-up by around 25 per cent. At the beginning of June three more products designed to help small businesses develop innovative products and processes were launched.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 505W
These are:
We are currently working on the next tranche of new products for launch next April. That work includes drawing up detailed marketing plans and training staff to provide the best possible advice to businesses about accessing the products. We are also working closely with the Business Link network to ensure that they have everything they need to support the delivery of our new products and to act as a point of access for information about DTI business support.
We are currently consulting on a sixth product to support small business investment companies.
In the development of these products I have been advised by an expert Investment Committee that includes independent business members. In future the Committee will not only endorse the business cases for new products but also review the impact of existing products.
The changes described above represent a major and forward-looking improvement in the provision of business support. However they are just one element of the reshaping of the DTI. In September I will publish a new Strategy for the Department that will tighten the focus on our key policies and set the scene for better services, more professionally delivered.
This new Strategy and the Business Support Transformation are being informed by the current Innovation Review which I announced on 27 November 2002. I asked the Review Team to make proposals to boost the nation's innovation capability and the exploitation of our creative science and engineering base. Initial findings suggest three key areas for action: a stronger national focus on exploiting our world-class science base; building and strengthening regional innovation activity; and using other government activities—in particular public procurement—to stimulate innovation.
I intend to publish the results of the Innovation Review this autumn.
China
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value of British-owned manufacturing was in China in 2002. [126435]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The latest available UK outward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock for manufacturing in Mainland China from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is £938 million for the end of 2001.
17 Jul 2003 : Column 506W
The equivalent FDI stock figure for Hong Kong (which is not included in the Mainland China stock) is £697 million for the end of 2001.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received regarding British trade with China. [126580]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Trade Partners UK regularly receives requests for advice and information from companies about China.
We also regularly receive ministerial and official Chinese trade delegations with whom we explore our bilateral trade relations. I will be heading a high-powered business delegation to Beijing and Shanghai from 20 to 22 July.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what tariffs or other import and export levies are enforced (a) by Britain on Chinese goods and (b) by China on British goods. [126436]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Under the Common Customs Tariff of the European Communities the range of import duties imposed on goods entering into the UK varies from 0 per cent. to 26 per cent. on non-agricultural products and up to 74.9 per cent. on agricultural products. There are also specific (non ad valorem) duties on some agricultural products. These rates apply to China except when it benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences. A list of the specific rates is available at the European Community's website www.europa.eu.int/comm/taxation customs/databases/database.htm.
The UK's implementation of the European Community's external trade policy includes trade defence measures taken against China. A complete listing of the European Community's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures against China is available from the European Community's website at www.europa.eu.int/comm/trade/policy/dumping/stats.htm.
With regard to China's tariffs and levies on UK goods, China is a member of the World Trade Organisation and as such treats UK imports on a Most Favoured Nation (MFN) basis. Import duties levied on British goods vary from 0 per cent. to 32 per cent. and, exceptionally, up to 52.4 per cent. on crude oil and farm product based oils. Substantial tariff cuts are being made as part of China's WTO accession agreement. Average tariffs now stand at 11 per cent., down from 12.2 per cent. last year and 15.3 per cent. at the time of accession.
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