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8 Sept 2003 : Column 75W—continued
European Constitution
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with (a) colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) counterparts in the European Union about the legislative competencies covered by the draft European constitution. [124773]
Jacqui Smith: As part of the normal Whitehall process, my officials and I have had regular correspondence with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to discuss all aspects of the Convention, including legislative competences. We have also had regular contact with member and accession states to discuss issues arising in the Convention. In line with exemptions 1 and 2
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of the 'Code of Practice on Access to Government Information', it is not the normal practice of Governments to disclose details about internal discussions, or information whose disclosure would harm the conduct of international relations or affairs.
International Regulation
Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on working towards international regulations on the practices of companies operating in developing countries in areas where voluntary codes of practice have proved ineffective. [125900]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government do not believe that a blanket regulatory approach at the international level would be a helpful or practicable one in respect of the wide variety of circumstances and impacts related to the activities of companies in developing countries. The Government will, however, continue actively promoting awareness of, and behaviour consistent, with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises which provide recommendations on responsible business conduct and adherence to standards of behaviour supplemental to applicable law in individual countries.
Ministerial Visits
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) foreign and (b) UK visits she has made since 1 April 2003; what the cost was to public funds of each trip; who she met; and what gifts were received. [126871]
Ms Hewitt: The Government publish the overall costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits overseas by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500 on an annual basis. The list for the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16 July 2003, Official Report, column 482W. The next list for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 will be published at the end of the financial year.
In respect of gifts received, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 March 2003, Official Report, column 482W.
Since 1 April 2003, I have undertaken the following visits in the UK:
| 2003 | UK visits |
|---|---|
| 2 April | Visit to Oxford Engineering in Abingdon for the launch of the Manufacturing Advisory Service Report |
| 15 April | Visit to Landrover/Jaguar at Browns Lane, Coventry |
| 20 June | Visit to CORUS plant on Teesside |
| 4 July | Opening of East Midlands airport new terminal building and opening of the new Price Waterhouse building at Pegasus Business Park, Nottingham followed by an East Midlands in Europe lunch with business people at Autofil Ltd., Annesley, Nottinghamshire |
The cost of travel for my visits in the UK between 1 April and 31 July 2003 is £2,000. This figure includes travel costs for the accompanying Private Secretary which cannot be separated out.
Post Offices
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices were closed due to (a) unprofitability and (b) the reorganisation of the Post Office in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000, (v) 2001, (vi) 2002 and (vii) 2003. [128385]
Mr. Timms: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that no data is held on the profitability or unprofitability of privately owned sub post offices that close. I also understand that net post office closures in the last six financial years were as follows.
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| Number | |
|---|---|
| Year to end March 1998 | 243 |
| Year to end March 1999 | 233 |
| Year to end March 2000 | 382 |
| Year to end March 2001 | 547 |
| Year to end March 2002 | 262 |
| Year to end March 2003 | (8)345 |
(8) The figure for the year to end March 2003 includes 102 post office closures under the urban reinvention programme.
Public Sector Contracts
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to improve small business access to public sector contracts; and if she will make a statement. [127803]
Nigel Griffiths: A cross Government response to the Better Regulation Task Force report is due later in September and the DTI will take appropriate measures to support small business in implementing the response.
Recycled Paper
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what volume of recycled paper was exported in each year from 1997 to date to (a) China, (b) the Middle East and (c) the Far East; and what percentage of the total volume of recycled paper in the UK in each of those years this represented. [127223]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information requested is not available because the system of classification used to record trade does not separately identify recycled paper.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effects of investment in renewable energy on reversing (a) climate change and (b) energy shortage. [128219]
Mr. Timms: The Energy White Paper, published earlier this year, estimated that by 2020 carbon emissions could be reduced by three to five million tonnes by achieving our aspiration of doubling the renewable share of electricity generation between 2010 and 2020. Diversification of our sources of energy supply will also contribute to increasing security of supply.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the Government's 2010 target for renewables (a) has been met and (b) is outstanding. [127193]
Mr. Timms: The information is as follows:
(a) In 2002, the most recent year for which figures are available, 1.7 per cent. of our electricity came from renewable sources eligible for the Renewables Obligation. (Generation from all renewable sources, including large-scale hydro, was 3.0 per cent.)
(b) The outstanding amount to reach a target of 10 per cent. of our electricity from renewables eligible for the Renewables Obligation is therefore 8.3 per cent.
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Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what ways she is working with the Scottish Executive on targets to meet renewable energy. [127196]
Mr. Timms: The Department works closely with the Scottish Executive on renewable energy issues. There is a regular dialogue between Departments to share information and to monitor the progress that renewable energy sources are making.
The Department has responsibility for the overall UK renewable energy target of 10 per cent. of electricity supplies to be generated from renewable sources by 2010. Renewable targets set within Scotland are a matter for the devolved Administration.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in other countries in Europe on their experience in renewables. [127197]
Mr. Timms: DTI Ministers and officials regularly engage with their European counterparts on the subject of renewables through such fora as the European Commission and the International Energy Agency, as well as bilateral meetings. Most recently, I met with my European counterparts during the joint energy and environment informal meeting at Montecatini in July, organised by the Italian Presidency, where much of the focus was on renewables.
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to encourage electricity companies to invest in renewable energy. [128218]
Mr. Timms: The Government have introduced a range of measures to encourage electricity companies to invest in renewable energy. The recently published Energy White Paper, "Our Energy Future—Creating a Low Carbon Economy", sets out the policy on the increasing role renewable technologies will play in our overall energy policy, and highlights many of the successes that have already been achieved.
Our initial target is that 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity sales should be from renewable-sourced electricity by 2010. To help achieve the necessary growth to reach that target, we have introduced a number of initiatives:
- The Renewables Obligation (and associated Renewables Obligation Scotland). Introduced in April 2001, these require all licensed electricity suppliers in Great Britain to supply a specified and growing proportion of their sales from renewable sources.
The Obligation is underpinned by a package of funding worth nearly £350 million, which will support our on-going New and Renewable R&D programme, and extensive programmes of capital grants for new and emerging technologies such as energy crops and other forms of bio-energy, offshore wind, solar photovoltaics, wave and tidal power.
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the Thames Estuary and plan to announce next month the names of successful bidders for projects within those areas.
The Renewables UK unit to was set up last year within DTI with the specific aim of maximizing the benefits of renew ables to UK industry, and to help that industry develop.
Industrial users of renewable sourced electricity also benefit from exemption from Climate Change Levy payments.
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department's support for renewable energy research. [127867]
Mr. Timms: A renewables innovation review is in progress and should be completed by end November 2003. It includes an assessment of past and present support programmes. A key aim is to ensure the Department's support is targeted so as to achieve maximum effect.
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