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11 Sept 2003 : Column 425W—continued
Employment Rights
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will introduce legislation removing the upper age limit on employment rights. [129038]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There is no upper age limit on the great majority of employment rights. However, under current legislation employees cannot generally complain of unfair dismissal if they have reached their employer's normal retirement age for their job, or, if there is no normal retirement age, the age of 65. Similarly, they have no entitlement to a statutory redundancy payment if they have reached the age of 65 or, if lower, the employer's normal retirement age for their job.
The public consultation on age discrimination launched on 2 July, "Equality and Diversity: Age Matters", proposes changing these provisions so that employees who believe they have been unfairly dismissed can seek redress at any age, but retirement at a justifiable retirement age will be a fair reason for dismissal. The upper age limit for entitlement to a statutory redundancy payment will depend on the decision we make about retirement ages. A final decision will be made in the light of responses to consultation.
THORP Reprocessing Plant
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the THORP reprocessing plant at Sellafield will close in 2010. [128272]
Mr. Timms: BNFL expects to complete their existing order book for reprocessing spent fuel at THORP by around 2010. Operation of THORP beyond completion of the existing order book would be dependent on there being new contracts for reprocessing further spent fuel at the plant which, in the first instance, is dependent on there being customer demand.
The Government's position on the future of THORP was set out in the July 2002 White Paper on Managing the Nuclear Legacy. We expect existing THORP contracts to be honoured. There are currently no proposals for new contracts for reprocessing further spent fuel at THORP. Before any such new THORP contracts could be concluded or changes made to existing contracts that increased the volume of spent fuel to be reprocessed at THORP, the approval of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry would be required. Before making a decision on any such future proposal, the Government would review it against the specific criteria that were set out in the White Paper and would consult publicly.
BAE Systems
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department has reviewed allegations of corrupt practice by BAE Systems regarding the supply of a package of Hawk jets and Gripen planes to the Government of South Africa; what action is being taken by the Export Credits Guarantee Department regarding its guarantee to BAE Systems regarding the supply of this package following these allegations; when the Export Credits Guarantee Department first received
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allegations of corrupt practice by BAE Systems regarding the supply of this package; and if she will make a statement; [123018]
- (2) whether allegations of corrupt practice by BAE Systems regarding the supply of a package of Hawk jets and Gripen planes to the Government of South Africa were raised during meetings during the visit of the then Minister for Trade to South Africa in November 2000. [123020]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have been unable to find any record of this issue having been discussed during the meetings referred to.
Bankruptcy
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) bank rate of interest and (b) rate of interest accrual under the 1838 bankruptcy provisions has been in each year since 1992. [129499]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The information is as follows:
(a) The Bank of England publishes the base rates throughout the year and these can be accessed from their website www.bankofengland.co.uk. In November 1992 the "base rate" was 6.87 per cent. and since July of this year it has been 3.5 per cent.
(b) On 1 April 1993 the judgment rate of interest was set at 8 per cent. and has been 8 per cent. since that date. Immediately prior thereto, including for the whole of 1992, it was set at 15 per cent.
British Overseas Territories
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what responsibilities her Department undertakes in connection with British Overseas Territories. [123990]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 16 July 2003]: The Radiocommunications Agency of the Department for Trade and Industry is responsible for representing the interests of the Overseas Territories in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In doing so, the Radiocommunications Agency has to ensure compliance with the obligations, procedures and practices that derive from the UK's membership of the ITU in respect of facilitating efficient international telecommunications and, more particularly, on the use of radio frequencies and satellite orbits for delivering all types of radiocommunication services.
Bull and Company
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the inquiries initiated by the European Commission on the subsidising by France of the computer group Bull and Company; and what the outcome of the inquiries has been. [128823]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 10 September 2003]: The European Commission announced on 9 April 2002 that it was launching an investigation into a Euro450 million cash advance by France to Bull. On 13 November 2002, it authorised the aid and ordered France to submit evidence of the reimbursement by Bull
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of the advance with interest by 17 June 2003. Copies of the notices appear in the Official Journal of the European Communities, C 128, 30.5.2002 and C 209, 19.8.2003 respectively.
Photovoltaics
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the (a) major photovoltaics
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demonstration programme budget, (b) clear skies programme budget, and (c) Scottish community renewables initiative budget (i) has been allocated and (ii) remains to be allocated; and where each of these schemes are advertised. [128780]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 9 September 2003]: The information is in the following table.
| Scheme | Funds allocated at 9 September 2003 including management costs (£ million) | Unallocated (£ million) | Advertised at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Photovoltaic Demonstration Programme | 11.55 | 8.45 | www.solarpvsrants.co.uk editorial in national and local press, radio and TV |
| Clear Skies | 2.31 | 7.69 | www.clear-skies.org editorial in national and local press, radio and TV |
| Scottish Community Renewables Initiative | 0.65 | 4.62 | www.est.co.uk/schri and www.hie.co.uk |
Corporate Energy Consumption
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the recommendations for reducing corporate energy consumption in the Government's sustainable development strategy–"A Better Quality of Life". [128568]
Mr. Timms: The 1999 strategy for sustainable development for the UK, A better quality of life, sets out key UK Government actions to achieve sustainable development, including those to achieve more prudent use of energy by the business sector.
The Climate Change Levy was launched in April 2001 to help fund measures to promote energy efficiency in business and the public sector. As part of the CCL package a number of measures were introduced including:
- The EGA scheme offering tax incentives to firms investing in approved energy saving technologies.
The Carbon Trust (CT) was launched "to take the lead on energy efficiency for business and the public sector, and to support the development of a low carbon economy", delivered through the trust's two main programmes: the Low Carbon Innovation Programme, and Action Energy (formerly the non-domestic part of the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme) the UK's main energy efficiency information, advice and research programme for organisations in the public and private sectors. Since 1989, the EEBPP has helped many organisations save up to 20 per cent. of their energy bills, which equates to total UK energy savings of around £800 million a year.
A review of "A better quality of life" has just started, to have a revised strategy in place by 2005. We intend to take a fresh look at how we achieve sustainable development in the UK, building on the current strategy to improve delivery.
Employment Legislation
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list all the documentation issued by her Department that an employer must complete when he or she takes on his or her first employee, in order to be fully compliant; and if she will make a statement. [128690]
Mr. Sutcliffe: None. However, employment legislation for which the Department is responsible requires employers to keep records showing compliance with the national minimum wage legislation and weekly working time and night work limits; and to provide the following documents: an itemised pay statement, issued at or before the time of payment; a written statement of employment particulars for employees who are employed for one month or more; and, for shop and betting workers in England and Wales who are or may be required to work on Sundays, a written statement explaining how they can opt out of Sunday work. The wording of that opt-out statement is prescribed by law and the written statement of employment particulars must contain certain prescribed information. The Department publishes an example form of the written statement of employment particulars for the assistance of employers.
The Department is fully aware of the need to regulate only where it is necessary to do so and to keep compliance requirements as simple as possible.
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment tribunals were attended by small businesses, as a result of non-compliance with employment legislation in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [128691]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Employment Tribunals Service does not record the numbers of employment tribunals that are attended by small businesses because no information is held on the size of the employer's business that may be subject to tribunal proceedings.
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Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment regulations were introduced by her Department in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [127802]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In its first term (1997–2001), the Government introduced a foundation of minimum standards in the workplace. Every employee now has, for example, the right to a minimum wage, paid holidays, rest breaks, time off for family emergencies, and a cap on the working week. Trade unions have the right to recognition by the employer where a majority of the workforce want it. Part-time workers have the same rights as their full-time colleagues.
In their second term, the Government are building on all these measures in its drive to raise productivity, including a range of changes to support families and to make work pay. The Government have improved existing maternity rights and introduced paid paternity and adoption leave for the first time. For example, the payment period of statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance has been extended to 26 weeks. It has also introduced a right for working parents with children under six, or disabled children under 18, to request flexible working. This new right builds on existing best practice and further enforces our aim to promote greater dialogue in the workplace to find flexible solutions that suit both employers and employees.
Recently, both Houses have passed regulations to tackle discrimination in employment on the grounds of sexual orientation and religion or belief, which will take effect in December 2003.
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