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Animal Welfare

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the number of experiments on animals has increased since 1997; what the average number of animals used has been in each year since 1997; and what plans she has to reduce the number of animals used in experimentation. [136143]

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.

I will write to my hon Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies in the UK provide animals for use in experimentation; whether they receive Government assistance; and what regulations control to whom they supply. [136145]

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.

The breeding and supply of animals for use in experimental or other scientific procedures in the United Kingdom is regulated under section 7 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. There are currently five commercial establishments licensed under the 1986 Act primarily concerned with the breeding and supply of

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animals for use in experimentation. In addition to these, 140 establishments designated under the 1986 Act also breed animals for use in experiments.

Breeding and supplying establishments are only licensed if the Secretary of State is satisfied that they provide appropriate standards of care and accommodation as set out in the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals in Designated Breeding and Supplying Establishments presented to Parliament in 1995 under section 21 of the 1986 Act. A supplement to the code of practice dealing with the housing and care of ferrets and gerbils was published separately in 2001.

None of the licensed breeding and supplying establishments, nor any other establishments licensed under the provisions of the 1986 Act, receive financial assistance from the Home Office nor, as far as available records show, from any other Government Department.

The 1986 Act does not regulate the sale of animals. However, unless specifically exempted by the Secretary of State, species listed in Schedule 2 of the Act, including mice, rats, cats, dogs and primates, may only be obtained from designated breeding and supplying establishments for use in programmes of work licensed under the 1986 Act.

Arms Exports

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers she has to enforce the conditions contained in end-user control certificates; and what action she can take in case of breach of those conditions. [138618]

Mr. MacShane: I have been asked to reply.

The Government refuses export licences where there is a clear risk that the goods will be used in contravention of the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.

The Government has no legal power to enforce conditions contained in end-user certificates. We would, however, take any misuse of equipment into account when assessing future export licence applications for the end-users in question. In addition, the Government has the power to revoke licences for exports to purchasers of concern, which would prevent any outstanding arms exports to that purchaser from leaving the United Kingdom. It could also cancel any open licences for exports to that destination country, obliging exporters to apply for individual licences for each export, or refuse to accept any assurances given by a country about the end-use of an export.

We may liase with the Government in the country concerned, encouraging them to control or sanction the purchasers in question. If the end-user were a Government, we would have a wide range of foreign policy tools at our disposal.

Bechtel

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to her Department in each year since 1997,

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stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if she will make a statement. [138063]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 12 November 2003]: I have asked each of the Chief Executives of my Department to reply.

Letter from Claire Clancy to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

I am responding to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on behalf of Companies House, which is an Executive Agency of the DTI.

I can confirm from our records that Companies House has not contracted any work to Bechtel since 1999. Our records for 1997–1998 have been archived, and to check this period would incur a disproportionate cost. Due to the nature of Bechtel's work, however, I am confident they were not contracted by Companies House to carry out any work during this period.

Letter from Martin Wyn Griffith to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

I am replying on behalf of the Small Business Service (SBS), to the above question addressed to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. It concerns contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel, in each year since 1977.

SBS only commenced operations as an Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on 1 April 2000. Since that date, SBS has not engaged the services of Bechtel.

Letter from Desmond Flynn to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in of respect to your question (2002/4638) asking for a list of contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to the Office in each year since 1997, stating in ease case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract.

I can confirm that The Insolvency Service has had no dealings with Bechtel during this time.

Letter from Iain MacGregor to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question asking her if she will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to her Department in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if she will make a statement.

Bechtel has not carried out any contracts for consultancy or other work for National Weights and Measures Laboratory.

Letter from Kevin Woodrow to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

In the absence of Alison Brimelow, Chief Executive, I am replying to this parliamentary question, tabled on 7 November 2003, about contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for each year since 1997.

The Patent Office has had no contracts for consultancy or other work with Bechtel during this period.

Letter from Roger Heathcote to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

You asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to list contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to her Department in each year since 1997. I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS), which is an Agency of the DTI.

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I can confirm that the ETS has had no contracts with Bechtel over the period in question.

Letter from David Smith to Malcolm Bruce, dated 19 November 2003:

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency to your Parliamentary Question about contracts with Bechtel.

The Agency has no record of contracting with Bechtel since 1997.

Broadband

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government is taking to ensure that broadband is available throughout the Glasgow, Pollok constituency at the earliest possible date. [139407]

Mr. Timms: BT has recently informed the Department that ADSL has been enabled to all exchanges throughout the Glasgow, Pollok constituency. They are currently reviewing areas where not everybody will be able to receive an ADSL service, as they may live too far from the exchange and these will be published on their website shortly. BT announced on 17 November 2003 that they have set trigger levels for 2,300 more exchanges, (http://www.bt.com/broadband/). Broadband services are increasingly being made available via a range of alternative technologies across Scotland, for example, cable, one-way and two-way broadband satellite, fixed wireless and local wireless networks. The Scottish Executive is committed to extension of broadband to every area in Scotland. They offer a Broadband Business Incentive grant to encourage broadband take-up and information is available from Scottish Enterprise's website: http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom home/services-to-business/broadband.htm

Climate Change

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the contribution of the Carbon Trust to progress on meeting climate change targets. [134948]

Mr. Morley: I have been asked to reply.

The Carbon Trust was launched in 2001 as part of the Climate Change Programme. A formal review of the Climate Change Programme is planned for 2004 that will include an assessment of the contribution of the Carbon Trust towards climate change targets.

The Carbon Trust has undertaken an impact assessment of their programmes as part of their annual review which is available via their website www. thecarbontrust.co.uk.

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