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20 Nov 2003 : Column 1427W—continued

Fisheries

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on recent developments on vessel eligibility for the compensation scheme for former Icelandic trawlermen. [139933]

Nigel Griffiths: The compensation scheme for former Icelandic trawlermen is being amended to include vessels that fished in areas within Icelandic waters, as defined in the scheme, but where proof of this was not available because they were traditionally recorded as Faroes vessels. This decision has been reached following representations from the Independent Adjudicator for the scheme.

Those who have reasonable grounds for believing that vessels made at least two trips to Icelandic waters including disputed areas such as Rosengarten and Working Man's Bank have been invited to put them forward in writing to my officials by 19 December 2003.

Decisions on which vessels are added to the list will be taken by my

Department on the following criteria:

The vessel must have the full support of the trawlermen' s representatives;


it must have a recorded and extensive history of Faroes fishing;


the size and weight of the vessel;


the length of the voyage;


the makeup of the crew; and previous information already received about the vessel's trips to disputed areas, principally Rosengarten and Working Man's Bank.

In January the Department will publish a list of accepted vessels. There will then be a period of three weeks in which to query any vessels that have not been included on the list in writing and giving reasons. A final list will be published during February 2004.

When vessels have been added to the list, my officials will re-examine claims made under the scheme, which closed in October 2002, and pay additional compensation to those which qualify.

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Gas Market

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the ability of the market to respond to the demand for gas in a 1 in 20 winter peak day in (a) winter 2003–04 and (b) each year up to and including 2009–10 should supplies from existing and new development projects fall below maximum levels. [139718]

Mr. Timms: Earlier this month my Department and Ofgem published the third report by the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group ("JESS"). JESS was set up to assess the risks to the UK's future gas and electricity supplies.

The JESS report highlights both the level of existing potential gas capacity, and the very significant levels of proven, probable and possible future investments over the next 10 years. It identifies a number of potential supply-side developments, including additional import connections with Norway; new LNG import terminals; more interconnection with continental Europe; upgrades to existing interconnectors; and additional gas storage capacity.

The report concludes that the market can respond to the demand for gas in the next decade (including peak gas demand or sustained high demand), by drawing on maximum supplies from existing and proposed new developments, including some of those which at present are less certain.

Meanwhile the recent agreement with the Norwegian Government will facilitate the development of projects that could meet some 20 per cent. of UK gas demand from 2007.

JESS has also been considering demand-side flexibility, including the responsiveness of the market to high prices at periods of high gas demand. Voluntary reductions in consumption by major consumers, if technically and commercially feasible, could play a significant role in balancing the market in such circumstances.

The Government continue to monitor the gas demand and supply situation.

Intellectual Property

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to increase the transfer of intellectual property (a) between businesses and (b) between business and academia. [135077]

Ms Hewitt: I have not been able to answer this question before Prorogation. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Libraries of the House.

Internet

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that deprived communities do not suffer an information deficit from lack of access to the internet. [139549]

Mr. Timms: Taking steps to ensure that deprived communities in both urban and rural areas do not suffer an information deficit from lack of access to the internet is one of the Government's key priorities. The

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Government recognise that internet access helps deprived communities to achieve social inclusion by benefiting from the knowledge economy. The Government's actions include:

6,000 UK Online Centres by end 2002 to provide either free or low-cost internet access with support for first-time users. Some 3,000 of the Online Centres are public libraries. 2,000 of the UK Online Centres are located in the most deprived wards. Currently, 100 per cent. of public libraries have internet access, of which some 85 per cent. have a broadband connection;


£199 million was made available from the Capital Modernisation Fund to help fund UK Online Centres in deprived communities;


a £30 million Broadband Fund administered by the Regional Development Agencies and devolved Administrations to run pilot projects to extend broadband availability to benefit SMEs among others in deprived communities;


DTI's Broadband Aggregation Project, announced in July 2003, which aims to secure value for money for public sector provision and ensure this has maximum impact on the provision of broadband for communities in deprived areas;

a joint DTI and Defra Rural Broadband Team, which was set up in May 2003 to address the issue of availability of broadband in rural areas, especially in deprived areas.

Invicta Motors

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will visit Invicta Motors in Chippenham to inspect their first production model. [136793]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 6 November 2003]: I regret that I am unlikely to be able to visit the company in the near future but hope to be able to meet them at next year's motorshow. I would, however, like to take this opportunity to wish them every success with their new sportscar.

Inward Missions Scheme

Mr. Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes she plans to make to the Inward Missions Scheme following the review by UK Trade and Investment; when the changes will come into effect; and if she will make a statement. [140149]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Changes resulting from the review of the Inward Missions Scheme are still under consideration. Decisions are expected soon, and all organisations that have been involved in the Scheme

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over recent years, and all those that were consulted as part of the review, will be informed. Any changes will be phased in from 1 April 2004.

Manufacturing

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many manufacturing jobs have been (a) created and (b) lost in South Yorkshire in each of the last five years. [138738]

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Jeff Ennis, dated 20 November 2003:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of manufacturing jobs that have been created and lost in the last 5 years in South Yorkshire. I am replying in his absence. (138738)

There are no figures for jobs created or lost but an indication can be obtained by comparing the annual surveys of employee jobs. The Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) gives an estimate of the number of employee jobs in December of each year; the latest year for which figures are available is 2001.

The ABI was preceded, prior to 1998, by the Annual Employment Survey. This inquiry had a different structure to the ABI and so direct comparisons cannot be made between the AES and ABI at a regional level.

Between 1998 and 2001 the ABI data show a net decrease in the number of manufacturing employee jobs in South Yorkshire of 32,500.

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many manufacturing jobs have been (a) created and (b) lost in Scotland in the last 12 months. [138391]

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.

This matter falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who will write to the hon. Member. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Miners' Compensation

Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been paid out in full in each area of the British coalfields; and what the latest total amount paid is. [140156]

Mr. Timms: As at the end of October 2003 the regional headline statistics breakdown is:

	Wales	Scotland	Notts, Derbys & Leics	Yorkshire	North East	Midlands	South/South East
Respiratory disease
Total claims received (£)	55,000	20,000	20,000	116,500	79,500	20,000	7,000
Full and final settlements (£)	20,000	5,000	7,000	29,000	19,000	3,000	2,000
Total Damages paid (£ million)	273	66	49	259	197	25	20
VWF
Total claims received (£)	21,000	11,000	22,000	60,000	45,500	5,000	4,000
Full and final settlements (£)	11,000	4,000	11,000	24,000	21,000	3,000	2,000
Total Damages paid (£ million)	112	62	123	340	325	26	25

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Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims have been paid out in full in the (i) East Midlands and (ii) Bolsover constituencies. [140157]

Mr. Timms: As at the end of October 2003 in the Bolsover constituency 4,162 have received an offer in full and final settlement of their claim. In relation to Vibration White Finger, 2,249 have received an offer in full and final settlement. In total we have paid out £48.5 million in interim and full and final settlements to claimants in Bolsover.

The correspondence figures for the Midlands are for respiratory disease 3,000 and for Vibration White Finger 3,000 totalling £51million.

A breakdown of both regional and constituency headline statistics is available on the Department's website—www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether ex-workers from the phurnacite coking works at Abercwmboi in the Cynon Valley are eligible to claim for bronchitis and emphysema under the Mineworkers' Compensation Scheme; and if she will make a statement. [140255]

Nigel Griffiths: Workers in phurnacite coking workers do not fall within the parameters of the British Coal Respiratory Disease Litigation High Court judgment. As such claims can not be processed under the resulting scheme, but can be pursued as personal injury claims under common law.

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will release records of dust levels recorded before 1991 at the phurnacite plant at Abercwmboi in the Cynon Valley. [140256]

Nigel Griffiths: The Department has always released dust records in line with requests received through the courts, and will be happy to release such records in the case of litigated phurnacite plant claims.

Mrs. Liddell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many ex-miners have in Airdrie and Shotts benefited from the Government's health compensation schemes; and what the average level of compensation paid has been to ex-miners in Airdrie and Shotts. [140382]

Nigel Griffiths: As at the end of October 2003, 685 have received an offer in full and final settlement of their claim for respiratory disease. In relation to Vibration White Finger, 79 have received an offer in full and final settlement. In total we have paid out £5.4 million in interim and full and final settlements to claimants in Airdrie and Shotts.

We estimate the average payment for respiratory disease is £7,700 and for Vibration White Finger it is £7,200.

A breakdown of both regional and constituency headline statistics is available on the Department's website—www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth.

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