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11 Dec 2003 : Column 556W—continued
Domestic Violence
22. Andrew Selous: To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on proposals to tackle domestic violence as it affects women. [143339]
Ms Hewitt: We introduced the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill in the House of Lords on 1 December 2003. This is the biggest overhaul of domestic violence legislation for 30 years.
Iraq
23. Kali Mountford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on action she is taking to ensure that Iraqi women play a full part in the leadership of Iraq. [143341]
Ms Hewitt: I have been very involved in supporting Iraqi women to play a full role in the leadership of their country.
I recently met Dr. Raja Khuzaai, one of the two female members of the Iraqi Governing Council, to discuss concrete ways to support women's full involvement in the emerging political structures.
I have also pledged my full support for the establishment of an Iraqi Women's Higher Council—a non-governmental advisory body on women's issues.
Sex Discrimination Act
24. Julie Morgan: To ask the Minister for Women what plans she has to propose amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to introduce a public sector duty to promote equality between men and women. [143342]
25. Joan Ruddock: To ask the Minister for Women when she will take steps to amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to introduce a public sector duty to promote equality between men and women. [143343]
Jacqui Smith: The Government are taking forward a significant legislative agenda on equality matters, and they have committed themselves to introduce a duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for women and men generally when parliamentary time allows.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Inflation Target
14. Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of state for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the
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impact of the change in the Bank of England's inflation target from RPIX to HICP on the competitiveness of UK businesses. [143332]
Jacqui Smith: The move of target to the HICP will have no effect on the competitiveness of UK business.
Miners' Compensation
15. Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the legal fees charged to former coal miners who are claiming compensation for industrial illnesses. [143333]
Nigel Griffiths: The Department's position on solicitors' or claims handlers' charges is clear: we believe that all the compensation should go to the claimant without anyone taking a slice of it.
I deplore any attempt to charge sick miners or their widows and families for legal or administration expenses, which are covered by the DTI. I am asking the firms involved to reimburse sick miners' widows and families in such cases.
16. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received regarding solicitors charging success fees in coal health compensation claims. [143334]
Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend and the Prime Minister have received angry representations from hon. Members and others.
I deplore any attempt to charge sick miners or their widows and families for legal or administration expenses that are covered by the DTI. I am asking the firms involved to reimburse sick miners widows and families in such cases.
Bangladesh
17. James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on bilateral trade relations with Bangladesh. [143335]
Ms Hewitt: Bilateral trade in goods between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh in 2002 was worth £549.8 million, an increase of 5 per cent. over 2001. In the first nine months of 2003, bilateral trade in goods with Bangladesh amounted to £438 million, an increase of 8.2 per cent. over the same period in 2002.
Total UK exports to Bangladesh in 2002 were worth £66 million. Our principal exports are power generating machinery and equipment, dyeing, tanning and colouring materials and specialised industrial machinery and medical and pharmaceutical products.
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Carbon Tax
18. Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to promote the introduction of a carbon tax to apply to the energy industry. [143496]
Ms Hewitt: Since this is a tax matter, any decisions are a matter for the Chancellor as part of the Budget process, taking account of the Government's economic, social and environmental objectives.
Bankruptcy
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many self-employed people have declared themselves bankrupt in each quarter since quarter one of 2002. [143150]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The number of self-employed people declared bankrupt in England and Wales from the first quarter of 2002 to the second quarter of 2003 is shown in the following table. Total bankruptcies are also provided to put the figures in context. The sub-division of total bankruptcies into self-employed and other categories is not yet available for third quarter 2003.
| Self-employed bankruptcies | Totalbankruptcies | |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | ||
| Q1 | 2,261 | 6,027 |
| Q2 | 2,235 | 6,269 |
| Q3 | 2,244 | 6,249 |
| Q4 | 2,114 | 5,747 |
| 2003 | ||
| Q1 | 2,468 | 6,912 |
| Q2 | 2,267 | 6,948 |
| Q3 | n/a | 7,217 |
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many self-employed individuals were declared bankrupt (a) in the third quarter of 2003 and (b) since 1 October, broken down by industrial sector; and how many (i) employees, (ii) unemployed people and those with no occupation, (iii) directors and promoters of companies and (iv) people whose occupation is unknown were declared bankrupt (A) in the third quarter of 2003 and (B) since 1st October. [143256]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 10 December 2003]: There were 7,217 bankruptcies as a whole in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2003. The requested breakdown into types of individual is published one quarter in arrears of the main series and is not yet available for third quarter 2003. The third quarter data will be published on 6 February 2004. The latest data published on 7 November 2003 cover up to the second quarter of 2003 and are attached.
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Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will provide a breakdown by (a) age, (b) sex, (c) ethnicity, (d) region, (e) housing tenure and (f) household structure of individuals declared bankrupt in (i) each year since 1997 and (ii) each quarter in 2003. [143257]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The official bankruptcy figures for England and Wales are available broken down by the
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Official Receiver's Office that dealt with the case. There are no official breakdowns available by age, sex, ethnicity, housing tenure or household structure of the bankrupt.
The following table gives the total number of bankruptcies by regions classified according to groupings of Official Receivers' Offices falling within them from 1999 to 2002 and the first three quarters of 2003.
| 2003 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | |
| Anglia | 3,408 | 3,144 | 3,521 | 3,527 | 1,013 | 1,003 | 1,082 |
| London | 1,286 | 1,285 | 1,427 | 1,457 | 450 | 463 | 479 |
| Midlands | 3,066 | 3,187 | 3,409 | 3,501 | 1,046 | 1,002 | 1,105 |
| North East | 3,396 | 3,838 | 4,228 | 4,227 | 1,082 | 1,208 | 1,185 |
| North West | 3,517 | 3,640 | 4,108 | 4,116 | 1,020 | 1,208 | 1,039 |
| South East | 2,931 | 2,730 | 2,755 | 3,052 | 1,017 | 999 | 1,056 |
| South West | 4,002 | 3,720 | 4,023 | 4,401 | 1,281 | 1,351 | 1,267 |
| Public Interest Unit | 5 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| National total | 21,611 | 21,550 | 23,477 | 24,292 | 6,912 | 6,948 | 7,217 |
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