House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Dec 2003 (pt 4)

15 Dec 2003 : Column 638W—continued

Projects (St. Helens)

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which projects have been (a) wholly and (b) partly funded by his Department in St. Helens since 1997; when each project was announced; when it started or was expected to start; what funding was provided by (i) Government and (ii) a third party; what third party provided funding; what the target group of the project was; what the projected outcome of the project was; and what the name of the project was. [141277]

Ms Blears: The information requested is not available for Home Office funding in St. Helens prior to the introduction of the Crime Reduction Programme in 1999. Furthermore files for projects funded before the introduction of the Safer Communities Initiative in 2002–03 are now in the Government Office's registry, and to retrieve them would incur disproportionate costs.

CRP initiative Year Description (location) Funding (£)

CCTV 2001–02 Priority Wards Mobile System 50,000

CCTV 2001–02 St. Helens Hospital 50,450

CCTV 2002–03 Safer St. Helens 872,000

Reducing Burglary 2002–03 Windlehurst/Dentons Green Area, St. Helens 9,500

Communities Against Drugs 2001–02 Reduce impact on local communities of drugs 171,000

Small Retailers in Deprived Area Year 1 2001–02 CCTV in Finger Post Shopping Centre 18,509

Targeted Policing 2002–03 Merseyside Police—St. Helens—Vehicle crime 397,000

Safer Communities Initiative 2002–03 — 66,646

Communities Against Drugs 2002–03 £171,100 plus £165,135 Street Crime Uplift 336,235

Partnership Development Fund 2002–03 — 20,000

Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Year 2 2002–03 Junction Line, Elephant Line, Toll bar and Cambridge Road precincts 26,599

Building Safer Communities Fund 2003–04 — 244,982

HO Regional Directors Fund 2003–04 — 12,764

Basic Command Unit 2003–04 — 162,734

Communities Against Drugs carry forward 2003–04 £42,250⁽⁴⁾ 42,250

Domestic Violence 2003–04 — 3,600

CRP initiative	Year	Description (location)	Funding (£)
CCTV	2001–02	Priority Wards Mobile System	50,000
CCTV	2001–02	St. Helens Hospital	50,450
CCTV	2002–03	Safer St. Helens	872,000
Reducing Burglary	2002–03	Windlehurst/Dentons Green Area, St. Helens	9,500
Communities Against Drugs	2001–02	Reduce impact on local communities of drugs	171,000
Small Retailers in Deprived Area Year 1	2001–02	CCTV in Finger Post Shopping Centre	18,509
Targeted Policing	2002–03	Merseyside Police—St. Helens—Vehicle crime	397,000
Safer Communities Initiative	2002–03	—	66,646
Communities Against Drugs	2002–03	£171,100 plus £165,135 Street Crime Uplift	336,235
Partnership Development Fund	2002–03	—	20,000
Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Year 2	2002–03	Junction Line, Elephant Line, Toll bar and Cambridge Road precincts	26,599
Building Safer Communities Fund	2003–04	—	244,982
HO Regional Directors Fund	2003–04	—	12,764
Basic Command Unit	2003–04	—	162,734
Communities Against Drugs carry forward	2003–04	£42,250⁽⁴⁾	42,250
Domestic Violence	2003–04	—	3,600

⁽⁴⁾ Paid in 2002–03 but to be defrayed in 2003–04

Sentencing

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were jailed in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 under section 111 of the provisions of the Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, for a third offence of burglary. [141645]

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Paul Goggins [holding answer 3 December 2003]: Six people were sentenced under section 111 of the Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (previously section 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997) in England and Wales for a third offence of burglary in 2001 and two in 2002.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Private Member's Clubs

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Minister for Women (1) what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated since July 2002 to identify private members' sports clubs which are voluntarily removing rules which lead to different gender playing practices; [141555]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 9 December 2003]: There has been no formal assessment of sex discriminatory practices in private members' sports clubs.

Sex discriminatory treatment in private clubs is contrary to this Government's principles of opportunity for all. We have in the past consulted informally with interested parties about their progress in reducing such discrimination by voluntary means. We are keeping this matter under review.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Arms Exports

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many surface to air missiles have been (a) exported and (b) transferred in each of the last 10 years; and to which countries. [143076]

Nigel Griffiths: The DTI holds information on licences issued but not on those not used.

The details of all export licences are published by destination in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls.

British Energy

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to increase the current £200 million loan facility to British Energy; and when she expects to take a final decision on the future of the company. [141666]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 11 December 2003]: I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 1 December 2003, Official Report, columns 50 and 51WS.

British Energy's proposed restructuring will not be implemented until all conditions, including receipt of European Commission State Aid approval, are met. The company has put a back-stop date of 31 January 2005 for the restructuring to be completed, although it is expected to be implemented before then.

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If the Government are not satisfied that British Energy will be viable in all reasonable foreseeable conditions, or if there is a material adverse change in British Energy's position, the Government have reserved the right to withdraw its support for the restructuring. The Government remain ready for administration if any of the restructuring conditions are not met.

Business Investment

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what she attributes the change in the 2003 business investment forecast between Budget 2002 and Budget 2003. [143427]

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.

The reasons for the change in business investment forecasts between Budget 2002 and Budget 2003 are clearly set out in Chapter B of the Budget 2003 document (HC500).

Civil Partnership Bill

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the provisions of the Civil Partnership Bill apply to Scotland. [142626]

Jacqui Smith: The Scottish Executive has stated its preference for the Scottish Parliament to be invited to agree that provisions are included in the Civil Partnership Bill to establish a status of civil partnership in Scotland. The Scottish Executive is currently consulting on its Civil Partnership proposals and a final decision on the preferred legislative route will be made when the consultation has concluded. Including Scottish provisions within a UK Bill will be subject to the agreement of the Scottish Parliament.

The Government are prepared to include such Scottish provisions in its Bill on this basis.

The Bill will also make amendments to legislation which is reserved to Westminster and extends to Scotland.

Directors (Pay)

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has conducted into the pay gap between male and female directors. [140524]

Ms Hewitt: My Department has not conducted any specific research into the pay gap between male and female directors, however we do know that increases in the pay gap for very high earners drove the increase in the mean full-time pay gap figure last year.

As a consequence we provided a financial contribution towards the recent research 'The Female FTSE Report 2003' which showed that the number of female directorships currently stands at 101, up by 20 per cent. on last year. We also have a programme of work intended to encourage diversity in the boardroom.

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East Midlands Development Agency

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual advertising budget of the East Midland's Development Agency was in financial year 2002–03. [140807]

Jacqui Smith: East Midland's Development Agency's advertising costs for 2002–03 were £104,000.

Electricity Supply

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers she has to prevent a cut in electricity supply due to severe winter weather. [141889]

Mr. Timms : The market has responded to concerns about a possible shortfall by returning plant to service so that margins are at a similar level to the mid 1990's. However no system can be guaranteed and in the event of a possible power shortage there are a number of steps that NGT could take in order to maintain supplies and avoid rota cuts.

The Government have robust, and well rehearsed plans, for dealing with extreme circumstances that cannot be dealt with by NGT's normal operating arrangements.

Fair Trade Products

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is the policy of her Department to use fair trade products, as a matter of course, in (a) sales on Departmental premises and (b) receptions and meetings involving staff and visitors. [142816]

Ms Hewitt: Departmental policy is to promote the use of fair trade products. However, this is set against the background of the need to obtain best value for money, the EC procurement rules and the Department's objectives. Within these guidelines the Depatment is committed to supporting ethical trading wherever possible.

Within our main headquarters buildings, fair trade tea and coffee are as a matter of course (a) sold in the Departmental Staff Restaurants and (b) used for receptions and meetings involving staff and visitors.

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