| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
5 Jan 2004 : Column 114W—continued
Equal Treatment at Work Directive
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has carried out into the preparedness of United Kingdom companies for the introduction of the Equal Treatment at Work Directive. [142829]
Ms Hewitt: Most of the provisions of the amended Equal Treatment Directive are already reflected in existing Great Britain legislation. There has already been some consultation on the principles of some of the legislative provisions of the amended Equal Treatment Directive, and we said then we planned further consultation and provided a target of late 2005 for implementation.
The Employment Directive makes discrimination in employment and vocational training against an individual on the grounds of his or her religion or belief or sexual orientation unlawful. We have held three consultations since the Employment Directive was first drawn up. We have ensured where possible that the new legislation has been introduced in a way that is consistent with existing long-standing equality legislation. Since the summer DTI has held a series of awareness raising seminars for employers. ACAS has produced guidance to help employers on which they consulted widely and is available online at www.acas.org.uk
Foreign Debt
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guarantees the Export Credits Guarantee Department has issued to each heavily indebted poor country in each year since 1997; what the (a) value and (b) project type was in each instance; and what the total outstanding debt owed by each country is (i) in total and (ii) broken down by (A) amounts at risk, (B) unrecovered claims and (C) moratorium interest accrued on the unrecovered claims. [144834]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 18 December 2003]: Since 1997 ECGD has only supported business in three Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, namely Vietnam, Ghana and Tanzania. Vietnam is a sustainable HIPC requiring no debt restructuring since the early 1990s. Ghana, until relatively recently, was also regarded as a sustainable HIPC but is now benefiting from HIPC debt treatment. Tanzania reached its Completion Point in December 2001 and all historic debt was written off by the UK. The business supported was as follows:
5 Jan 2004 : Column 115W
1998 Vietnam—Paper Mill Equipment, value £6 million.
1999 Vietnam—Coal Fired Power Plant, value £24 million.
1999 Vietnam—Investment in Sugar Refinery, value £16 million.
1997 Ghana—Capital Equipment and Related Services, value £7 million.
1997 Ghana—Waste Water Project, value £17 million.
1997 Ghana—Road Proj ect, value £14 million.
1998 Ghana—Capital Equipment and Related Services, value £6 million.
1999 Ghana—Kotoka airport project, value £19 million.
2000 Tanzania—Investment in Water and Sewerage Contract, value £2 million.
| Market | Unrecovered claims | Capitalised interest | Arrears of interest | Total rescheduled debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angola(23) | 51.483 | 4.437 | 71.744 | 127.664 |
| Cameroon | 27.081 | 32.561 | 0.000 | 59.642 |
| Central African Republic | 0.161 | 0.163 | 0.037 | 0.361 |
| Congo | 58.076 | 82.268 | 19.497 | 159.841 |
| Cote D'Ivoire | 6.435 | 9.567 | 0.137 | 16.139 |
| D.R. Congo | 16.304 | 52.728 | 0.000 | 69.032 |
| Ethiopia | 11.174 | 0.460 | 0.007 | 11.641 |
| Ghana | 45.682 | 0.821 | 0.000 | 46.503 |
| Guinea | 0.932 | 2.824 | 0.000 | 3.756 |
| Guyana | 11.638 | 21.218 | 0.000 | 32.856 |
| Kenya(23) | 16.522 | 2.337 | 0.000 | 18.859 |
| Liberia | 6.229 | 0.000 | 14.176 | 20.405 |
| Madagascar | 11.822 | 11.607 | 0.000 | 23.429 |
| Malawi | 0.353 | 0.007 | 0.000 | 0.360 |
| Nicaragua | 0.368 | 0.588 | 0.000 | 0.956 |
| Niger | 3.745 | 4.135 | 0.000 | 7.880 |
| Senegal | 0.666 | 0.693 | 0.000 | 1.359 |
| Sierra Leone | 0.957 | 2.435 | 0.000 | 3.392 |
| Somalia | 11.461 | 3.694 | 16.370 | 31.525 |
| Sudan | 91.643 | 33.094 | 405.718 | 530.455 |
| Togo | 9.113 | 5.206 | 4.869 | 19.188 |
| Vietnam(23) | 5.683 | 4.422 | 0.000 | 10.105 |
| Zambia | 68.949 | 94.040 | 0.000 | 162.989 |
| Totals: | 456.477 | 369.305 | 532.555 | 1,358.337 |
(23) indicates that this is a Sustainable HIPC. All other markets are Unsustainable HIPCs.
Identity Cards
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the implications of the introduction of compulsory identity cards for her Department. [142415]
Ms Hewitt: My Department has been fully involved in discussions on the benefits and costs of a national identity card scheme. The introduction of such a scheme is a long-term undertaking and my Department will be involved in on-going analysis of its implications.
As the Home Office document "Identity Cards the Next Steps" (November 2003 Cm 6020) made clear, the Government will be
- "working closely with business—particularly small business—trade unions and others to design the system to maximise the benefits and minimise the compliance costs to law-abiding businesses and to develop an effective enforcement system that will deal with illegal workers and the minority of businesses that deliberately flout the law."
5 Jan 2004 : Column 116W
Industrial Development Unit
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many grants and of what value have been made by the Industrial Development Unit in her Department; and how many new jobs have been created as a result of these in the last five years broken down by region. [145758]
Jacqui Smith: The Industrial Development Unit lead on the appraisal of Regional Selective Assistance applications for assistance of £2 million or more. Decisions are made by Ministers. Details of cases over the five years ending 30 September 2003, are as follows:
| Region | Offers accepted (number) | Value(£ million) | Expected jobs (new and safeguarded) |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | 2 | 9.95 | 2,211 |
| North East | 9 | 102.84 | 7,215 |
| North West | 6 | 73.94 | 5,237 |
| South East | 2 | 7.50 | 631 |
| South West | 3 | 11.71 | 1,210 |
| West Midlands | 6 | 48.00 | 5,322 |
| York/Humberside | 4 | 13.01 | 1,068 |
| Total | 32 | 266.95 | 22,894 |
Legislation
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation sponsored by her Department in 2002–03 was introduced to implement EU requirements. [141130]
Ms Hewitt: My Department sponsored four Bills during the 2002–03 session, of which 25 per cent. implemented EU requirements.
Of the 141 statutory instruments put through Parliament by my Department in 2002–03 session, 26 per cent. were introduced to implement EU requirements.
Manufacturing Industry
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been taken to promote the manufacturing industry within schools. [145120]
Jacqui Smith: We published the Government's Manufacturing Strategy in May 2002—the first such strategy for 30 years—which we developed in partnership with industry, trade unions and other stakeholders, following a summit meeting on the challenges facing manufacturing held in December 2001. We are working closely with industry and other stakeholders to create a high value and high skill manufacturing sector that attracts young people as an exciting and innovative area of work.
We are supporting a number of key initiatives in order to promote the manufacturing industry within schools. For example, SETNET (The Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths Network) operates through a UK wide network to encourage young people to take an interest in these areas, and to understand the opportunities that a career in industry can offer.
5 Jan 2004 : Column 117W
Many of the new Sector Skills Councils are also helping to promote careers in manufacturing. For example, SEMTA—the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies—runs several schemes to promote careers in industry to young people, including an Engineering Careers Information Service.
Advantage West Midlands and the West Midlands Manufacturing Advisory Service are working in collaboration with the Manufacturing Foundation to support the Inside Manufacturing Enterprise regional company visit programme, which gives both businesses and schools access to some of the best manufacturing and engineering companies in the West Midlands.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the change in manufacturing sector investment over the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [143425]
Ms Hewitt: Government's Manufacturing Strategy, published in May 2002, identified the UK's long-standing weakness in investment as a key factor for the gap with our main competitors in manufacturing productivity. Manufacturing investment has declined from £20.4 billion in 1998 to £14.6 billion in 2002, due in part to weakness of external demand, spare capacity and increased uncertainty about the prospects for the global economy. It is also the case that UK manufacturing investment is cyclical with respect to the UK economy. The accelerating economic growth currently being experienced by the UK is likely to engender stronger manufacturing investment, albeit with a lag. This is consistent with the CBI's November 2003 forecast (Economic and Business Outlook) that UK manufacturing investment will grow by 0.8 per cent. in 2004 and 4.8 per cent. in 2005.
The Government are taking action to provide a climate conducive to investment for the long-term in UK manufacturing, by maintaining a stable macro-economic framework, together with measures such as reforming capital gains tax; making permanent enhanced capital allowances for small and medium sized firms; introducing the R&D tax credit for small and large firms; establishing Regional Venture Capital Funds; and extending the Small Firm Loan Guarantee.
The Pre-Budget Report contained a number of announcements that further build on this, including: measures to overcome barriers to raising finance for small business, notably a pathfinder round of Enterprise Capital Funds and proposed enhancements to Venture Capital Trusts and the Enterprise Investment Scheme. It also announced a new, clearer and more accessible R&D tax credit definition and extension of the scope of qualifying costs.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact that changes in manufacturing investment will have on the competitiveness of UK businesses. [143428]
Ms Hewitt: The Government's Manufacturing Strategy, published in May 2002, has identified the UK's long-standing weakness in investment as a key
5 Jan 2004 : Column 118W
factor for the gap with our main competitors in manufacturing productivity. Manufacturing investment has declined from £20.4 billion in 1998 to £14.6 billion in 2002, due in part to weakness of external demand, spare capacity and increased uncertainty about the prospects for the global economy. It is also the case that UK manufacturing investment is cyclical with respect to the UK economy. The accelerating economic growth currently being experienced by the UK is likely to engender stronger manufacturing investment, albeit with a lag. This is consistent with the CBI's November 2003 forecast (Economic and Business Outlook) that UK manufacturing investment will grow by 0.8 per cent. in 2004 and 4.8 per cent. in 2005.
As explained in the UK Productivity and Competitiveness Indicators 2003, investment is one of the five key drivers of productivity and thus competitiveness identified by the Government. Investment in physical plant, machinery and buildings helps make workers more productive and is a way of embodying new technology in the production process. As such, investment is vital to manufacturing's long-term prosperity and the Government are committed to creating an environment where such investment can flourish. That is why the Government have reformed the macro economic framework and are undertaking extensive reform of the product, labour and capital markets. For example, in terms of capital markets, the Government have reformed capital gains tax; made permanent enhanced capital allowances for small and medium sized firms; introduced the R&D tax credit for small and large firms; established Regional Venture Capital Funds; and extended the Small Firm Loan Guarantee.
The Pre-Budget Report contained a number of announcements that further build on this, including: measures to overcome barriers to raising finance for small business, notably a pathfinder round of Enterprise Capital Funds and proposed enhancements to Venture Capital Trusts and the Enterprise Investment Scheme. It also announced a new, clearer and more accessible R&D tax credit definition and extension of the scope of qualifying costs.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |