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29 Jan 2004 : Column 495W—continued

Energy Policy

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average percentage level of availability was for each (a) onshore and (b) offshore windfarm in the UK in the last year for which figures are available. [R] [147518]

Mr. Timms: Figures for average levels of availability for individual windfarms are not available for reasons of commercial confidentiality. However the most recent figures available show an average load factor of all UK windfarms as being 29.9 per cent. in 2002.

Separate figures for offshore windfarms are not yet available as UK's first major offshore windfarm at North Hoyle has only been operational since November last year. However, we would expect average load factors to be greater due to the superior offshore wind resource.

Source:

DUKES 2003 available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/inform/energy-stats/renewables/index.shtml. Data for 2003 will become available in June 2003.

Enterprise Act

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers were introduced by the Enterprise Act 2002. [148898]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The main provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 are:

Office of Fair Trading

The Act establishes the OFT on a statutory basis as a corporate body. The Act provides the OFT with a number of new powers, including the following:

power to compel persons to answer questions or otherwise provide information or documents relevant to an investigation;

powers of surveillance, in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;

power to apply to court for orders disqualifying directors of companies which have committed a breach of competition law;

power to enter premises under a warrant.

Competition Measures

expert, independent, competition bodies take decisions on mergers and markets against a new competition-based test within a more transparent, predictable and accountable framework;

there is a new right of appeal to the Competition Appeals Tribunals in merger and market inquiries;

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there are rules for the conduct of the Competition Commission's inquiries allowing for a more transparent remedies-setting phase;

criminal sanctions with a maximum penalty of five years in prison to deter those individuals who dishonestly operate hardcore cartels—agreements to fix prices, share markets, limit production and rig bids;

there are greater opportunities to gain redress for victims of anti-competitive behaviour, consumer bodies who are able to make claims on behalf of individuals who have suffered.

Consumer Protection Measures

the Stop Now Orders regime has been extended to protect consumers from traders who do not meet their legal obligations;

the OFT is able to give formal approval to codes of practice;

consumer bodies are able to make 'super-complaints' to the OFT.

Insolvency Reforms

The Crown's preferential right to recover unpaid taxes ahead of other creditors have been abolished;

reform of corporate insolvency law and a streamlining of administration;

a new Bankruptcy Restrictions Order regime has been introduced;

the financial regime of the Insolvency Service has been modernised.

Estate Agent Ombudsman Scheme

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on the operation of the Estate Agent Ombudsman scheme; and if she will make a statement. [150881]

Mr. Sutcliffe: None. I expect the OFT to publish its report on estate agents shortly. I will study the recommendations carefully.

Manufacturing Industry

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many young people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have entered the manufacturing industry following school in each year since 1997; [145121]

(2) how many young people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have been employed in the manufacturing industry in each year since 1997. [145122]

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from J. Pullinger to Mr. Stephen Hepburn, dated 29 January 2004:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about young people employed in the manufacturing industry. I am replying in his absence. (145121 and 145122)

The attached table gives estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 resident in the United Kingdom and the North East region employed in the manufacturing industry, for the twelve month period ending November of each year from 1997 to 2003.

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These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates for South Tyneside or the Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency.

Although the LFS can provide some retrospective information, its principal focus is on the current labour market status of people when they are interviewed. No estimates of young people who left school to enter manufacturing industry are available.

As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.

Young people⁽¹⁰⁾ employed in the manufacturing industry⁽¹¹⁾ by area of residenceThousand

12-month periodending November	United Kingdom	North East
1997	679	33
1998	654	32
1999	604	29
2000	537	27
2001	530	24
2002	502	22
2003	447	20

⁽¹⁰⁾ People aged 16–24

⁽¹¹⁾ People whose main job is in Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 1992 Division D: Manufacturing

Note:

These LFS estimates have not been adjusted to reflect the 2001 Census results.

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey

Ling Dynamics Ltd.

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters of 13 November 2003 and 15 December 2003 from the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire on her Department's relationship with Ling Dynamics Ltd. of Royston. [150357]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 26 January 2004]: Following his letter of 13 November, the hon. Member will recall that I telephoned him to discuss his constituent's concerns. The hon. Member will also recall that, in early 2003, we both met with Mr. Williams to discuss various export control-related issues. We are well aware of the difficulties that Mr. Williams of Ling Dynamics Ltd. has been facing and are doing as much as we can to assist him.

Miners Compensation

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms are in place to ensure that miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases are settled within a reasonable period of time. [149914]

Nigel Griffiths: The Department and our contractors are doing all we can to speed up the process for respiratory disease claims.

The company currently contracted to provide the Medical Assessment Process (MAP), Schlumberger, have recruited 250 respiratory specialists to work on this scheme. This represents 40 per cent. of those available in the UK.

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To enable the medical assessments to be converted in to offers, IRISC, the Department's claim handlers, have increased their staff from 160 in November 1999 to around 1,150 at present.

To assist solicitors in turning round these offers, we have re-launched our website—www.coalclaims.com—where-solicitors are able to send in forms electronically and agree aspects of the claim online, particularly employment histories. Solicitors can also identify from the website their highest priority claims so they can better target their efforts on those cases that are most important.

The Department has received nearly 400,000 claims so far. We have made some 167,000 individual payments and settled 110,000 claims, totalling £959 million.

Note:

The Handling Agreement was approved by the judges concerned who still preside over the process of paying out the compensation. The Department and the claimants' solicitors are required to report back to the judge on progress three to four times a year. The next hearing is 3 February 2004.

Minimum Wage

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley have benefited from the minimum wage since its introduction. [149165]

Mr. Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for Lancashire or Chorley. However based on the Office for National Statistics' low pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the north west stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.

The DTI estimates that between 130,000 and 160,000 people in the north west benefited from the increase in minimum wage rates in October 2003.

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