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11 Feb 2004 : Column 1469W—continued

Departmental Staff

Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of staff employed within his Department are over 55 years of age; and what (a) number and (b) percentage of staff recruited over the last 12 months are over 55 years of age. [145929]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The following table shows the number and percentage of staff in DFID aged 55 and over at 1 April 2003. The figures are based on the headcount of permanent civil servants.

Number and percentage of staff in DFID aged 55 and over at 1 April 2003

	DFID
Age 55 plus	150
Others	1,490
Total	1,640
Percentage of staff aged 55 plus	9.1

Note:

Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Rounding may lead to inconsistencies between the sum of individual cells and the totals are calculated from the unrounded numbers.

Source:

DFID

11 Feb 2004 : Column 1470W

The following table shows the number and percentage of recruits to DFID over the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 who are aged 55 years and over. Figures are based on the headcount of Permanent civil servants.

Number and percentage of recruits to DFID over the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 aged 55 and over

	DFID
Age 55 plus	10
Others	120
Total	130
Percentage of recruits aged 55 plus	8.1

Note:

Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Rounding may lead to inconsistencies between the sum of individual cells and the totals are calculated from the unrounded numbers.

Source:

DFID

Liberia

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure greater transparency in the Transitional Government in Liberia. [153346]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) has agreed, with the support of the international community, a Results Focused Transitional Framework to guide the process of reconstruction during its two-year period of office. It includes benchmarks on improved governance, democratic development, the rule of law, and transparency and accountability of public institutions (including those responsible for the financial sector and procurement).

The NTGL has taken several steps to improve public financial management. It has made the Ministry of Finance solely responsible for tax and revenue collection and has made it a criminal offence for other officials to collect them; it has ended the monopolies on rice and petroleum products; and it has announced audits of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company, the Forestry Development Authority, the National Port Authority, the Bureau of Maritime Affairs and Roberts International Airport. It has also set up committees to examine measures needed to bring order to the forestry and diamond industries and to the aircraft registry. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed in August 2003, provides for free and fair elections in October 2005.

We support the NTGL in these objectives. For 2003 and 2004, we have committed a total of £16.6 million in bilateral aid and £13 million as our share of the EU budget for Liberia.

PRIME MINISTER

Mr. Tom Kelly

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons he has not dismissed Mr. Tom Kelly as his official spokesman following the publication of Lord Hutton's criticism of him. [154056]

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The Prime Minister: My official spokesman made an immediate and very full apology at the time, and he repeated it to the inquiry. Lord Hutton deals with this in his report.

Cabinet Secretary

Mr. Gray: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2004, Official Report, column 713W, of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates (a) the then Cabinet Secretary reported that he had been approached by IBM UK to join its advisory board, (b) the then Cabinet Secretary sought the Prime Minister's permission to take up the appointment and (c) the Prime Minister gave his approval for the appointment to be taken up; and what the conditions were on that approval. [154362]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 2 February 2004, Official Report, column 13W. This appointment was accounted for in the second report of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister what the first date was on which he told President Bush that the UK would be prepared to go to war with the US against Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [154457]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 868W.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Renewable Energy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to (a) re-examine and (b) change the renewables obligation on electricity suppliers; and if she will make a statement. [154231]

Mr. Timms: A review of the Renewables Obligation will take place in 2005–06. Last December, the Government announced an increase in the level of the Obligation for the years between 2010 and 2015 so that it increases in stages to 15.4 per cent. by 2015–16.

There will be a statutory order to give effect to some technical changes from 1 April 2004 following a consultation exercise last autumn. The statutory consultation needed to implement the extension of obligation will take place later this year and may contain other proposals to mitigate the risk of future shortfalls in the renewables buyout fund.

Baku to Ceyhan Pipeline

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of the Baku to Ceyhan pipeline; and if she will make a statement. [153744]

11 Feb 2004 : Column 1472W

Mr. Mike O'Brien: ECGD carried out a rigorous assessment of the environmental, social and human rights impacts of the BTC pipeline project in accordance with its Case Impact Analysis Process.

ECGD assessed the project using World Bank and EU environmental guidelines and standards. The Department studied over 11,000 pages of project documentation covering the environmental and social impacts; met with, and received comments from, interested third parties, including those arising out of ECGD's public disclosure procedure, and carried out a site visit. Independent environmental consultants were also employed to assess the project and assist in ECGD's analysis.

British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with representatives of the US Department of Energy regarding the BNFL contract to build a nuclear processing plant in Idaho; and if she will make a statement. [142132]

Mr. Timms: BNFL's subsidiary BNFL Inc. has a contract with US DoE to manage waste at a facility in Idaho—the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant. My officials have liaised with USDoE and the company on the settlement of claims for compensation under the terms of the contract. These discussions are a commercial matter.

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her Written Statement of 11 December 2003, Official Report, columns 93–95WS, on BNFL strategy review, if she will make a statement on the future of BNFL's US subsidiaries.[R] [148979]

Mr. Timms: As set out in my announcement, the priority for BNFL going forward is to focus on UK clean up. Against this background, the objective relating to the US activities is to manage the businesses to deliver value and in a way that limits and controls risk to the UK taxpayer. In relation to the Westinghouse business, the Government have agreed with the BNFL Board that steps will be taken to enable the business to operate with greater financial independence from its parent, so that possibilities for private sector participation are opened up.

Broadband (Lancashire)

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on roll-out of broadband in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley; and how (i) urban and (ii) rural businesses will benefit. [153842]

Mr. Timms: I refer my hon Friend to the answer I gave on 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1167W, covering the roll-out of broadband in Lancashire. The roll-out of broadband is primarily a matter for the Operators. According to BT's website (www.bt.com/broadband/), Chorley's telephone exchange has been enabled for broadband via ADSL since 30 June 2002. Broadband in Chorley may also be available over cable television, satellite and fixed wireless networks.

11 Feb 2004 : Column 1473W

In November 2003, I called for public bodies, broadband providers and community organisations to work together to bring broadband availability to every community in the UK by the end of next year. BT and others have since come forward to support this target.

Broadband will enable urban and rural businesses to become more productive, innovative and competitive. The joint DTI/DEFRA Rural Broadband Unit has recently published a toolkit to help businesses in rural areas understand the issues and benefits of broadband. Further information for the benefits small businesses can get from broadband is available on the UK Online For Business website, including an availability checker, (http://www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk/cms/template/general-content.sp?id=249178)

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