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Globalisation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she (a) has taken and (b) is taking to assess the impact of globalisation on UK (i) manufacturing and (ii) services. [155973]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Globalisation affects our manufacturing and service industries in many ways. It offers great opportunities and benefits as well as tough challenges. Globalisation must not be something to which we respond passively: instead we must actively shape it to meet people's needs, in Britain and abroad.

The impact of globalisation and our appropriate policy response will be a key theme of the White Paper on Trade and Investment, which will be published in the summer.

Large Combustion Plants Directive

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new analysis her Department has conducted as to the impact of the proposed national emission reduction plan for implementation of the large combustion plants directive on indigenous coal production industry. [155898]

Mr. Timms: We are continuing to assess the potential economic impact of the introduction of the directive on the UK coal industry, and on the coal-fired electricity generating industry which is its major market, using both internal analyses and independent research. The aim of this analysis will be to understand the probable available market for indigenous coal under both implementation options and to form an understanding of the likelihood that UK coal producers will be able to fully exploit this available market.

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions her Department has had with the indigenous coal production industry on the implementation of the large combustion plants directive. [155899]

Mr. Timms: Officials from both the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are in continuing dialogue with the UK coal industry regarding the implementation of the large combustion plants directive. In addition, my noble Friend Lord Whitty, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural

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Affairs and I met representatives from the UK coal industry and the electricity generating industry, which is its major market, on 9 February to discuss their key concerns.

Lung Disease (Compensation Claims)

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to deal with claims for compensation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease received after the deadline. [156516]

Nigel Griffiths: Claims for compensation for respiratory disease received after the scheme deadline of 31 March 2004 will be dealt with under common law.

So far 4,506 claims have been made in my right hon. Friend's area. I encourage anyone else who may be eligible to claim before 31 March.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of the advertisement for a policy adviser (non-executive chairman designate) for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. [156973]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 27 February 2004]: The cost of the advertising in The Sunday Times, Glasgow Herald and The Scotsman for a policy adviser to the Department, who subject to the successful passage of the Energy Bill will be appointed as Chair of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on Royal Assent, was £20,400. The appointment details were also placed on the Cabinet Office's Public Appointments website.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what fee is being paid to Whitehead Mann in connection with the recruitment of a policy adviser (non-executive chairman designate) for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; when this fee will be paid; and if she will make a statement. [156974]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 27 February 2004]: The Department asked the recruitment consultants Whitehead Mann, following a competitive tender, to undertake a recruitment campaign for the post of policy adviser to the Department. He/she will advise on the preparations for the establishment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Subject to the successful passage of the Energy Bill, it is anticipated that the policy adviser will then become the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Chair. The company's fee for undertaking the recruitment campaign is scheduled to be paid in accordance with Cabinet Office's framework agreement with the company and fees will be charged in 0, 30, and 60 days. The charge to my Department to date has been £17,635 including VAT.

Overseas Trade Exhibitions

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regular overseas trade exhibitions which in 2003 were supported by funds originating from her Department are receiving reduced or no funding support originating from her Department or British Trade International in 2004. [157121]

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Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is not possible to say which regular overseas trade exhibitions supported in the 2003–04 financial year will not be supported in 2004–05. The final programme of supported exhibitions is not fully fixed a year in advance, and there is flexibility for events to be added to replace those that are cancelled (e.g. through lack of interest, or other factors such as terrorism, SARS etc.).

It is not possible to say which overseas exhibitions supported in 2003–04 will receive reduced funding in 2004–05. The exact funding level for an exhibition is not fixed in advance. It will normally depend upon the number of businesses wishing to join the UK Trade and Investment supported group, the actual Pound Sterling cost of stand space and construction, and the demands of other events in the same industry sector. Furthermore, the actual cost of many 2003–04 exhibitions is still unknown, as claims can be submitted up to four months after the date of an exhibition.

Port Clarence

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much One NorthEast plans to invest in the development of Port Clarence in Stockton. [156612]

Jacqui Smith: One NorthEast has been working with English Partnerships and others on a proposal for a potential development at Port Clarence on the River Tees. The project is at an early stage of development, with costs and feasibility yet to be determined.

Recruitment Advertising

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her Department's expenditure on recruitment advertising was in each of the last three years, broken down by publication; and what proportion of such expenditure was (a) to advertise vacant posts and (b) in the form of other general recruitment advertising. [155522]

Ms Hewitt: When running recruitment campaigns, recruitment costs, including advertising costs are generally devolved to individual management units and there are no central records held of the breakdown of advertising costs. When advertising vacancies, my Department uses the most appropriate advertising media, be it national, regional, local, trade magazine or website, depending on the nature of the vacancy to be filled.

Security Breaches

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are

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taking to address the problems arising from information security breaches. [157245]

Mr. Timms: The Department works with business to produce a biennial survey of information security breaches. The 2004 Information Security Breaches Survey will be launched on 27 April at the Infosecurity Europe exhibition. These surveys help to raise awareness of the need for good information security practice and help to inform our own activities. Recent surveys have identified a need for easy to understand security advice for small and medium-sized companies. In response to this need, our most recent initiative was the launch last year of an online source of information on e-security. This resource draws together a range of tools, advice and guidance on core areas of information security and is aimed particularly at smaller businesses. New content is currently being added to this site which can be found at www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk/informationsecurity. This will assist businesses in preventing and recovering from information security breaches.

Singapore Issues

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the inclusion of the Singapore issues in trade negotiations. [156328]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government believe that there are arguments that it is important for developed and developing countries alike to reduce bureaucracy on cross border trade (trade facilitation), to encourage a climate which facilitates foreign direct investment, to promote economic growth through fair competition and to encourage transparency in the procurement of public goods and services to help reduce corruption and increase good governance. However, we have made clear to our European Community partners that the UK prefers not to insist on including negotiations on investment and competition within the WTO Doha Development Agenda if doing so would jeopardise the DDA as a whole, given the benefits we believe a successful trade round could bring particularly to developing countries.

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