You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

3 Mar 2004 : Column 988W—continued

North Korea

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to promote trade between the United Kingdom and North Korea. [157541]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: HMG has not undertaken any trade promotion activity with or in North Korea in the light of North Korea's pursuit of a clandestine nuclear weapons programme. The resumption of such activity is dependent upon substantial progress being made towards a resolution of the nuclear and diplomatic issues.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the benefits to UK firms of North Korea's legislation to exempt foreigners from dual taxation. [157551]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: None at present.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the benefits to UK firms of North Korea's legislation to give foreigners investment protection guarantees. [157552]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: None.

Paid Leave

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the work force has less than three weeks' annual paid leave. [155265]

Mr. Sutcliffe: According to the UK Labour Force Survey 1.7 per cent. of full-time employees had less than 15 days paid holiday including bank holidays in autumn 2003 compared to 4.6 per cent. in autumn 1997. From 1999 onwards the working time regulations provided 20 days paid annual leave entitlement including bank

3 Mar 2004 : Column 989W

holidays per year. In autumn 2003, 2.5 per cent. of full-time employees had less than 20 days paid annual leave including bank holidays compared to 6.8 per cent. in autumn 1997.

Small Business

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses have reported access to (a) finance and (b) regulation as barriers to growth in each year since 1997. [157233]

Nigel Griffiths: Prior to summer 2001 there were no Government surveys that collected robust information on the concerns of small businesses.

The following table records the proportion of small businesses reporting that access to finance was a barrier to growth in four surveys of small and medium enterprises conducted by the Small Business Service since 2001.

These surveys did not collect information on the proportion of small businesses reporting that regulation was a barrier to growth. They did, however, collect data on the proportion of small businesses reporting that regulation was one of the main obstacles to the success of their business. This information is also recorded in the following table.

In each survey, around two thousand owner-managers were interviewed.

The proportion of English small businesses with 1–249 employees(33) who said that they had had a problem with raising finance and that this had slowed the growth of their business(34)

Percentage
Wave 1 (summer 2001)6
Wave 2 (autumn 2001)3
Wave 3 (winter 2001–02)2
Wave 4 (summer 2002)(34)Not available
Wave 5 (autumn 2002)1

(33) Excludes firms with no employees.

(34) This question was not asked in Wave 4 of the Omnibus Survey.

Source:

Small Business Service Omnibus Survey

The proportion of English small businesses with 1–249 employees(35) who, when asked what were the main obstacles to the success of their business, mentioned regulation(36)

Percentage
Wave 1 (summer 2001)(36)Not available
Wave 2 (autumn 2001)25
Wave 3 (winter 2001–02)28
Wave 4 (summer 2002)20
Wave 5 (autumn 2002)22

(35) Excludes firms with no employees.

(36) This question was not asked in Wave 1 of the Omnibus Survey.

Source:

Small Business Service Omnibus Survey.

The results of the most recent survey of small businesses conducted by the Small Business Service (autumn 2003) will be published in summer 2004.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many national strategies for

3 Mar 2004 : Column 990W

the Small Business Service have been (a) developed and (b) implemented; and how her Department intends to monitor these. [157237]

Nigel Griffiths: In December 2002, the Small Business Service (SBS) published "Small Business and Government—The Way Forward"—a strategic framework for a government-wide approach to helping small businesses based around seven themes identified as key drivers for economic growth, improved productivity and enterprise for all. Government have used this framework to build a single, cross-government action plan for small business. The SBS published the Action Plan on 8 January 2004.

Implementation is now underway. Progress is being monitored through a web-based implementation programme accessible at www.sbs.gov.uk which sets out milestones and target dates for the implementation of the actions, together with relevant contact points within Government. It is being updated on a regular basis.

Takeovers

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from the CBI on the proposed EU Directive on Takeovers. [157902]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department received representations from, and had regular meetings with, the CBI and other business and City consultees throughout the negotiations on the EU Takeovers Directive. We expect the Directive to be finally adopted in the near future.

Working Hours

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the (a) costs and (b) benefits of long hours working for (i) non-manual and (ii) manual workers in the UK. [155289]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department has commissioned and published a two volume study entitled "Working long hours: a review of the evidence" (DTI Employment Relations Research Series No. 16) which summarises the costs and benefits of long hours working for both manual and non-manual workers in the UK. It can be found at the following web address: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/inform.htm.

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what position she plans to take in the Council of Ministers on the European Parliament's proposal to end the freedom of employees to work more than 48 hours a week; and if she will make a statement. [156462]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Council of Ministers will exchange views on the Commission's Communication published on 5 January 2004 when they meet on 4/5 March.

The UK believes legislation should provide minimum standards of employment protection while maintaining the flexibility our individual labour market requires and which many workers prefer. We believe that maintaining the opt out allows workers choice as well as protection.

3 Mar 2004 : Column 991W

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the UN Commission on Human Rights regarding the mandate of the Special Rapporteur in respect of human rights in Burma. [157463]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We fully support the efforts of Sergio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights. We are currently working with our EU partners on this year's Commission on Human Rights Resolution on Burma, including on Pinheiro's Mandate.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the UN Special Envoy to Burma. [157467]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I am in regular contact with Tan Sri Razali Ismail, the UN Special Envoy to Burma and last met him when he visited London in July 2003. We fully support his tireless efforts to promote reconciliation in Burma and we urge the regime to allow him to return to Burma soon—he and the UN have a crucial role to play in the reconciliation process.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the treatment of Rohingya Muslims under Burma's 1982 Citizenship Law; [157469]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are concerned by the issue of ethnic minority rights and the abuses suffered by ethnic groups in Burma including the Rohingya Muslims. The UK welcomes and is supportive of all efforts to encourage the Burmese military regime to enter into genuine and substantive dialogue with democratic and ethnic group leaders in Burma leading to national reconciliation.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the Burmese Government about the level of political detentions in the country since May 2003; [157615]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have repeatedly called on the Burmese regime to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, to release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience and to allow freedom of speech

3 Mar 2004 : Column 992W

and activity for the National League for Democracy and all political parties. Most recently I pressed these issues when I met the Burmese Ambassador on 23 February.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of political detentions in Burma (a) between May 2002 and May 2003 and (b) since May 2003. [157616]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We estimate that there were approximately 1,300 political prisoners in Burma between May 2002 and May 2003. We estimate that there are currently about 1,350 political prisoners in Burma.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of rapes committed by members of the Burmese Army in 2003. [157630]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We do not have the information to make a reliable estimate.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that the Burmese Army will complete the withdrawal of troops from (a) Karen, (b) Karenni and (c) other ethnic areas. [157631]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is not possible to predict when the Burmese Army will complete its withdrawal of troops from these areas.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of the use of child soldiers in Burma by the State Peace and Development Council. [157634]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are deeply concerned by reports of child soldiers in Burma. UNICEF estimates that as many as 70,000 child soldiers are in the Burmese national army and Human Rights Watch reported in October 2002 that they constituted one fifth of Burma's army and can be as young as 11-years-old. The issue has been included in successive EU co-sponsored UNGA and UNCHR resolutions. In January 2004, the UN Security Council passed a Resolution on Children Affected by Armed Conflict. We highlighted our concerns on child soldiers in Burma.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the ceasefire agreement between the State Peace and Development Council in Burma and the Karen National Union; [157635]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: When I met the Burmese Ambassador on 23 February, I welcomed the talks between the State Peace and Development Council and the Karen National Union to agree a ceasefire. I hope that these talks will lead to a permanent peace settlement.

3 Mar 2004 : Column 993W

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the extent of forced labour in Burma. [157643]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Burmese Government have still to address effectively the international community's concerns over the use of forced labour in Burma. In 2002 and 2003 there was a worrying number of credible reports suggesting forced labour was widespread in Burma, especially in the border areas where the military presence remains high. At the International Labour Organization (ILO) Governing Body meeting on 20 November 2003 the EU expressed grave concern at the Burmese Government's failure to take effective action on forced labour and stressed the need to fully implement the recommendations from the ILO High Level Team report of September 2001 without any further delay. The ILO's Governing Body meeting in March 2004 will give further consideration to the situation in Burma.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had contact with the Karen National Union; and what was discussed. [157645]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have had no direct contact with the Karen National Union.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last communicated with representatives of the State Peace and Development Council in Burma; and what the content of the exchange was. [157646]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I met the Burmese Ambassador on 23 February to discuss the State Peace and Development Council plans for a National Convention. I pressed for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners. I stressed the need for an inclusive, transparent National Convention with a clear time-frame. We welcome the move from detention to house arrest of U Tin Oo, but we call for his and Aung San Suu Kyi's full release.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) Karen and (b) Karenni people who have been displaced by the Burmese Army in each of the last three years. [157647]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We estimate that approximately 140,000 refugees, mostly from Karen and Karenni States, live in refugee camps on the Thai/Burmese border. As many as one million live as illegal migrants in Thailand. We estimate there are about 630,000 internally displaced people within Burma.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Burma; and what representations he has made to the Burmese Government about the matter. [157723]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: There has been no significant improvement in the human rights situation in Burma. I regularly raise our concerns on humanitarian issues with the Burmese authorities, most recently when I met the Burmese Ambassador on 23 February. We co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Human Rights Resolution on Burma last December and will play an

3 Mar 2004 : Column 994W

active role in the forthcoming UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. We strongly support the efforts of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, Sergio Pinheiro.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Burmese Government about the need for an independent investigation into the violence perpetrated in Depayin on 30 May 2003. [157726]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have repeatedly condemned the violent regime-sponsored attack on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy on 30 May 2003. The UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Resolution on Burma in December 2003 that called on the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to hold a full and independent enquiry into Depayin with international co-operation. We await the SPDC's response.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese Government about the fate of the 11 people sentenced to death for high treason under Article 122(1) of the Penal Code. [157727]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and we, together with European Union partners, call on all countries to abolish the death penalty. The EU Presidency expressed the EU's grave concern over the sentences in a demarche to the Burmese authorities in December.

Next Section Index Home Page