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10 Mar 2004 : Column 1505W—continued
Defence Exports
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has made to the US Administration about (a) requirements to produce US defense equipment in the USA, (b) restrictions on foreign content in defence exports with military sales support, (c) technology export controls and (d) limits on control of US subsidiaries by UK companies; and what the outcome of such representations has been. [157050]
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Mr. Hoon: I have been asked to reply.
Ministerial colleagues and I expressed concerns last year about legislative proposals before Congress to impose further restrictions on overseas procurements to meet the United States' defense requirements. The legislation subsequently enacted did not include the proposals of most concern to us. Steps are regularly taken to press the case for United Kingdom companies to receive fair access to programmes for the supply of US-sourced equipment for third parties under foreign
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military sales arrangements. The licensing of US technology for export to the UK has been discussed with the US Administration in the context of proposals for a UK waiver from the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
On this I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 18 December 2003, Official Report, column 1066W. The matter of controls on foreign investment in the US has recently been raised with the US Administration by DTI Ministers. The Administration has given reassurances that the US would take proper account of the UK/US relationship in their case-by-case consideration.
Iraq
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 54W, on Iraqi oil, if she will list, by month, (a) the volume of Iraqi oil sold since May 2003, (b) the amount paid for the oil and (c) the amount received by the Development Fund for Iraq; and if she will make a statement. [158145]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 9 March 2004]: Information on the amount of Iraqi oil produced each month is given in Table 1 as follows. Information on the amount paid for the oil is not publicly available. As of 4 March 2004, US $6.15 billion of oil proceeds had been received by the Development Fund for Iraq. This information is available through the CPA website at www.cpa-iraq.org/budget/DFI intro1.html
| Net production(5) | |
|---|---|
| May 2003 | 0.28 |
| June 2003 | 0.44 |
| July 2003 | 0.70 |
| August 2003 | 1.11 |
| September 2003 | 1.41 |
| October 2003 | 1.58 |
| November 2003 | 1.92 |
| December 2003 | 1.97 |
| January 2004 | 2.04 |
(5) Estimated Iraqi oil supply net of re-injected crude oil.
Source:
International Energy Agency
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 54W, on Iraqi oil, on what basis Iraqi oil has been sold other than on a spot basis; to whom the oil has been sold; and if she will make a statement. [158146]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 9 March 2004]: Iraqi oil is sold by two other means, in addition to that sold on a spot basis.
The first is through tendered cargoes by which "parcels" of crude are advertised for sale and for which sealed priced bids are made. The second is through long-term agreements whereby certain regular buyers of Iraqi oil agree to buy a given volume of Iraqi oil at a pre-agreed sale price. These buyers may also be offered additional volumes at the same price should there be excess production.
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The Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) is responsible for the sale of oil on behalf of the Ministry of Oil.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts for reconstruction projects in Iraq have been awarded to each British company to have won such a contract; and what the total value is of such contracts. [159003]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Because of the large number of different organisations involved it has become increasingly difficult to maintain a clear picture of the total volume of contracts awarded, and the cumulative value of these contracts. Numerous British companies have been awarded contracts and sub-contracts for the reconstruction process in Iraq but some have asked us not to publicise their success because of issues of commercial confidentiality. As such, we are not able to put a value on the contracts awarded and the fact that many are involved in partnership with American, Iraqi and other companies.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what relationship she envisages between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Nirex. [159023]
Mr. Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced that the Government are giving consideration to the future of Nirex. It will only be possible to set out definitively the relationship between Nirex and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority once this consideration has been completed.
Regional Venture Capital Funds
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to attract corporate investment in regional venture capital funds. [157210]
Mr. Timms: In order to enable Fund Managers to attract private sector investors, the Government subordinated its investment position in the Regional Venture Capital Funds (RVCFs). This has allowed around £74 million of Government investment to lever an additional £176 million from private sector investors, some of whom were corporate investors.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 12 February 2004, Official Report, column 1628W, to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on the Regional Venture Capital Fund, what the regional breakdown by (a) number and (b) value is of the regional venture capital fund investments; and what proportion of the funds have been drawn down in each region. [157000]
Nigel Griffiths: As at 31 January 2004, the nine Regional Venture Capital Funds had made 112 investments in 87 small businesses, totalling over £21 million. Details of the numbers of investments made in each region are contained in the table.
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| Total investments | DTI investment | Drawn down from DTI as | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RVCF | Number | Amount | Total fund size | commitment | at 31 January 2004 |
| London | 10 | 2,250,000 | 50,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 2,950,000 |
| East Midlands | 19 | 3,245,047 | 30,000,000 | 9,000,000 | 3,650,000 |
| North East | 23 | 3,321,882 | 15,000,000 | 4,500,000 | 4,200,000 |
| West Midlands | 11 | 1,720,000 | 20,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 1,850,000 |
| South West | 4 | 1,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 7,500,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Yorkshire and Humber | 4 | 1,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 1,050,000 |
| South East | 27 | 6,100,000 | 30,000,000 | 7,500,000 | 7,050,000 |
| North West | 14 | 2,446,333 | 35,500,000 | 8,875,000 | 4,187,500 |
| East of England | 0 | 0 | 20,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 600,000 |
Spam E-mails
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she plans to help those who receive spam to block spam e-mails from their systems. [159749]
Mr. Timms: Effective blocking and filtering are a key part of the solution to spam. My Department is looking at ways of building up a stronger dialogue with internet service providers and other stakeholders about the deployment of network based spam blocking and filtering systems, and the education of users about the steps they can take to avoid spam. 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, including spam, 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.
The Government believe that the problem of spam needs to be tackled in the longer term by a combination of regulation, international cooperation, industry
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action and user awareness. The UK implemented new EU rules on the sending of unsolicited commercial e-mail here in December last year and we are playing a leading role in the development of international work on how to tackle crossborder spam.
Small Business (Rochdale)
Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what central Government support the small business sector has received in the constituency of Rochdale in each year since 1996. [157506]
Mr. Timms: The constituency of Rochdale has benefited from the following funding from central Government.
| SBS Core Funding for Business Link for North Manchester (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 | 2,868,225 |
| 2002–03 | 2,925,330 |
| 2001–02 | 2,661,103 |
(6) Business Link for North Manchester includes four other local authority areas in addition to Rochdale.
| L/A/Financial year | Number of offers | Total grant offered | Total project costs | Jobs to be created | Jobs Sfgd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 29 | 1,198,000 | 9,160,899 | 274 | 116 |
| 1997–98 | 9 | 249,000 | 2,541,360 | 70 | 15 |
| 1998–99 | 14 | 959,500 | 7,878,023 | 217 | 84 |
| 1999–2000 | 7 | 929,000 | 10,619,376 | 117 | 293 |
| 2000–01 | 5 | 920,000 | 9,466,448 | 226 | 20 |
| 2001–02 | 3 | 380,000 | 3,329,350 | 82 | 18 |
| 2002–03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | 1 | 249,000 | 2,369,000 | 77 | 0 |
| Total | 68 | 4,884,500 | 45,364,456 | 1,063 | 546 |
- From January 2000–04
- 24 offers
- Total amount £912,300.
Smart/Research and Development
- From January 2000–04
- 7 offers
- Total amount £586,263.
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