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17 Mar 2004 : Column 331W—continued
Holiday Clubs
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of (a) the legal protection afforded to people who become involved in holiday clubs which fail to deliver what is promised, and (b) how it compares with the protection afforded to people who purchase time shares; and if she will make a statement. [161964]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Timeshare legislation generally does not apply to holiday clubs. The European Commission plan to Review the Timeshare Directive (94/47/EC), which would provide the opportunity to extend the scope of the Directive to holiday clubs. My officials are visiting Brussels this month to discuss the status and timing of this Review.
The unfair Commercial Practices Directive, which is currently under negotiation, is expected to provide protection against two aspects of holiday club scams—pressure selling and misleading offers. In addition, existing legislation covering misleading advertising, distance selling, as well as contract law could, in certain circumstances, apply to holiday clubs.
Miners' Compensation
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the differences between compensation for pension loss in mining compensation claims made using the interim pensions spreadsheet and those using the final version of the calculator. [159523]
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation have been lodged by former mineworkers for injuries sustained while handling explosives during the course of their work; how many claims have been successful; and how much compensation has been awarded for such claims in each of the last 10 years. [159869]
Nigel Griffiths: Around 200 claims for nitro-glycerine headaches have been settled.
These are subject to a confidentiality agreement between the British Coal Corporation and the solicitor representing some of the claimants.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on compensation available for former NCB workers who have sustained injuries whilst handling explosives during the course of their work. [159870]
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Nigel Griffiths: Compensation for former NCB workers who have sustained injuries whilst handling explosives during the course of their work are personal injury claims and are handled on a Common Law basis.
Nirex
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2004, Official Report, column 1683W, on Nirex, what the last date was on which the Department discussed the budget for Nirex with (a) BNFL and (b) British Energy. [161969]
Mr. Timms: The financing of Nirex was raised in very broad terms at a routine quarterly meeting on 5 March between BNFL and several departments including DTI and at a meeting on 9 March between British Energy and this department.
Nuclear and Coal Liabilities Unit
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the (a) role and (b) powers of the Nuclear and Coal Liabilities unit; when the unit was established; and what its complement of staff is, excluding secondees. [161818]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 16 March 2004]: The Nuclear and Coal Liabilities Unit (NCLU) is an administrative directorate within the DTI and has no independent powers in its own right. It is responsible for the effective clean-up of the nuclear power industry and for meeting residual liabilities for the Coal Mining industry. In particular, it is currently creating the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and managing the Government relationships with British Nuclear Fuels Limited, British Energy plc and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. It is also responsible for administering coal health claims, the coal industry pension schemes, the relationship with the Coal Authority and the concessionary fuel scheme.
The NCLU was created in 2002. It currently has a staff of 76 excluding secondees.
Post Office Closures (Tesco)
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the Post Office was notified by Tesco of the proposed closure of the sub-post office on Lisieux Way, Taunton. [161900]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 16 March 2004]: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that formal written notice from Tesco was received on 3 March 2004.
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (1) assessment the Post Office has made of (a) Tesco's decision to close a number of post offices and (b) the impact it will have on the Network Re-invention proposals in (a) England and (b) Somerset; [161901]
- (2) what discussions the Post Office has had with Tesco plc on their policy of closure of post offices in stores formerly run by T & S Stores plc. [161904]
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Mr. Timms: [holding answers 16 March 2004]: Discussions have been held between Post Office Ltd. and Tesco to determine what future plans Tesco has for its estate of stores containing post offices. Tesco is undertaking a site-by-site review, and in a minority of locations where they establish a Tesco Express format and the site is not consequently large enough also to operate a Post Office branch, they may wish to terminate the Post Office contract for the site in question.
In its review, Tesco is committed to working closely with Post Office Ltd. and regular discussions are held.
The removal of a post office branch from a Tesco owned store is not a permanent closure and Post Office Ltd. has given assurances that, where there remains a need for post office provision, it will look to relocate, in the same vicinity, offices that Tesco want to remove from its stores. Post Office Ltd. will consider whether to relocate or permanently close those offices on an individual basis.
Any proposals for the permanent removal of post office provision can only be made by Post Office Ltd. in the context of a lack of viability, and requires a period of public consultation as agreed between Post Office Ltd. and the consumer body Postwatch before a decision is reached. At the end of its current programme to restructure the urban post office network, Post Office Ltd. will ensure that there will be a post office within a mile of at least 95 per cent. of the urban population nationally
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many former T & S Stores plc post offices have been closed by Tesco since it took over T & S Stores plc; [161902]
- (2) how many post offices there were in T & S Stores plc before takeover by Tesco plc. [161903]
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices that Tesco announced would be closed since it took over T&S Stores have since been reprieved by Tesco. [161862]
Mr. Timms [holding answers 16 March 2004]: Tesco acquired the T&S Group chain of convenience stores in October 2002 when in total 318 T&S stores trading under the 'One Stop' and 'Billons' contained Post Office branches.
In taking over T&S, Tesco took over the Post Office contracts for the individual sites and has since been reviewing how many of these Post Offices will be retained. Tesco has committed to giving six months notice of its intention to terminate any contract, allowing Post Office Ltd. sufficient opportunity to find alternative partners to continue to offer post office services in close proximity to the existing location, and to working with all parties to seek a smooth changeover process for customers in the area where there remains a need for post office provision.
As Post Office Ltd. has operational responsibility for the post office network, only it can propose permanent closure of a post office branch. I understand from the company that, to date, Tesco has given notice of its decision to terminate the post office contract in respect of 38 locations. In all cases the period of notice for
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withdrawing from the contract is still running and no closures have yet taken place. Any reversal of such a decision would be a commercial and operational matter for Tesco and Post Office Ltd.
Postwatch/Postwatch Scotland
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Postwatch Scotland is required to inform relevant stakeholders about (a) the lodging of an objection to a post office closure and (b) the withdrawal of such an objection. [161454]
Mr. Timms: There is no formal requirement for Postwatch to inform key stakeholders about the lodging of an objection to a post office closure and subsequent developments. But I understand that it is Postwatch policy to reply to key stakeholders who have contacted it about closure proposals and that Postwatch Scotland has written to the hon. Member.
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