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18 Mar 2004 : Column 501W—continued
Call Centre Services
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to improve the productivity of the call-centre industry in the UK. [161222]
Ms Hewitt: Call centres are used for a wide variety of roles across a broad range of commercial and industrial sectors and the public sector. In the light of this my Department has commissioned research to improve our understanding of the industry and the key factors contributing to its relative competitiveness. The study will help to identify whether there are any actions that can be taken by the industry or Government to address any constraints impacting on its productivity. We expect to publish a report on the study in April.
Common Agricultural Policy
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether it is the Government's policy to secure progress in the World Trade talks by eliminating all agricultural export subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy; and if she will make a statement; [161505]
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- (2) what assessment she has made of the impact on the World Trade talks of each of the options for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy sugar regime set out in the European Commission's working paper Reforming the European Union's sugar policy. [161506]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government share the European Commission's own view that Option 1, involving extension of the present regime beyond 2006, is not sustainable. Options 2 and 3 both involve reductions in EU prices and production consistent with cuts in tariffs and export refunds which would send a positive message in the context of the current WTO round. The Government are, however, still considering which option represents the best way ahead, taking account of the range of interests involved, including the implications for developing countries.
Connectivity Technologies
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans Oftel has to publish statistics on the take-up of connectivity technologies by micro businesses. [157208]
Mr. Timms: Oftel ceased to operate on 28 December. The Office of Communications (Ofcom) is now responsible for the functions formally undertaken by Oftel, operating under the teams of the Office of Communications Act 2002 and the Communications Act 2003. These are, therefore, matters for Ofcom and my officials have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Correspondence
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Eddisbury on 5 February, ref 153542. [162640]
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Mr. Sutcliffe: The question was replied to on 18 March 2004.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will answer the question from the hon. Member for Hertsmere tabled on 26 February, reference 157862. [161471]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 15 March 2004]: The question will be answered today.
Electricity Network
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the demand for electricity was on 10 March between 19.00 and 19.30; how much capacity was available; and if she will make a statement. [162202]
Mr. Timms: On 10 March, maximum demand between 19.00 and 19.30 was 49,012 MW. Peak demand for the day was 49,774 MW in the period from 18.30 to 19.00. Throughout these periods, generation capacity available in the market exceeded NGC's Reserve Margin of 3,500 MW.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with National Grid Transco about the level of spare capacity on 10 March between 19.00 and 19.30; and if she will make a statement. [162203]
Mr. Timms: DTI receives system notices from NGC as a matter of course. The system notice issued by NGC on the morning of 10 March was a NISM—Notice of Insufficient System Margin. NISMs are part of normal operations and are issued to signal to the market that additional reserve is desirable. The market responded to the 10 March NISM by making available additional generation capacity.
NGC confirmed to DTI officials that a NISM had been issued, and provided updates during the day as the situation improved until the NISM was cancelled.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with National Grid Transco about (a) the level of maintenance and (b) the state of repair of the electricity network; and if she will make a statement. [162204]
Mr. Timms: As part of the regular contacts Ministers and officials have with National Grid Transco, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with Roger Urwin the company's Chief Executive on 9 February. A range of issues were discussed at the meeting including those arising from the Engineering Inspectorate's investigation following the major power failures last year. Maintenance and repair were factors that were looked at as part of the investigation.
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
Bob Spink : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with partner countries on the location of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor facility; and if she will make a statement on the current state of negotiations. [161943]
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Ms Hewitt: I attended the 11 March 2004 Competitiveness Council discussion on the location of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. Europe remains committed to hosting the facility. Discussions between the partners are taking place as to how the site issue might be resolved.
National Minimum Wage
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are receiving the minimum wage in the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency. [157499]
Mr. Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.
The DTI estimates that between 130,000 and 160,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the increase in minimum wage rates in October 2003.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Crosby have benefited from the national minimum wage. [160520]
Mr. Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Crosby. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.
The DTI estimates that between 130,000 and 160,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the increase in minimum wage rates in October 2003.
Policy Veto
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether her Department is able to exercise a veto in respect of policy proposals put forward by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the future of Nirex. [162369]
Mr. Timms: Decisions on the future of Nirex will be made on the basis of agreement across Government.
Project Funding
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) solely state-financed and (b) public-private partnership and private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible have been launched in each region in each of the last 10 years. [160959]
Ms Hewitt: My hon. Friend has not specified what he means by "projects" and my answer has been prepared on the basis that he is referring to construction, refurbishment or infrastructure projects in relation to central departmental administration. The following table sets out the information requested.
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| Year started | Projects(37) | Status | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 1 | Private finance | L&SE |
| 1997–98 | 1 | State financed | L&SE |
| 1998–99 | 1 | PFI | L&SE |
| 1998–99 | 1 | State financed | L&SE |
| 1998–99 | 1 | State financed | L&SE |
| 2001–02 | 2 | State financed | L&SE |
(37) Above £2 million capital value.
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent by (a) the Government on solely state-financed projects and (b) the (i) Government and (ii) private sector on public-private and private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. [160960]
Ms Hewitt: My hon. Friend has not specified what he means by "projects" and my answer has been prepared on the basis that he is referring to construction, refurbishment or infrastructure projects in relation to central departmental administration. The following table sets out the information as requested.
| Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Region—L&SE | PFI/PPPPrivatePublic | Solely state financed | |
| 1994–95 | 65 | — | — |
| 1995–96 | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | — | 4.6 | — |
| 1998–99 | 21.4 | 8.8 | 0.7 |
| 1999–2000 | 35.4 | 0.3 | 4.2 |
| 2000–01 | 12.1 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| 2001–02 | 6.5 | 0.7 | 2.8 |
| 2002–03 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| 2003–04 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
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