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Regulations

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many regulations were (a) removed and (b) reformed pursuant to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 in each year since 1994; and if she will make a statement. [160142]

Nigel Griffiths: 52 Deregulation Orders were made under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act between 1994 and 2001, when the Act was superseded by the Regulatory Reform Act. Each of the Orders made under the 1994 Act amended an individual Act of Parliament to remove regulatory burdens.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 3 March, Official Report, columns 963–64W, on business regulation, what the findings were of the 2002 Small Business Service research into the impact of the Climate Change Levy on small businesses; and what specific measures were introduced to reduce the regulatory burden for small businesses as a result. [161549]

Nigel Griffiths: The reports overall conclusion was as follows:

'In general the impact of the CCL of SMEs does not appear to be significant, compared with other general business concerns.'

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on regulatory issues emanating from the EU in each year between 1997 and 2007; and how much full-time equivalent staff time in her Department was spent on EU regulations in each year. [161516]

Nigel Griffiths: The Department does not record the cost of or the number of staff required for negotiating and implementing regulatory issues emanating from Europe. The length of negotiation and implementation varies enormously from policy to policy and it would be hard to obtain a meaningful figure. Collating such figures would incur a disproportionate cost.

Renewable Energy

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms are in place to ensure that electricity supply companies purporting to supply set percentages from renewable sources actually do so. [162370]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 18 March 2004]: Licensed electricity suppliers are required to provide Ofgem with evidence of their compliance with the Renewables Obligation by a specified date after the end of each Obligation period.

Ofgem implements a number of measures to assess the accuracy of the information received.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the ability of renewable energy sources to meet an increase in demand for electricity over the next decade. [161812]

Mr. Timms: All estimates of the ability of renewable sources to meet a part of future supply take account of predicted changes in future energy demand.

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The target of 10 per cent. electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2010 was supported by detailed modelling for the Energy White Paper. This accounted for a future increase in electricity consumption of approximately 4.3 per cent. from 2002, on the basis of increased demand but also increased energy efficiency. Therefore the target is based upon 10 per cent. of predicted consumption in 2010 rather than 10 per cent. of consumption in 2002.

Beyond this it is our aspiration that 20 per cent. of total electricity consumption will come from renewable sources by 2020. The recently completed 'Renewables Innovation Review' provided assessments of the potential future contributions of various technologies. This will help inform the review of our primary support mechanism, the 'Renewables Obligation', in 2005–06 to ensure that our targets are met, accounting for changes in future energy demand.

Science/Technology (Promotion)

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in joint working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the promotion of UK science, engineering and technology. [159007]

Ms Hewitt: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesborough South and East Cleveland (Dr. Kumar) on 20 November 2003, Official Report, column 1443W.

Subsequently, my Department's Innovation Report has been published and I am confident that the measures we have set out in Chapter 7, 'Global Links', of the Report will lead to wider co-ordination on the international innovation agenda across Government which builds on the work already undertaken by the Chief Scientific Adviser's Committee (CSAIC) chaired by the Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, and the International Science Technology Trade and Investment Committee (ISTTIC) chaired by the UKTI Chief Executive, Sir Stephen Brown.

The report also identifies specific initiatives, such as 'Global Watch', which will be expanded to help raise the international competitiveness of UK industry and commerce.

Small Businesses

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place a copy of the Small Business Survey 2003 in the Library. [161149]

Nigel Griffiths: A copy of the final report of the Small Business Survey 2003 will be placed in the Libraries of the House, when the report is published by the Small Business Service in summer 2004.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many proposed regulations have been aborted as a result of the Small Firms Impact Test; [161176]

(2) if she will list the proposed regulations which have been aborted as a result of the Small Firms Impact Test. [161513]

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Nigel Griffiths: The Department does not keep records on the reasons for a policy proposal not proceeding.

Vibration White Finger

Mr. David: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made to resolve outstanding vibration white finger claims for compensation from former employees of British Coal who have suffered from pre-1975 exposure to vibratory tools and who were employed in a Group 3 occupation. [161065]

Nigel Griffiths: There have been lengthy discussions, between the Department and the Claimants Solicitors Group, in an attempt to resolve the areas of pre 1975 exposure to vibratory tools and the treatment of low levels of exposure (which falls below the level identified by the Court of Appeal as that which makes British Coal liable).

Both the Department and the CSG accept that further discussions are unlikely to settle the issues and have invited the Court to rule on these areas. The court hearing has been listed for 15 and 16 April 2004.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Sexual Offences Act

11. Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources have been allocated to police forces to bring prosecutions for internet grooming under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. [162529]

Paul Goggins: The grooming offence in section 15 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 will enable the authorities to intervene before the sexual abuse of a child takes place.

Between 2000–01 and 2004–05 the policing provision for England and Wales increased by £2.3 billion. While child protection is a priority within the National Policing Plan it is for the police themselves to decide how this additional money is allocated.

Identity Cards

12. Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of a national identity card scheme on the problem of illegal working. [162530]

Mr. Blunkett: Identity cards will provide a clear indication of a person's identity and in the case of foreign nationals their entitlement to work. They will give the vast majority of legitimate employers a simpler and more reliable way of complying with the law. Cards will also make enforcement activity against unscrupulous employers more effective.

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Anti-social Behaviour

13. Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to support the gating of alleys to tackle anti-social behaviour. [162531]

Fiona Mactaggart: On 5 March we launched "Operation Gate it"—a new fund to tackle anti-social behaviour in alleyways. This fund is in partnership with Groundwork UK and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. It will run from April this year to March 2006.

Gating is just one of many solutions to these problems however and will not always be appropriate. So, through "Gate It", local communities will be able to bid for lighting/landscaping/CCTV funding—as well as gates.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act

15. Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. [162533]

Beverley Hughes: Section 55 of the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 prevents the National Asylum Support Service from providing support to applicants who do not apply for asylum as soon as reasonably practicable after their arrival in the UK. It is designed to tackle abuse of the asylum system and is one of a package of measures which has contributed to the substantial reduction in asylum claims.

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