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10 May 2004 : Column 78W—continued
Miners' Compensation Scheme
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been registered under the coalminers' compensation scheme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger by Beresfords Solicitors in each year since the scheme began to the latest date for which figures are available. [171640]
Nigel Griffiths: As of 7 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
| COPD | VWF | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 0 | 5 |
| 1996 | 17 | 23 |
| 1997 | 4 | 29 |
| 1998 | 120 | 45 |
| 1999 | 373 | 413 |
| 2000 | 2,697 | 4,270 |
| 2001 | 1,872 | 1,196 |
| 2002 | 6,788 | 5,317 |
| 2003 | 50,914 | 347 |
| 2004 | 16,886 | 0 |
| Total | 79,671 | 11,648 |
Note:
The COPD claim receipts are those claims that are fully registered, i.e. exclude partially registered claims (website claims yet to be fully registered on ICMS due to a submission error during input) and claims in the holding policy (pool of claims accepted with minimum data, awaiting further information to permit cross referencing and duplicate checks prior to full registration).
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average final settlement for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger was for the top 10 solicitors as determined by fees charged to her Department under the miners' compensation scheme. [170740]
Nigel Griffiths: As of 6 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
(33) 'Top 10' solicitors are in descending order and based on solicitors costs received.
(34) Average full and final settlements include claims denied/withdrawn.
10 May 2004 : Column 79W
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which 10 solicitors had the most new claims lodged under the miners' compensation scheme in 2004. [170741]
Nigel Griffiths: As at 6 May 2004 the figures are as follows:
| Top 10 Solicitors(35) | Claim Receipts in 2004 2 |
|---|---|
| Raleys Solicitors | 19,890 |
| Beresfords Solicitors | 16,886 |
| Avalon | 13,797 |
| Browell Smith & Co. | 13,363 |
| Hugh James Ford Simey | 13,180 |
| Thompsons | 12,820 |
| Delta Legal | 6,818 |
| Corries | 4,750 |
| AMS Law | 4,697 |
| Union of Democratic Mineworkers | 4,145 |
(35) 'Top 10' solicitors are in descending order and based on the number of claims received.
(36) Claim receipts are those claims that are fully registered. These figures exclude claims registered partially on the website (yet to be fully registered within ICMS due to a submission error during input) and claims held within the holding policy (pool of claims accepted with minimum data, awaiting further information to permit cross referencing and duplicate checks prior to full registration).
Departmental Annual Report
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the grant-in-aid to countries of the former Soviet Union in respect of nuclear legacy programmes mentioned at paragraphs 16.18 to 16.21 of her Department's Annual Report, Cm 6216, has been (a) used and (b) earmarked for future use to help deal with the surplus military plutonium stockpile in Russia. [170983]
Mr. Timms:
£70 million over 10 years is allocated to help deal with the disposition of surplus Russian military plutonium. The precise details of the disposition programme have not yet been agreed between Russia and the US and, as a result, none of the UK allocation has so far been spent. Consideration is therefore being given to the use of these funds to assist in closing down the three remaining plutonium-producing reactors in Russia.
10 May 2004 : Column 80W
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the production of her Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge. [171078]
Ms Hewitt: The cost incurred by the Department for design and artwork of the latest Departmental Report (April 2004) was approximately £9,036. This figure includes the costs incurred in placing an electronic version of the report on the Departmental website. Other costs of printing and publication were met directly by the publisher, The Stationery Office Limited (TSO), and did not fall to the Government. TSO recoups these costs through sales and uses its commercial judgment as to the number of copies printed. The latest departmental report was only published on 28 April 2004 and 469 copies were sold at the cover price (£32) by TSO or through its accredited agents and other booksellers within the first week.
The Department is in the process of circulating some 430 complimentary copies to Ministers, Opposition Front Bench spokesmen, Select Committee Members and staff, the Parliamentary Libraries, DTI officials and external Board Members (including in agencies and NDPBs), officials in other Government Departments and journalists.
Departmental Procurement (Sea Bass)
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her Department's policy to source all sea bass used in catering outlets for which her Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers. [167544]
Ms Hewitt: DTI follows the guidance issued by Defra on this issue. Defra supports the sourcing of sea bass from sustainable fisheries and handlining as both are relatively low impact methods of fishing.
Departmental Publications
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the newspapers, magazines and periodicals her Department (a) produces and (b) funds, stating (i) the title and subject matter, (ii) the cost to her Department in 2003–04, (iii) the number produced, (iv) the readership and (v) the cost per publication. [168861]
Ms Hewitt: My Department does not hold this detailed information centrally. To provide this information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
Disconnections (Utilities)
Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment she has made of the burden of proof in the warrants process for disconnection; and if she will make a statement; [170376]
10 May 2004 : Column 81W
(2) when she next expects to meet the Chief Executive of Ofgem to discuss disconnections to residential customers. [170377]
Mr. Timms: The DTI has discussed, and will continue to discuss as appropriate, disconnections matters with Ofgem. With DTFs encouragement, Ofgem has been in discussion with gas and electricity suppliers about the arrangements governing disconnections, particularly for vulnerable customers. Ofgem has now issued an industry consultation paper that sets out proposed revisions to, and clarification of, those arrangements. The arrangements governing the warrants process are set out in the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended. If a supplier wishes to disconnect, it must give the customer two days' notice of its intention to visit the premises. It has the right of entry to disconnect, but, if the customer is not at home or refuses entry, it may only exercise this right after it has obtained a warrant from a court. The court may require evidence of the debt, and of the supplier's efforts to recover that debt. The customer should be advised when and where the supplier will apply for a warrant, and can defend the application.
Equal Opportunities Commission
Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the reduction in the planned growth budget for the Equal Opportunities Commission. [168064]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 29 April 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has rightly set targets for all government departments to achieve spending efficiencies.
My Department, like others, seeks to deliver its demanding objectives as efficiently as possible. I set similarly high standards for our Agencies and non-departmental public bodies, including the Equal Opportunities Commission. I have therefore asked the EOC to make a reduction in its budget for 2005–06 and 2006–07. I am confident that the EOC will meet the challenge of reducing its operational costs while continuing its excellent work of promoting gender equality in 21st century Britain.
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