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17 May 2004 : Column 682W—continued
Energy Generation
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the relative efficiency of energy generation by wind power in relation to (a) wave power, (b) nuclear, (c) gas and (d) coal generation. [173632]
Mr. Timms: Comparing the efficiency of renewable and non-renewable technologies is difficult. Fuel costs for the majority of renewables are zero, so obtaining the highest level of efficiency is less of a priority than reducing the overall cost of each unit of energy generated. The Department has published estimates of the cost of electricity generation from a variety of technologies by 2020. These come from the 2001 PIU energy review, 2002 Interdepartmental Analysts Group report, and the 2004 Renewables Innovation Review. The following ranges are based upon the lowest and highest estimates from each of these reports:
| p/kWh | |
|---|---|
| Onshore wind | 2.0–3.2 |
| Offshore wind | 2.0–4.6 |
| Gas | 2.0–2.9 |
| Nuclear | 2.6–4.0 |
| Marine | 4.0–6.2 |
Equal Pay
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the pay gap between men and women employed by her Department and its agencies in (a) Southampton, (b) Eastleigh, (c) Winchester and (d) Romsey constituencies. [171643]
Ms Hewitt: My Department, including the Small Business Service Executive Agency, currently employs no staff in Southampton, Eastleigh, Winchester and Romsey constituencies.
Agency Chief Executives will be replying on behalf of their organisations where they employ staff within the constituencies mentioned. These are Employment Tribunal Service and The Insolvency Service.
Letter from Desmond Flynn to Mr. John Denham, dated 17 May 2004:
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply to directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service in respect to your question (2003/2875) asking what assessment have been made of the pay gap between men and women employed by her Department and its agencies in (a) Southampton, (b) Eastleigh, (c) Winchester and (d) Romsey constituencies.
In March 2003, The Insolvency Service carried out an Equal Pay audit on a national basis. The Audit along with The Service's action plans setting out proposals for future reviews are available in the House of Commons and published on The Service's website www.insolvency.gov.uk.
Letter from Roger Heathcote to Mr. John Denham, dated 17 May 2004:
You asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the pay gap between men and women employed by her Department and its agencies in (a) Southampton, (b) Eastleigh, (c) Winchester and (d) Ramsey. I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS).
ETS undertook an Equal Pay Review in 2003. The Review was undertaken separately for all those staff on London and National pay scales and did not cover the situation in individual offices. The results for staff on our National pay scales, which would include those staff in our Southampton office, showed a differential in favour of males of 5.2% (only 0.2% above the Equal Opportunities Commission benchmark).
Identity Theft
Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to reduce identity theft in areas within the remit of her Department and its agencies. [173052]
Ms Hewitt: The DTI will work closely with—particularly small business—trade unions and others so that a system to combat identify theft maximise the benefits and minimise the compliance costs to law-abiding business and to develop an effective enforcement system that will deal with illegal workers and the majority of businesses that deliberately flout the law.
Effective recruitment procedures are in place to deter identity fraud being used to gain employment within the Department itself.
Imperial Measurements
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions have been carried out against shopkeepers selling goods in imperial measurements in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) England. [172759]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Department does not hold comprehensive information on prosecutions carried out by trading standards departments. However, we are aware of five prosecutions of traders selling goods in imperial measurements: one each in Sunderland, Hackney and Sutton and two in Cornwall.
East Riding Trading Standards Department inform us that it has carried out no such prosecutions.
Large Combustion Plants Directive
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the likely impact on the UK coal industry of the Large Combustion Plants Directive. [173388]
Mr. Timms: This Department commissioned independent research into the likely impact of the two options for implementing the Large Combustion Plants Directive, by a national plan or by emissions limit values. The results of this study will inform the implementation decision, which has not yet been made. The research report will be published in due course.
Ministerial Visits
Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2004,
17 May 2004 : Column 684W
Official Report, column 1404W, on ministerial meetings/visits, which people and organisations in Japan the Minister of State for Energy, e-Commerce and Postal Services plans to meet or visit; and what matters are to be discussed. [173398]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 14 May 2004]: I hope to be able to meet a number of Ministers, senior Government officials and senior representatives from utility power companies responsible for energy, e-commerce and telecommunications issues, including the following;
Mr. Fuji, Chairman of Federation of Electric Power, Mr. Nakagawa, Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Mr. Kusaka, Director General, Agency of Natural Resources and Energy, part of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Mr. Aso, Minister and Mr. Nabekura, Vice-Minister for Policy Co-ordination (International Affairs), Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, Mr. Abe Senior Vice-Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
I also hope to meet representatives of British companies operating in Japan.
I shall be having wide-ranging discussions on telecommunications and energy issues, including nuclear and BNFL related issues. I shall also be explaining the changes to the UK nuclear industry described in the Energy Bill and hope to hear an update on Japan's plans for its nuclear energy programme.
Post Office
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will instruct Post Office Ltd. not to withhold information requested by hon. Members on closures of local post offices. [172068]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 10 May 2004]: Under the public consultation process, Post Office Ltd. supplies extensive information to assist stakeholders and other interested parties in their consideration of post office closure proposals, but detailed financial information is, necessarily, commercially confidential.
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advertising is taking place to promote (a) Post Office card accounts and (b) the use of post offices for the collection of pensions. [172323]
Mr. Timms: The DWP Direct Payment information campaign raises awareness of all the account options for Direct Payment, including bank and building society and Post Office accounts and also accounts that can be accessed through Post Office branches. It is for customers themselves to decide which account will best meet their needs and circumstances.
Post Office Ltd. is responsible for advertising its own services and has undertaken a number of advertising campaigns promoting the banking services which are available at post offices. The current campaign recently launched nationally advertises the banking services of the High Street Banks and the Post Office card account available at post offices.
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