House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10 Jun 2004 (pt 22)

10 Jun 2004 : Column 563W—continued

Combustion Plant Directive

Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will list the meetings that she has held with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the large Combustion Plant Directive; [175585]

(2) if she will list the meetings which have taken place between her (a) Ministers and (b) officials and (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the large Combustion Plant Directive;. [175586]

Mr. Timms: There have been a number of discussions about this Directive between Ministers and officials in the DTI and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Further information about such meetings is being withheld under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information on the grounds that it would harm the frankness and candour of internal deliberation and of confidential communications between departments.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress made in investigating issues raised by the UN Panel of Experts on the illegal exploitation of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [177752]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Following the publication of the UN Expert Panel's final report in October 2004, we asked the UN for the documentary evidence supporting the listing of British companies in Annexe III of the report. This is a list of all entities the Panel considers to be in breach of the OECD guidelines. Despite repeated requests, we have only recently received documentary material that the Panel obtained relating to the British companies considered by the Panel. This material is wide ranging in scope and quality. We are currently

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assessing this material to identify outstanding issues with relation to breaches of the OECD Guidelines. We are in the process of approaching the companies concerned to respond to specific issues raised in the documentation. The UN National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines has recently made a statement relating to allegations made against De Beers that is available on the website and that I will place in the Libraries of the House.

Election Literature (Postal Services)

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the refusal by some postal workers to deliver election literature from (a) the British National Party and (b) other political parties. [176719]

Mr. Timms: Royal Mail has legal obligations, under the Representation of People Act 2000, to deliver election material from any properly nominated candidate, so long as the material is legal. Royal Mail recognises that staff may have strong feelings about the delivery of some election mailings. The company has always tried to have a flexible approach, so if an individual feels that they are unable to deliver the material because of personal circumstances or beliefs, or where an individual believes that delivery of a particular item may incur personal risk, then alternative arrangements will be made.

EU Trade

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the negative balance in trade in goods was with the EU (a) in the most recent annual period for which figures are available, (b) in 1994, (c) in 1984 and (d) in 1974. [177760]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: In 2003, the EU 15 countries accounted for 46 per cent. of the UK's total trade deficit in goods with the world. In 1994 the EU 15 countries accounted for 41 per cent., in 1984 55 per cent. and in 1974 42 per cent.

However, these figures taken in isolation do not fully reflect the importance to the UK economy of our trade with the EU.

Heat Pumps

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to encourage the development of (a) ground source and (b) air source heat pumps. [176759]

Mr. Timms: Defra and the DTI supported the formation of the UK Heat Pump forum which serves to disseminate information and promote the technology for both ground source and air source heat pumps.

Heat pumps are a technology that is eligible for support from Carbon Trust programmes. I understand that the Carbon Trust has two projects in contract supporting ground source heat pumps. The Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme, which the Carbon Trust manages, supports heat pumps.

The Clear Skies initiative supports the installation of ground source heat pumps by providing grants of £1,200 to householders and 50 per cent. of installed cost for

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community groups up to a maximum of £100,000. It does not currently provide grants for air source heat pumps. Budget 2004 also announced the introduction of a reduced rate of VAT on the installation of ground source heat pumps.

Information Technology

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the (a) migration of information technology work overseas and (b) steps her Department is taking to reverse the trend towards migration of IT work overseas. [171399]

Ms Hewitt: The Government are well aware of concerns about the effects of offshoring, including on employment in the IT sector. But we know from consultation with key stakeholders that there is a broad consensus in the UK that trade protectionism is not the right response. Instead, we must do all we can to ensure that those who are affected by decisions to offshore work are found alternative work as quickly as possible. We also need to ensure that the UK remains competitive and an attractive place in which other countries wish to do business and it is important to note that the UK remains the lead country in terms of inward investment into the EU. We are also working closely with the RDAs and the Learning and Skills Councils to ensure that the UK is equipped to meet these challenges.

In this globalised world, companies require the flexibility to take the required steps to remain internationally competitive. Location is ultimately a business decision for companies, and the Government cannot prohibit moves offshore. However the Government continue to create the macro-economic environment to encourage business location and growth within the UK.

Finally, offshoring is not a one-way process. Successful Indian IT companies such as Tata, Wipro and Infosys, have invested in the UK and have created and expanded employment here.

Contractual Leave

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 431W, on leave, if she will place in the Library the surveys on the provision of contractual leave and pay referred to. [176438]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The following surveys referred to in my answer are available in the Libraries of the House:

The Second Work-Life Balance Study: Results from the Employer Survey (DTI Employment Relations Research Series No.22);

The Second Work-Life Balance Study: Results from the Employees' Survey (DTI Employment Relations Research Series No.27); and

Maternity and Paternity Rights in Britain 2002: Survey of Parents (DWP In-house Report 131).

Manufacturing Industry

Ms Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she is taking to help small and medium-sized UK manufacturing companies. [177762]

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Nigel Griffiths: The DTI and Government have taken a number of measures including:

Establishing the Manufacturing Advisory Service

Providing £600 million support for business R&D through R&D tax credit

Increasing the number of Modern Apprenticeship trainees from 75,000 in 1997 to 255,00 in 2004

Cutting corporation tax

Manufacturing SMEs also benefit from DTIs business support products for Knowledge Transfer, R&D, Best Practice

Maternity Leave

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Wirral, South have taken 26 weeks' maternity leave since 1997. [177687]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Take-up of maternity leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of women taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue of the Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) they recover (since 2003 this has covered the first 26 weeks of leave). Figures for the take-up of SMP are not available on a regional basis, but nationally around 300,000 women receive SMP each year.

In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because they do not meet the earnings or length of employment criteria for SMP) and similarly some who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).

Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have taken 26 weeks' maternity leave since 1997; and what percentage of those were of Asian origin. [178518]

leave).

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