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Playgrounds (Accidents)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal accidents have occurred in British playgrounds in each year since 1984. [179666]

Mr. Sutcliffe: DTI no longer provides a service on accident statistics. Information on fatalities can be obtained from The Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk tel. [phone] and The Office for National Statistics: www.statistics.gov.uk tel. [phone]; or for non-fatalities from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents: www.rospa.com tel. [phone].

Radioactive Material

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 when radioactive material has been unaccounted for, broken down by (a) location, (b) volume and (c) radioactivity level of the material; and whether the material remains missing in each case. [173141]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 14 May 2004]: It is not clear to what kind of material the hon. Member refers. If he would like to write to me in detail I will consider the points he raises.

Social Enterprise Sector

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the (a) turnover and (b) profit of the social enterprise sector was in each of the last 20 years; and if she will make a statement; [175473]
 
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(2) how many social enterprises have been established in each of the last 20 years; and if she will make a statement. [175474]

Nigel Griffiths: I am advised that the DTI's 2003 review of existing mapping studies covering social enterprise is the only attempt to bring together work estimating the number of social enterprises across the UK. It roughly estimates there are around 5,300 social enterprises with trading income over 50 per cent. The Small Business Service's Social Enterprise Unit is undertaking a further research project to establish data on social enterprises. Figures for previous years are not available.

Social enterprises play a valuable role in helping to create a strong, sustainable and socially inclusive economy. The Government greatly appreciates the work of the Social Enterprise Coalition and the SBS's Social Enterprise Unit.

Soft Drink Prices

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment she has made of changes which have occurred in the industry since publication of the Department's Soft Drinks National Pricing Survey in 1999; [180326]

(2) what steps other than the March Price Display Order she has taken in relation to the pricing of soft drinks in licensed premises; [180327]

(3) what steps she will take to assess the impact of the March Price Display Order in relation to the price of soft drinks in licensed premises. [180328]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Since publication of the Soft Drinks Pricing Survey, we have worked closely with stakeholders to improve transparency of soft drink prices in licensed premises. This resulted in the publication of trade good practice guidance on price indications in the hospitality and leisure industry; the Price Marking (Food and Drink Services) Order 2003; and DTI guidance on the new Order. We will be monitoring with stakeholders the combined effect of these measures on price transparency and on the overall cost to consumers of soft drinks in these establishments over the coming months.

SPC 2888

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether (a) the Export Credits Guarantee Department and (b) her Department were informed by BP, BTC Co. or members of BTC Co. of allegations of fraud in the procurement of the coating regarding the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline; [179980]

(2) whether the results of BTC Co.'s internal investigations into fraud allegations regarding the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline were conveyed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [179986]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: In February 2004 ECGD were informed by BP that an independent BP audit had been carried out into the procurement process of the SPC 2888 field joint coating for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The results of this investigation (that the allegations were "unfounded") were conveyed to ECGD at the same time.
 
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Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment has been made into the use of SPC 2888 by major pipelines other than the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline where the pipeline is coated with a three layer, high density, polyethylene coating; and how many of the pipes coated with SPC 2888 (i) have been backfilled in Azerbaijan and Georgia and (ii) are waiting in trenches for backfill in Azerbaijan and Georgia; [179981]

(2) whether the SPC 2888 coating was subject to a full field test in simulated weather conditions before approval for use on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline; [179983]

(3) what measures were taken by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to check the specifications of the coating supplied by SPC for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline; [179985]

(4) whether the field joint coating specification used in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline included post-application heat induction. [179991]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The WorleyParsons report on the field joint coating issue (SPC 2888), included a case history of use of SPC 2888 on other pipelines. It showed that SPC 2888 had been used extensively in North America. I cannot confirm exactly how many of the pipes coated with SPC 2888 have been backfilled or are waiting in trenches for backfill in Azerbaijan and Georgia. Information on the progress of the project can be found on: www.caspiandevelopmentandexport.com

WorleyParsons also checked the suitability of this type of field joint coating. They confirmed that SPC 2888 was subject to testing in simulated cold weather conditions in an independent UK laboratory and that the field joint coating specification used in the BTC pipeline included post-application heat induction.

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what percentage of the unburied pipes in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline coated with SPC 2888 have developed cracks in (a) Azerbaijan and (b) Georgia; [179982]

(2) whether the Department was informed about the discovery of cracks in joints coated with SPC 2888 prior to the decision (a) to fund part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project and (b) to disburse funds approved for the project; and what action was taken by her Department; [179987]

(3) when the Export Credits Guarantee Department was informed by (a) BP and (b) BTC Co. of the costs involved in rectifying the use of faulty coating in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project; [179988]

(4) when the Export Credits Guarantee Department was informed by (a) BP, (b) BTC Co. and (c) members of BTC Co. about the discovery of cracks in joints coated with SPC 2888 on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline; and what action was taken. [179990]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I am told that there has been no reported cracking to the pipes. None of the pipes are coated with SPC 2888 the field joint coating, which is only used on the joints. There were reports of minor hairline cracking in the field joint coating over joints. ECGD has been informed through a WorleyParsons
 
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desktop study report that the percentage of unburied coated joints that experienced cracking in the field joint coating was as follows: (a) 2.6 per cent. in Azerbaijan, and (b) 26 per cent. in Georgia.

No pipes were buried with defective joint coatings.

I am told that ECGD first became aware of the cracking in the field joint coating in February 2004. BP/BTC had not informed ECGD before the allegations appeared in the Sunday Times article of 15 February 2004. ECGD was not aware of the cracking in the field joint coating prior to the decision to provide support on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project, but were aware prior to the initial disbursement of funds. The lenders, including ECGD, considered this very carefully before the first disbursement was made. ECGD awaits the results of a site visit by Worley Parsons, but has been assured by BP that the rectification costs will be considerably lower than the US$500 million alleged in the Sunday Times article.

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of construction delays resulting from having to rectify the faulty pipeline coating on the short-term financial viability of the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. [179989]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The BTC lender group (which includes ECGD) asked WorleyParsons Energy Services (the BTC lenders pipeline facilities independent consultant) to provide a report on the issues surrounding the field joint coating. This report included an assessment on what impact the field joint coating issues would have on the construction schedule and cost implications. WorleyParsons concluded that there would, at the most, be a minimal impact on the construction schedule and that the cost implications would be 'fairly small', although no final costing would be available until the recoating work was completed.

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