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Higher Education Innovation Fund

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been spent on the (a) Higher Education Innovation Fund and (b) Public Sector Research Exploitation Fund in each quarter since its introduction. [181031]

Ms Hewitt: Funding such as HEIF and PSRE enable better relationships with industry and support the commercialisation of the intellectual property generated by research carried out in the public sector and universities.

Actual spend is shown in the following table:
Higher Education Innovation Fund (Round 1):

Quarter	£
February 2002	4,572,346
Total 2001–02	4,572,346
May 2002	6,185,466
August 2002	4,294,001
November 2002	6,385,402
February 2003	5,926,463
Total 2002–03	22,791,332
May 2003	6,086,861
August 2003	6,068,393
November 2003	6,213,097
February 2004	6,007,476
Total 2003–04	24,375,827
May 2004	6,752,225
Total spend	58,491,730

Higher Education Innovation Fund (Round 2)

HEIF 2 funding has been allocated and will be available for drawdown from August 2004.

Public Sector Research Exploitation Fund (Round 1)

Actual spend for PSRE 1 is collected on an annual basis and is shown in the following table:
PSRE payments—Each financial year

	£
2001–02	287,500
2002–03	7,521,860
2003–04	300,000
Total	8,109,360

 
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Public Sector Research Exploitation Fund (Round 2)

Funding for PSRE Round 2 was available from 1 April 2004. Actual spend to date £6,205,817.

International Nuclear Waste Repository

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information her Department has received in respect of the decision of the International Atomic Energy Agency to construct an international repository for nuclear waste in Russia; and what plans there are to dispose of United Kingdom nuclear waste in this repository. [182364]

Mr. Timms: DTI has not received any information regarding this issue, but I understand that it was discussed at a private meeting at which the UK was not represented.

The Government's policy on the export of radioactive waste is set out in paragraph 145 of Cm 2919, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy Final Conclusions", of July 1995.

Mary Lyon Centre

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the (a) originally estimated and (b) actual cost of construction of the Medical Research Council's Mary Lyon Centre were; and if she will make a statement on the reasons for the difference. [182764]

(2) if she will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in the opening of the Medical Research Council's Mary Lyon Centre. [182765]

Ms Hewitt: The original target date for opening the Mary Lyon Centre was the end of 2002 (as given in the MRC 2001–02 Annual Review). The building was completed in December 2003 and officially opened by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation in June 2004. It is a purpose-designed building incorporating the latest air handling and environmental engineering and will meet the highest possible standards for animal welfare.

The original construction costs were estimated at £9.5 million in May 2000. The final construction costs were £12.6 million.
 
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The delay and increase in costs were, in part, due to: more space being required for individually-ventilated cages, incorporation of the quarantine area in the new building, Home Office requirements for a larger than anticipated quarantine area, and provision of specialised support facilities in each holding area rather than a centralised support facility. During this period, there were continuing negotiations with the contractor to keep the increase in costs to a minimum, which also added to the delay.

Post Offices (Burnley)

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what account the Post Office Ltd's proposals to close Accrington Road Post Office in Burnley took of (a) the alternative provision and (b) the number of elderly people living nearby: [182972]

(2) if Post Office Ltd will grant a sub-post office franchise to the Spar shop situated next to the Accrington Road Post Office in Burnley that is earmarked for closure; [182973]

(3) what account Post Office Ltd's proposals to close Queen Victoria Road Post Office in Burnley took of the access routes to alternative provision. [182974]

Mr. Timms: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to my hon. Friend.

Russian Markets

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what potential markets in Russia for British business were discussed during her recent talks with Russia. [183079]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The visit to Russia by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry was to hold discussions with Russian Ministers on a number of bilateral and multilateral issues. No sector specific discussions were held.

The Russian Government are continuing with their reform programmes, including reforms to reduce bureaucracy and bureaucratic barriers. Both governments are committed to sustaining our bilateral relationship.

CABINET OFFICE

Regulatory Offices

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office to what extent current guidance issued by the Cabinet Office to regulatory offices permits them to be proactive in making policy. [181136]

Mr. Alexander: The Cabinet Office has recommended that all departments and regulators follow the Cabinet Office guidance "Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessments" which details different ways in which policy-making problems can be addressed. This is available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation) and a copy is also available in the Library. In January 2004, the Cabinet Office issued a revised 'Code of Practice
 
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on Consultation' which sets out standards for consultations run by Government and recommends that all regulators follow the guidance.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Recycling

Norman Baker: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will for environmental reasons replace the sturdy plastic bags provided with purchases in the Debate cafeteria, with paper bags. [182864]

Mr. Dennis Turner: There are no plans to change the clear plastic carrier bags used in the Debate, which are practical for their purpose. The bags help to reduce queues by allowing cashiers to see the contents without the need for them to be unpacked at the tills, and are sturdy enough to allow customers to carry hot drinks safely to their offices in Portcullis House and the other parliamentary buildings. Indeed, the bags are so sturdy that many of our customers re-use them and we encourage them to do this.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Procurement Policies

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps are taken by the Central Procurement Office to ensure that procurement policies apply criteria that maximise advantage to the environment; what relative weight is given to these compared with achieving best value for money; and if he will make a statement. [183700]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: The Central Procurement Office requires an initial examination of suppliers' environmental performance at bidder selection stage. Questions about breaches of environmental law, and bidders' environmental policies, are asked as a matter of routine for all procurements conducted under UK contracts regulations. Any breach of the law is grounds for rejection. Weighting given to environmental policies will vary and be appropriate to the potential environmental impact of performing the contract. This standard approach is followed regardless of other award criteria.

Weighting given to environmental factors in the evaluation of tenders will also depend on the potential impact of performance of the contract. Advantage to the environment is taken into account as part of the overall value for money assessment.

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