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16 Sept 2004 : Column 1718W—continued
Business Support (London)
17. Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance her Department provides to businesses in London. [189186]
Jacqui Smith: Assistance to business is delivered via a number of different agencies, including the London Development Agency (LDA). In financial year 2003–04, Business Link for London exceeded its key performance targets set by the DTI/Small Business Service, achieving:
Market Penetration—82,915 businesses assisted/advised;
Customer Satisfaction—86 per cent.;
Intensive Assistance—5,160 businesses intensively supported.
The DTI's Grant for Research & Development (GranD) is aimed at individuals planning to start-up businesses in England and at small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) already operating in England. The
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grants are offered at the discretion of Government, to help businesses carry out research and development work that will lead to technologically innovative products or processes.
During 2003–04, the DTI/Small Business Service made offers of grant to 145 London start-ups/SMEs. This represented funding in total of just under £9.5 million.
The planned restructuring of business support arrangements in London, that includes the transfer of BL4L contract management and direct delivery of GranD to the London Development Agency from April 2005, will further improve DTI services to customers within the Capital.
In 2003–04, the LDA, which is primarily funded by the DTI:
Created or safeguarded 18,017 jobs (including those attributable to foreign direct investment and regional selective assistance);
Set up or attracted 1,333 businesses to London;
Provided support or advice to 26,937 businesses; and
Created 26,683 learning opportunities
In 2003–2004 the LDA invested over £350 million to create jobs, get people into work, support new and existing businesses and create space for businesses, homes and community facilities.
London businesses can also access a small suite of grants, loans guarantees and subsidised consultancy to address a range of business issues provided by the DTI. These include:
Succeeding through innovation:
Providing practical support for the key stages of innovation or research and development. Initiatives include the Technology Programme, which provides some funding and shares some of the risks in taking new technologies to market.
Supporting small or high growth companies to obtain investment through the Small Firms loan Guarantee, which guarantees loans from banks and other institutions for small businesses with viable proposals. London businesses can access £50 million via the Regional Venture Capital Funds (RVCFs) o provide risk capital finance in amounts up to £500,000 to Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) who demonstrate growth potential.
Encouraging investment in specific areas of England to promote economic regeneration. Selective Finance for Investment is designed for businesses that are looking at the possibility of investing in assisted areas. The programme is discretionary and invariably takes the form of grants or occasionally a loan.
The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) in London offers an integrated service providing free information and advice for manufacturers large and
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small, although diagnostic services undertaken by highly professional MAS practitioners will be targeted on small and medium sized firms.
Renewable Energy
18. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Renewables Obligation Order 2005. [189187]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government last week published a consultation paper proposing a number of detailed changes to improve its operation. These include increasing the level of the obligation in the period between 2010–11 and 2015–16. Following the current consultation, the Government plan to lay an order before Parliament early next year.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of renewable energy to UK energy needs; and if she will make a statement. [189184]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Renewable energy will make a significant contribution to our energy mix. We have a target for 10 per cent. of our electricity to come from renewable sources by 2010, and our aspiration is to have 20 per cent. of electricity from renewables by 2020.
Age Discrimination
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate the Government have made of the cost of age discrimination to the UK economy in each year since 1997. [186927]
Jacqui Smith: The DTI has not made an estimate of the cost of age discrimination to the UK economy. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) accompanied the July 2003 'Age Matters' consultation on proposals for legislation to outlaw age discrimination in employment and vocational training. It estimated that, excluding the positive impact of a likely increase in the labour supply, the economy would benefit by about £600 million over the first 10 years of the legislation taking effect. The RIA is available on: www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality/age.htm As far as the impact of an increase in the labour supply is concerned, "Winning the Generation Game" (Performance and Innovation Unit, April 2000, www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/innovation/2000/wirining/generation.pdf) on the impact of ageing on the economy put the cost of early and involuntary exit from the labour market at about £16 billion each year. Some of this is attributable to age discrimination.
Agency Workers Directive
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Agency Workers Directive. [186338]
Mr. Sutcliffe:
Our position on the Agency Workers Directive remains that we support the principle of the directive but the text needs to be changed to meet the concerns of all member states. We are committed to using our best endeavours to reach an early settlement.
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Airbus
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of support by the UK Government for the Airbus family of projects in each year since 1997–98 (a) gross and (b) net after loan repayments. [188599]
Jacqui Smith: The Government are a strong supporter of Airbus and have provided financial support in the form of launch investment since 1984.
The payments by HMG to Airbus and receipts from Airbus to HMG since 1997–98 are set out as follows:
| Payments | Receipts | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 0 | 85.4 |
| 1998–99 | 0 | 134.6 |
| 1999–2000 | 0 | 167.4 |
| 2000–01 | 0 | 119.7 |
| 2001–02 | 136 | 103.4 |
| 2002–03 | 139 | 88.7 |
| 2003–04 | 255 | 78.3 |
Coalminers' Compensation Scheme
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to reach the last decile of registered coal compensation claims for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger for former miners or their widows or families in the east Midlands. [189188]
Nigel Griffiths: The Department is currently holding detailed discussions on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and plans to report progress to Sir Michael Turner, the judge who oversees the respiratory scheme, later this month when he visits the DTI's claims handlers. On claims for VWF, the Department aims to have completed all general damages offers by the end of 2004, and to have all claims settled by the end of 2005.
Consumer Codes
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many consumer codes are awaiting approval by (a) her Department and (b) the Office of Fair Trading. [188823R]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The DTI has no role in the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Consumer Codes Approval System.
We are advised by the OFT that six codes have completed the first stage of the process and are working towards OFT approval. In addition, OFT have received approaches from a further 40 organisations and of these 13 have already made formal applications.
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