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Inward Investment

Mr. David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of investment between European Union countries other than investment by the UK came to the United Kingdom in each year since 2001. [192268]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 18 October 2004]: The UK received 9.7 per cent. (9.1 per cent.) of all foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows between EU-15 member states in 2002 (figures for EU-25 members in brackets). The UK received the fourth largest share behind Luxembourg with 33.6 per cent. (31.5 per cent.), France with 12.7 per cent. (11.9 per cent.) and Germany with 10.1 per cent. (11.9 per cent.).

This data are only available in terms of financial flow figures rather than in terms of inward investment stocks (by which we measure our PSA targets).

The latest UNCTAD world investment report shows that in 2003 the UK had the largest inward FDI stocks within the EU from all countries, including those outside the EU, with 20 per cent. of the EU-15 total, followed by Germany (16 per cent.) France (13 per cent.), Netherlands (10 per cent.) and Luxembourg (10 per cent.).

Job Creation (Lancashire)

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs have been created as a result of the Luneside East development; how many jobs have been created to be taken up by residents of communities in need; and what the estimated cost per job created is. [192923]

Jacqui Smith: The scheme is expected to create 315 jobs and includes new and improved cycle and pedestrian links to improve access to job opportunities for local communities in need.

Lancaster City council will also work to maximise the take up of jobs locally through Employment Action Plans targeting these communities.

The net cost per job is £25,000, which is comparable to other projects of this type.

National Minimum Wage

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many full-time staff have been responsible for the enforcement of minimum wage legislation in each year since 1999. [195110]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Inland Revenue carries out enforcement of the national minimum wage.
 
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Details of Revenue staff responsible for the enforcement of minimum wage legislation:

1999–2000	77
2000–01	93
2001–02	97
2002–03	117
2003–04	115
2004–05	120

In addition to the figures quoted above, there has been a small Revenue head office team of between four-six staff each year.

In addition the DTI has a small policy team dealing with national minimum wage issues currently numbering four people.

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions there have been for offences in breach of minimum wage legislation in each year since 1999. [195111]

Mr. Sutcliffe: To date there have been no prosecution cases for offences in breach of minimum wage legislation. We monitor the effectiveness of enforcement action and will use prosecution should this become appropriate.

The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 contains a number of provisions empowering compliance officers to take civil action against non-paying employers. The majority (around 90 per cent.) of minimum wage cases are solved, at present, without the need for any formal enforcement action. In tackling the minority of more difficult cases, compliance officers may serve an enforcement notice which requires the employer to start paying the minimum wage and make good any arrears of pay. Where an employer ignores the enforcement notice, the officer may then serve a penalty notice. The penalty notice imposes a financial penalty on the employer of twice the adult rate of the minimum wage for each worker named in the enforcement notice from when it was issued.

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from (a) employers and (b) employees about the operation and enforcement of minimum wage legislation with respect to security guards. [195112]

Mr. Sutcliffe: In the last 12 months the Inland Revenue and the Low Pay Commission have received no representations from employers or employees about the operation and enforcement of minimum wage legislation with respect to security guards.

In the same period the DTI has received one letter from a security guard, but this was principally about the number of hours paid during holidays.

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her plans to improve enforcement of minimum wage legislation. [195113]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The hon. Member may know that the Government introduced the National Minimum Wage (Enforcement Notices) Act 2003 last year to ensure that former workers were properly covered by the minimum wage legislation, and that we introduced a package of
 
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measures in the Employment Relations Act 2004 to improve enforcement of the minimum wage. We work closely with the Inland Revenue to ensure that enforcement continues to be effective.

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many 16 and 17 year olds are expected to benefit from the national minimum wage in (a) Glasgow, (b) Scotland and (c) the United Kingdom in the next financial year. [190565]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The information is as follows:

(a) and (b) it is not possible to comment on the number of beneficiaries in Glasgow and Scotland.

(c) The DTI estimates that over 25,000 16 to 17-year-old workers will benefit from the national minimum wage rage of £3.00 per hour in October 2004. This estimate was made in the DTI March 2004 National Minimum Wage Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Nuclear Plants (IT Systems)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information she has received from the International Atomic Energy Agency in respect of its evaluation of the adequacy of computer systems installed at nuclear plants in support of safety and security requirements. [195388]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The International Atomic Energy Agency has not evaluated the adequacy of computer systems installed at nuclear plants in support of safety or security within the UK and has no remit to do so.

Sellafield

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of the reprocessing plant at Sellafield. [194671]

Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 1 November 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1859W to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker).

Shareholder Registers (Animal Rights Activists)

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her assessment is of the security implications of the legal requirement for companies targeted by animal rights activists to provide copies of their shareholder registers; and what plans she has to restrict the right of access to companies' share registers in such cases. [193787]

Ms Hewitt: The UK has one of the strictest regulatory regimes in the world to control the use of animals for medical research and the Government have expressed their determination to stop the illegal and sometimes violent conduct of a small group of extremists who are attempting to intimidate individuals and companies going about their lawful business. I am concerned that these extremists can and do misuse information that is in the public domain to direct their attacks.

The Companies Act requires every company to provide a copy of its Register of Members to those who ask and to list the company's directors. It does not, however, require the company's members or
 
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shareholders to provide their home addresses. Directors' home addresses are currently held on the public record but those who are under a serious risk of violence or intimidation can apply for a confidentiality order to remove these addresses from public inspection. Our intention in the Companies Bill will be to implement the recommendation of the company law review that directors should only need to provide a service address for the public record, with home addresses being held on a register to which access is restricted.

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