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15 Dec 2004 : Column 1123W—continued
Departmental Computer Systems
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at interventions have been made across Government Departments to protect computer systems against the unwitting triggering of premium rate numbers through the internet. [203209]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Premium Rate Services (PRS) are regulated by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS). Their Code of Practice is set in accordance with condition 120 of the Communications Act 2003, which stipulates that Ofcom can set conditions to control the activities of PRS providers by means of such a Code of Practice.
The Government have discussed the issue of PRS dialler scams with ICSTIS and other stakeholders on several occasions over the summer and autumn. We have encouraged ICSTIS to take urgent action to deal with the problem. We have noticed some reduction in the number of complaints in the most recent months compared with the summer, although the problem remains significant.
In the summer we asked Ofcom to review PRS regulation, and Ofcom published a report on 9 December. The main recommendations for changes fall into the following three areas.
Faster and more effective ICSTIS sanctions, including the power to impose sanctions directly on telecoms companies who breach the rules, with enforceable fines to deter fraudsters.
More effective mechanisms for ensuring that defrauded customers can get their money back, preferably from the person or company that breached the ICSTIS Code of Practice.
Consumers need to be better informed about the ways they can protect themselves against PRS scams. All the telecoms companies in the PRS industry should play a more proactive role in informing and educating their customers. ICSTIS should continue to play a role in advising and educating consumers about PRS scams and its budget should reflect the increased resources it will need in order to continue to perform such a role effectively.
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Departmental Online Advertising
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her Department's online advertising budget was for each year between 1997 and 2004. [200948]
Ms Hewitt: The information requested is not held centrally in the form required and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.
EU Constitution
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the proposed EU Constitution will provide an additional legal basis for Community action in the field of services of general economic interest. [203151]
Mr. Alexander [holding answer 7 December 2004]: The proposed Constitutional Treaty would provide a legal basis for European laws defining the principles and conditions enabling services of general economic interest to fulfil their missions, without prejudice to the competence of member states, in compliance with the Constitution, to provide, to commission and to fund such services.
External Consultants
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total external spending by her Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by her Department over this period; and if she will make a statement. [202378]
Ms Hewitt: The table gives the information required for the central Department. The central Department employed PFI consultants on two projects within the Department in the years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to date.
Fireworks
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firework-related (a) fatalities and (b) injuries occurred in (i) Wales and (ii) the South Wales Police Force Area in (A) 2002, (B) 2003 and (C) 2004. [204262]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There were no fatalities as a result of the use of fireworks in 2002 or 2003 in the UK.
In 2002, there were 106 injuries where patients were either detained in hospital for one night or more or transferred to another hospital for treatment. In 2003 that number was 110.
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The figures for 2004 are not yet available. I expect publication in March 2005.
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households are living in fuel poverty in Coventry. [203843]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 14 December 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 30 November 2004, Official Report, column 78W. This sets out how the fuel poverty figures for England are produced. Figures for 2001 for each of the Government Office for the Regions: 228,000 households were deemed to be in fuel poverty in the West Midlands area in that period. This data will be updated for 2003 and published in the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy Third Annual Progress Report in 2005.
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households are deemed to be in fuel poverty, broken down by local authority area. [204630]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are unable to provide a breakdown of the number of households in fuel poverty by local authority area.
For the most recently available figures, I refer the hon. Member to the response which I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 30 November 2004, Official Report, column 78W. This sets out how the fuel poverty figures for England are produced, and gives figures for each Government Office Region.
Major Demonstration Project
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure there is no hiatus in funding availability between the expected ending of stream one funding under the Major Demonstration Project and the commencement of stream two funding. [204845]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 14 December 2004]: The DTI's Major Photovoltaic (PV) Demonstration Programme consists of two streams of funding. Stream one covers small scale individual installations between 0.5kWp and 5kWp—typically home-owners, small-medium sized enterprises, public sector organisations, e.g. schools, local authorities, and voluntary organisations/community groups. Stream 2 covers medium to large-scale installations between 5kWp and l00kWp—usually group housing (social and private), commercial, industrial and public sector buildings
The DTI has listened to the calls for an extension of the Major PV Demonstration Programme to give sufficient time for the development of the proposed follow on "Low Carbon Buildings Programme" (as recommended in the Renewables Innovation Review: February 2004). On 15 September 2004 a further £6 million was announced to enable the programme to be extended for a further year until March 2006.
Nuclear Industry
Adam Price:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with British
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Energy concerning the future of the Hinckley Point B, Hunterston B, Heysham 2 and Torness nuclear plant. [204784]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: My officials have regular discussions with British Energy on a range of issues affecting the company. Any decisions concerning the future of British Energy's plants are a matter for the company within the overall regulatory framework.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the negative value is of assets being transferred from British Nuclear Fuels to the Nuclear Recommissioning Authority on 1 April 2005. [204844]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 14 December 2004]: The arrangements to transfer assts take effect on 1 April 2005 and do not amount to the transfer of assets with an overall negative value. Pending the outcome of the investigation announced by the European Commission (on 1 December) into state aid issues arising out of the establishment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), arrangements will be put in place to ensure that no new state resources are made available to the NDA and no advantage is conferred on BNFL. These arrangements will include the transfer of BNFL's sites to the NDA and for sufficient funding for the NDA to be able to begin its operations on 1 April 2005.
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