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19 Jan 2005 : Column 1009W—continued
Debt Recovery
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many recovery actions have been completed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each year since 1997; how much has been recovered; and how much is unrecoverable. [208425]
Mr. Alexander
[holding answer 17 January 2005]: The following table shows the amount that ECGD has recovered in each financial year since 1997. The nature of ECGD's business means that recovery of individual claims paid is invariably spread over very many years. The information regarding completed action is not therefore available in the form requested.
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| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 510.9 |
| 1998–99 | 429.3 |
| 1999–2000 | 362.0 |
| 2000–01 | 441.3 |
| 2001–02 | 503.5 |
| 2002–03 | 490.0 |
| 2003–04 | 564.1 |
| As at 31 December 2004 | 437.8 |
As at the end of the 2003–04 financial year, ECGD had an outstanding Gross Claims Balance of £5.8 billion, excluding interest in respect of outstanding Paris Club debts. Against this a sum of £3.1 billion was set as an accounting provision, representing a prudent estimate of that proportion of outstanding claims that may later prove not to be recoverable.
19 Jan 2005 : Column 1011W
Departmental Staff
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of her Department's staff is based in London. [208037]
Ms Hewitt: The Lyons Independent Review of Public Sector Relocation, published in July 2004, stated that 32 per cent. of staff in the DTI Group were based in London and the South East.
EU Constitution
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will define (a) free and (b) undistorted competition as required by article 1–3(3) of the proposed EU Constitution. [208085]
Mr. Alexander: The references to "free" and "undistorted" competition in Article 1–3(3) of the new Constitutional Treaty are both widely used and widely understood in outlining the aims of competition policy. They are terms used in Articles 3(l) (g) and 4 of the current treaty. EU competition policy aims to create and maintain a system which promotes undistorted competition within an economic area free from anti-competitive practices and, through its monitoring and investigative powers, bans cartels, prohibits the abuse of dominant positions on the functioning of markets, exercises merger controls, controls on State subsidies and has responsibility for liberalising markets".
Gas Supplies (Business Risk)
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what action she is taking to assist industry and businesses with high gas use to manage their business risk; and if she will make a statement; [209350]
(2) if she will take action to introduce an efficient and competitive forward wholesale gas market; [209351]
(3) what discussions she has had with UK Offshore Operations Association to develop a UK forward gas market; and if she will make a statement; [209352]
(4) if she will take action to help large industrial users to compete in the forward wholesale gas market. [209398]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Great Britain has the most highly developed forward gas market in the European Union.
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My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of energy intensive users before Christmas and agreed that officials work with industry to develop ideas for improving the operation of the forward gas market and to report back. This will include discussions with some large gas producers about their views on the forward gas market. The strategy that businesses adopt to manage their risk is a commercial matter for the companies themselves.
Heating Oil Tanks
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information she has collected on the number of tanks to contain heating oil sold on the domestic market in each year since 1997. [209640]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: DTI does not collect this information.
Parking Spaces
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many car parking spaces are provided for those (a) working in and (b) visiting her Department. [208933]
Ms Hewitt: There are 118 car parking spaces in total on the DTI London estate.
Of these, 53 spaces are allocated on a renewable basis to staff and contractors for reasons of official business, disability or welfare. This is a substantial reduction from the 103 allocated places in November 2002 The remainder are available on a daily basis for visitors and staff with an occasional business need.
Secondment
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the people working within her Department on secondment from the private sector, broken down by (a) the organisation or industry they came from and (b) the policy responsibilities they have been given. [208621]
Ms Hewitt: The table shows all the people currently working in the Department of Trade and Industry on secondment from the private sector. The table indicates the organisation they came from and the name of the DTI directorate to which the secondee is attached.
19 Jan 2005 : Column 1013W
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