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Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions since 5 November 2004 (a) the Export Credits Guarantee Department has accepted an applicant's request not to provide the name and address of an agent when proceeding with an application and (b) applicants have asked the ECGD to proceed with an application without providing the name and address of an agent or intermediary. [220896]

Mr. Alexander: The information is as follows:

(a) None.

(b) None.

House Purchases

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about applying the Sale of Goods Act 1979 to new house purchases; and if she will make a statement. [222718]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply to new house purchases. I have received no representations about applying the Sale of Goods Act to new house purchases.

Israel

Ms Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans she has to develop the trade relationship between the UK and Israel; [222884]

(2) if she will make a statement on bi-lateral trade between the UK and Israel. [222885]

Mr. Alexander: UK Trade and Investment has developed a programme of trade development and inward investment activities with Israel in sectors which present real and specific opportunities for UK industry. UKTI has identified opportunities particularly in the high tech and financial services industries, as well as seeking to attract significant Israeli investment into the UK. 2004 trade figures for UK exports to Israel are £1.394 billion (£1.377 billion in 2003) and £943 million for Israeli imports to the UK (£882 million in 2003).

Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of bilateral trade relations between the UK and Israel (a) from 1997 to 2001 and (b) since June 2001. [223020]

Mr. Alexander: The bilateral trade relationship between the UK and Israel has been fruitful for both sides for many years and continues to thrive.
 
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Statistically this can be measured in four-year blocks; in 1997–2000 (inclusive) £5.085 billion of goods was exported from the UK to Israel, and in 2001–04 (inclusive) this had risen by 10 per cent. to £5.576 billion. Imports from Israel in the same periods fell slightly from £3.802 to £3.711.

Lyons Review

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what decisions have been made to relocate to north-east Scotland jobs in the Department in the oil and gas sector as set out in the recommendations of the Lyons Review. [207635]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 10 January 2005]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to his question number 207634, on 12 January 2005, Official Report, column 579W.

Maternity Leave

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Bolton, North-East have taken 26 weeks maternity leave since 1997. [203369]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Labour Force Survey provides statistics on the number of women who are on maternity leave at a single point in time (spring) every year. However it does not record the total number of women on maternity leave each year or the duration of leave taken. Due to concerns about data confidentiality, the Office for National Statistics does not release figures at constituency level. The smallest area for which data are available is Greater Manchester.

Over the eight years between 1997 and 2004, there were on average 6,000 women on maternity leave around spring in Greater Manchester. This represents approximately 1.2 per cent. of women in employment, and 0.5 per cent. of all women, in the Greater Manchester area.

MG Rover

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with representatives from China on a bid to rescue MG Rover. [217354]

Jacqui Smith: The Government supports the proposed joint venture between MG Rover and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) as the best route to achieving a sustainable future for manufacturing at Longbridge. A number of Ministers, including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, have expressed this support both in writing and in face-to-face meetings with representatives of SAIC and the Chinese Government.

Miners Compensation (Midlothian)

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in Midlothian were paid compensation under the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004. [220072]

 
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Nigel Griffiths: In 2003, 10 people in Midlothian were paid compensation under the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Scheme and in 2004, three people in Midlothian were paid compensation under the scheme and 3,292 individual payments worth £20.5 million were made in Midlothian under the Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease scheme.

Newspaper Distribution Regulations

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with the Office of Fair Trading about the review of newspaper distribution regulations; and if she will make a statement. [216652]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 21 February 2005]: In response to a request from certain parties in the newspaper and magazine supply chain, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has been undertaking an informal consideration of the arrangements for distribution of newspapers and magazines. This is a matter for the OFT. OFT has, however, sought to keep DTI officials informed about the process. I understand the OFT will announce its findings shortly.

Paternity Rights

Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she will take to enhance the paternity rights enjoyed by fathers to bring them into line with the maternity rights enjoyed by mothers. [222355]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 17 March 2005]: In 2003, we introduced a new right for fathers to take two weeks' paternity leave with statutory paternity pay, paid at the same standard rate as statutory maternity pay.

In addition to this, fathers benefit from other provisions provided for working parents in the same way as mothers. The right to request flexible working, the right to parental leave and the right to time off for dependants all apply to fathers as well as mothers.

Our recent consultation document, Work and Families: Choice and Flexibility", seeks views on options for a new scheme which would enable a father to take a proportion of the statutory maternity leave and pay which is currently available to the mother.

Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Libraries of the House. It is also available to download at www.dti.gov.uk/workandfamilies or to order from DTI Publications orderline on 0845 015 0010.

Pensions (Coal Industry)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners have been adversely affected by the changes of spring 1987 to the pension scheme relating to canteen workers in the coal industry and the continued payments of pensions to the husbands and deceased pensioners. [222727]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 18 March 2005]: The issue raised is a matter for the Trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme. DTO does not hold any personal information on MPS members and I have asked the Trustees to respond to the hon. Member.
 
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Regional Development Agencies

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how regional development agencies (RDAs) choose which company to support when multiple companies across multiple RDAs are competing for the same export business. [203951]

Mr. Alexander: Support for exporters in England is the responsibility of UK Trade & Investment, which has agreed with the RDAs to operate as their international trade arm. UK Trade & Investment seeks to support all companies which approach them for help with exporting in accordance with each company's needs. It is for individual companies to decide as to which export business they might pursue.

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