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Catering Costs

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on (a) entertainment lunches involving civil servants andguests and (b) working lunches, in each year since 1997. [215052]

Ms Hewitt: The information on the amount spent on entertainment lunches involving civil servants and working lunches is not available as requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Sir George Young: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters from the right hon. Member for North West Hampshire of 27 October 2004, 7 December 2004, 5 January, 9 February and 3 March relating to labels on bottles. [224356]

Nigel Griffiths: I apologise for the delay in responding to the letters. I responded on 30 March.

Departmental Budget

Mr. Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the most recent figures are for her Department's budget (a) in 2005–06 and (b) in each year for which projections have been made, broken down by budget sub-head. [223759]

Ms Hewitt: The DTI Business Plan 2005–08 published in February 2005 sets out the Department's budget for the period 2005 to 2008 broken down by business plan objective.

An electronic version of the Business Plan can be foundat: http://www.dti.gov.uk/about/dti-businessplan-2004–08.pdf

Energy

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been funded by the Government on improving access to (a) the renewables obligation, (b) climate change levy exemption certificates and (c) renewables energy guarantees of origin for domestic consumers installing qualifying microgeneration technologies; what recommendations have been made from this work; what steps she is taking in the context of the current review of the renewables obligation to implement those recommendations; what additional work she intends to undertake further to improve access; and if she will make a statement. [224009]

 
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: Through the Distributed Generation Coordinating Group (DGCG), the Government have funded a report by Jade Energy on the accrual of renewables obligation certificates (ROCs), levy exemption certificates (LECs) and renewable energy guarantees of origin (REGOs). The report, which was published in February 2005, addresses concerns on the part of the microgeneration community (which includes domestic consumers who install microgeneration technologies) about access to the benefits of these schemes. The report makes recommendations on bulk processing of applications, meter data provision and sell and buy back" contracts as well as recommendations to streamline the schemes and make them more user-friendly. Jade Energy's report is available on the DGCG's website (www.distributed-generation. gov.uk).

In the current review of the renewables obligation, the preliminary consultation addresses the issue of administrative arrangements for small generators and seeks views on a number of proposals with the potential to benefit microgenerators. In developing the Government's strategy on microgeneration, I will be assessing the usefulness of various measures including improving access to ROCs, LECs and REGOs, taking account of, among other things, the Jade Energy report.

Export Control Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will place in the Library copies of written representations (a) made by her Department to and (b) received by her Department from (i)representatives from industry and (ii) others relating to the future of the Export Control Organisation and private sector involvement in delivering some of that organisation's services. [221736]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 14 March 2005]: The DTI has carried out no public consultation on the matter. I have received two written representations, (which are commercially sensitive.)

International Conference on Nuclear Power

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution her Department made to the International Conference on Nuclear Power for the 21st Century in Paris; and if she will place in the Library copies of relevant papers. [223931]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: None. The conference was organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency and hosted by the French Government. Information about the conference is available at www.parisnuclear2005.org/accueil.htm and www.iaea.org/.

Milford Haven (Liquefied Natural Gas Development)

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of whether the liquid natural gas tanker should be included in risk assessments for the liquid natural gas developments at Milford Haven; and if she will make a statement. [224544]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Risk assessment for the LNG developments at Milford Haven does not fall within the planning vires of the Department for Trade and
 
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Industry. Hence I am told that prior to October 2004, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has had no direct contact nor discussions with the organisations mentioned concerning risk assessment either with regard to LNG tankers, or any other part of the LNG developments at Milford Haven.

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions she had with (a) the Health and Safety Executive, (b) Pembrokeshire National Park Authority, (c) Exxon Mobil and Petroplus, (d) the Department for Transport and (e) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister concerning risk assessments for the liquid natural gas developments at Milford Haven prior to October 2004; and if she will make a statement; [224545]

(2) what discussions she had with Pembrokeshire county council on whether the liquid natural gas (LNG) tanker should be included in the risk assessment for the LNG developments in Milford Haven prior to October 2004; and if she will make a statement. [224546]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Risk assessment for the LNG developments at Milford Haven does not fall within theplanning vires of the Department of Trade and Industry. Hence I am told prior to October 2004, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has had no direct contact nor discussions with the organisations mentioned concerning risk assessment either with regard to LNG tankers, or any other part of the LNG developments at Milford Haven.

Minimum Wage (Leicester)

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses were found to be employing workers for less than the minimum wage in (a) Leicester and (b) England, in each year since the minimum wage was introduced; and how many (i) were fined and (ii) were forced to cease trading. [223488]

Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.

The Inland Revenue did not start recording the information requested until April 2000.

The number of cases identified by NMW teams based in England where non compliance of minimum wage was identified:

	Number
1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001	1,505
1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002	1,345
1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003	1,476
1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004	1,660
1 April 2004 to date	1,153

For these cases a total of 55 penalty notices have been issued throughout this period.

A penalty notice may be issued where an employer fails to comply with an enforcement notice.

The Leicester NMW team was formed in April 2002 and the number of cases identified where non compliance of NMW was identified is as follows.
 
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	Number
1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003	38
1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004	83
1 April 2004 to date	50

The Leicester team have not issued any penalty notices to date.

We do not hold information on the number of employers who ceased trading.

Newspaper Supply Chain

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment she has made of the likelihood of passive selling of magazines following proposals by the Office of Fair Trading to change the way in which magazines are distributed in the UK; [223533]

(2) whether she has commissioned an independent assessment of the analysis by the Office of Fair Trading of the UK newspaper and supply chain; [223547]

(3) if she will make a statement on the likely effect of passive selling on (a) the competitiveness of small independent newsagents and (b) consumer choice; [223556]

(4) what assessment she has made of the likely impact of the proposals by the Office of Fair Trading to change the UK supply chain for newspapers and magazines on delivery charges to (a) small independent and (b) larger retailers; [223570]

(5) what assessment she has made of the impact on relevant organisations of the changes proposed by the Office of Fair Trading relating to the newspaper supply chain. [223560]

Mr. Sutcliffe: In response to industry requests, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has undertaken an informal consideration of the compatibility with competition law of agreements for distribution of newspapers and magazines. OFT's provisional opinion was announced on 23 February 2005 and a fuller draft advisory opinion will be published shortly for public consultation. The Government has no plans to commission any separate assessment of these issues which should be considered by the OFT as the UK's independent competition regulator. The OFT's opinion aims to help companies ensure that the arrangements they put in place for the distribution of their products are compatible with the law.

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