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Nuclear Waste

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on the import of spent nuclear fuel into the UK for disposal. [224023]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is not Government policy to import spent nuclear fuel into the UK for disposal.

Since 1976, all new contracts entered into by BNFL for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel from overseas have contained options for BNFL to return the waste, along with the uranium and plutonium for recycling.

Any new proposals will be subject to public consultation and will require the approval of the Secretary of State. In the event that such a proposal was received, the Government would assess that case on its merits, including under the terms of the Bergen declaration, considering the implications of increasing the current volume of fuel to be reprocessed through BNFL's Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP).
 
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Decisions would be taken in the best interests of the UK as a whole, in light of advice from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

Office of Civil Nuclear Security

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who is responsible for the work of the Office of Civil Nuclear Security in Wales; and whether the Office has field inspectors based solely in Wales. [223104]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is responsible for nuclear security in the UK, and this is carried out on her behalf by the Director of Civil Nuclear Security. Office for Civil Nuclear Security inspectors are allocated responsibility for sites according to the security need: there are none dedicated solely to Wales.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the projects being undertaken by her Department in respect of which information cannot be given in answer to parliamentary questions as a result of commercial confidentiality. [216638]

Ms Hewitt: A decision not to release information relating to any project as a result of commercial confidentiality is made on the basis of the specific request made in each parliamentary question.

An assessment of commercial confidentiality may apply to a specific element within a project as well as to an entire project. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the information requested.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will answer the question, reference 202791, tabled for answer on 6 December 2004. [219729]

Ms Hewitt: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to question reference 210278, tabled for answer on 20 January. [221162]

Mr. Alexander: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Gentleman in the time available before Prorogation.

Patent Office

Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Patent Office is undertaking a consultation with business about the new intellectual property system she proposes that Office develops; and whether the resulting system development will be put out to tender. [224119]

Ms Hewitt [holding answer 4 April 2005]: The Government have stressed the importance of an intellectual property system which continues to promote innovation. We remain committed to consulting fully with all interested parties, including business, on all developments to that system.
 
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Photovoltaic Cells/Energy

Mr. McWalter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the case for continuing funding to companies who are developing photovoltaic cells; and if she will make a statement on the contribution which the photovoltaic industry can make to reduction in carbon emissions. [221637]

Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 21 March 2005]: DTI provides research funding to companies developing photovoltaic (PV) cells through the DTI Technology Programme. The overall research budget for emerging energy technologies is £20 million per annum.

Funding for installation of the technology is through the PV Major Demonstration Programme and grants go to householders and public organisations, not direct to the companies installing the technology.

The Renewables Innovation Review, published by DTI and The Carbon Trust in February 2004, recommended continued support for research and development into next generation PV technologies. The report stated that PV was not expected to be fully economic compared to retail price until post 2020; however next generation solutions could bring this forward.

The Renewables Innovation Review estimated that the potential contribution of PV towards reducing carbon emissions was 3 Mt by 2050 (total contribution from renewable energy aspiration of 20 Mt).

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons the Government plans to phase out grant support for photovoltaic energy systems; and what further plans the Government have to (a) promote and (b) support PV development. [220937]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Government have no plans to phase out support for photovoltaics. The current capital grant programme, the major PV demonstration programme, is due to end in March 2006 and the Department will continue its support for PV through a low carbon buildings" programme.

The Renewable Innovation Review February 2004, recommended this more holistic approach to energy use in buildings incorporating both energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The low carbon buildings programme is currently under development and there will be formal consultation on this later this year. The programme is expected to begin operating in 2006–07.

Post Office Closures

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations were received by (a) her Department, (b) Postwatch and (c) the Royal Mail from the hon. Member for South Dorset in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004 regarding the proposed closure of seven sub-post offices in Weymouth. [222598]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Under the public consultation arrangements for sub-post office closure proposals as part of the urban reinvention programme, Members of Parliament and other interested parties were invited to make any representations concerning such proposals to Post Office Ltd. and Postwatch. The Department does
 
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not have details of representations about proposed urban reinvention programme proposals for South Dorset made to Post Office Ltd. or Postwatch, but I understand that, in the light of representations received, the proposed closure of Southhill sub-post office was permanently withdrawn from the programme.

Post Offices

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on future ownership of the Post Office. [224755]

Ms Hewitt: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on provision of post office services in Amington ward in Tamworth. [220790]

Mr. Sutcliffe: Provision of post office services is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). My officials have asked POL to issue a direct reply to the hon. Member.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997. [223151]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Government do not hold this information. This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). My officials have asked POL to issue a direct reply to the hon. Member.

Professional Fees

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much had been paid for professional fees in respect of coal health claims to the top 20 highest paid solicitor practices at the latest date for which figures are available. [224772]

Nigel Griffiths: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid for solicitors to date for professional fees in respect of coal health claims. [224773]

Nigel Griffiths: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

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