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16 Jun 2005 : Column 611W—continued
Consumer Trading and Standards Agency
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers the proposed Consumer Trading and Standards Agency will have to (a) inspect and (b) set targets for local authorities trading standards. [4299]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Hampton Report recommended that a new body should be created at the centre of Government to co-ordinate work on consumer protection and trading standards.
In line with this recommendation, DTI will shortly be issuing a consultation on the creation of the Consumer and Trading Standards Agency (CTSA).
This consultation will inform decisions about the agency's roles and responsibilities, including in relation to Trading Standards.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the timetable is for the establishment of the proposed Consumer Trading and Standards Agency. [4300]
Mr. Sutcliffe: DTI will shortly be issuing a consultation on the establishment of the new Consumer and Trading Standards Agency, as recommended in the Hampton Report.
Hampton recommended that the CTSA should be operational by 2009.
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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the impact of the proposed Consumer Trading and Standards Agency on local authority trading standards. [4356]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Hampton Report recommended that a new body should be created at the centre of Government to co-ordinate work on consumer protection and trading standards.
In line with this recommendation, DTI will shortly be issuing a consultation on the creation of the Consumer and Trading Standards Agency (CTSA).
This consultation will inform decisions about the agency's roles and responsibilities, including in relation to Trading Standards.
Export Control Organisation
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what procedures the Export Control Organisation have in place for preventing corruption on defence sales for which it gives a licence; and if he will make a statement. [2553]
Malcolm Wicks: The Export Control Organisation do not have any procedures in place for preventing corruption on defence sales for which it gives a licence, except in so far as we require licence applicants to specify the end-use, end-user and, in the case of Standard Individual Export Licences, the value of the exports.
More generally, the Government have taken a number of steps in recent years with regard to preventing corruption and empowering law enforcers to investigate such offences. For example, by means of part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (ATCS Act), which clarifies that the existing offences of bribery apply to the bribery of foreign officials and introduces a new jurisdiction over acts of bribery committed by UK nationals or UK-based companies overseas.
The UK has also ensured it has an adequate legal framework to implement the OECD Convention, as specifically acknowledged by the OECD Working Group on Bribery. In addition, the Government have made progress towards ratification of the UN Convention Against Corruption with the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
The Government continue to make efforts elsewhere to prevent foreign bribery, for example, by stepping up its awareness-raising activities with the business community, public officials—in the UK and overseas missions—and NGOs to improve knowledge of the law and of the damage caused by international corruption. We are exploring sector-specific initiatives with business, e.g. in construction and engineering, to ensure that companies operating in these high-risk areas understand their obligations. And we continue to support codes of conduct and business principles promulgated by the likes of the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Economic Forum. Separately, ECGD has launched a consultation exercise on its anti-bribery measures (applicants for Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) support must of course already comply with its anti-bribery and
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corruption procedures, which are amongst the most robust in use by any of the world's leading Export Credit Agencies).
At the same time, law enforcers have streamlined the arrangements that relate to the handling of such allegations. To this end, the Serious Fraud Office now play a central part in the process and is investigating a number of cases. Law enforcers continue to keep these arrangements under review. The Government have also highlighted the provisions of part 12 of ATCS Act in the National Policing Plan, which asks forces to support SFO investigations involving these new powers and to take on those investigations not falling within the SFO's remit.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Export Control Organisation requires companies to sign no-bribery warranties before it will issue a licence. [2554]
Malcolm Wicks: The Export Control Organisation does not require companies to sign no-bribery warranties before it will issue a licence, but this in no way implies a lack of commitment by the Government to action against bribery and corruption.
More generally, the Government have taken a number of steps in recent years with regard to preventing corruption and empowering law enforcers to investigate such offences. For example, by means of part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (ATCS Act), which clarifies that the existing offences of bribery apply to the bribery of foreign officials and introduces a new jurisdiction over acts of bribery committed by UK nationals or UK-based companies overseas.
The UK have also ensured it has an adequate legal framework to implement the OECD Convention, as specifically acknowledged by the OECD Working Group on Bribery. In addition, the Government have made progress towards ratification of the UN Convention Against Corruption with the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
The Government continues to make efforts elsewhere to prevent foreign bribery, for example, by stepping up its awareness-raising activities with the business community, public officials—in the UK and overseas missions—and NGOs to improve knowledge of the law and of the damage caused by international corruption. We are exploring sector-specific initiatives with business, e.g. in construction and engineering, to ensure that companies operating in these high-risk areas understand their obligations. And we continue to support codes of conduct and business principles promulgated by the likes of the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Economic Forum. Separately, ECGD has launched a consultation exercise on its anti-bribery measures (applicants for Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) support must of course already comply with its anti-bribery and corruption procedures, which are amongst the most robust in use by any of the world's leading Export Credit Agencies).
At the same time, law enforcers have streamlined the arrangements that relate to the handling of such allegations. To this end, the Serious Fraud Office now
16 Jun 2005 : Column 614W
plays a central part in the process and is investigating a number of cases. Law enforcers continue to keep these arrangements under review. The Government have also highlighted the provisions of part 12 of ATCS Act in the National Policing Plan, which asks forces to support SFO investigations involving these new powers and to take on those investigations not falling within the SFO's remit.
Funding Allocations (Yorkshire)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 25 May 2005, Official Report, columns 113–44W, in Yorkshire and the Humber, what the distribution of (a) national funds and (b) EU funds were to (i) North Yorkshire, (ii)East Yorkshire, (iii) South Yorkshire and (iv) West Yorkshire in each of the last three years. [1792]
Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
Note:
1.Figures are grant only to avoid double counting of match funding as many of the projects used other national funds as match funding.
2.European Funding works on calendar years.
3.Objective 3 is a national programme and cannot be split into sub-regions.
Yorkshire Forward has made available a total of £136.30 million towards economic development in Yorkshire and Humber over the last three years (excluding European Funding) Sub-regional funding split below. Yorkshire Forward works on financial years.
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