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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad Scheme
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme; and if he will make a statement. [6158]
Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment will continue to run a substantial event programme to assist small and medium sized enterprises to enter overseas markets. Assistance will be given to those who stand to benefit most, namely new-to-export companies. The purpose of this support will be to enable such companies to acquire market knowledge and international experience as part of a strategic approach to exporting. The implementation details for the scheme in 2006–07 will be finalised after discussions with stakeholders during the summer.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies based in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK have received assistance under the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad Scheme in each year since 1997; what the average payment was in each case in each year; what assessment he has made of the impact of the scheme on exporters; and if he will make a statement. [1182]
Ian Pearson: Companies receiving grants from the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme (and its predecessor, the Trade Fair Support Scheme, in 1997–98 and 1998–99):
| Scotland | Rest of UK | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 294 | 4,117 |
| 1998–99 | 353 | 4,915 |
| 1999–2000 | 325 | 4,888 |
| 2000–01 | 366 | 5,414 |
| 2001–02 | 336 | 5,106 |
| 2002–03 | 396 | 5,523 |
| 2003–04 | 334 | 5,214 |
| 2004–05 | 423 | 5,843 |
The average grant payment during this period cannot be calculated but the average for 2004–05 is approximately £1,900.
UK Trade and Investment will continue to run a substantial programme to assist small and medium sized enterprises to enter overseas markets through an events-based scheme. Assistance will be given to those who stand to benefit the most, namely new-to-export companies. The purpose of support is to enable such companies to acquire market knowledge and experience as part of a strategic approach to exporting.
Internet Access
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated number of people per 1,000 population is that (a) own a home computer, (b) have access to the internet via normal telephone line and (c) have access to the internet via broadband in each London borough. [5148]
Alun Michael:
The information is as follows:
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(a) In the latest Consumer Durables survey by ONS in 2002–03, 54 per cent. of households owned a home computer. This information is not available at a London borough level.
(b) and (c) The following table shows the percentage of households that have a dial-up internet connection or a broadband connection for each of the London boroughs.
Source:
Point Topic
Export Control and Non-proliferation Directorate
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimated cost savings were cited by ASE Consulting in the report which considered privatising the Export Control and Non-proliferation Directorate; and if he will make a statement. [6157]
Malcolm Wicks: The report focused on whether outsourcing as a means of service delivery was compatible with the executive functions of the Export Control Organisation and as such did not set out a detailed business case containing cost savings.
MG Rover
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which parties other than the MG Rover management team and his Department were informed that MG Rover had entered administration before the Secretary of State declared the insolvency on national television on Thursday 7 April; and if he will make a statement. [5863]
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Ian Pearson [holding answer 20 June 2005]: Tony Woodley (TGWU) and Derek Simpson (Amicus), were present when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was informed of the Directors decision to call in administrators and make a statement. Representatives of No. 10 and HM Treasury were also present.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any of the conditions applied to the bridging loan offered by the Government to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation in relation to MG Rover were changed by the Government during the week commencing Monday 4 April; and if he will make a statement. [5864]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 20 June 2005]: I can confirm the criteria against which the DTI considered the offer of a bridging loan to MG Rover were not changed in the week commencing Monday 4 April.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the reasons why the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation decided not to pursue the deal to secure MG Rover. [5865]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 20 June 2005]: That is a question for SAIC. However, as my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State noted in her statement on 7 April, SAIC made it clear that they were not confident about the future solvency of MG Rover, and that bridging loan finance would not have solved their concerns.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the length of the repayment period was on the £100 million bridging finance offered by the Government in advance of MG Rover entering administration; and whether the length of this repayment period was changed after it was offered. [5866]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 20 June 2005]: The terms of the proposed loan required repayment by 31 May 2005. This requirement was not changed. No negotiations on the term of repayment took place as it became clear that the deal was not going ahead.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the terms of reference for the investigation into the affairs of the MG Rover Group. [5923]
Ian Pearson: The inspectors have been asked to examine issues raised by the Financial Reporting Review Panel in their report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the events leading up to the appointment of administrators on 8 April 2005.
Pay Phones
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss with British Telecom its proposal to remove the last remaining pay phone in the village of Longdon in Worcestershire. [6077]
Alun Michael:
The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as independent regulator. Accordingly, DTI officials have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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Miners' Compensation
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid in costs to Raleys Solicitors since the inception of the vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compensation scheme. [6120]
Malcolm Wicks: The total costs paid to Raleys solicitors are as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 38.8 |
| Vibration white finger | 7.3 |
(4)Solicitor's costs include VAT on solicitor's profit costs and disbursements, but exclude generic costs (which are paid to those solicitors involved in the initial litigation and in co-ordinating the claims handling framework).
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases have received (a) interim settlements and (b) full and final settlements under the Vendside and Union of Democratic Mineworkers' chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger schemes. [6121]
Malcolm Wicks: The numbers of payments and settlements under the Vendside and Union of Democratic Mineworkers' schemes are as follows:
| Policy | Interim payments(5) | Settled by payment | Settled by denial/withdrawal | Total settled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPD | 2,852 | 15,351 | 1,743 | 17,094 |
| VWF | 11,140 | 14,465 | 5,300 | 19,765 |
| Total | 13,992 | 29,816 | 7,043 | 36,859 |
(5)Interim payments reflects the number of claimants" who have received an interim payment, rather than the number of payments made (some cases receive more than one interim).
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid in costs under the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and Vendside scheme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger in each year since 1999. [6123]
Malcolm Wicks: The total costs paid by year under the Union of Democratic Mineworkers/Vendside schemes are as follows:
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(6) | Vibration white finger | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| 2001 | 1.1 | 2.8 |
| 2002 | 3.8 | 2.0 |
| 2003 | 11.1 | 2.9 |
| 2004 | 9.2 | 1.7 |
| 2005 | 4.1 | 0.7 |
| Total | 29.4 | 11.6 |
(6)Solicitor's costs include VAT on solicitor's profit costs and disbursements, but exclude generic costs (which are paid to those solicitors involved in the initial litigation and in coordinating the claims handling framework).
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