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4 Jul 2005 : Column 52W—continued
Defence Industrial Capability
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry what aspects of defence industrial capability he is seeking to develop. [9392]
Alun Michael: The Department of Trade and Industry is working closely with the Ministry of Defence to establish a defence industrial strategy. This strategy will be aimed at prioritising the importance to the UK of defence industrial capabilities in all sectors.
Defence Units
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the duties and responsibilities are of the Export Control Organisation's (a) Policy Unit, (b) Chemical Weapons Convention Unit, (c) Enforcement Unit, (d) Secure Document Unit, (e) UK Safeguards Office, (f) IAEA Sponsorship Unit and (g) Technical Policy Unit. [7959]
Malcolm Wicks
[holding answer 29 June 2005]: The Policy Unit is responsible for the Export Control Organisation's input into export control policy. The Chemical Weapons Convention Unit provides the UK's national Authority, required by Article VII.4 of the Chemical Weapons Convention and is responsible for the implementation of the Convention in the UK. The Enforcement Unit is responsible for the matching of intelligence material to export licence applications. The Special Documents Unit manages the Department's link to the intelligence agencies. The UK Safeguards Office ensures the application of nuclear safeguards in the UK working with UK industry and works on UK and international policy on nuclear safeguards and related nuclear non-proliferation issues. The IAEA Sponsorship Unit is responsible for nuclear non-proliferation policy as it affects the DTI. This includes the Government lead on overall relations with the
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International Atomic Energy Agency. The Technical Policy Unit has been merged with Policy Unit to support their role.
More detailed information is available from the following Government websites:
Electricity Expenditure
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average amount spent by each household in England on electricity was in the last year for which figures are available. [8997]
Malcolm Wicks: The average amount spent on electricity in 2003–04 across all households in England was £6.36 per week.
Energy Strategy
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for his Department to conduct a review of the Government's energy strategy. [9097]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government remain committed to the framework for energy policy, set out in the EnergyWhite Paper. In the White Paper we made a commitment to keep our progress toward our energy policy goals under review, for example through the work of the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group. Another example is the Climate Change Programme Review, which is already showing that we will need to do more to reach our domestic goal for carbon reductions and we are considering the options for addressing this.
England-Belgium Gas Interconnector
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the England-Belgium gas interconnector enhancement project will be completed; and whether the project is on schedule. [8961]
Malcolm Wicks: The first phase of the enhancement project is expected to be complete in December 2005, enabling a doubling of present import capacity. The second phase is scheduled for December 2006, allowing three times the present capacity to flow. I understand that both phases of the project are currently on schedule.
Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2005, Official Report, column 897W, on the Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme, whether UK Trade and Investment has set a fixed number of overseas exhibitions that any one given company will be eligible to attend under the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme plans for 2006–07; and if he will make a statement. [8807]
Ian Pearson:
An eligible company will be able to receive up to three grants to attend overseas exhibitions. The target companies for this scheme are small and medium sized enterprises who are new to exporting. The purpose of the grant is to help such companies overcome
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perceived commercial risks in pursuing market entry and to enable them to acquire experience on the pat to sustained and successful exporting.
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2005, Official Report, column 897W, on the Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme, whether UK Trade and Investment plans to include mounting UK pavilions which will be eligible to all exporters in its Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme in 2006–07; and if he will make a statement. [8808]
Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment will work with Accredited Trade Organisations to draw up a programme of overseas exhibitions, including UK pavilions. Participation in such groups will be open to all UK companies. Grant support will be limited to small and medium sized enterprises who are new toexporting.
Export Control Organisation
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library thereports submitted by ASE Consulting in relation to its review of the Export Control Organisation's services. [7960]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 29 June 2005]: I have arranged for a copy of the final report released under theFreedom of Information Act to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library the terms of reference for ASE Consulting's review of the Export Control Organisation's services. [7961]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 29 June 2005]: I have arranged for a copy of the terms of reference to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which (a) organisations and (b) other Government departments (i) his Department and (ii) consultants commissioned by his Department have contacted in relation to the review of the Export Control Organisation's services. [7962]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 29 June 2005]: The review was internal to Government and involved FCO, MOD, DFID, the Cabinet Office, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Treasury and other Government agencies. Views of external organisations have not been formally sought.
Home Computing
Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the percentage of households in Worcester that (a) own a home computer, (b) have access to the internet via a normal telephone line and (c) have access to the internet via broadband. [7906]
Alun Michael: The information is as follows:
(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 local authority level.
(b) and (c) In Worcester, the percentage of households with a dial-up internet connection is 30 per cent. The percentage of households with a broadband internet connection is 24.8 per cent. in Worcester.
Humbly Grove/Hole House Farm Gas Storage Facility
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the (a) Humbly Grove gas storage facility and (b) upgrade of the Hole House Farm storage facility will be complete. [8962]
Malcolm Wicks: The Humbly Grove storage facility is due to commence commercial operations in October 2005. The upgrade of the Hole House Farm storage facility is currently expected to be complete in 2008.
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