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6 Jul 2005 : Column 460W—continued
Colitis/Crohn's Disease
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding has been provided for research into (a) ulcerative colitis and (b) Crohn's disease by the Medical Research Council. [9511]
Malcolm Wicks: The Medical Research Council (MRC) spent £1.6 million in 2003–04 on research relevant to inflammatory bowel diseases, which include both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
It is for individual Research Councils to determine the research they wish to fund. Research excellence and importance to health are the primary considerations in MRC's funding decisions. Research proposals received by MRC undergo full peer review and assessment by one of the MRC's Research Boards.
Colliery Spoil Heaps
Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many fires have occurred on former colliery spoil heaps since 1980, broken down by (a) former National Coal Board and (b) private tips. [7287]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 27 June 2005]: Given the varied ownership of both former National Coal Board/British Coal Corporation and private colliery tips, no such information is centrally available.
Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who is responsible for monitoring the condition of (a) former National Coal Board and (b) private colliery spoil heap. [7288]
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Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 27 June 2005]: In respect of any disused colliery tip, the primary responsibility for ensuring safety rests with the tip owner, although local authorities have certain powers to act where there may be a threat to public safety. Any active or closed tip continues to be the responsibility of the mine owner. The enforcement authority in respect of such tips is the Mines Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce guidelines on corporate social responsibility for business similar to the guidelines introduced recently by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on business impact on the environment; and if he will make a statement. [8976]
Alun Michael: I have no plans to introduce guidelines on corporate social responsibility (CSR) for business. CSR covers the social, environmental and economic impacts of business activities and a range of standards and guidelines already exist. DEFRA's consultation on revised guidelines for environmental reporting is part of the Government's approach of encouraging good practice. The Department was consulted on the guidelines and I added my support to the launch.
Exports
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it would require primary legislation to privatise the authority for issuing export licences. [8700]
Malcolm Wicks: No decisions have been taken on the XNP Services Review. If, we decided to outsource some, or all, of our export control services, we do not anticipate the need for any primary legislation.
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department's strategy is for helping UK exporters to penetrate new markets in (a) India and (b) China. [8810]
Ian Pearson
[holding answer 4 July 2005]: Government have a well-defined strategy to help UK business succeed in China and India. Joint statements have been made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and his counterparts in India and China establishing a framework for strategic partnership agreements aimed at enhancing our bilateral relations in a number of key areas, including trade and investment. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry sits on the Joint Economic Trade Forum for China (JETC) and Joint Economic Trade Committee for India (JETCO), which are pivotal in bringing business issues to the attention of our relevant Ministries. Among other things, they explore the scope for co-operation across a number of key sectors, including energy and ICT. The Chancellor recently announced that the Asia Task Force will build on this work by identifying generic problems that British companies face in these markets. Ensuring that barriers are tackled where possible, and helping business overcome those that remain. Sector programmes have been developed in collaboration with industry, the
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Regional Development Agencies and devolved Administrations. These have been fed into UKTI's Business Plans for both China and India. They aim to develop our individual sector and wider market shares through a range of proactive activities and initiatives. We support a range of business to business led initiatives and support packages through our key delivery partners. In China these are the China British Business Council, and in India the Indo-British Partnership. In addition, UKTI directly supports numerous trade missions, seminars and trade show events to assist companies in penetrating these markets for the first time. For example, currently over 100 UKTI supported missions, seminars and trade show events are scheduled in China for 2005–06—a 25 per cent.. increase on the 2004–05 programme.
Gas Reserves
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many days' supply of (a) long range, (b) medium range and (c) short range strategic gas reserves there is; and how this figure is calculated; [7898]
(2) what the minimum (a) long range, (b) medium range and (c) short range strategic gas reserves available during (i) February and (ii) March were, expressed as (A) a percentage of total potential storage of that type and (B) the number of days' supply at peak demand. [7899]
Malcolm Wicks: While there are no specifically defined strategic gas reserves" in the UK, there are levels of storage stocks known as Safety Monitors. These are determined as the minimum storage requirements to protect loads that can not be isolated from the network and also to support the process of isolating large loads from the network. The resultant storage stocks or monitors are designed to ensure that sufficient gas is held in storage to underpin the safe operation of the gas transportation system under severe conditions. There are separate safety monitors for each storage facility type (long, medium and short duration storage) each determined by National Grid Transco (NGT) to meet its Network Code requirements and under the terms of its Safety Case. Total shipper gas stocks should not fall below the relevant monitor level (which declines as the winter progresses). NGT is required to take action (which may include use of emergency procedures) in order to prevent a breach of these monitors. These monitors are calculated from:
(a) an assessment of the level of supply availability (beach supplies, Interconnector imports and storage) against severe winter demands of those loads that can not be isolated from the network, for example domestic loads and priority customers (ie hospitals)
For next winter NGT's current assessment of the storage monitors are.
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According to the latest data, as of 29 June 2005, the Rough Storage Facility (long-range) is just over 70 per cent.. full. This is around 53 days deliverability at maximum withdrawal rates. Medium and short (LNG) duration storage is estimated to be around 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. full respectively. Transco publish
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updates on the levels of stocks in storage on their website: http://www.transco.co.uk/services/summops/storage.htm.
Statistics for February and March, as provided by NGT, are:
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