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10 Oct 2005 : Column 37W—continued

Telephone Inquiries

Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone inquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic. [14727]


 
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Alan Johnson: The Department of Trade and Industry has a contract with an external telephone translation service that enables it, by means of a three-way conference call, to handle telephone calls in Welsh, Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic.

Telephone Numbers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment has been made of the likely impact Ofcom's proposed changes to (a) the 0870 number range and (b) 0845 numbers could have on those industries which rely on these number ranges to fund or subsidise the cost of providing other services to consumers; [15007]

(2) what assessment has been made of the likely impact Ofcom's proposal to remove revenue sharing of the 0870 number range will have on the Number Translation Service industry; [15008]

(3) what assessment has been made of the likely impact Ofcom's proposal to maintain the current price per minute rates for 0845 numbers for a two year period will have on internet service providers' ability to take advantage of British Telecom's next generation network roll-out; [15009]

(4) if he will bring forward measures to (a) help consumers understand the pricing of calls to Number Translation Services and (b) ensure providers who charge more than the standard fixed line rate make a pre-announcement to consumers using their services. [15010]

Alun Michael: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom is the independent regulator for the communications sector, deriving its main powers and duties directly from statute rather than by delegation from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, and accountable to Parliament in its own right. Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive officer of Ofcom to reply to the hon. Member and to send me a copy of his response. Copies of the chief executive's letter will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Timber Procurement

Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the refurbishment projects in his Department that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that timber for these projects will be procured from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources. [16253]

Alan Johnson: My Department is currently undertaking a programme to rationalise its central London Estate, which includes refurbishment and improvements to offices at 151 Buckingham Palace road, Kingsgate House and 10 Victoria street in SW1. This will allow the DTI to reduce its accommodation by approximately 30 per cent.
 
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The DTI HQ estate incorporates green procurement policies in the sourcing of timber and timber products when used on and in the construction of departmental building projects.

All construction timber and timber products are procured specifying the point of origin must be from a sustainable source and certified as FSC or similar.

UK Tyre Manufacturers

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many UK tyre manufacturers have relocated to bases in (a) Eastern Europe, (b) China and (c) South Korea in each year since 1997. [14639]

Ian Pearson: The Department does not keep comprehensive records of company relocations.

Unwanted Text Messages

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what facilities are available for people to report unwanted text messages advertising goods and services. [16036]

Alun Michael: The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, which came into force in the UK on 11 December 2003, introduced statutory controls on unsolicited direct marketing text messages. The rules require that unsolicited direct marketing text messages shall only be sent with the prior consent of the addressee unless they have previously given a mobile number to the sender in the context of purchasing a product or service.

The Information Commissioner has responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations and considers complaints about breaches. A breach of an enforcement
 
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notice is a criminal offence subject to a fine of up to £5000 in a magistrates court. Complaints can be directed to the Information Commissioner's Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, Telephone: 01625 545 700, Fax: 01625 524 510, Email: mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk and further information is available at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk or the Libraries of the House.

Utility Costs

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies spent on (i) electricity use and (ii) water and sewerage services in each year since 1997. [16261]

Alan Johnson: The running costs for DTI HQ estate in respect of electricity, water and sewerage since 1997 is based on available information. The figures are as follows:
£000

ElectricityWater and sewerage
2003–0495790
2002–03942137
2001–02855137
2000–01929171
1999–20001,036165
1998–99917151
1997–981,065Not available

Letter from Ron Marchant to Mr. Edward Davey, dated 10 October 2005:


1996–971997–981998–991999–20002000–01
Electric
Government Buildings50,263.5338,852.9129,278.9038,102.9037,186.71
Concept House151,614.59136,510.18131,115.58129,185.34120,189.06
Nine Mile Point21,863.9319,831.3319,263.3020,336.8217,087.71
Total223,742.05195,194.42179,657.78187,625.06174,463.48

2001–022002–0032003–042004–05
Electric
Government Buildings44,742.5331,570.3632,423.5735,249.34
Concept House130,168.49115,206.62117,780.42136,191.69
Nine Mile Point15,551.5617,200.7019,175.7220,502.34
Total190,462.58163,977.68169,379.71191,943.37

1996–971997–981998–991999–20002000–001
Water
Government Buildings35,114.0143,408.469,582.5119,469.8114,775.21
Concept House0.000.000.000.000.00
Nine Mile Point2,416.461,558.751,032.05880.01227.74
Total37,530.47(20)44,967.2110,614.5620,349.8215,002.95

2001–022002–0032003–042004–05
Water
Government Buildings23,511.0014,152.3722,968.0626,939.27
Concept House0.000.000.000.00
Nine Mile Point915.701,039.831,077.72716.50
Total24,426.7015,192.2024,045.7827,655.77


(20)Includes overpayment which was credited in 1998–99.




 
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Letter from Iain MacGregor to Mr. Edward Davey, dated 10 October 2005:


NWML spend on electricity for the period 2000–2005

£000
2000–0126
2001–0218
2002–0314
2003–0418
2004–0556




Note:
Figures for 1997–2000 are not easily available.



Letter from Desmond Flynn to Mr. Edward Davey, dated 10 October 2005:


£

ElectricityWater
2004–05230,24526,662
2003–04229,62521,093
2002–03198,94818,910
2001–02204,44619,917
2000–01238,85619,515
1999–2000192,87821,290

 
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Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual spending by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies has been on (i) water and sewerage services and (ii) electricity use in each year since 1997. [16281]

Alan Johnson: The running costs for DTI HQ estate in respect of electricity, water and sewerage since 1997 is based on available information. The figures are as follows.
£000

ElectricityWater and sewerage
2003–0495790
2002–03942137
2001–02855137
2000–01929171
1999–20001,036165
1998–99917151
1997–981,065n/a

Letter from Ron Marchant to Mr. Alan Reid, dated 10 October 2005:


1996–971997–981998–991999–2000
Electric
Government buildings50,263.5338,852.9129,278.9038,102.90
Concept House151,614.59136,510.18131,115.58129,185.34
Nine Mile Point21,863.9319,831.3319,263.3020,336.82
Total223,742.05195,194.42179,657.78187,625.06
Water
Government buildings35,114.01(21)43,408.469,582.5119,469.81
Concept House0.000.000.000.00
Nine Mile Point2,416.461,558.751,032.05880.01
Total37,530.4744,967.2110,614.5620,349.82

2000–012001–022002–032003–042004–05
Electric
Government buildings37,186.7144,742.5331,570.3632,423.5735,249.34
Concept House120,189.06130,168.49115,206.62117,780.42136,191.69
Nine Mile Point17,087.7115,551.5617,200.7019,175.7220,502.34
Total174,463.48190,462.58163,977.68169,379.71191,943.37
Water
Government buildings14,775.2123,511.0014,152.3722,968.0626,939.27
Concept House0.000.000.000.000.00
Nine Mile Point227.74915.701,039.831,077.72716.50
Total15,002.9524,426.7015,192.2024,045.7827,655.77


(21)Includes overpayment which was credited in 1998–99
Note:
The Concept House water and sewage is part of the service charge paid to ONS who pay the rate for the whole site the Patent Office share is usually about £1,900 per month.





 
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Letter from Claire Clancy to Mr. Alan Reid, dated 10 October 2005:


£
Water and sewerage
April 2001-March 200242,207
April 2002-March 200327,268
April 2003-March 200417,899
April 2004-March 200521,887
Electricity
April 2000-March 2001203,732
April 2001-March 2002190,830
April 2002-March 2003158,510
April 2003-March 2004175,791
April 2004-March 2005265,527

Letter from Iain MacGregor to Mr. Alan Reid, dated 10 October 2005:


£
2000–0126,000
2001–0218,000
2002–0314,000
2003–0418,000
2004–0556,000

Letter from Desmond Flynn to Mr. Alan Reid, dated 10 October 2005:


£

WaterElectricity
2004–0526,662230,245
2003–0421,093229,625
2002–0318,910198,948
2001–0219,917204,446
2000–0119,515238,856
1999–200021,290192,878


 
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