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7 Nov 2005 : Column 36W—continued
Snares
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the danger to (i) badgers, (ii) livestock and (iii) domestic animals from snares. [25280]
Jim Knight: DEFRA commissioned an independent working group on snares to examine all issues surrounding the snaring of foxes and rabbits. The group included experts on both animal welfare and wildlife management. The group's report has been published which contains a section examining the risks snares pose to non-target species such as badgers, livestock and domestic animals. In response to the report, DEFRA has published a code of good practice on the use of snares in fox and rabbit control and a DEFRA snares action plan. The documents may be found on:
UK Carbon Emissions
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what emission factors are used in the calculation of UK carbon emissions from natural gas. [22203]
Margaret Beckett:
The time series of natural gas carbon emissions factors for each year from 1990 to 2003 in kilotonne carbon per megatherm fuel consumed (kt/Mtherm fuel consumed) is shown in the following table. The time series of UK specific emissions factors is derived from the recent review of carbon emission factors and is used in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
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UK Exports (Australia)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the effect of the introduction of origin labelling in Australia on UK exports to that country. [22725]
Jim Knight: The objectives of the amendments to country of origin labelling in Australia and New Zealand are to provide consumers with adequate information to make informed choices and to bring existing country of origin labelling in those countries into line with World Trade Organisation agreements. The Government do not envisage that the changes will have a significant effect on UK exports to these markets.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date the new treatment standards for waste electrical and electronic equipment will be published; and if she will make a statement. [25023]
Mr. Bradshaw: We expect to publish guidance on the selective treatment requirements set out in Annex II of Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at the same time as we make regulations to transpose the treatment permitting requirements of the directive. The guidance is being amended in the light of comments received during an earlier consultation by the Environment Agency and will be available in good time for the implementation of the directive's producer responsibility obligations in respect of WEEE in June 2006.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Africa
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes of policy he expects will be made to give developing countries the freedom and flexibility implied in paragraph 31 of the G8 communique on Africa. [21661]
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Ian Pearson: The Government have already announced changes to policy on debt relief and aid conditionally. In March the Government launched a new policy Partnerships for poverty reduction—rethinking conditionally".
In trade negotiations, no concessions should be demanded from least developed countries. We will strive to ensure that all developing countries have the flexibility to plan and sequence liberalisation in line with national development plans through appropriate special and differential treatment provisions.
Bechtel
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the final cost was of the Bechtel consultancy on the British nuclear industry; and if he will publish the full report from Bechtel. [23692]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 1 November 2005]: Bechtel advised the Department, by means of a contract for services, on matters relating to arrangements for setting up the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). Services under the contract included providing strategic management, and direct technical and commercial functions to both the Department and the 'shadow' NDA. The contract was signed on 12 August 2002 and was novated to the NDA on 25 May 2005. The final cost was £23.16 million. The Department did not request a report to be prepared.
Background to the creation of the NDA can be found on its website at www.nda.gov.uk
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultancy projects Bechtel is undertaking for his Department. [23693]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 1 November 2005]: The Department has no consultancy projects with Bechtel at the present time.
Bolton Business Ventures
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what fund will replace the Phoenix Fund in relation to Bolton Business Ventures Ltd. [24416]
Alun Michael [holding answer 3 November 2005]: The Phoenix Fund was created in 2000 to stimulate enterprise in disadvantaged communities by providing business support and by improving access to finance. It was always intended to be a pump priming measure and was not designed to provide long-term or core funding for business support organisations.
Responsibility for regional economic development and business support now lies with the Regional Development Agencies. However, the Government have introduced the Community Investment Tax Relief to enable organisations like Bolton Business Ventures to raise further finance from the private sector to lend on to small businesses.
BREEAM98
Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what rating has been attained under the most recent assessment of the application of BREEAM98. [21509]
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Alan Johnson: The most recent BREEAM assessment on the DTI HQ Estate was in 1996, when the major refurbishment of 1 Victoria street achieved a very good rating.
British Steel Industry
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the consultation conducted by his Department on the impact of proposed new Eurocodes on the British steel industry. [22859]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
Government does not consult on the structural Eurocodes as these are industry standards and guidance, and public consultation is carried out by the British Standards Institute.
Businesses (Knowledge Transfer)
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much businesses received through (a) collaborative research and development, (b) transfer networks and (c) knowledge transfer partnerships in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland in each of the last 10 years. [22658]
Alan Johnson: The information is as follows:
(a) Collaborative Research and Development:
These are the sums made available through the DTI contributions to LINK and the current grant for collaborative R&D product.
UK grants | Grants to Scottish-based businesses | |
|---|---|---|
| 1988–99 | 44,679 | 2,278 |
| 1999–2000 | 6,768 | 345 |
| 2000–01 | 7,399 | 377 |
| 2001–02 | 7,824 | 399 |
| 2002–03 | 7,809 | 398 |
| 2003–04 | 8,375 | 427 |
| 2004–05 | 7,763 | 396 |
| Total | 90,618 | 4,620 |
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