| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
10 Nov 2005 : Column 688W—continued
Mobile Phones
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of ways of increasing mobile phone coverage in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [26586]
Alun Michael: Regulation of the mobile market is a matter for the independent regulator Ofcom and Ofcom is accountable to Parliament rather than to Ministers for the way it carries out that regulation. One of Ofcom's duties is ensuring that a wide range of electronic communications services—including high speed data services—is available throughout the UK. Assessment of how to fulfil this duty falls to the regulator. Ofcom's annual report and annual plan include details of its actions to do so.
Mobile phone coverage in the UK stands at around 98–99 per cent. of populated areas. Rollout of networks is a matter for the mobile operators, but the Government believe that competition between networks has been the spur to coverage reaching this level, and will provide incentives for further investment in the networks, potentially including further geographical coverage.
Pirate Radio Stations
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry (1) how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful prosecutions for the unauthorised transmission of radio signals there have been in each of the last five years; [25681]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of pirate radio stations broadcasting within (a) London and (b)the UK; [25682]
10 Nov 2005 : Column 689W
(3) what discussions he has had with Ofcom on reducing the number of pirate radio stations in operation. [25683]
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 the Secretary of State, and accountable to Parliament in its own right. Accordingly, my officials have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to respond directly 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 the House.
Transsexual People
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on protection against discrimination for transsexual people in the provision of goods and services. [25613]
Meg Munn: The Government will address the issue of protection against discrimination for transsexual people in the provision of goods and services as part of the Discrimination Law Review.
Unsolicited Mail
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what rights consumers have to opt out of hand-delivered unsolicited mail. [26096]
Barry Gardiner: By registering with the mailing preference service (MPS) individuals who object to receiving unsolicited mail can have their details removed from mailing lists to reduce the amount of addressed advertising literature they receive. The MPS is not designed to stop unaddressed items of mail, direct mail delivered to the door or the delivery of free newspapers. Mail addressed to 'occupant', 'resident' or 'homeowner' is also not covered under the MPS.
Those who wish to stop mailings from organisations that are not part of the MPS or with whom they already have a relationship, such as a bank or building society, must contact respective organisations direct.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Algeria
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the British Government (a) have taken and (b) is taking to restore peace and democracy in Algeria. [25901]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
We continue to work with the Algerian Government to promote peace and democracy and are committed to the development of closer counter terrorism co-operation with the Algerian authorities. Algerian officials have recently visited the UK to study UK counter terrorism structures. We have welcomed the participation of the Algerian people in the national referendum on the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation. We hope that, based upon consultations
10 Nov 2005 : Column 690W
with its people, Algeria will achieve lasting peace and reconciliation based on the rule of law and respect for human rights.
On 27–28 November we will be co-hosting with Spain the EuroMed Tenth Anniversary Summit in Barcelona, which will be an important opportunity to help the EU's Mediterranean Partners, including Algeria, to address the challenges of the 21st century, including good governance.
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the rate of return was of former Commonwealth Development Corporation Investments in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa in each year since 1997. [26357]
Hilary Benn: Details of the rates of return on the Commonwealth Development Corporation's (CDC)s investments in Sub-Saharan Africa in each year between 1999 and 2004 are shown in the table. The CDC did not hold any investments in the Middle East during this period. Data are only available on a consistent basis from 1999 when the CDC became a public limited company.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 11.4 |
| 2000 | (3.5) |
| 2001 | (8.0) |
| 2002 | 14.3 |
| 2003 | 23.2 |
| 2004 | 19.3 |
Note:
Figures in brackets represent a negative return.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what profits the Commonwealth Development Corporation made on investments in (a) Asia, (b) South America, (c) the Middle East and (d) Africa in each year since 1997. [26371]
Hilary Benn: Details of the profits the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) made on its investments in Asia, South America and Africa in each year between 1999 and 2004 are shown in the following table. The CDC did not hold any investments in the Middle East during this period. Data are only available on a consistent basis from 1999 when the CDC became a public limited company.
| Asia | Americas | Africa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 27.5 | 25.5 | 38.6 |
| 2000 | 7.2 | (13.0) | (12.6) |
| 2001 | (5.1) | (54.4) | (19.8) |
| 2002 | 33.3 | (2.2) | 29.8 |
| 2003 | 58.6 | (41.9) | 44.1 |
| 2004 | 58.5 | 32.0 | 60.7 |
Note:
Figures in brackets represent a loss
Departmental Spending
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on items of art in 2004–05. [23469]
10 Nov 2005 : Column 691W
Mr. Thomas: During the period between 2004–05, the Department for International Development did not accrue any expenditure on the purchasing of items of art.
Forestry
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the UK has made available in each of the last 10 years to help developing countries with forestry programmes and re-forestation projects; and what proportion of the
10 Nov 2005 : Column 692W
total international development budget that figure represented in each year. [23058]
Hilary Benn: The following table gives DFID's expenditure on forestry for the 10 year period from 1995–96 to 2004–05. It also gives DFID's expenditure on forestry as a percentage of expenditure on bilateral aid and as a percentage of total DFID expenditure on development.
DFID also makes contributions to multilateral institutions some of whose funding will also help developing countries with forestry programmes and reforestation projects.
Note:
GPEX=Total Gross Public Expenditure
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |