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23 Nov 2005 : Column 2046W—continued
Obesity
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will assess the likely impact of obesity on productivity in (a) the next 12 months and (b) the next 10 years; [28242]
(2) what assessment he has made of the impact of obesity on productivity in the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [28257]
Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
In its report of 10 May 2004, The House of Commons Health Committee estimated that lost production through obesity related time off work was running at an annual rate of £1.3 billion to £1.45 billion. This estimate is an update of a National Audit Office Report, Tackling Obesity in England" published in 2001, which puts this figure at £1.3 billion in 1998. In addition, there will be production losses through inability to work associated with illness brought on by obesity.
Obesity is on a rising trend. The National Audit Office predicts that by 2010 prevalence will have risen to 26 per cent. to 28 per cent. of the adult population. It is likely
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that the impact on productivity will increase in step but no quantified forecast has been made of the prevalence of obesity or of its productivity effects.
Pirate Radio Stations
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met Ofcom to discuss the change in the number of pirate radio stations. [30053]
Alun Michael: I have had no such discussions and the subject has not been raised with me by anybody since I took on my current responsibilities. Enforcement of legislation to control illegal radio broadcasting 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, I have had no discussions with Ofcom on this matter.
Post Office
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which objectives from the Counter Revolution Report published in 2000 the Government has achieved. [29968]
Barry Gardiner
[holding answer 21 November 2005]: The Government accepted and implemented all of the PIU report recommendations. We continue to work with Post Office Ltd and stakeholders to deliver the PIU vision of a modern network meeting changing consumer needs.
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Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have run out of cash to pay benefits in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [30627]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 21 November 2005]: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL) and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many post offices have closed in East Anglia since 2001; and if he will make a statement; [31250]
(2) how many post offices have closed in each of the last five years, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement. [31293]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked the chief executive of POL to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member.
Regional Development Agencies
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff each Regional Development Agency employs; what the total salary bill was of each agency in the last year for which figures are available; what the average salary per employee was in each region; and what the average staff salary per thousand head of population was in each region. [29003]
Alun Michael [holding answer 21 November 2005]: The following information is set out according to the RDA's annual reports for year ending 31 March 2004.
(33) Source: Mid-year Population Estimates: Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Royal Family
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which members of the Royal Family have taken part in trade visits to other countries in each of the last five years. [28630]
Ian Pearson: The following members of the Royal Family have taken part in trade visits:
The Duke of York—Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, USA, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, Bulgaria, UAE, Oman and Kuwait
The Duke of York—Italy, Spain, Morocco, Middle East, China, Turkey, Sweden, Russia, USA, South East Asia, Italy and Switzerland
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list each visit promoting UK business and onward investment undertaken by members of the Royal Family in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of each visit was broken down by (a) travel costs, (b) accommodation costs and (c) other costs. [28631]
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Ian Pearson: We are unable to answer this question on the grounds of disproportionate costs.
Silent Telephone Calls
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what circumstances those making silent telephone calls will not be subject to action from Ofcom following Ofcom's publication of a new policy on silent calls. [28146]
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.
Telephone Preference Service
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many companies have been subject to successful enforcement orders as a result of investigations into potential breaches of the Telephone Preference Service arrangements imposed by the Information Commissioner in each year since 1999; [28562]
(2) what the level of fines imposed on each of the companies which have been subject to enforcement orders for breaches of the telephone preference service arrangements was in each year since 1999. [28563]
Alun Michael: The Information Commissioner initially warns companies informally that it will initiate formal action unless they cease to make calls to registered numbers with the Telephone Preference Service. The Commissioner tells me that this approach has been effective to date without the need for formal action, but that he will have no hesitation in using the powers of his office if there is any evidence of a failure to comply with a warning.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what procedures Ofcom undertook to ensure that no conflict of interest arose from awarding the contract for Telephone Preference Services to Telephone Preference Services Ltd.; and if he will make a statement. [28564]
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 House.
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