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Student Finance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons it was decided to exclude the financial information regarding student loans from data sharing arrangements between financial institutions. [34120]

Bill Rammell [holding answer 2 December 2005]: I have been asked to reply.

No action has been taken to exclude data sharing between financial institutions themselves about student loans.

We do not currently plan to take forward proposals to share data with credit reference agencies but as with all policy issues we will keep this issue under review.

Taxis

Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent by his Department on taxi travel in the 2005–06 financial year; and what proportion of such travel was undertaken in each nation and region of the United Kingdom, including London. [37466]

Alan Johnson: The Department of Trade and Industry has recorded expenditure of £146,677.82 on taxi travel to date this financial year.

Information on the national and regional distribution of this expenditure is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Trade-related Aspects of the Intellectual Property Rights Council

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on access to medicines through the Trade-Related Aspects of the Intellectual Property Rights Council. [37501]

Alan Johnson: An important success has been achieved by WTO Members resulting in a permanent WTO agreement on access to medicines, which was reached on 6 December 2005. The agreed amendment to the WTO Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement enables developing countries to import generic copies of patented medicines when they are unable to manufacture the medicines themselves. This timely agreement demonstrates the willingness of WTO Members to ensure that the TRIPs Agreement is supportive of public health needs in the developed world.

In addition, during the UK presidency of the EU, we have recently agreed an EU regulation which enables European generic manufacturers to export under this agreement.

Uranium

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government have recently sought advice regarding the long-term availability of high grade uranium ore; and if he will make a statement. [40260]

 
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Malcolm Wicks: This is an important issue that will be considered as part of the Energy Review's analysis of how different technologies could help us meet our Energy White Paper goals.

The Department has not recently sought advice on the long-term availability of high-grade uranium ore.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [39182]

Malcolm Wicks: The Department announced on 15 December 2005 that it would be reviewing progress on the implementation of the EU directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment and undertaking a public consultation on its proposals for this during the spring of 2006 before transposing the main provisions of the directive into UK law.

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the status is of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive in the EU; and when the legislation is due to come into effect. [38177]

Malcolm Wicks: The EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment was adopted by the European Council and Parliament on 13 February 2003. The Government announced on 15 December 2005 that it would be reviewing progress towards the UK implementation of this Directive and undertaking a public consultation on its proposals for this during the Spring of 2006 before transposing the main provisions of the Directive into UK law.

Wind Farms

Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential impact on the North Wales tourist industry of the proposal for the development of the Gwynt y Mor wind farm. [36973]

Malcolm Wicks: The Government made clear in their Planning Policy Statement 1 Delivering Sustainable Development that they are committed to promoting a strong, stable and productive economy that aims to bring jobs and prosperity for all. This includes recognition of the economic benefits of tourism.

The Government will also consult statutory advisors such as the Countryside Council for Wales when assessing the proposal for the development of the Gwynt y Mor wind farm.

Wood Panel Industry

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research he has commissioned into the effect of the recent increases in wholesale gas prices on the wood panel industry; and if he will meet representatives of the industry to discuss the matter. [37934]

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has commissioned research to update work on the demand side in the gas market, carried out earlier this year and published on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/pub1ications/policy/index.shtml.
 
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I, as well as DTI and Ofgem officials, have met numerous industry representatives on several occasions to discuss the impact of gas prices and ways of mitigating this. I have also exchanged correspondence with Mr. Alastair Kerr of the Wood Panel Industries Federation on the subject. I would be happy to meet him and/or his colleagues for further discussion if a mutually convenient time can be arranged.

World Trade Organisation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of (a) the outcome of the World Trade Organisation summit in Hong Kong and (b) the impact it will have on developing countries. [39720]

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State's statement to Parliament on 20 December.

There was progress on a number of issues at Hong Kong, which have the potential to benefit developing countries: an end date of 2013 was agreed for export subsidies; other nations signing up to the principle of duty-free quota free access for least developed countries; a commitment to end cotton export subsidies by 2006; new commitments on aid for trade and solid progress on trade facilitation. There is also a road map for concluding the round and delivering a fairer, freer trading environment.

TREASURY

Administrative Costs

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total administration costs for his core Department are; and whether these are regarded as (a) identifiable and (b) non-identifiable for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses. [39845]

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) England and (b) London; and what administration costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last 12 months. [39817]

Mr. Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which functions of his core Department are carried out in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Wales; and what administration costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year. [39941]

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what functions in his Department are carried out in Scotland; and what the administrative costs of these functions were in the last year for which figures are available. [40009]

John Healey: The net total administration costs for the core Treasury in 2004–05 were £81.4 million, and are regarded as non-identifiable for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses. All the functions of the core Treasury are carried out in London.

Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the administrative costs were of each agency for which he has responsibility in the last year for which
 
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figures are available; what the total of such costs was in that year; and whether the costs are regarded for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses as (a) identifiable and (b) non-identifiable. [39857]

John Healey: The information requested is available in the relevant departmental Reports and Accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

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