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16 Jan 2006 : Column 945W—continued
EU Structural Funds
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which types of projects may qualify for EU structural funding. [40961]
Alun Michael: The eligibility of projects for support from the EU structural funds is determined by the relevant Council and Commission regulations and by the more detailed priorities for intervention established in programming documents.
Although the details vary from one programme to another, typically structural funds programmes in the UK support a range of activities in the fields of business development, community regeneration, training and development of skills.
First-class Mail
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of first class mail was delivered to arrive the next day in each London postal district in (a) the most recent year available and (b) 1999–2000. [41602]
Barry Gardiner:
This is an operational matter for Royal Mail and the chief executive has been asked to reply directly to the hon. Member.
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Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry (1) what steps will be taken by the Department following the consultation on the effectiveness of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 as it applies to internal industry payments practices; [41123]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 in encouraging the timely settlement of construction industry debts. [41124]
Alun Michael: My written statement to the House on Monday 16 January announced the publication of Improving Payment Practices in the Construction Industry—Analysis of the Consultation on Proposals to Amend Part II of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and the Scheme for Construction Contracts (England and Wales) Regulations 1998".
Illegal Broadcasting
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints Ofcom has received in each of the last five years in relation to (a) pirate radio stations and (b) illegal broadcasts; and how many prosecutions it initiated in each case in each year. [38022]
Alun Michael [holding answer 15 December 2005]: Radio spectrum use under the Wireless and Telegraphy Act is a matter for Ofcom. The information on complaints and prosecutions has therefore been prepared in consultation with the regulator.
I am informed by Ofcom their records show that, since 1 April 2002 (when reliable records showing this level of detail began) the yearly figures for complaints received have been:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2002 (April-December) | 592 |
| 2003 | 1,085 |
| 2004 | 446 |
| 2005 (to date) | 966 |
The figures for completed prosecutions for the same periods are:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2002 (April-December) | 23 |
| 2003 | 71 |
| 2004 | 59 |
| 2005 | 38 |
In recording these details, Ofcom (and its predecessor, the Radiocommunications Agency) draws no distinction between complaints about named pirate radio stations and unidentifiable illegal broadcasts. They record any complaint or allegation of illegal broadcasting in the same way.
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Microgeneration
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants in his Department are dedicated full-time to the promotion of microgeneration. [42016]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department of Trade and Industry has three civil servants dedicated full-time to the promotion of microgeneration.
Military Hardware Exports
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of defencemilitary hardware exports to (a) Poland and (b) Hungary in 2005. [41563]
Malcolm Wicks: The DTI Export Control Organisation (ECO) is responsible only for holding information on the licences it has issued, not on exports made under those licences. The Government publishes detailed information on its export licensing decisions, including the total value of standard individual export licences (SIELs) issued, by destination, in its annual and quarterly reports on strategic export controls. Her Majesty's Revenue and Custom collects some data on exports of military list items which is published, by destination, in the annual reports.
The annual reports are available from the Libraries of the House, and the quarterly reports, from the DTI Export Control Organisation website, www.dti.gov.uk/export.control. We expect to publish the 2005 annual report by June 2006, and the final quarterly report for 2005, by end March 2006.
Miners' Compensation
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ensure that the data collected in relation to UK coal miners' health claims is passed to the Medical Research Council for archiving and further research. [38959]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 11 January 2006]: In general, the Department is happy to make available generic information collated through the schemes. It should be noted that much of the information the Department holds relates to individuals and their claims. The Department will have to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 in considering how much information can be released. The issue will be considered with the schemes' Medical Reference Panels.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many coal health claimants have been under surveillance since the scheme started; how many proven cases of fraud there have been in relation to (a) vibration white finger claims and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims; what the total cost has been to date of audit investigations on counter fraud procedures for each scheme; and what estimate he has made of the savings made through surveillance procedures. [38960]
Malcolm Wicks
[holding answer 11 January 2006]: Surveillance has been undertaken on 80 claimants since the start of the schemes.
16 Jan 2006 : Column 948W
The main protection against fraud/exaggeration in the schemes is the medical assessment process in the respiratory disease scheme and the employment requirement in the vibration white finger (VWF) scheme. About 10 per cent. (26,000) of respiratory disease and 20 per cent. (24,000) VWF claims have been denied.
In addition, of 2,199 claims investigated as potentially fraudulent, 789 claims have been reduced or denied, 46of which were as a result of surveillance. This is made up of 683 VWF, 100 COPD and six other claims. The total saving for anti-fraud activity is approximately £10.75 million of which approximately £870,000 has been saved from cases in which surveillance was used. The total cost of counter-fraud activity is approximately £3 million.
Mint Postage Stamps
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the sterling value was of mint postage stamps sold in post offices and by mail order in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997–98, broken down by (a) first class, (b) second class and (c) other. [41601]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Nuclear Industry
Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations will fund the upgrade of the Sellafield MOX Plant; and how much it is estimated to cost. [42124]
Malcolm Wicks: The Sellafield MOX Plant was transferred to the NDA under the Energy Act. As such the asset is owned by the NDA and it is responsible for funding its operation, maintenance and enhancement.
The planned engineering enhancements to improve SMP throughput are detailed in the current Near Term Work Plan and are estimated to cost in the order of £13.5 million over the next two to three years.
Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total cost of the Sellafield MOX Plant to date; and how much income it has generated. [42125]
Malcolm Wicks: I am advised by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that the current capitalised asset value of the Sellafield MOX Plant is £490 million. The income generated to date is £55 million.
Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what liabilities for pensions for workers inthe state-owned sector of the nuclear industry are anticipated following any sale of companies in that sector. [42126]
Malcolm Wicks:
The liabilities for accrued pensions will remain constant and therefore the effect will be neutral. Until the sale of Westinghouse is concluded and the competition of sites is completed we will not know how many staff will transfer to the private sector and how many will transfer accrued pension rights.
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