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26 Jan 2006 : Column 2340W—continued
Waiting Times
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been waiting longer than six months for a non-urgent ear, nose and throat appointment in the West Hertfordshire NHS trust; and if she will make a statement. [44400]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There were no patients waiting longer than 17 weeks for an outpatient appointment at West Hertfordshire hospitals national health service trust at September 2005. This is the latest data available.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Agricultural Tariffs
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the weighted average tariffs applied by the EU on (a) all imports from the rest of the world, (b) agricultural imports from the rest of the world and (c) non-agricultural imports from the rest of the world are in (i) most favoured nation terms and (ii)effectively applied terms; [40941]
(2) what the weighted average tariffs applied by the EU are on (a) imports, (b) agricultural imports and (c) non-agricultural imports from each country listed in the World Trade Organisation and world integrated trade solution database in (i) most favoured nation terms and (ii) effectively applied terms. [40943]
Ian Pearson:
The calculation of weighted average tariffs requires detailed trade data at a highly disaggregated level and requires that trade data be classified according to the tariff rate at which each trade transaction takes place, i.e. it is possible for imports of a specific good to the EU from a single country to take place at more than one effectively applied tariff. Although the world integrated trade solutions database contains information on trade and tariffs, and reports weighted averages for EU trade with other countries, given the gaps and uncertainty in the data sets we are reluctant to report weighted average data as the answer may be misleading or inaccurate.
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The World Trade Organisation does provide data on the simple average most- favoured nation tariffs, i.e.those that prevail when no preferential arrangements exist, applied by the EU. These are:
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the weighted average tariffs applied by the EU on non-agricultural imports from each country listed in the World Trade Organisation and world integrated trade solution database will be if the EU's current WTO offer is accepted in (a) most favoured nation terms and (b) effectively applied terms. [40942]
Ian Pearson: The calculation of weighted average tariffs requires detailed trade data at a highly disaggregated level and requires that trade data be classified according to the tariff rate at which each trade transaction takes place, i.e. it is possible for imports of a specific good to the EU from a single country to take place at more than one effectively applied tariff. Although the world integrated trade solutions database contains information on trade and tariffs, and reports weighted averages for EU trade with other countries, given the gaps and uncertainty in the data sets we are reluctant to report weighted average data as the answer may be misleading or inaccurate.
Before the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong the EU put forward a conditional proposal that included a reduction of non-agricultural tariffs through a simple Swiss formula with a co-efficient of 10 (i.e. a maximum resulting tariff of 10 per cent.). This was overtaken by negotiations in Hong Kong and the resulting ministerial declaration which adopted a Swiss formula with coefficients at different levels but did not agree those levels.
The effect of the conditional proposal would have been to reduce the simple average tariff applied by the EU in most favoured nation terms on non-agricultural imports from 4.2 per cent. to 2.5 per cent.
This simple average most favoured nation tariff would be the same for all WTO members.
Annual Leave
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what average number of days annual leave was given to employees by each main business and industrial sector in 2004–05. [45503]
Mr. Sutcliffe:
The following table shows the average holiday entitlement of full-time permanent employees by industry in the UK in autumn 2005. These data take no account of public holiday entitlement. These figures are from the Labour Force Survey from the Office for National Statistics.
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(40)Takes no account of public holiday entitlement. Excludes those who did not give their holiday entitlement and those who were non-contactable in the autumn quarter.
(41)Industry groups are coding according to the 1992 Standard Industrial Classification.
Source:
Labour Force Survey
Career Development (Women)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the achievements of (a) female entrepreneurs and (b) female-owned businesses. [43391]
Meg Munn [holding answer 23 January 2006]: The Government recognises the significant achievements of female entrepreneurs to the UK economy. Female entrepreneurs and female-owned businesses make a significant contribution to UK economy adding up £70billion to gross value added.
That's why the Government views the development of women's enterprise in the UK as an economic imperative. The Government are continuing the development of the economic argument for Women's Enterprise following the publication, in March 2005, of the booklet, Promoting Female Entrepreneurship", which captures headline facts and has been used to stimulate thinking across Government and the regional development agencies.
There are encouraging signs that entrepreneurial activity amongst women is increasing. Nearly one million women are self employed in the UK and this number has increased by around 10 per cent. over the last four years. 19 per cent. of UK businesses are now majority-owned by women.
Women are seizing the opportunities to turn their good ideas into great businesses. Women such as Manjit Sahota whose business, the Rocking Horse Kindergarten based in the Holbrooks area of Coventry, provides a supportive and stimulating learning environment for pre-school children. This business provides employment for fourteen members of staff. That's good news for the local and national economy.
Coal Aid Scheme
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Scottish Coal received from the coal aid scheme in each month of 2001; and whether any of this assistance was ring-fenced for redundancy assistance. [30608]
26 Jan 2006 : Column 2343W
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 21 November 2006]: I apologise for not replying to this question when it was first tabled.
Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Ltd. operated Longannet mine as a subsidiary company of Mining (Scotland) Ltd. Mining (Scotland) Ltd. received payments under the UK coal operating aid scheme (UKCOAS) of £19.65 million for Tranche 1 (2000) and £21.53 million for Tranche 2 (2001) to support Longannet. The aim of UKCOAS was to support mines badly affected by short term market problems by helping to bridge the gap between their production costs and income from coal sold for generating and other industrial uses. None of the payments made to Mining (Scotland) Ltd. was ring-fenced for redundancy assistance.
Company Rankings
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which 10 companies with a presence in the UK have the highest (a) number of employees and (b) annual turnover. [45131]
Alun Michael: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
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