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Fairtrade

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria are used to determine whether a product can be classified as fairtrade, with particular reference to how much of the profit must go to the farmer. [44105]

Ian Pearson: For a product to be labelled Fairtrade, producers and traders must meet standards set by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). Producer Standards comprise the organisational, social and environmental criteria that must be met for them to be certified as a Fairtrade producer. Smallholder cooperatives or other organisations must be instruments for the social and economic development of the
 
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members, who must receive the benefits of Fairtrade. For workers on plantations and in processing factories, their employers must pay decent wages, guarantee them the right to join a trade union, and provide good housing, where relevant. Minimum health and safety as well as environmental standards must be complied with, and no child or forced labour can occur.

The price paid to producers is not determined as a percentage of profit, but Fairtrade criteria establish a minimum guaranteed price that covers the cost of production and ensures a living wage for growers. In addition to the purchase price paid by importers, a separate payment is designated for social and economic development in the producing communities. The farmers and growers themselves decide how these funds are to be spent, while being encouraged to invest in further sustainable development.

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the merits of encouraging companies selling food produced in the developing world to publish on the packaging what proportion of the sale price is paid to the farmers. [44106]

Ian Pearson: The Government believe that the most effective way to develop fair and ethical trade labelling schemes is to ensure that they are voluntary and business led as they are likely to be more flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances. Government should provide an enabling rather than a prescriptive framework. There are already a number of successful voluntary labelling initiatives, which have been those developed by business, sometimes in partnership with civil society. For example, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, put together in partnership with NGOs and full industry backing, fills a communication gap and delivers environmental improvements.

With regard to pricing, Fairtrade criteria establish a minimum guaranteed price that covers the cost of production and ensures a living wage for growers. In addition to the purchase price paid by importers, a separate payment is made which is designated for social and economic development in the producing communities. The farmers and growers themselves decide how these funds are to be spent.

Gas Prices

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2253W, on gas prices, what response the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry have had to the letters which they sent to Commissioner Kroes about supplies of gas; when the letters were sent; and if he will publish the correspondence. [45731]

Malcolm Wicks: We expect the Commission to respond in mid-February to the letter sent by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State on 5 December. The Commission are currently carrying out the investigation we requested and have already sought information from various parties.
 
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So long as I am not prevented by confidentiality, I will write to you with a copy of the correspondence when we receive the Commission's reply and will also the place a copy in the Libraries of the House.

Green Ministers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work his Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in relation to the environment and sustainable development. [45506]

Malcolm Wicks: As part of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy 'Securing the Future' I oversaw and provided the Foreword to my Department's Sustainable Development Action Plan, showing how the DTI is taking forward its commitments under the strategy.

The Department is continuing to rationalise its main London HQ estate, reducing the space we occupy by about 30 per cent. by April 2006 compared to the position two years ago with corresponding reductions in all the building related environmental impacts.

I have announced an Energy Review which will be looking at securing clean, affordable energy for the long-term.

I have met representatives of a number of non-governmental organisations promoting policies for a better environment, including the Green Alliance.

I have set out the Government's position on climate change and sustainable energy at a number of events looking at these issues, including the British Wind Energy Association Annual Conference and the Cleaner Safer Greener conference in Croydon in October, and the Renewable Energy in Europe conference in Brussels in November.

I chaired a meeting of the EU Energy Council in December, which published Council Conclusions on climate change and sustainable energy.

I have appointed seven new members to the Renewables Advisory Board which provides advice to Government on a wide range of renewable energy issues.

I initiated a review on the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (known as WEEE) which requires producers to pay for treatment and recycling or recovery of all WEEE products.

As Minister for Corporate Social Responsibility, I was also involved in and spoke at the UK Presidency Corporate Social Responsibility Conference which took place on 1 and 2 December.

India

Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the balance of trade between India and the United Kingdom was in each of the last five years. [43315]

Ian Pearson: Information on the UK's balance of trade in goods and services with India are given in the following table.
 
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UK balance of trade in goods and services with India 2000–04

	£ million, current prices
2000	293
2001	-178
2002	-224
2003	110
2004	-242

Source:
United Kingdom balance of payments, The Pink Book, 2005

Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Indian companies set up (a) a subsidiary company, (b) a branch office and (c) an other presence in the UK in 2004–05. [45130]

Alun Michael: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many identical miners' claims have been submitted by two firms of solicitors where one of the two firms is (a) Beresfords, (b) Wake Smith, (c) Moss, (d) AMS Law, (e) BRM and (f) Vendside. [45748]

Malcolm Wicks: The number of claims submitted by two firms where one is one of those listed is as follows:

	Number
(a) Beresfords	3,413
(b) Wake Smith	195
(c) Moss	216
(d) AMS Law	439
(e) BRM	341
(f) Vendside/UDM	342

If a claim has been submitted by two of the above, it will appear in the figures for both solicitors. These figures include potential duplicate claims that have yet to be investigated and resolved. Most duplicate cases relate to deceased claims where different members of the family submit a claim. Only one claim can be pursued.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many solicitors have had claims for miners' compensation suspended because an identical claim has been submitted by a second firm ofsolicitors. [45749]

Malcolm Wicks: 295 different solicitors have had claims suspended as a result of duplicate claims having been registered. Some of these claims will have been investigated and progressed. These figures include potential duplicate claims that have yet to be investigated and resolved. Most duplicate cases relate to deceased claims where different members of the family submit a claim. Only one claim can be pursued.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners' claims in (a) Bassetlaw and (b) the UK have been temporarily suspended because they have been submitted by two separate firms of solicitors. [45750]

 
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Malcolm Wicks: There are 160 duplicate claims temporarily suspended in Bassetlaw and 14,852 in the UK as a whole. These figures include potential duplicate claims that have yet to be investigated and resolved. Most duplicate cases relate to deceased claims where different members of the family submit a claim. Only one claim can be pursued.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when issues relating to miners' compensation were last raised by his Department with (a) the National Audit Office, (b) the Treasury and (c) the Legal Services ombudsman. [45908]

Malcolm Wicks: The National Audit Office regularly review aspects of the schemes as part of their audit of the Department's accounts. Twice each year, we submit our forecast of expenditure to the Treasury. This was last carried out in December 2005. We are not aware of any discussions with the Legal Services ombudsman.

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