| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
26 Jan 2006 : Column 2353W—continued
Spent Nuclear Fuel
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much imported spent nuclear fuel is stored in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [43324]
Malcolm Wicks I am advised by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that around 750 tonnes of overseas spent fuel is currently stored at facilities in the UK, with the majority being stored at Sellafield.
Since 1976, all contracts for reprocessing of overseas spent fuel in the UK contain a clause stating that the materials, including waste, resulting from the reprocessing will be returned to the country of origin.
Telephone Preference Service
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints of alleged breaches of Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 were received by the (a) Information Commissioner, (b) Direct Marketing Association and (c) Telephone Preference Services Ltd. in each quarter of the last three years. [42499]
26 Jan 2006 : Column 2354W
Alun Michael: I am advised by the Information Commissioner that direct complaints received and dealt with about alleged breaches of Regulation 21 (unsolicited direct marketing calls) of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 were as follows:
| 2004 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 28 | 336 |
| Q2 | 44 | 397 |
| Q3 | 213 | 184 |
| Q4 | 308 | 96 |
Figures before 2004 are not available due to the casework management system previously operated by the ICO.
The Telephone Preference Service Ltd. (TPSL) is a subsidiary company of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and runs the Telephone Preference Service under contract from Ofcom, the Communications regulator. Complaints to the DMA are forwarded to TPSL—the DMA does not keep its own figures.
I am advised by TPSL that complaints received were as follows:
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 1,953 | 4,456 | 8,613 |
| Q2 | 1,143 | 3,776 | 9,154 |
| Q3 | 1,925 | 5,354 | 5,561 |
| Q4 | 1,944 | 7,008 | 4,889 |
If a customer's telephone number has been registered with the Telephone Preference Service for at least 28 days and the customer's is still receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls, he or she can complain to TPSL. TPSL will contact the organisation concerned with a view to stopping such calls and include the complaint in the regular report it sends to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner does not investigate individual complaints received by TPSL but does use the information provided to monitor trends of complaints and potential multiple breaches. Where appropriate, the Information Commissioner can use this information as further evidence in investigations into complaints.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, columns 291–92W, on the Telephone Preference Service, how many companies were identified by complaints received in relation to alleged breaches of telephone call regulation; and how many companies received multiple complaints; [42500]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2005, Official Report, columns 1487–88W, on the Telephone Preference Service, how many companies have received multiple warning letters for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003; and how many cases have been referred to the Regulatory Action Division for them to consider enforcement. [42501]
26 Jan 2006 : Column 2355W
Alun Michael: I understand from the Information Commissioner that due to the nature of the casework management system used, they are unable to identify the number of different companies about which they received complaints in relation to an alleged breach of Regulation 21 (unsolicited direct marketing telephone calls) of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. The system similarly prevents them from identifying the number of companies about which multiple complaints were received. The Information Commissioner plans to develop this function in the casework management system in future.
THORP
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the THORP reprocessing plant. [46036]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government's position on the future of THORP was set out in the July 2002 White Paper Managing the Nuclear Legacy". The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) expects to complete their existing order book for reprocessing spent fuel at THORP by around 2010.
The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) are progressing with further investigations which will result in a separate report on the THORP incident. The plant will only reopen if the NII approves a safety case but if the NII is satisfied that its safety requirements can be met, the NDA in conjunction with the plant operator, the British Nuclear Group, will decide as to when to restart the plant. This decision is expected within the next few months.
Union of Democratic Mineworkers/Vendside
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings took place between officials in his Department and the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and Vendside in each year since 1995. [45751]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of meetings each year between the Department and the UDM/Vendside is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 5 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
These were mainly operational meetings about the progress of the coal health schemes.
Wind Power
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2006,
26 Jan 2006 : Column 2356W
Official Report, column 791W, on wind power, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the growth of British manufacturing capability to provide for demand from wind power developers. [44750]
Alun Michael: The Department's 2010 Target Team has a number of ongoing business development workstreams, designed to encourage the growth of British manufacturing capability, to provide for demand from wind power developers.
One such workstream includes co-ordinating activity with regional partners in order to raise awareness of the market among new and existing suppliers, and to identify companies capable of addressing the weaknesses identified in the supply gap analysis carried out in 2004. The next Meet the Buyer event will be held in May 2006.
Other activities include three pilot programmes targeted at improving the quality, cost and delivery performance of UK suppliers to the renewables sector.
World Trade Organisation
Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will (a) place in the Library and (b) post on his departmental website documents prepared by his Department for the trade negotiations meeting in Hong Kong; which departmental officials accompanied him to the meeting; what carbon offset measures were established to cover the Department's delegation; and if he will make a statement on (i) matters discussed and (ii)the outcome of the negotiations. [41488]
Ian Pearson: The Government have set out regularly its objectives for the Doha development agenda and the Sixth World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Hong Kong but does not intend to publish documents prepared by the Department in advanced of the conference, many of which contain sensitive information.
Fifteen officials from the Department of Trade and Industry accompanied my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Minister for Trade.
The DTI is committed to participate in the UK Government's scheme to offset carbon dioxide emissions from central Government air travel from April 2006.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Animal Welfare
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of cruelty towards animals in (a) Coventry, South and (b) the West Midlands in each year since 1997. [43393]
Fiona Mactaggart
[holding answer 23 January 2006]: Persons found guilty for various offences connected with animal cruelty are shown in the table for Coventry Petty Sessional Area and West Midlands police force area, 1997 to 2004. It is not possible to identify Coventry, South as data are not broken down to that level of detail.
26 Jan 2006 : Column 2357W
(43)Principal offence basis.
Source:
RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform
Data for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |