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30 Jan 2006 : Column 107W—continued

Manufacturing Jobs

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many manufacturing jobs have been lost in Beverley and Holderness in each year since 1997. [39251]

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 9 January 2006:


 
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Change in employee jobs in manufacturing in Beverley and Holderness; 1997–2004

Number of
employee jobs

Net change
19975,200
19984,900-300
19994,600-300
20004,500-100
20013,600-900
20024,100+500
20033,900-200
20043,600-300



Source:
Rescaled AES (1997) and ABI (1998–2004)


Miners Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners' compensation claims have been submitted for Bassetlaw constituents by (a) Raleys, (b) Moss, (c) AMS Law, (d) Wake Smith, (e) Beresfords, (f) BRM, (g) Graysons, (h) Thompsons, (i) Vendside, (j) Kidd Spoor Harper, (k) Robinson King and (l) Stanton Croft solicitors. [45739]

Malcolm Wicks: The number of claims submitted by the listed representatives for Bassetlaw constituents is as follows:
SolicitorCOPDVWFTotal
Raleys463239702
Moss461515976
AMS391514905
Wake Smith2886294
Beresfords1,3877352,122
BRM2520252
Graysons6366171,253
Thompsons13830168
Vendside9110
Kidd Spoor334164498
Robinson King141933
Stanton Croft022

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice he has issued to claimants on the practice of solicitors passing miners' compensation cheques directly to claims handlers. [45740]

Malcolm Wicks: No such advice has been issued. The Department is not aware that this is happening. The majority of all damages cheques raised by Capita are made payable to the claimant, but sent to his representative. The exception to this rule is where the claimant provides a form of authority specifically requesting his damages cheque is made payable to his representative.

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the solicitors who have been deducting fees from claimants' compensation in respect of coal mining injuries notwithstanding that they are already remunerated by his Department under the British Coal Claims Handling Agreement. [9906]

Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not have a list of solicitors who have been found to be double charging. The supervision of solicitors is a matter for the Law Society who I have written to.
 
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Mining Industry (Nottinghamshire)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with which agencies dealing with mining industry issues, with an address, staff or telephone number base in Nottinghamshire his Department has had discussions in the last 12 months. [45909]

Malcolm Wicks: The only agencies based in Nottinghamshire the Department has had discussions with in the last 12 months are the Union of Democratic Mineworkers, Vendside and their legal advisors.

Nuclear Power

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2255W, on nuclear power, whether he has now received the strategy proposals from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for the decommissioning and clear up of its sites; and whether it remains his intention to consider and come to a decision on the proposed strategy by 31 March. [45730]

Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 26 January 2006]: Scottish Ministers and I have received the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's proposed strategy and will reach a decision on the document before 31 March.

Parliamentary Questions

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire on 16 November 2005, reference 30608, on Scottish Coal. [46383]

Malcolm Wicks: I answered my hon. Friend's question on 26 January 2006.

Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar on 27 June 2005 reference 8552, on offshore staff registration. [46390]

Mr. Sutcliffe: I answered the hon. Member's question on 25 January 2006, Official Report, column 2174W.

Post Office

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has to secure the future of the post office network; and if he will make a statement. [45578]

Barry Gardiner: The DTI is backing the efforts of the management of Post Office Ltd. to turn the business around and create a network fit for the 21st century. We have invested over £2 billion in total since 1999 to help them to do so.

We want to see a post office network that meets the needs of today and the future and not those of 20 or 30 years ago. The DTI are discussing with other Government Departments and Post Office Ltd. how we can best achieve this.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) rural and (b) urban sub-post offices there were in (i) England and (ii) the UK in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [45583]


 
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Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Post Office Card Account

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many customers used the Post Office Card Account in each quarter from 2002 to 2006; and if he will make a statement. [45576]

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL) and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the economic impact on the Royal Mail of the loss of the Department of Work and Pensions' card account contract in 2010; what the value of the contract to the Post Office is in 2005–06; and what the estimated percentage income for (a) rural and (b) urban post offices arising from the card account contract is for 2005–06. [45946]

Barry Gardiner: The Post Office Card Account contract will generate revenues of at least £1 billion for Post Office Ltd. between 2003 and 2010. Discussions between Post Office Ltd. and Department of Work and Pensions on what accounts, other than the Post Office Card Account, will be available after 2010 are on-going. The value of the contract to Post Office Ltd. in 2005–06 depends on the numbers of customers using it and customers are able to use their Post Office Card Accounts at any post office branch whether rural or urban.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are using the Post Office Card Account; how many withdrawals of (a) pensions and (b) other benefits from Post Office Card Accounts there were in each of the last two years (i) in each region, (ii) in rural areas and (iii) in urban areas; and what the total value of such withdrawals was in (A) rural and (B) urban areas. [46058]

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL) and the chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department plans to take to minimise the impact of the loss of the Post Office Card Account contract on the Post Office network. [46061]

Barry Gardiner: We have always been clear that Government will fund the Post Office Card Account until 2010. Discussions between the Department of Work and Pensions and Post Office Ltd. are continuing about how they take things forward after 2010.


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