House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Mar 2006 (pt 14)

1 Mar 2006 : Column 740W—continued

Business Plans

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place a copy of the

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(a) Natural Environment Research Council and (b) Centre for Ecology and Hydrology business plans in the Library. [52250]

Barry Gardiner [holding answer 27 February 2006]: The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Delivery Plan for 2005-08 and proposed Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Business Plan are currently available on the NERC website http://www.nerc.ac.uk.

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Research

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the Government's plans are for closing the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology research sites in the next 10 years; and what representations he has received on this; [52048]

(2) what evidence the Natural Environment Research Council presented to his Department as a basis for its decision to close four Centre for Ecology and Hydrology research sites; and what assessment he has made of this evidence; [52051]

(3) what guidance the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) was given before its board decided to close (a) Winfrith, South Dorset and (b) other NERC research facilities. [52058]

Barry Gardiner: The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) is wholly owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and decisions on its future are the responsibility of NERC. The science budget allocation to NERC has doubled since 1997, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining the quality of environmental, research in the UK. NERC is responsible for determining the details of how this funding is allocated to specific activities. NERC is currently considering the input from a wide consultation with stakeholders on proposals to place CEH onto a sustainable financial footing, and decisions are expected to be taken by NERC Council in March.

Officials from the Office of Science and Technology attend the meetings of NERC Council as observers; these meetings have included discussions concerning the future of CEH. Following NERC Council in December 2005, NERC issued a Statement of Intent regarding the future of CEH, accompanied by a copy of the CEH Business Plan containing the rationale for NERC's proposals.

The Department has received a number of letters from Members of Parliament, trade unions, environmental organisations, members of the public and others, about NERC's proposal to restructure CEH.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many ecologists were represented on the Executive Board of the National Environment Research Council during each discussion of the most recent Centre for Ecology and Hydrology business plan. [52061]

Barry Gardiner: The science budget allocation to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has doubled since 1997, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining the quality of environmental research in the UK. NERC is currently considering the input from a

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wide consultation with stakeholders on proposals on how the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) can contribute to this on a sustainable basis.

NERC Council is the governing body of NERC. Three members of Council are ecologists and another member has expertise in ecological toxicology. All were present at recent Council discussions of the CEH business plan.

Compensation Claims

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to extend the period in which compensation may be sought from a builder for poor workmanship; and if he will make a statement. [54201]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 provides the consumer with basic rights which apply to most contracts for services. It requires a trader—such as a builder, who agrees to carry out a service, to carry out that service with reasonable care and skill. Complaints can be brought to court up to six years later. A consumer may also have a claim in negligence. The basic period in which to bring a claim is the same, however in the case of a hidden defect the consumer may claim within three years after discovering the defect (provided that not more than 15 years have elapsed since the work was done). This extended period was introduced in 1986 and there are no plans to make any changes.

Cricket World Cup

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what UK Trade and Investment's budget is for the proposed market visit to the Caribbean in 2006 to allow small and medium-sized businesses to pursue opportunities created by the forthcoming Cricket World Cup in 2007; and what proportion of the budget is for direct financial aid to businesses that may wish to take advantage of the scheme. [53328]

Ian Pearson: Under UK Trade and Investment's Market Visit Support scheme, there are no market visits planned to the Caribbean for the remainder of the financial year 2005–06. For the financial year 2006–07 commencing 1 April, UKTI's regional teams are developing their plans for market visits in line with their trade development responsibilities. At present one market visit to the Caribbean is under consideration where a budget of £6,500 has been proposed to support around 10 small and medium enterprises.

In addition, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, as part of the West Midlands EU funded ERDF project, is taking a group of companies to Barbados, St. Lucia and Jamaica from 17–24 April 2006, as part of a structured export development programme, to investigate specific export opportunities, some of which are linked to the Cricket World Cup. The entire EU funding available will go direct to small and medium sized enterprises in the West Midlands objective 2 area. UKTIs involvement is to provide International Trade Advisers to support the companies in their preparation and to help them follow up any opportunities identified.

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Debt

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications for the Department's work on responsible lending and personal indebtedness of the decision by the Legal Services Commission to withdraw funding for specialist support and advice on debt; and if he will make a statement. [54718]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The Legal Services Commission has decided not to continue funding for specialist support, as from July 2006.

DTI recognises that second tier support for debt advisors can contribute to ensuring responsible lending and tackling over-indebtedness. However, the Government has decided to focus its funding on direct advice provision. DTI administers the £45 million project for face-to-face debt advice, provides funding for National Debtline and supported the launch of the new Debt Advice Helpline pilot on 27 February. We will continue to collaborate with other Departments on their debt advice projects and work with the sector to encourage sustainable funding for debt advice from a broad range of sources.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Law Society and (b) the Legal Services Ombudsman about breaches of regulation 4 of the conditional fee regulations with regard to miners' hearing loss claims. [54851]

Malcolm Wicks: The Department, to date, has had no such discussions with either the Law Society or the Legal Services Ombudsman.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions in cases from Bassetlaw residents solicitors' costs have been partially refused due to breach of regulation 4 of the conditional fee regulations for miners' hearing loss claims to Government. [54852]

Malcolm Wicks: This information is not readily available. Miners' hearing loss claims are not schemed so solicitors' costs for each claim are dealt with on their own merits. Concerns relating to a breach of regulation 4 of the conditional fee regulations would be raised as part of the negotiations on the appropriate level of costs for any given claim.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which solicitors have had costs partially refused due to breach of regulation 4 of the conditional fee regulations for miners' hearing loss claims to Government. [54853]

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the Government's insurers first refused to pay part of solicitors' costs due to breach of regulation 4 of the conditional fee agreement regulations. [54854]

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has always refused to meet solicitors' costs in full where there has been a breach of regulation 4 of the conditional fee agreement (CFA) regulations. The CFA regime was introduced in 2000 but breaches of regulation 4 have become more common in relation to miners' hearing loss claims since 2004.

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