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7 Mar 2006 : Column 1293W—continued
Newton's Apple Tree
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated (a) value and (b) maintenance cost is of Newton's Apple Tree" at the National Physics Laboratory; what right of public access to it exists; and if he will make a statement. [52573]
Barry Gardiner: As a non-operational heritage asset, Newton's Apple Tree" at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is not valued on the Department's balance sheet. Its maintenance costs are not separately identifiable from the general grounds maintenance costs at the Laboratory.
The tree was presented to NPL in 1953 by the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and is derived from a graft from an old tree at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton and where, according to tradition, Newton was inspired by a falling apple in developing his theory of gravitation. The tree at NPL is one of a number of similar descendants around the world. Public access to this tree is not possible but a similar, and perhaps more directly related, tree can be seen at Woolsthorpe Manor, which is in the care of the National Trust.
Post Offices
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether the European Commission has (a) imposed and (b) indicated that it will impose any restrictions or conditions on the disbursement of subsidies to (i) rural and (ii) other post offices; [55594]
(2) whether the European Commission has imposed limits on the amount of subsidy his Department may pay to Post Offices Limited in respect of support for (a) rural and (b) other post offices in any one year. [55600]
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Barry Gardiner: The European Commission has approved the Department's support of no more than £150 million per annum, to support non-commercial rural post offices, for the financial years 2006–07 and 2007–08. Post Office Limited uses this support to cover such costs as sub-postmasters' fixed pay, cash distribution and information technology. European Commission Decision N 784/2002 also allowed for support to POL to cover cash outflows until financial year 2006–07.
Satellite Licences
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the nature is of his Department's contingent liabilities pertaining to the issue of licences to operators of satellites and other space objects; and if he will make a statement. [52571]
Barry Gardiner: Under UN Treaties, the Government are internationally responsible for activities in outer space carried on by its nationals, and assumes certain liabilities for damage caused to third parties as a result of those activities. The Department administers the Outer Space Act 1986, which requires that such space activities be licensed. Anyone who carries on a licensable activity gives an unlimited indemnity to the Government against claims. The Department seeks to secure indemnification in part by requiring £100 million insurance cover. If the insurance policy proved insufficient to cover a particular claim, the licensee would be required to indemnify the Government of the excess. However, if the licensee were unable to meet this, the Government would have to fund the remainder from its own resources. Hence, there is a contingent liability.
Shareholder Executive
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the activities for which the Shareholder Executive has obtained external financial advice; on what matters the company provided advice on each occasion; and what fees were paid in each case. [54724]
Barry Gardiner: The Shareholder Executive advises a number of different ministers on their shareholdings. Those Ministers retain responsibility for all aspects of the shareholdings.
Since the Shareholder Executive's transfer to the DTI in June 2004, the following advisers have been engaged on the businesses in its portfolio for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has responsibility:
Royal Mail Holdings plc: Deloitte, CSFB, Strategia. All provided financial advice relating to Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd.'s financial performance and future funding requirements.
British Energy Group plc: CSFB, Deloitte. Both provided financial advice relating to the British Energy restructuring.
In addition the Shareholder Executive obtained advice from McKinsey and Company in relation to the development of its economic profit methodology.
The total amount spent on these advisors from June 2004 to February 2006 is £8,308,008. Amounts paid to individual advisors are commercially confidential to the Department and the relevant adviser.
7 Mar 2006 : Column 1295W
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are in place to prevent conflicts of interest in cases of (a) asset sales and (b) financial restructuring for which the Shareholder Executive seeks external advice. [54727]
Barry Gardiner: As pat of any appointment process, external advisors are required to confirm that they have no actual or perceived conflict of interest in relation to the proposed project.
Telephone Hotlines
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from consumer groups on the use of premium rate telephone numbers for telephone hotlines. [56531]
Alun Michael: This Department has received no such representations. Premium Rate Services are regulated by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS). ICSTIS is in constant dialogue with consumer groups on premium rate issues through consultation processes. ICSTIS has had no specific representations about hotlines.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Departmental Telephone Numbers
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by her Department. [56534]
Mr. Caborn: My Department does not administer any 0800, 0845 or 0870 numbers for the public.
TREASURY
Burma
Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of Burmese gems imported in each of the last five years. [55656]
Dawn Primarolo: The information is as follows.
| Value (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 623 |
Notes:
1. Value declared in 2005 was in the category of 'Precious stones (o/t) diamonds and semi-precious stones not strung, mounted or set—unworked, simply sawn or roughly shaped'.
2. Declarations below a value of £600 are recorded in a separate low value' commodity code.
Source:
HM Revenue and Customs, Overseas Trade Statistics
7 Mar 2006 : Column 1296W
Cancer
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) contraction and (b) death rates were for (i) breast cancer, (ii) lung cancer and (iii) prostate cancer in the last year for which figures are available. [56592]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 7 March 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what the (a) contraction and (b) death rates were for (i) breast cancer, (ii) lung cancer and (iii) prostate cancer in the last year for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (56592)
The most recent available information is on registration of newly diagnosed cases (incidence) and mortality for the years 2003 and 2004, respectively. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates (directly standardised to the European standard population) are given in the table below for selected cancers in England, 2003–2004.
(7) Rate per 100,000 standardised to the European standard population.
(8) Defined by codes in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD10). In this table lung cancer is taken to be code C34, breast cancer C50 and prostate cancer C61. Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause.
(9) Residents of England at time of death.
(10) Figures are based on occurrences of death in each calendar year.
(11) Persons—the calculated total rate for both males and females.
Source:
Office for National Statistics
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