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13 Mar 2006 : Column 1991W—continued
Farnborough Air Show
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support his Department is giving to the organisers of the Farnborough Air Show; and whether his Department is providing assistance to enable overseas visitors to attend. [57135]
Alun Michael:
Farnborough received high-level UK Government backing from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) (which is sponsored jointly by the Department
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of Trade and Industry and the Foreign Office) as well as from DTI itself and from devolved Administrations, regional organisations, the Ministry of Defence.
UKTI, the Defence Exports Services Organisation and Scottish Development International are all collaborating with the Society of British Aerospace Companies to ensure a co-ordinated government and industry approach at the show.
In particular UKTI is providing logistical and financial support to a series of carefully structured meetings between prospective overseas buyers/investors and UK industry. Some 40 overseas companies will be hosted by UKTI and will meet up to 200 UK companies in structured meetings.
The value of this type of activity was proven at the Farnborough International 2004 to have generated over £3.3 million of business to UK SMEs.
There will also be a strong regional government presence at the show supporting regional initiatives and activities.
Fuel Poverty
Sandra Gidley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the
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potential impact of the recent energy price increase on the number of people in fuel poverty; and if he will make a statement. [57321]
Malcolm Wicks: Analysis of the overall effects of changes in fuel prices and incomes, excluding consideration of energy efficiency improvements, suggests that the total number of vulnerable households in fuel poverty is likely to rise by around one million households in England between 2003 and 2006, with a proportionate increase in the devolved Administrations. This is based on a range of price and income assumptions underlying the Energy Review consultation document published on 23 January 2006.
Work on the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the light of rising energy prices is being taken forward in the context of the Energy Review.
A household is said to be fuel poor if it needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income on all fuel use and to heat the home to an adequate standard of warmth. A vulnerable household is one containing children or someone who is elderly, or sick or disabled.
Gas and Electricity Prices
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average price of (a) gas and (b) electricity was in each year since 1997. [57431]
Malcolm Wicks: Prices for gas and electricity are shown for domestic and industrial consumers. The average annual prices for each fuel since 1997 in pence per kilowatt-hour (p/kWh) are as follows. These are in cash terms and have not been adjusted for inflation.
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Gershon Review
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what administrative savings, including reductions in administrative staff, have been made by the Natural Environment Research Council as part of the Gershon Review. [56740]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 9 March 2006]: As part of the Gershon review, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has agreed to save a total £22.6 million, including administrative savings of £800,000, by the end of 2007–08. This is part of the Research Councils contribution of £170 million towards the DTI efficiency delivery program. NERC is currently ahead of its agreed target towards achieving this.
National Transmission System
Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on the wholesale gas market of the increased information available on flows of gas into the National Transmission System through the programme sponsored by his Department. [57836]
Malcolm Wicks: Increased information flows have been made available this winter through National Grid's website as the result of voluntary arrangements agreed with the oil and gas production industry. The Department will be reviewing the benefits that have accrued as a result as well as the scope for provisions of information about other factors affecting gas flows into the National Transmission System.
New Businesses
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of businesses in (a) Hertfordshire and (b) South-East England were start-up businesses in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [57806]
Alun Michael: DTI figures based on the ratio of new VAT registrations to total VAT registered stock for Hertfordshire and the South and Eastern Government Office Regions of England are shown below for 1997 to 2005. Data for 2006 will be available in autumn 2006.
Source:
Data derived from Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2004, Small Business Service, available in the Library of the House and also at http://www.sbs.gov.uk/vats
VAT registrations only provide a broad indicator of business start-up activity, since they do not capture all new businesses. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold (currently £60,000). Only £1.8 million out of £4.3 million enterprises were registered for VAT at they start of 2004. Barclays Bank produce estimates of start-ups based on business bank account activity, which include non-VAT registered firms. According to Barclays there were 8,500 business start-ups in Hertfordshire in 2003 and further 8,600 in 2004. Data on the total number of businesses is not available at county level.
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DTI figures based on the ratio of Barclays new business start-ups in 2003 to the total number of businesses in 2003, show that new businesses accounted for 11 per cent. of all businesses in the East of England Government Office Region, 13 per cent. of all businesses in the London Government Office Region and 11 per cent. of all businesses in the South East Government Office Region. Data prior to 2003 are not available. Data for 2005 will be available in autumn 2006.
Post Office
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Post Office branches have closed in Scotland in each year since 1992. [58302]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). Alan Cook, the Managing Director, has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that companies awarded contracts to run main post offices employ properly trained and suitably skilled staff. [57274]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the Managing Director, has been asked to reply direct to my hon. Friend.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many main post offices have been franchised to the private sector; and what steps he is taking to monitor (a) the quality of services they provide and (b) the number of complaints from the public; [57276]
(2) what steps he has taken to ensure that customers in-service levels are maintained when post offices are franchised to the private sector; [57275]
(3) whether he has evidence of companies applying for post office franchises under multiple names; and if he will make a statement; [58247]
(4) what steps he has taken to investigate the background of companies applying for post office franchises; and if he will make a statement. [58246]
Barry Gardiner: These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the Managing Director, has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices in (a) Tameside metropolitan borough and (b) Stockport metropolitan borough are franchised to the private sector; and what steps he is taking to monitor (i) the quality of service they provide and (ii) the number of complaints received from the public. [57830]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). Alan Cook, the Managing Director, has been asked to reply direct to my hon. Friend.
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