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Mobile Phones

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce proposals to require the registration of the name and address of owners of pay as you go mobile telephones. [62738]

Alun Michael: I along with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary have considered proposals for compulsory registration of mobile phone pre-pay users. However, a number of technical and financial implications have arisen. Some 33 per cent. of pre-pay mobile phone users change handsets, SIM cards or networks in any one year, all of which would entail some amendments to existing records if initial registration had taken place. If compulsory registration was introduced the estimated unit cost of £6 per SIM to administer, associated with this single aspect would not be insignificant and would have to be added to the costs associated with initial registration including, if found necessary, retrospective registration of all existing 41 million users. A compulsory registration scheme would only achieve its purpose if the information given was checked and verified. To do this would add considerable cost and delay to the purchase of a pre-pay phone. We do not at this stage believe the imposition of this burden is warranted.

The hon. Friend may or may not be aware of the industry's voluntary scheme of registration of pre-pay and post-pay users. Since January 2005 some 15 million (pre-pay and contract customers) have voluntarily registered their details via the industry/law enforcement run website (www.Immobilise.com). The Government believe this voluntary scheme is developing well and should be encouraged, and have decided not to include proposals to mandate the registration of prepaid mobile phones in the Counter Terrorism Bill that receives Royal assent in July 2006. However the wider issue of anonymity is being considered.

Neutron Facilities

Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the report commissioned from the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils regarding the development of a strategy for future access to neutron facilities. [63077]

Barry Gardiner: The CCLRC published its UK Neutron Strategy Review on 29 March 2006.

Non-fossil Fuel and Renewables Obligations

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 290W, on non-fossil fuel and renewables obligations, what legal advice he was given regarding the powers available to him other than under the Sustainable Energy Act 2003 to make transfers from the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation Fund to the consolidated fund. [63048]

 
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Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend, to my reply to the hon. Member for Leominster (Bill Wiggin) of 31 January 2006, Official Report, column 331W.

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 290W, on non-fossil fuel and renewables obligation, whether there have been any transfers from the Non-fossil Fuel Obligation Fund to the Consolidated Fund other than that made on 14 July 2004; and what plans there are to make transfers. [62271]

Malcolm Wicks: Since 14 July 2004 there has been one further transfer to the Consolidated Fund of £150 million which took place on 20 September 2005.

Future transfers are likely to take place annually.

Northwest Development Agency

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Northwest Development Agency has for (a) train, (b) bus and (c) road transport in Chorley. [62588]

Alun Michael: The Northwest Development Agency does not currently have any specific plans for train, bus and road transport in Chorley. The regional economic strategy (RES), that was formally launched on Monday 27 March 2006, contains the agreed regional priorities. In addition, the region has agreed specific road priorities through its advice to Government on the regional funding allocation in January 2006.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Northwest Development Agency has in relation to (a) Chorley Town and (b) villages in Chorley constituency. [62589]

Alun Michael: The Northwest Development Agency does not currently have any specific plans relating to Chorley Town and surrounding villages. However, NWDA continues to support the successful development of the strategic regional site in Chorley. Investment of £1.3million by the agency towards the site has already secured the relocation of a major local employer, thereby safeguarding around 200 jobs in the Chorley area. The agency's REMADE Programme aimed at reclaiming derelict sites for public open space and environmental improvements throughout Lancashire includes a number of sites located on Chorley's urban fringe. The borough as a whole will also derive significant economic, social and environmental benefits from the implementation of the Central Lancashire City Region Development Programme.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the Northwest Development Agency's support for the Northern Way on Chorley. [62607]

Alun Michael: I have made no specific assessment of the impact of the Northern Way on Chorley, but Chorley forms part of the Central Lancashire City
 
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Region which is a building block for greater economic benefit of the North of England. A city region is a key building block for the Northern Way.

The Northwest Development Agency's regional economic strategy (RES) recognises the importance of the city region within which Chorley lies and is working with the Lancashire Economic Partnership and other partners to ensure that the economic potential of the city region is realised. The borough of Chorley as a whole will derive significant economic, social and environmental benefits from the implementation of the development programme over the next few years.

Open-cast Mining

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the procedure is for renewing expired licences for open-cast mining in South Lanarkshire. [62930]

Malcolm Wicks: The procedure for making an application to the Coal Authority for a licence is described in the Authority's guidance notes to applicants which can be viewed on its website at www.coal.gov.uk by following the path Services, Licensing and Indemnities, Model documents.

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether (a) Poniel, (b) Auldton and Rougham Woods and (c) Mainshill Woods hold licences for open-cast mining in Lanarkshire. [62931]

Malcolm Wicks: The Coal Authority has not issued any licences for opencast mining in respect of Poniel, Auldton and Rougham Woods and Mainshill Woods. However Poniel might otherwise be known as Long Plantation and exploration licences have been granted for this site. These licences have now expired. In addition a site known as Dalquhandy might form part of Poniel and there is a current Coal Authority licence for this site.

Pipe Organs

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of the EU directive on (a) restrictions on hazardous substances and (b) waste electrical and electronic equipment on the pipe organ building industry; and if he will make a statement. [62113]

Malcolm Wicks: The repair and refurbishment of existing pipe organs (both now and in the future) will not be affected; neither will pipe organs that are not reliant on electricity to function. A total exemption for the manufacture of new pipe organs from the substances restrictions of the RoHS Directive would require a formal application by the industry to the European Commission (under Article 5.1 b). The Department has offered to work with the industry to help them develop such a case.

A Full Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the RoHS Directive was published in September 2005. The Department of Trade and Industry continues to work closely with the European Commission, other member states and industry on the RoHS and WEEE Directives.
 
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Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the oral answer of 23 March 2006, Official Report, column 399 to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Peter Luff), whether (a) individual pipe organ manufacturers must apply for an exemption and (b) the industry may apply for an exemption as a whole; and what information he has provided to the industry. [62718]

Malcolm Wicks: Exemptions to the RoHS Directive apply to specific applications of the heavy metals or brominated flame retardants in electrical and electronic equipment (such as the lead in the glass of cathode ray tubes), not to specific companies or specific products. Exemption requests are made by industry to the European Commission and need to be justified on the basis that there is no scientific or technical alternative—not on the basis of cost. DTI officials have provided information to the industry and met with them recently.

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