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Spam E-mails
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to reduce the number of spam e-mails originating from abroad received by people in the UK. [84738]
Margaret Hodge: The Government introduced statutory controls on spam emails by means of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, which was enacted on11 December 2003. The regulations provide a first line of defence against spam originating in the EU where the recipient has no knowledge of the advertiser of the products being marketed. The regulations require that spam must not be sent to an individual subscriber without prior permission or unless there is a previous relationship between the parties. The regulations can be enforced against an offending company or individual anywhere in the EU. There is regular contact between my Department, the Department of Constitutional Affairs and the Information Commissioner’s Office on the operation of these regulations.
The Government recognise that most spam does not come from the UK and has therefore extensively promoted international co-operation. A Memorandum of Understanding was agreed on 2 July 2004 between the enforcement authorities of the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, to reduce the problem by working together to investigate those sending spam. The UK also plays a leading role in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Anti Spam Task Force and other multilateral initiatives. In late 2004, the UK launched the world’s first and only anti-spam enforcement network, the London Action Plan, which now spans five continents and includes authorities and industry from countries particularly affected by this issue, such as Nigeria, China and India.
The end user has a role to play in acting to avoid being a target for those sending spam, as well as acting to filter spam. Information has been made available to the public and to business by the DTI, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Office of Fair Trading as well as a number of sites provided by service and software providers. These messages have been reinforced by the Get Safe Online initiative launched on 27 October 2005. This is an initiative between Government and Industry to help individuals and businesses protect themselves against internet threats, including spam.
Our response to the problem of spam continues to develop. I have taken careful note of the views of the Information Commissioner’s Office on the powers available to him, and DTI officials are working with the Information Commissioner’s Office on this matter. The Government are actively considering whether to revise the relevant legislation. DTI officials have a continuing dialogue with internet service providers regarding steps that can be taken to reduce spam. We also continue our efforts to achieve greater international co-operation.
Strikes
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many strikes there were in the last 12 months; and what the lowest number of strikes was during any consecutive 12 month period between May 1997 and May 2002. [85454]
Jim Fitzpatrick: In the 12 months to May 2006, there were 131 stoppages in the UK, compared to 121 stoppages in the 12 months to May 2005.
Between May 1997 and May 2002, the lowest number of stoppages in any 12 consecutive months was 189, in the 12 months to August 1999.
Structural Funds
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that the North West is a priority for the allocation of structural funds. [84289]
Margaret Hodge: As set out in the written statement to Parliament of 20 December 2005, Official Report, columns 203-06WS. Merseyside will receive phasing-in funding under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective for 2007-13. This will amount to approximately one-third of its allocation as an Objective 1 area over the period 2000-06.
The rest of the North West, along with the other areas of the UK not eligible for Convergence funding (the successor to Objective 1) under the next round of Structural Funds from 2007-13, will be eligible for support under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective. These areas will receive a total of approximately €6.2 billion in Structural Funds over this period.
The Department
of Trade and Industry has recently carried out a public consultation on
a draft National Strategic Reference Framework for future Structural
Funds spending. As part of the consultation, we sought
stakeholders’ views on the methodology for allocating part of
the UK’s Competitiveness funds. In
reaching a final decision on this issue, the Government will, of course,
want to take full account of the needs of the North West and all other
eligible
regions.
Sustainability
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding he plans to allocate to professional bodies for the promotion of the principles of sustainable consumption and development to their members in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [82481]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
In October 2005, Defra funded Forum for the Future to engage with a range of professional bodies on sustainability issues. The project, Professions in Partnership for Sustainability, will work with professional bodies to embed sustainable competencies into their professional standards.
The project is worth up to £75,000 and will last until the end of the financial year 2006-07. No decisions have been taken yet on funding beyond the end of 2006-07.
Television Licences
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effects on pensioners of the discontinuation of the sale of television licences in post offices. [85098]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The decision to withdraw the purchase of TV licences from post offices was a commercial one made by the BBC which has a duty to TV licence holders to achieve value for money with its licence fee income. Although customers will not be able to pay for their TV licences at post offices after 31 July, they will be able to purchase TV licences by direct debit, online or at over 15,000 ‘Paypoint’ facilities situated around the country in local newsagents, convenience stores, supermarkets, and petrol stations.
Waste Disposal
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the meeting of EU Member States in Brussels on 26 June regarding the Restrictions on Hazardous Substances and Waste Electrical Equipment Directives; and whether a decision was reached as to whether pipe organs would fall within the scope of these Directives. [84609]
Malcolm Wicks: It was certainly never envisaged that these directives would apply to church and other pipe organs, although there was some legal uncertainty in the final text.
Following the meeting held in Brussels on 26 June, the European Commission has clarified that pipe organs are outside the scope of the new rules.
I am, therefore, very pleased to confirm that the legal uncertainties have now been resolved and pipe organs are considered to be clearly outside the scope of the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directives.
Wholesale Energy Prices
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will establish an inquiry into (a) wholesale energy prices, (b) the level of competition in the UK energy market and (c) the impact of energy prices on manufacturing industry. [85097]
Malcolm Wicks: Despite sustained benefits from liberalised energy markets over the past decade, the Government fully appreciates that high energy prices do create problems for the competitiveness of industry, and takes very seriously the potential loss of jobs and investment. The Government are leaving no stone unturned, working closely with industry, to find solutions and reduce the impact. The new Business Energy Forum, co-chaired by the Secretary of State and Richard Lambert of the CBI, met for the first time on 5 July and is monitoring this work and looking at other strategic energy issues impacting on business. Higher energy prices in the UK reflect higher global prices, caused by rising demand and supply constraints (for oil and gas), the lack of EU energy market liberalisation, and domestic factors, such as the tight winter supply demand balance in the UK gas market.
The importance of the Government’s activity in pushing for European energy market liberalisation was highlighted in a Global Insight report in 2005. The report estimated that the lack of effective liberalisation and the dominance of oil-linked long-term supply contracts in Europe would cost UK industrial consumers of gas some £2.6 billion over the following year. Ofgem analysis suggests that the cost to UK gas consumers of Interconnector flows not always being in line with price signals during the last winter was£1.5 billion and would cost £3 billion if repeated during the coming winter. The European Commission has been active in reviewing competition in gas and electricity markets.
During the past two years there have been several investigations and reports into competition in UK gas and electricity markets. These include the Ofgem gas price probe, and two inquiries from the Trade and Industry Select Committee. The Ofgem gas price probe found no evidence of anti-competitive behaviour in the UK gas market. More recently, Ofgem published a “Domestic Retail Market Report”, which concluded that, “competition remains effective and vigorous in all segments of the domestic energy market.” Independent research by Oxera concluded that in 2004 the UK had the most competitive electricity and gas markets inthe EU and G7 (available at www.dti.gov.uk/files/file28425.pdf).
Wind Farms
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many wind farms there are in England; and how many are planned to be built in the next five years. [84740]
Malcolm Wicks: There are currently 54 wind farms in England, of those three are offshore with a capacity of nearly 154 MW and 51 are onshore with a capacity of nearly 246 MW.
It is not possible to say how many wind farms, on or offshore are planned to be built in the next five years as a number of complex and, as yet, unseen, factors may come into play. However, the following information has been obtained from the British Wind Energy Association:
Zimbabwe
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on UK-Zimbabwe trade relations [80264]
Mr. McCartney: There has been a substantial fall in UK-Zimbabwe trade in recent years. In 2000, UK and Zimbabwe two-way trade amounted to £143 million. Imports from Zimbabwe were mainly agricultural products with tobacco, making up approximately31 per cent. of the total imports. Exports were mainly manufactured goods, with office machines and ADP equipment topping the table at £5.3 million.
By 2005, two-way trade had fallen to £66 million. The principal change was in tobacco imports, which fell to £4.8 million from £31 million in 2000 down85 per cent. Exports also fell, with the leading export, road vehicles, topping the table at £3.5 million. The decline in trade can be attributed to the policies of the Government of Zimbabwe which have brought about the fall of both imports and exports.
A breakdown of UK exports and imports by sector for 2004 and 2005 is shown in the following table.
HMG have not imposed any economic sanctions or restrictions on doing business in Zimbabwe and two-way trade continues, although as the aforementioned figures show, at a substantially reduced level. It is our view that economic sanctions would harm the people of Zimbabwe at a time of humanitarian crisis, while having very little impact on the ZANU (PF) leadership. The people of Zimbabwe have suffered enough.
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