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Area Assistance
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Department's paper of10 July 2006 on the Review of UK Assisted Areas Stage 2—The Government's response and draft assisted areas map, what average (a) level of manufacturing share of employment, (b) claimant rate of incapacity benefit, (c) employment rate and (d) level of adult skills at level 2 and above in (i) Great Britain, (ii) each ward of Scottish Borders council area, (iii) each ward of Dumfries and Galloway council area and (iv) each ward of Berwick borough council area were used to assess future eligibility for assistance; and what the (A) half a standard deviation and (B) full standard deviation (1) above and (2) below the Great Britain average are. [87356]
Margaret Hodge: The data for Great Britain, including wards in the Scottish Border council, Dumfries and Galloway council and Berwick borough council areas are available from the sources specified. The description gives a full definition of the data used in prioritising assisted area coverage in the Draft Map, including the thresholds related to the Great Britain average and standard deviation. The Department will place this information on its website, at
http://www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html.
Data have been built up from ward level, using census area statistics wards (2003 CAS wards). Where possible, averages of the three most recent years’ data have been used.
Ward level data from 2001 census have been used—working age population in employment (ILO definition) divided by total working age population (Source: NOMIS).
To construct more recent estimates, numeratorshave been factored by local authority estimates of employment rate, using four-quarterly averages from the labour force survey (Source: NOMIS). The base year is taken as March 2001 to February 2002. A three-year average has been taken of these derived estimates, using the years March 2002 to February 2003, March 2003 to February 2004 and March 2004 to February 2005.
The Great Britain average on this basis was 69.2 per cent. with a standard deviation of 6.4 per cent. Therefore the thresholds for eligibility of a zone were:
half a standard deviation: employment rate less than 66.0 per cent.
one standard deviation: employment rate less than 62.8 per cent.
Adult skills at level 2 or above
Ward level data from 2001 census have been used—working age population with NVQ Level 2 qualification (or equivalent) or higher, divided by total working age population (Source: NOMIS).
To construct
more recent estimates, numerators have been factored by local authority
estimates of working age Level 2+ skills rate, using the local area
labour force survey (Source: NOMIS). The base year is taken as March
2001—February 2002. A three-year average has been taken of these
derived estimates, using the
years March 2001 to February 2002, March 2002 to February 2003 and March
2003 to February
2004.
The Great Britain average on this basis was 52.2 per cent. with a standard deviation of 7.5 per cent. Therefore the thresholds for eligibility of a zone were:
half a standard deviation: Level 2+ skills rate less than48.5 per cent.
one standard deviation: Level 2+ skills rate less than 44.8 per cent
Administrative data are available at ward level from the Department of Work and Pensions. The series used includes both incapacity benefit claimants and severe disablement allowance claimants. The claimant count denominator has been used (Source: NOMIS).
A three-year average has been taken, using data from November 2003, November 2004 and November 2005.
The Great Britain average on this basis was 7.9 per cent. with a standard deviation of 3.4 per cent. Therefore the thresholds for eligibility of a zone were:
half a standard deviation: IB claimant rate greater than9.7 per cent.
one standard deviation: IB claimant rate greater than 11.4 per cent.
Manufacturing share of employment
Data are taken from the Annual Business Inquiry employee analysis (Source: NOMIS). Rates are constructed as employment in Manufacturing (Standard Industrial Classification code D) divided by employment in all industrial sectors.
Only two years’ data are available for 2003 CAS wards. Therefore a two-year average has been taken, using data from 2003 and 2004.
The Great Britain average on this basis was 12.3 per cent. with a standard deviation of 5.9 per cent. Therefore the thresholds for eligibility of a zone were:
half a standard deviation: manufacturing share of employment greater than 15.3 per cent.
one standard deviation: manufacturing share of employment greater than18.2 per cent.
Sources:
All data used are publicly available. Data can be obtained through the following websites:
NOMIS
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/
Department of Work and Pensions
http://www.dwp. gov.uk/asd/tabtool. asp
General Register Office for Scotland (for Scottish Census data)
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/census/censushm/index .html
Bank and Shop Closures
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of post offices, bank branches and independent retail shops in Nottingham Southand in the East Midlands on the (a) frequency, (b) distance and (c) mode of transport of journeys by customers; and what assessment he has made ofthe impact of such closures on the level of (i) environmental emissions and (ii) traffic congestion. [79225]
Margaret Hodge: All local transport authorities are required to develop plans, termed Accessibility Strategies, to ensure that citizens have ease of access to facilities and amenities in their area. These are part of the Local Transport Plan process and Accessibility Strategies were submitted to Department for Transport as part of the second round of Local Transport Plans in March 2006.
Department for Transport issued guidance tolocal transport authorities in December 2004 that highlighted food and essential services such as supermarkets, post offices and banks as being destinations that local transport authorities should consider as part of the process. Authorities were asked to prioritise the analysis of, and actions to promote, accessibility to these local services alongside other destinations such as access to employment. Accessibility Strategies contain a forward programme of analysis and action based on this prioritisation process.
The South Nottinghamshire area is covered by the Greater Nottingham Local Transport Plan, which is jointly developed by Nottingham city council and Nottinghamshire county council. In the development of the associated Accessibility Strategy, a workshop was held in 2005 relating to access to food and essential services and included discussion of closures, cost of travel, relative infrequency of public transport in rural areas, and availability of information on transport types. The Post Office consumer group, Postwatch, were also consulted as part of this work.
Department for Transport expects local transport authorities to develop detailed Local Accessibility Action Plans for each year of the plan period to 2010-11, based on the priorities identified through the themed workshops and discussions with partners.
Bankruptcy
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have declared themselves bankrupt in each London borough since 1997. [87779]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table records the numbers of individual bankruptcy orders in the London Region classified according to Official Receivers’ offices from 1997-98 to 2005-06.
Figures are not separately available for each London borough.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of farmers who went bankrupt in England in each of the last five years. [88737]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The closest available estimate for bankruptcies amongst self-employed farmers is that for bankruptcies falling under the category “agriculture” according to the Insolvency Trade Classification and these can be found in the following table:
| Bankruptcies in England and Wales for Agriculture, 2001 to 2005 | |
| Bankruptcy orders | |
BCCI
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many members of staff in the Insolvency Service are involved in dealing with the BCCI case; and what costs the Insolvency Service has incurred to date in relation to the case. [87168]
Jim Fitzpatrick: No individual member of staff of the Insolvency Service is continuously involved in work related to the liquidation of BCCI but staff are deployed as and when required in dealing with inquiries, correspondence and receiving reports from and discussing issues with the liquidators. The cost of the involvement of Insolvency Service staff in work related to BCCI since 1991 could only be calculated as disproportionate cost.
Better Regulation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for powers for the proposed Local Better Regulation Office to inspect local authorities’ environmental health and trading standards departments. [85732]
Mr.
McCartney: The Local Better Regulation Office will have a
role overseeing and co-ordinating the work of trading standards and
environmental health. The Local Better Regulation Office will work in
partnership with local authorities and will not micro manage
environmental health and trading standards departments. Its roles will
include delivering a coordinated set of national priorities across
trading standards and environmental health services; driving up
performance standards within the wider local government performance
framework; gathering evidence and responding to the concerns of
business and local authorities about inconsistencies in the enforcement
of regulation; driving best practice to
reduce unnecessary burdens and establishing common frameworks where they
add value. The Government will make an announcement on the powers LBRO
will have later this
year.
Broadband
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government’s definition of broadband was last changed; what criteria were applied to the decision; and if he will make a statement. [86135]
Margaret Hodge: We use the Office of Telecommunications’ (Ofcom) definition, published in their report “Review of the Wholesale Broadband Access Markets” of May 2004 as “higher bandwidth, always-on service, offering data rates of 128kbps and above”. This definition is used to measure take-up of the dynamic range of services available to residential and business consumers that are classed by the industry as broadband and to make comparisons with other European countries.
DTI focuses on the uses for broadband, encourages take-up of services and the applications it provides. To that end, we are working with industry and other interested parties through the Broadband Stakeholders Group to assist and advise us in supporting end users needs in a converged digital world. On 1 April 2005 we launched ‘Connecting the UK: the Digital Strategy’. The strategy outlines the policy focus towards stimulating effective take-up and use of ICT. The strategy aims to address the digital divide that currently sees some groups excluded from the benefits to be gained from the internet.
The UK has over 10 million broadband subscribers and there are over a quarter of a million new subscribers each month. Broadband prices are falling and speeds are increasing. As new technologies emerge, consumer choice increases, making broadband a more accessible and popular option. Broadband is available to 99.8 per cent. of households. I also understand that it is likely that the target set by the Telecommunications Adjudicator, for 1.5 million lines to be unbundled from the local loop network by April 2007, will be met by the end of 2006.
Business Review
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 851W, on the Business Review, by what criteria companies are expected to assess whether a contractual or supplier relationship is necessary to understand the development, performance or position of their business when deciding what to include in the Business Review under Clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill; and whether guidance will be issued on this matter. [87233]
Margaret
Hodge: It is for the directors to judge whether and what
information about a contractual or supplier relationship is necessary
to provide a balanced and comprehensive analysis of the development,
performance and position of the company's business consistent with the
size and complexity of the business. The Accounting Standards Board
will review its best
practice guidance to ensure that it remains up todate in light
of the outcome of the parliamentary consideration of the Bill. It is
for shareholders to hold the directors to
account.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions to Standing Committee D on 13 July 2006, Official Report, column 703, on clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill, by what criteria he expects companies to assess whether a contractual or other relationship is essential to the business and therefore required to be included in the Business Review by subsection (4) of clause 399. [87234]
Margaret Hodge: Subsection (4) of clause 399 of the Company Law Reform Bill requires the directors’ Business Review to be a balanced and comprehensive analysis of the development, performance and position of the company’s business consistent with the sizeand complexity of the business. It is for the directorsto judge whether and what information about a contractual or supplier relationship is necessary to be included in the review and for the shareholders to hold the directors accountable for the information provided in their review.
Business Start-ups (South-East London)
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to promote (a) investment in industry and (b) business start-ups in South East London. [87764]
Margaret Hodge: Responsibility for the promotion of investment in industry and business start-ups in South East London (Bexley, Lewisham and Greenwich) rests primarily with partner organisations managed by the London Development Agency (LDA).
Inward investment promotion and business retention activities are delivered through the agencies of Think London and Gateway to London. Support for business start ups is delivered via the Business Link Information, Diagnosis and Brokerage Service and London’s Enterprise Agencies.
The LDA has developed a number of programmes and grant schemes specifically designed to assist business start-ups and investment in industry with delivery undertaken by local delivery organisations in South East London. The LDA has also invested in South East London as a location for business by promoting developments including Woolwich Arsenal, Thamesmead and Belvedere/Erith.
The Government office for London and the LDA are working with all local authorities and other public funded bodies across the capital in the development of local area agreements (LAAs). An element of the agreements is specifically aimed at encouraging strategic economic development and enterprise growth, drawing together a wide range of existing funding streams and appropriate measures and resources.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the contribution to the Citizens Advice Bureaux from (a) local authorities and (b) central government in each of the last five years. [88131]
Mr. McCartney: Nearly 600 Citizens Advice Bureaux operate independently as a number of separate charities each covering one, or more, operating location(s). Records are not kept centrally of their funding levels and sources.
Details of funding received by the headquarters bodies (Citizens Advice, and Citizens Advice Scotland) are to be found in their annual reports in the Libraries of the House.
Clean Coal
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will fund a clean coal integrated carbon capture demonstration project; and if he will make a statement. [87436]
Malcolm Wicks: The newly published Energy Review Report makes clear that the Government will formally launch a £10 million call during September 2006 as part of its Carbon Abatement Technologies Strategy. This call will focus on pre-commercial demonstration of key components and systems to support Carbon Abatement Technologies and will include Clean Coal and Carbon Capture and Storage technologies.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to include clean coal production in his future energy plans. [87927]
Malcolm Wicks: The Carbon Abatement Technologies Strategy sets out the Government's role in supporting the development of low carbon technologies for fossil fuel power generation. These low carbon technologies include clean coal among others.
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