| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
4 Sep 2006 : Column 2050W—continued
UN Small Arms and Light Weapons Review
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the UN Small Arms and Light Weapons Review conference; which (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department attended the conference; and if she will make a statement. [87174]
Dr. Howells: It was very disappointing that the UN Small Arms Review Conference failed to agree an outcome document. However, we made progress on our main objectives. We secured consensus language on small arms transfer controls and increased support for integrating small arms control and armed violence reduction measures into development assistance.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member
for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas), represented the UK at the High Level Segment of the Conference, supported by officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence.
US-UK Extradition Treaty
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations she has received on the US-UK Extradition Treaty in 2006. [88328]
Mr. McCartney: The hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt) raised concerns about the US-UK Extradition Treaty during a debate in this House on 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 166, following which my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn, the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) wrote to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on 20 April about the matter. A copy of that letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not received any representations about the US-UK Extradition Treaty.
Trade and Industry
Bankruptcy
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have declared themselves bankrupt in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Dunfermline and West Fife in each year since 1997. [89043]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The DTI only has responsibility for bankruptcies within England and Wales.
The following table shows the number of bankruptcy orders in England and Wales in each year since 1997.
| England and Wales bankruptcy orders | |
| Number | |
Bolt Guns
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are made on people purchasing bolt guns; and if he will make a statement. [87513]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Captive-bolt stunning devices used in the slaughter of animals are not firearms within the definition of the
Firearms Act 1968. They are regarded as tools of the trade and, as such, are not required to be held on a firearms certificate.
DNA Sequences
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will require companies to check the use to which DNA sequences ordered from them are to be put prior to their dispatch to customers; [79988]
(2) if he will take steps (a) to license suppliers of DNA sequences and (b) to screen customers for the legitimacy of their proposed use of DNA sequences. [79989]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answers 26 June 2006]: There are no specific regulations that govern the sale, supply, or purchase of DNA sequences. The potential chemical hazards associated with the sequence itself would be covered by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended); if DNA sequences were to be used to create a biological agent, the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 (as amended) are likely to apply. These provide for a high level of protection for human health and the environment (including animal and plant health). In addition, the Specified Animal Pathogens Order 1998 (SAPO), administered by DEFRA, regulates possession of nucleic acid derived from any animal pathogen specified under SAPO. In all cases the relevant containment and operating requirements laid down by HSE/Defra would need to be met.
Provisions in the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 place an obligation on managers of laboratories and other premises holding specified pathogens or toxins to notify the authorities and to comply with the security requirements which the police may impose.
There is a wide range of legitimate uses to which DNA sequences may be put and the imposition of onerous controls could discourage valuable scientific research and industry use. The Government do not believe that it is necessary to require suppliers of DNA sequences to be licensed or for them to screen customers or check the intended use of the sequences. But we will continue to monitor the situation as the relevant technologies develop.
Energy (Schools)
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to paragraph 3.35 of the Energy Review, Cm 6887, what plans he has to share with his counterpart in the Welsh Assembly Government the practical lessons learned in the refurbishment of schools in England, including energy savings and carbon reductions. [86422]
Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
The DfES and the Welsh Assembly Government will maintain contact throughout their respective building programmes, and officials will keep each other informed of major developments which impact on energy use in schools, or which influence Government
policy with respect to the design and construction of school buildings as they arise. There is extensive published material available from the DfES on its capital programme to support the design and construction of sustainable schools. This includes minimum standards that cover energy efficiency and renewable energy for new buildings and refurbishments within the schools capital programme.
Case studies for completed school projects, energy benchmarking data, exemplar design solution and details of demonstration projects are also publicly available from the DfES.
Parliamentary Questions
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many written questions to his Department remained unanswered at 25 July for between (a) two and four weeks, (b) between four and six weeks, (c) between six and eight weeks and (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer. [87919]
Mr. Darling: According to the Department’s parliamentary database the total number of unanswered parliamentary questions as at 25 July was 123.
Of these 100 were tabled for answer within the last 10 working days.
The number remaining unanswered for between two and four weeks is eight, of which only one was a named day question.
The number remaining unanswered for between four and six weeks is six, of which only one was a named day question.
The number remaining unanswered for between six and eight weeks is nine, of which named day questions totalled two.
The Department aims to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of them being tabled. This is not always possible but the Department makes every effort to achieve it.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much subsidy was paid to co-firing generators using wood supplies through the Renewables Obligation Certification Scheme in (a) 2002 and (b) 2005 and what estimate his Department has made of subsidy costs to co-firing generators in 2008. [89041]
Malcolm Wicks: Under the Renewables Obligation, electricity suppliers can meet up to a specified percentage of their obligation through co-firing. In 2002-03 and 2005-06, this was 25 per cent. It will be 10 per cent. in 2008-09.
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the UK’s total biomass requirements was supplied from harvesting of energy crops in 2005-06 and what he expects this percentage to be in 2012. [89042]
Malcolm Wicks: Short rotation coppice and miscanthus accounted for approximately 0.1 per cent. of the biomass co-fired in the 2005-06 Renewables Obligation compliance period—1 April to 31 May. The Government do not hold data on the use of energy crops in dedicated biomass plant.
The Government are keen to encourage the greater use of energy crops in co-firing, and the recent Energy Review Report (http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/review/page31995.html) contains a number of proposals in this area. These will be subject to further consultation.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the amount of UK-sourced wood that would be consumed by co-fired power stations in each year between 2006 and 2012. [89147]
Malcolm Wicks: Under the Renewables Obligation, electricity suppliers are currently allowed to meet up to 10 per cent. of their Obligation from co-firing of biomass in fossil fuel stations. This will decrease to 5 per cent. for the 2011-12 compliance period—1 April to 31 March.
Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, columns 864-65W, on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, what assessment he has made of the extent to which (a) the UK interpretation by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML), as the appointed enforcement agency for RoHS, conforms with his Department’s published guidance material, (b) his Department’s guidance conforms with the European Commission’s original intent and (c) the NWML guidance conforms with the European Commission’s original intention for the Directive; and which guidance is to take precedence in the UK for the RoHS Directive. [R] [88425]
Malcolm Wicks: As I said in my earlier answer, the only legally binding texts are the Directive and UK Regulations. The European Commission and the UK Government have each issued non-statutory guidance documents that aim to clarify the intent of the original legislation. NWML will enforce the RoHS Directive in line with the UK RoHS Regulations (SI 2006 No. 1463).
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, columns 864-65W, on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, what assessment he has made of the UK interpretation by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory as the appointed enforcement agency for RoHS, of the parts of the European Commission’s Frequently Asked Questions document relating to the exemption of fixed industrial manufacturing machinery as large-scale stationary industrial tools; and if he will ask the Commission to provide him with a report on whether guidance in that document is applied consistently across all member states. [R] [88426]
Malcolm Wicks: Large-scale stationary industrial tools are specifically mentioned as being outside the scope of Category 6 of the RoHS and WEEE Directives. The term ‘fixed installations’ does not appear in the Directive, but derives from Article 2 (1) of the WEEE Directive. In its Frequently Asked Questions non-binding guidance document, the European Commission refers to the definition of fixed installation that has been developed in connection to the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive and lists them as outside scope.
Following discussions held in Brussels, the UK has understood that ‘fixed installations’ is a general derogation applying across all the categories in both Directives. Recently this understanding has been discussed by the Technical Adaptation Committee of Member States that is chaired by the Commission. It will now be up to the Commission to decide whether or not to revise its Frequently Asked Questions document, but as it stands that document currently reflects the UK’s understanding.
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, columns 864-65W, on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, if he will ask the Commission to assess whether the actions of (a) Germany (b) Spain and (c) other member states on the exemption of fixed industrial manufacturing machinery as large-scale stationary industrial tools are in conformity with the Directive, and what assessment he has made of whether the National Weights and Measures Laboratory’s guidance goes beyond the requirements imposed by the Restrictions of Hazardous Substances Directive. [R] [88427]
Malcolm Wicks: Since RoHS is a Single Market Directive (based on Article 95 of the EU Treaty) that aims to harmonise member states’ legislation on the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, it should be implemented in the same way across the European Union.
Large-scale stationary industrial tools are specifically excluded from the scope of RoHS. The term “fixed installations” appears not in the text of the Directive, but in the European Commission’s non-legally binding guidance document. This definition is currently under review but as it stands it reflects the UK’s understanding.
NWML enforces the RoHS Directive in line with the UK RoHS Regulations (SI 2006 No. 1463), paying due regard to both the European Commission and UK Government’s guidance documents.
Health
“Choosing Health” Agenda
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what requirement her Department places on strategic health authorities to report the rerouting of allocations from the “Choosing Health” agenda to offset deficits; and if she will make a statement; [89119]
(2) which strategic health authorities have reported to her that money allocated for the “Choosing Health” agenda has been rerouted to offset deficits. [89120]
Andy Burnham: The 2006-07 and 2007-08 revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) identify £211 million in 2006-07 and £342 million in 2007-08 to support implementation of the “Choosing Health” White Paper. This funding is not ring-fenced within the revenue allocations and it is for individual PCTs to decide how to use their allocations.
Key “Choosing Health” deliverables are reflected in local delivery plans and monitored through public service agreements.
Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed on girls aged (a) 10, (b) 11, (c) 12, (d) 13, (e) 14, (f) 15, (g) 16 and (h) 17 years of age in 2005; and how many were performed to save the life of the pregnant woman. [88544]
Caroline Flint: The information is set out in statistical bulletin 2006/01, “Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2005” copies of which are available in the Library and also on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/68/59/04136859.pdf.
For confidentiality reasons, no age and ground breakdowns are available other than the detail published in the bulletin.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of women having an abortion in 2005 were married at the time of the abortion; what the statistical mode figures were for (a) the age of the woman, (b) the gestation of the pregnancy, (c) the number of previous children born to the woman and (d) the number of previous abortions undergone by the woman; and what the most common legal grounds were under which the abortion was performed. [88545]
Caroline Flint: In 2005, 17 per cent. of women having terminations were recorded as married. For all women residents in England and Wales the statistical mode in 2005 for:
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |