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30 Jan 2007 : Column 179W—continued
Flexible pipeline and sub-sea production solutions using an engineering-based approach to reuse flexible pipes,
Engineered solution to pipeline pigging and flow assurance products,
Wind power development, and
Geophysics software development.
UK companies are in many cases major investors in Africa, including Angola, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Algeria and Egypt. We are particularly strong in the oil and gas sector where investment, including oil field development, over the next 10 years will exceed $50 billion.
UK ambassadors/high commissioners across Africa are in constant discussions with Ministers and senior government officials, to promote British expertise and knowledge. Paul Boateng, high commissioner in South Africa only last week met UK companies to discuss doing business in South Africa. The Duke of York visited Egypt in 2005, and had meetings with the President and Ministers. He also opened the BG Group $1.9 billion LNG project. My predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, South (Ian Pearson), met with British investors in Libya to discuss the challenges they face and how they were doing business in the market.
Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
Under the Cotonou Agreement, signed in Benin in 2000, 77 African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries receive non-reciprocal trade access to the European Union. Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) will replace Cotonou on 1 January 2008. EPAs will be compatible with WTO rules and are being negotiated by the European Commission on behalf of the EU.
EPAs will be designed to deliver long-term development, economic growth and poverty reduction in all ACP countries. The UK Position Paper of March 2005 states that we will not pursue any offensive interests and that we believe that developing countries can benefit from liberalisation in the long run, provided they have the economic capacity and infrastructure they need to trade competitively.
UK Ministers and officials continue to work hard to influence the debate in member states, the European Commission and the European Council, and to improve the development dimensions of EPAs.
Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what ongoing role the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board has following the production of the economic vision for Lancaster and Morecambe. [117614]
Margaret Hodge: The ongoing role of the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board is a matter for the board and Lancaster city council. I understand that the city council is considering how the Vision Board may support the achievement of local economic development objectives in the context of the economic vision and the local community strategy.
Low-Carbon Buildings Programme
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the merits of making funding available to agricultural businesses under the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 (Stream 2A). [111113]
Malcolm Wicks: The environmental guidelines under which the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 Stream 2 has been approved, do not apply to aid that is covered by the Community's guidelines for state aid in the agriculture sector. The agriculture guidelines apply to all state aids granted:
“in connection with activities related to the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products”.
State aid rules therefore only allow for agricultural sites to submit grant applications for property used for private residential purposes.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date domestic grant funding under phase 1 of the 2006-09 Low-Carbon Buildings Programme will finish. [112309]
Malcolm Wicks: We currently have a total pot of £12.7 million for the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme phase 1 household stream, which on projected demand levels should allow householder funding to continue until June 2008. By this time, some of the wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold, and we believe the sector may have matured to a point where householder grants are no longer necessary.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department will increase the three year budget for domestic renewable energy installations under phase 1 of the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme; and if he will make a statement. [112310]
Malcolm Wicks: On 25 October 2006, we announced that £6.2 million of the total £28.5 million funding for phase 1 of the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme would be re-allocated to the household stream giving a total pot of £12.7 million. There are no plans to increase funding.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the domestic stream of the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme continues to meet householder demand until 2009. [112311]
Malcolm Wicks: We announced on 25 October 2006 that we would be re-allocating £6.2 million of the total £28.5 million funding of the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme phase 1 to the household stream. This will give a total pot of £12.7 million, which on projected demand levels should allow householder funding to continue until June 2008. This is being achieved by transferring the bulk of public sector projects to the Low-Carbon Buildings Programme phase 2, where £50 million is being made available to support projects in the public and not for profit sectors. In addition, we are reviewing grant levels in consultation with key stakeholders and have introduced monthly allocations.
By June 2008, some of the wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold, and we believe the sector may have matured to a point where householder grants are no longer necessary.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date he agreed to accompany the Chancellor on his trip to India in January. [111234]
Mr. McCartney:
The primary purpose of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s visit to India was to represent the UK at annual ministerial meeting of
the UK/India Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO) in January 2007. This obligation was in place when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State took over the Trade and Industry brief on 5 May 2006.
It was confirmed that these visits would coincide for one day only of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my right hon. the Friend Secretary of State’s respective 3-day programmes on 11 December 2006.
North-West Regional Development
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2007, Official Report, column 1616-17W, on north west regional development, for what purpose the pre-development funding for Morecambe Vision Board for 2007-08 has been allocated. [117615]
Margaret Hodge: NWDA is considering the request for £95,000 of pre-development funding. £50,000 of this sum is to provide continued capacity support for the Vision Board and £45,000 is a contribution towards a study into an integrated transport solution for the district to be carried out by Lancashire county council. NWDA will be reviewing the role and purpose of regional Vision Boards during 2007.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the decommissioning assets of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will be put out to competition. [114805]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 15 January 2007]: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will compete the management and operation of its sites in line with the competition schedule set out in its approved strategy. The introduction of competition is necessary to stimulate improved performance and to bring in new ideas and experience to the clean-up of the historic civil nuclear legacy. The NDA’s competition schedule takes into account the Government's decision to enable the sale through a competitive process of the British Nuclear Group and Magnox Electric Ltd. The NDA competition schedule is as follows:
| Start competition process | Sites competed |
|
Magnox South (Berkeley, Bradwell, Dounreay, Dungeness A, Hinkley Point A, Sizewell A). | |
|
Magnox North (Chapelcross, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Trawsfynydd, Wylfa) | |
Information on this and other NDA activities is available on the NDA website at:
www.nda.gov.uk
Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations have been held with the public about the building of new nuclear power stations. [111570]
Malcolm Wicks: The energy review considered aspects of both energy supply and demand and explored a wide range of options, including the potential future role of nuclear power.
There were two public consultations as part of this:
Energy review consultation (January to April 2006)
Nuclear policy framework consultation (July to October 2006).
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the height above sea level is of the nuclear power facility sites at (a) Hunterston B, (b) Heysham 1, (c) Heysham 2, (d) Dungeness B, (e) Hinkley Point B, (f) Hartlepool, (g) Torness and (h) Sizewell B. [116660]
Malcolm Wicks: The height above sea level of the nuclear facilities referred to is as follows:
| metres | |
Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the Office of Fair Trading to publish its report on the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme. [112550]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Under the Enterprise Act, OFT is an independent competition authority, and the date of publication is a matter for it. Its website indicates it will publish during the first quarter of 2007. The Government will respond to the report in due course following its publication.
Retail Energy Market
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regular monitoring is carried out by (a) his Department and (b) Ofgem to assess whether there is sufficient competition in the retail energy market for small business consumers. [111694]
Malcolm Wicks: The Office of Gas and Electricity Market (Ofgem) is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including the monitoring of the competitive market. I understand that the chairman of Ofgem will write to my hon. Friend about the information she has sought.
Seal Products
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider a ban on the import of seal products. [112002]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 29 January 2007]: The Government are currently conducting a review of their position on this issue and hope to be able to make a ministerial statement shortly.
Smart Metering
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of smart metering on domestic energy consumption; [111847]
(2) if the Government will publish an action plan indicating how it plans to implement article 13 of the Energy Services Directive on smart metering, following the conclusion of the current metering and billing consultation. [111863]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answers 26 January 2007]: The Government will take any further decisions about metering and billing—including any measures that might be required to implement article 13 of the Energy Services Directive—in the light of responses to their current consultation and of other discussions with interested parties. Trials of smart meters and other devices, which the Government are co-funding with supplier-led consortia, will also begin shortly. These trials will test a range of approaches to encouraging consumers to reduce energy consumption.
Street Markets
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the role of street markets in ensuring competition in the food industry; [111657]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect on local street markets of the market position of large supermarkets; [111658]
(3) what steps his Department is taking to support and develop the role of local street markets; and if he will make a statement; [111659]
(4) how many certificates were issued by police authorities to pedlars in each of the last 10 years; [111710]
(5) how many street trading licences were issued by local authorities in each of the last 10 years; [111711]
(6) how many complaints local authorities received about the activities of illegal street traders in each of the last 10 years. [111740]
Mr. McCartney: Competition in the grocery sector is a matter for the independent competition authorities and not the DTI.
I understand that the Competition Commission's current investigation into the groceries market in the United Kingdom is looking at local competition issues, including the degree of competition between multiple retailers and local grocery retail businesses, as part of its overall inquiry. The Competition Commission is required to publish its final report by May 2008 although it plans to publish before this date. The CC would like to hear from all interested parties, in writing. To submit evidence, please email: groceries@cc.gsi.gov.uk or write to: The Inquiry Secretary (Groceries Market Investigation), Competition Commission, Victoria House, Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AD.
The Department currently has responsibility for policy on the street trading provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 which provides local authorities with powers to regulate street trading. However, it is for local authorities to consider how best to support and develop local street markets in the interests and to the benefit of their local communities.
Statistics on how many pedlars certificates were issued by Chief Officers of Police under the Pedlars Act 1871 are not collected centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Statistics on the number of street trading licenses issued by local authorities that have adopted the street trading provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, and statistics on the number of complaints local authorities receive which might be attributable to the activities of illegal street traders are not collected centrally. Assuming this information is collected by local authorities, it could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
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