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21 May 2007 : Column 1039W—continued
Beer
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward proposals for legislation on the availability of guest beers in public houses. [138275]
Mr. McCartney: The Supply of Beer (Tied Estate) (Revocation) Order 2002 repealed the earlier Orders which provided that brewers and brewery groups owning more than 2,000 licensed premises allow their “tied” premises to sell a draught cask-conditioned beer and, a bottle-conditioned beer, supplied by someone else.
A statutory requirement on pubcos to allow all tied tenants the option of offering a guest would run contrary to EU competition law and could lead to the UK Government being challenged in the European Courts.
It is, therefore, a matter for the parties during detailed contract negotiations to discuss and agree beer supplies which may include guest beers or rights to directly source some or all of their beer supplies
The ability of public houses to offer a broader range of products, for example to satisfy demand for local products, is important in the interests of extending consumer choice.
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he plans to take to improve access to markets for small brewers. [138276]
Mr. McCartney: The beer market is subject to the same competition regime as any other market.
A statutory requirement on pubcos to allow all tied tenants the option of offering a guest beer of a particular type, for example cask ales and regional or national specialities, would run contrary to EU competition law and could lead to the UK Government being challenged in the European Courts.
However, the ability of public houses to offer a broader range of products, for example to satisfy demand for local products, is important in the interests of extending consumer choice.
The Government have taken steps to help small brewers. The Beer from Small Breweries (Extension of Reduced Rates of Excise Duty) Order 2004 was introduced especially to assist small brewers through reduced rates of excise duty for beer from breweries producing up to 60,000 hectolitres of beer a year.
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the appropriateness of the system whereby public houses are tied to a pub company or brewer; and if he will make a statement. [138277]
Mr. McCartney: While some particular regulatory arrangements do apply to the wholesale beer market, for example in relation to excise duty, the market is also subject to the same competition regime as any other. The independent competition authorities, namely the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the Competition Commission (CC), enforce fair competition, rather than the Government.
This market was last considered in July 2005 when the OFT announced that it would not initiate such an investigation, commenting that
“The market for the supply of beer [...] has been extensively examined in recent years by the OFT and the CC. It has been found to be broadly competitive and in a process of development.”
Business: EC Law
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the timetable is for the implementation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Regulations; and whether the UK will be subject to EU sanctions for failing to meet the EU deadline for implementation. [138425]
Mr. McCartney: On 29 May I will be launching a consultation seeking views on draft Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations to implement the unfair commercial practices directive. The Regulations will be made in the autumn to come into force on 6 April 2008.
Short delays in implementing complex EU directives is not uncommon and I do not expect this to lead to the European Commission bringing any action against the UK.
Clothing: Fire Prevention
Tim Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which items of nightwear are covered by the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985;
whether boys' pyjamas are covered by the regulations; what plans there are to review the coverage of the regulations; and if he will make a statement. [135971]
Mr. McCartney: The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 apply to nightwear including garments commonly worn as nightwear such as nightdresses, dressing gowns, bath robes and similar items. Children’s pyjamas do not have to comply with the flammability standard of the regulations, but they must carry a permanent label with the wording ‘Keep Away From Fire’ in red letters if they do not. The regulations do not distinguish between boys' and girls' pyjamas, and are already the most stringent in Europe—most member states have no legislation in this area. There are no current plans, therefore, to review these regulations. In addition, manufacturers of clothing, including pyjamas, that do not meet the flammability standard of the regulations have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe under The General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Taken together, these regulations provide adequate flammability safety for children's nightwear in the UK.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the current law is relating to the flammability of pyjamas for children; and whether the rules are the same for boys' and girls' pyjamas. [133728]
Mr. McCartney:
The Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 apply to nightwear including garments commonly worn as nightwear. Children's pyjamas do not have to comply with the flammability standard of the regulations, but they must carry a permanent label with the wording ‘Keep Away From Fire’ in red letters if they do not. The regulations do not distinguish between boys' and girls' pyjamas. Manufacturers of pyjamas that do not meet the flammability standard of
the regulations have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe under The General Product Safety Regulations 2005.
Industrial Democracy
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate has been made of the likely annual cost to businesses with 50 to 150 employees of compliance with the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations from 6 April 2008; and if he will make a statement. [138110]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The regulatory impact assessment prepared during the implementation of the Regulations estimated the aggregated annual cost to enterprises with 50 to 150 employees of adopting or changing information and consultation procedures to comply with the Regulations to be between £3.18 million and £6.6 million in 2008; £2.78 million and £6.2 million in 2009, 2010 and 2011; and £2.78 million and £4.7 million in 2012.
Research Councils: Finance
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding his Department allocated to the (a) Arts and Humanities Research Council, (b) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, (c) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, (d) Economic and Social Research Council, (e) Medical Research Council, (f) National Environment Research Council and (g) Science and Technology Facilities Council in each of the last 10 years. [138133]
Malcolm Wicks: The funding for the Research Councils from the Department of Trade and Industry in each of the last 10 years was as follows:
Seals: Animal Products
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out a timetable for the introduction of a national ban on seal products; and if he will make a statement. [138075]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 18 May 2007]: The Government have no plans to introduce a national ban as operation of the EU single market means that only an EU-wide import ban would be effective.
Defence
Ammunition: Iraq
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what type of munitions were fired in Iraq by (a) 20 Armed Brigade and (b) 19 Light Brigade in each month of their deployment. [134710]
Mr. Ingram: The number and type of munitions fired in Iraq by 20 Armoured Brigade and 19 Light Brigade in each month of their deployment is shown in the following table.
| 20 Armoured brigade | 19 Light brigade | ||||||||||
| Commodity | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. |
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