Previous Section Index Home Page

22 Oct 2007 : Column 95W—continued


22 Oct 2007 : Column 96W

Overseas Trade: Maldives

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to increase trade between the United Kingdom and the Maldives; how much his Department has spent on the promotion of trade between the United Kingdom and the Maldives in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [159644]

Mr. Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is the body charged with the promotion of UK Trade and Investment opportunities. UKTI do not have a presence on the Maldives nor are any UKTI financial resources specifically dedicated to the promotion of trade with the islands. No change in this position is currently envisaged.

The British high commission in Colombo (Sri Lanka) however does handle all UK trade inquiries on a reactive basis and companies interested in trading with the islands have access to background information via the UKTI portal.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many officials in his Department of each grade worked on the promotion of trade between the United Kingdom and the Maldives in (a) 1983, (b) 1987, (c) 1992, (d) 1997, (e) each year between 1998 and 2005 and (f) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [159645]

Mr. Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the body charged with the promotion of UK Trade and Investment opportunities, does not maintain records relating to the past/historical allocation of staff time on the promotion of trade between the United Kingdom and the Maldives.

There is no UKTI presence in the Maldives. Currently all trade inquiries are handled on reactive basis by the Head of Trade and Investment and the Senior Trade and Investment Advisor at the British high commission, Colombo, Sri Lanka. In the previous 12 months the number of inquiries from UK companies relating to the Maldives was five. No inquiries from organisations in the Maldives regarding UK goods and services were received for the same period.

Paedophilia

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what measures were in place before 2005 to prevent known paedophiles from opening a children's agency specialising in theatre, television and modelling; and if he will make a statement. [158456]

Mr. McFadden: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 July 2007, Official Report, columns 1191W and 1192W. Under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 it is an offence to knowingly offer work to or to employ a person in a child care position if they are disqualified from working with children either by virtue of being included on one of the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
22 Oct 2007 : Column 97W
Lists (the Protection of Children Act (PoCA) List or its equivalent in Scotland or List 99) or a disqualification order from the court. Individuals who apply or offer to work, accept work or continue to work with children in such positions will be committing a criminal offence and can face prosecution if they are disqualified from working with children.

The extent to which those running a children's agency specialising in theatre, television and modelling would be covered by the PoCA regulations would depend on the nature of their actual work. However, if a person is deemed to be caring for children under 16 in the course of the children's work they would be in a regulated position and therefore covered by PoCA. Those running children's agencies would therefore normally be covered.

Employment agencies are required to meet the provisions under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and associated Conduct Regulations.

Since 1995, the Employment Agencies Act 1973 has provided that the former DTI, now BERR, can apply to an employment tribunal for a prohibition order to ban persons found to be unsuitable for misconduct or any other satisfactory reason from running or being concerned with the running of an employment agency.

Post Office: WH Smith

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what contractual requirements relating to disability access have been placed on WH Smith as a result of the franchise agreement with the Post Office Ltd. [153004]

Mr. McFadden: The Post Office Ltd franchise agreement establishes a contractual obligation for WH Smith to comply with the requirements of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and appropriate health and safety legislation.

WH Smith is committed to working within the spirit of the disability discrimination legislation. To meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act they carried out audits at all their sites to assess their accessibility for disabled customers and employees, and have spent around £1.5 million improving access.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether Post Office Ltd. will publish a disability equality scheme in relation to the proposed Crown post office transfers to W H Smith. [153005]

Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd. is not considered to be a public authority for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act and has no responsibility for producing a disability equality scheme in relation to the Crown Office franchising agreement with WH Smith. WH Smith is working with Post Office Ltd. to ensure access audits are conducted for each site and, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments will be made to ensure disabled people can continue to access post office services.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the (a) health
22 Oct 2007 : Column 98W
and safety, (b) fire safety and (c) disability discrimination legislation requirements applying to post offices located in basement W H Smith facilities. [153006]

Mr. McFadden: These are operational matters for W H Smith who are responsible for compliance with the relevant legislation requirements.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions his Department has had with organisations representing older people or those with disabilities on the access implications of the proposed transfer of Crown post offices to W H Smith. [153007]

Mr. McFadden: The Department has not held such discussions. Under the code of practice agreed with Postwatch, Post Office Ltd. consults with a range of local representatives on the customer service implications of transferring the management of a Crown office to a franchise partner.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions his Department has had with Post Office Ltd. on consulting older people or those with disabilities on changes to access arrangements consequent upon the transfer of Crown post office customer services to W H Smith. [153008]

Mr. McFadden: The Department has not held such discussions. Post Office Ltd. is committed, under the code of practice agreed with Postwatch, to consulting with a range of local representatives on the customer service implications of transferring the management of a Crown office to a franchise partner.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what arrangements will be in place to assist customers with special access needs in post office branches which are affected by the franchise agreement reached between Post Office Ltd. and WH Smith. [153582]

Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd. has given an assurance that all branches franchised to WH Smith will be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and that arrangements will be in place to assist customers with special access needs where the post office counter is not on the ground floor. In the event that a customer is unable to use the lift or the stairs to access the serving positions—alternative arrangements will be available to ensure that they will be served on the ground floor.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what meetings took place between his Department and Post Office Ltd. in which the franchise agreement between WH Smith and Post Office Ltd. was discussed before 19 April; and what such discussions have taken place since that date. [153612]

Mr. McFadden: The franchise agreement between Post Office Ltd. and WH Smith is a commercial matter between them. The company has kept the Department informed, as shareholder, before and after 19 April, of its plans for restoring the Crown office network to profitability.


22 Oct 2007 : Column 99W

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether as a result of the franchise agreement reached between Post Office Ltd and WH Smith, Post Office Ltd retains responsibility under the Disability Equality Duty applied to public bodies to publish a disability equality scheme and carry out a disability equality impact assessment. [153614]

Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd is not considered to be a public authority for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act and has no responsibility for producing a disability equality scheme or carrying out disability impact assessments. WH Smith is working with Post Office Ltd to ensure access audits are conducted for each site and where appropriate reasonable adjustments will be made to ensure disabled people can continue to access post office services.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether his Department has had discussions with Post Office Ltd on the completion of a disability equality impact assessment as a result of the Post Office's franchise agreement with WH Smith. [153659]

Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd is not considered to be a public authority for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act and is not required to carry out disability impact assessments. WH Smith is working with Post Office Ltd to ensure access audits are conducted for each site and, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments will be made to ensure disabled people can continue to access post office services.

Post Offices: Access

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what funds Post Office Ltd has made available to improve disability access to stores and new sites to meet its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 as a result of the franchise agreement reached between the Post Office Ltd and WH Smith. [153001]

Mr. McFadden: It is the responsibility of each post office franchisee to fund any changes needed in their stores to meet the requirements of disability discrimination legislation. To meet these requirements, WH Smith carried out audits at all their sites during 2003 to assess accessibility for disabled customers and employees. Around £1.5 million has been spent on improving access in stores and all new sites opened since 2003 to meet DDA regulations.

Over the past four years Post Office Ltd have provided £13 million in funding to assist subpostmasters to improve their facilities to meet their obligations under the relevant DDA legislation.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he had with Post Office Ltd on its obligations as a public body under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 to produce a disability equality scheme prior to 19th April; and what such discussions he has had since that date. [153002]


22 Oct 2007 : Column 100W

Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd is not considered to be a public authority for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act and has no responsibility for producing a disability equality scheme in relation to the Crown Office franchising agreement with WH Smith.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether Post Office Ltd. has an obligation under the Disability Equality Duty to publish a disability equality scheme for services which it has franchised out to another retailer. [153613]

Mr. McFadden: Post Office Ltd. does not have specific obligations under the Disability Equality Duty and is not required to publish a disability equality scheme. For the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, the Royal Mail Group is not considered as a public authority.

Royal Mail Group are committed to working to the spirit of existing disability legislation and disability access remains a priority for Post Office Ltd. and they are working with WH Smith to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to ensure reasonable adjustments are made and that disability discrimination legislation is complied with.

Post Offices: Closures

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many of the proposed Post Office closures so far announced in public consultations are located within retail outlets which are part of national retail chains. [159732]

Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the managing director, has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Post Offices: East of England

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many sub-post offices closed in the East of England in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area. [159211]

Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the managing director, has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Post Offices: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post offices closed in each London constituency in each of the last five years. [158786]

Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the managing director, has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Prices: Information

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which stakeholders he has met as part of the study being carried out with HM Treasury on the economics of information pricing. [159473]


22 Oct 2007 : Column 101W

Mr. Thomas: The experts from Cambridge University commissioned to undertake the study on behalf of Government, are meeting stakeholders they consider necessary to inform their work. I have therefore not met stakeholders as part of the study into the availability and charging policy for data held by trading funds.

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when his Department's study of the economics of public sector information pricing will be completed. [159474]

Mr. Thomas: The study into the availability and charging policy of data held by trading funds that is being undertaken on behalf of Government is expected to be completed before the end of the year. The results of the study will help inform future Government policy in this area.

Renewables Obligation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what percentage of the UK contribution to the 20 per cent. renewables obligation by 2020 he expects to be generated by decentralised renewable sources. [159389]

Malcolm Wicks: It is too early to estimate what percentage of the UK contribution to the EU 2020 Renewable Energy target will be met by any given renewable source. Once member states’ contributions to the target have been agreed, we will bring forward appropriate measures to make our contribution.

Seals: Animal Products

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2007, Official Report, column 1267W, on seals: animal products, what progress has been made in the European Commission on the EU-wide ban on the import of seal products; and if he will make a statement. [160030]

Mr. Thomas: The European Commission has two studies in progress: one on the humaneness of seal hunting and the other on the issues surrounding a possible EU-wide ban on the import of seal products including its implementation and enforcement. The first study is expected to report by the end of 2007 and the second in early 2008. Once these have been completed, the Commission will consider whether to propose legislation.

The Government believe that these studies are positive steps towards achieving an EU-wide ban on the import of certain harp and hooded seal products and will continue to make the case for an EU-wide ban as necessary.


Next Section Index Home Page