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25 Oct 2007 : Column 492Wcontinued
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many of his Department's public service agreement targets (a) take and (b) do not take account of rural proofing. [159633]
Mr. Thomas: BERR will lead on three public service agreements (PSAs) in the period covered by the recent comprehensive spending review, i.e. 2008-11:
PSA 1: Raise the productivity of the UK economy;
PSA 6: Deliver the conditions for business success in the UK;
PSA 7: Improve the economic performance of all English regions and reduce the gap in economic growth rates between regions.
PSA 1 and PSA 6 target change in the whole economy and the underlying policies apply to businesses across the board, whether rural or urban.
PSA 7 on regional economic performance aims to ensure that the Governments policies nationally, regionally and locally are aligned to maximise the potential for sustainable economic growth. Recognising that there may be trade-offs between policies to lift growth at different spatial scales, the delivery plan commits the Government to carry out further analysis to examine the trade-offs and, in particular, minimise the risk to increasing disparities between peripheral rural areas and other parts of a region.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2007, Official Report, column 1080W, on Departments: trade unions, what other projects implemented by domestic trade unions his Department has funded in the last period for which figures are available. [147928]
Mr. McFadden: Since 1997 the Government have had three strategic funds to encourage better industrial relations and increase modern working practices. The Partnership at Work Fund and the Strategic Partnership Fund were available to both companies and unions.
The following tables give (a) the commitments to unions under the Partnership at Work Fund and, (b) actual payments to unions under the Strategic Partnership Fund and the Union Modernisation Fund.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans his Department has to bring forward proposals to amend legislation or regulations on the conduct of ballots for industrial action by trade unions. [160432]
Mr. McFadden: We would not bring forward proposals in this area without fully consulting employers and other interested parties in advance. Such consultations have not taken place.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether his Department has undertaken the analysis set out in paragraph 13 of the response of the Department for Trade and Industry to the Office of Fair Tradings review of undertakings by Macfarlan Smith Limited (SML), published in September 2006. [160742]
Mr. Thomas: The Home Office is responsible for licensing and has lead responsibility for implementing the Government Action Plan. The work to which the hon. Member refersanalysis of the effect of Macfarlan Smith Limiteds position of customers in other countriesis ongoing.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many meetings have taken place between his Department and its predecessor and the Scottish Executive's (a) Enterprise, Energy and Tourism Directorate and (b) Marine Directorate since May regarding the devolution of further powers for the Scottish Parliament under UK marine legislation. [155753]
Mr. Thomas: No such meetings have taken place.
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