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25 Oct 2007 : Column 492W—continued


Departments: Standards

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]


25 Oct 2007 : Column 493W

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 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 Government’s 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.

Departments: Trade Unions

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.


25 Oct 2007 : Column 494W
(a) Funds committed to unions 2000-03
Union Year in which commitment made Amount given (£) Fund

AEEU

2000

49,912

Partnership Fund(1)

Unison

2000

32,500

Partnership Fund

Community and Youth Workers Union

2000

50,000

Partnership Fund

Unison

2000

13,440

Partnership Fund

TUC

2000

14,450

Partnership Fund

TUC

2000

24,300

Partnership Fund

Scottish TUC

2000

37,575

Partnership Fund

MSF

2000

20,000

Partnership Fund

Royal College of Midwives

2000

34,000

Partnership Fund

MSF

2000

30,000

Partnership Fund

MSF

2000

26,405

Partnership Fund

Unison

2000

50,000

Partnership Fund

TGWU

2001

50,000

Partnership Fund

Unison

2001

14,000

Partnership Fund

Numast

2002

36,800

Partnership Fund

Amicus

2002

47,360

Partnership Fund

TUC

2002

43,015

Partnership Fund

TGWU

2002

42,276

Partnership Fund

Royal College of Nursing

2002

18,650

Partnership Fund

Unison

2003

50,000

Partnership Fund

(1) The Partnership at Work Fund was a Government grant scheme established by the DTI created in 1999 to encourage the development of industrial relations by encouraging employers and employees to work together effectively. The Partnership at Work Fund supported partnership projects within individual organisations. The fund is now closed.


25 Oct 2007 : Column 495W
(b) Funds paid to unions
Union Amount (£) Fund

Year ended 31 March 2005

TUC

26,472

Strategic Partnership Fund(1)

GPMU

3,880

Strategic Partnership Fund

GMB

96,871

Strategic Partnership Fund

Amicus

37,592

Strategic Partnership Fund

TUC

12,544

Strategic Partnership Fund

UCATT

61,045

Strategic Partnership Fund

Year ended 31 March 2006

TUC

21,512

Strategic Partnership Fund

GMB

108,000

Strategic Partnership Fund

Amicus

261,381

Strategic Partnership Fund

TUC

34,270

Strategic Partnership Fund

UCATT

69,898

Strategic Partnership Fund

Year ended 31 March 2007

GMB

15,000

Strategic Partnership Fund

TUC

68,000

Strategic Partnership Fund

UCATT

4,443

Strategic Partnership Fund

GMB

23,340.53

Union Modernisation Fund(2)

Wales TUC

12,252.64

Union Modernisation Fund

National Union of Teachers

7,377.84

Union Modernisation Fund

Royal College of Midwives

43,329.35

Union Modernisation Fund

Union of Finance Staff

7,083.30

Union Modernisation Fund

United Road Transport Union

24,330.00

Union Modernisation Fund

Community and District Nursing Association

8,125.65

Union Modernisation Fund

British Dental Association

6,047.75

Union Modernisation Fund

Connect

28,647.63

Union Modernisation Fund

USDAW

104,011.73

Union Modernisation Fund

National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers

32,489.00

Union Modernisation Fund

National Union of Journalists

11,475.34

Union Modernisation Fund

ASLEF

13,232.25

Union Modernisation Fund

General Federation of Trade Unions

23,284.48

Union Modernisation Fund

Portman Group Staff Association

6,070.70

Union Modernisation Fund

(1) Strategic Partnership projects reach out beyond single company projects to assess sectoral and regional issues.
(2) The Union Modernisation Fund provides financial assistance to independent trade unions and their federations in support of innovative projects, which contribute to, or explore the potential for transformational change in the organisational effectiveness of efficiency of a union or unions, in the light of the changing needs, aspirations and behaviour of workers and employers in the changing UK Labour market.

Industrial Disputes: Ballots

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.

Macfarlan Smith: Monopolies

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 Trading’s review of undertakings by Macfarlan Smith Limited (SML), published in September 2006. [160742]


25 Oct 2007 : Column 496W

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 refers—analysis of the effect of Macfarlan Smith Limited’s position of customers in other countries—is ongoing.

Marine Legislation: Devolution

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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