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12 Nov 2007 : Column 60W—continued
Orphan Drugs: EC Law
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how Regulation (EC) 141/2000 on orphan medicinal products is being implemented; and if he will make a statement. [163289]
Dawn Primarolo: Regulation (EC) number 141/2000 of the European Parliament on orphan medicinal products has been fully implemented. The Orphan Drug Register is managed by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA). Information regarding Orphan Drugs is available on the website of the EMEA
The findings from research into the effectiveness of regulations on the development and licensing of orphan medicines are presented in the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) Report to the European Commission in Relation to Article 10 of Regulation 141/2000 in Orphan Medicinal Products. This report is published on the website of the EMEA at:
It includes an assessment of access to these medicines for patients in the different member states, including the United Kingdom.
A copy of the “COMP Report to the Commission in Relation to Article 10 of Regulation 141/2000 in Orphan Medicinal Products” has been placed in the Library.
West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust: Reform
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust to give weight to the petition organised by the Worcester News on service restructuring commensurate with the 2,092 signatures gathered; and if he will make a statement. [163021]
Mr. Bradshaw: This is a matter for the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust as the consultation on proposed charges to Emergency Operations Centres was locally led. Therefore, the West Midlands Ambulance Service would be in the best position to provide more details about the arrangements in place in this area.
The Department of Health is clear that arrangements for where ambulance service control rooms are situated, and how calls into the control rooms are received, are a matter for the individual ambulance services themselves.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Buildings: Carbon Emissions
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the proposal in the Energy White Paper to increase the proportion of heat generated through less carbon-intensive technologies; and how this proposal will be implemented via the building regulations. [162665]
Malcolm Wicks: The Energy White Paper is the result of detailed collaboration between all Departments of State, including the Department for Communities and Local Government. In it we said that we will conduct further work into the policy options available to reduce the carbon impact of heat and its use. This work is being led by the Office for Climate Change and officials from my Department and CLG are engaged in the work.
The Government have signalled the intention to further amend the Building Regulations energy efficiency requirements in 2010, 2013 and 2016. The aim will be to set higher standards that are practical and achieve the Government’s targets while maintaining sufficient design flexibility enabling cost-effective compliance without unacceptable technical risks. This approach will take into account lower carbon heating.
In the normal way there will be public consultations before any changes are actually made.
Departmental Publicity
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost has been of re-branding his Department following the change in name from the Department of Trade and Industry. [162105]
Mr. Thomas: Costs to date associated with the use of the name of the new Department are approximately £192,000. These include the costs of design, items such as new signage and changes to the website and other electronic media. As promised in my answer to a question from the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Susan Kramer) on 17 July, Official Report, column 278W, we plan to provide a full account of extra expenditure relating to the establishment to the library of both Houses at the time of the Winter Supplementary Estimates in November.
Exports: Siera Leone
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what value of British goods were exported to Sierra Leone in (a) 2002 and (b) each subsequent year. [162369]
Mr. Thomas: HMRC overseas trade statistics give the following figures:
| £ million | |
| UK exports of goods to Sierra Leone | |
Fireworks: Standards
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what restrictions there are on firework manufacturers and importers to limit the height at which fireworks can fly to 1,500 feet. [162768]
Mr. Thomas: All consumer fireworks sold in UK must comply with British Standard 7114. The technical specifications in this standard limit the height at which the firework bursts. Consumer fireworks typically burst in the air at between 250-300 feet considerably less than the maximum indicated by the Civil Aviation Authority in their guidance.
Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; and whether he plans to increase public awareness of the statutory requirement that furniture and furnishings must meet the standards of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. [162043]
Mr. Thomas: The Department of Trade and Industry commissioned the University of Surrey to research the effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The resulting report—‘Effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988’—was published in June 2000 and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report’s findings were very positive: at a conservative estimate, the Regulations had saved at least 710 lives (1,860 when additional factors are taken into consideration) and prevented at least 5,770 injuries from 1988 to 1997. Recent figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government show that the downward trend in deaths and injuries has continued. I am currently considering whether further public awareness of the requirements of the Regulations is necessary at this stage.
Imports: Sierra Leone
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what value of goods was imported from Sierra Leone into the UK in each year since 2002. [162370]
Mr. Thomas: HMRC overseas trade statistics give the following figures:
| £ million | |
| UK imports of goods from Sierra Leone | |
Manufacturing Industries
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of how many employees in the manufacturing industry working in England reside in Wales. [162497]
Mr. Timms: No such assessment has been made. The Office for National Statistics does not hold these figures.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects to reply to the letter of 16 July 2007 from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean to the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath on the review of nuclear energy use. [162804]
Malcolm Wicks: I responded to the hon. Member in October. A copy of my reply has been faxed to the hon. Member’s parliamentary office.
Mining: Compensation
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many miners’ compensation claims he expects to be resolved with the implementation of the UK coal dust calculator in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Hemsworth constituency. [162258]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of former miners’ coal health claims that are expected to be resolved with the implementation of the UK coal dust calculator for England, West Yorkshire and Hemsworth constituency as at 4 November 2007 is shown in the following table:
| Region | Outstanding claims |
The outstanding claims are those that have not yet been settled by payment, denial, withdrawal or strike out.
West Yorkshire is defined using the following constituencies:
Batley And Spen Boro, Bradford North Boro, Bradford South Boro, Bradford West Boro, Calder Valley, Colne Valley, Dewsbury, Elmet, Halifax Boro, Hemsworth, Huddersfield Boro, Keighley, Leeds Central Boro, Leeds East Boro, Leeds North East Boro, Leeds North West Boro, Leeds West Boro, Morley And Rothwell Boro, Normanton, Pontefract And Castleford, Pudsey Boro, Shipley & Wakefield.
We are unable to breakdown UDM claims by region, but these are captured within the total figure for England. The UDM claims amount to 615 in total.
North West Development Agency: Finance
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the budget is for the North West Development Agency in financial years (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11. [163001]
Mr. Timms: The North West Development Agency’s allocated budget for 2007-08, together with their indicative budgets for 2008-09 to 2010-11, are given in the table.
| £000 | |
Packaging
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) for what reasons the provisions permitting companies to take private action through the courts against competitors who make use of misleading packaging were not included in the legislation transposing the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive into UK law; [162411]
(2) what assessment he has made of the ability of UK manufacturers to prevent competitors from misrepresenting their products through the use of misleading and copycat packaging under the provisions of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. [162412]
Mr. Thomas: In their response to the December 2005 consultation on implementation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) the Government said they did not propose to allow businesses to take enforcement action for breaches of this directive. This is because they believed that existing arrangements are adequate for dealing with cases that result in real consumer detriment.
A number of responses to the May 2007 consultation on draft Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, which will implement the Directive, asked the Government to reconsider their decision not to allow businesses with a legitimate interest to take civil (injunctive) action to enforce the provisions on copycat packaging. We are carefully considering all the responses received before coming to a final decision on how the regulations should best be enforced in the interests of consumers. The Government intend to publish their response to the May 2007 consultation later this month.
Postal Services: Rural Areas
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effects on rural areas of ending postal collections on Sundays. [162102]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. The company introduced Sunday collections a few years ago to enhance their service, but there has been very little take-up from the public. Sunday postings are very low, but add a huge amount of cost to the business. Royal Mail have to have regard to their costs and are therefore looking to stop Sunday collections.
The Government consider the maintenance of a universal postal service throughout the UK to be of the highest importance. That is why the obligation is enshrined in primary legislation in the Postal Services Act 2000 and why Postcomm has the primary statutory duty to ensure the provision of a universal postal service at an affordable uniform tariff. Sunday and Bank Holiday collections are not part of the universal service obligation.
Power Stations: Combined Heat and Power
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consideration the Government have given to the merits of adding combined heat and power to (a) Port Talbot, (b) Uskmouth and (c) New Pembroke power stations; what estimate he has made of the potential annual savings in terms of (i) primary energy input and (ii) carbon emission; and if he will make a statement. [162955]
Malcolm Wicks: Applicants for new power station must demonstrate that they have considered the viability, in terms of possible heat users in the vicinity of their proposal, of the station being described as combined heat and power. My Department issued guidance on what is required on this and this is available at:
The Department does not have the specific information requested on annual savings for individual purposes. However an analysis has recently been carried out to assess the potential for CHP for high temperature industries, such as large utility plants. This analysis is available at:
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