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11 Jun 2008 : Column 326W—continued
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much in compensation payments former miners have received for (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic bronchitis and emphysema in (i) Barnsley East and Mexborough constituency, (ii) Barnsley and (iii) Doncaster since the compensation schemes started. [208964]
Malcolm Wicks: The following table shows how much compensation has been awarded to former miners for Vibration White Finger (VWF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as requested as at 1 June 2008.
| £ million | |||
| Total damages( 1) | |||
| VWF | COPD | Total | |
| (1) Total damages paid includes all damages paid on both settled and outstanding claims. (2) Barnsley has been categorised on the Barnsley East and Mexborough constituency, Barnsley West and Penistone constituency and Barnsley Central constituency. (3) Doncaster has been categorised on the Doncaster Central constituency and Doncaster North constituency. | |||
Low Carbon Buildings Programme
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what changes (a) have been made and (b) are planned to be made by his Department to the planning requirements for the domestic stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; what his Department's plans to promote the programme are; and if he will make a statement. [208488]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government recently announced relaxed planning requirements for the majority of micro generation technologies, which came into effect on 6 April 2008. There is work outstanding on permitted development for micro wind and air source heat pumps (ASHP). As a result applicants to the Low Carbon Buildings programme (LCBP) are directed to the Energy Savings Trust website http://www.energysavingtrust. org.uk/generate_your_own_energy/planning_ permission_for_renewable_energy_technologies/ where guidance of permitted development is set out for each technology.
The Government are working with the Energy Saving Trust to promote the Low Carbon Buildings programme household funding stream. To date, we have used both their advice network and market segmentation models to target those that are most likely to install microgeneration technologies and apply for grants. Further details are available at www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk. BERR is
working with EST on proposals to do further work with local authorities on promoting the programme to householders.
New Businesses: Buckinghamshire
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) how many business start-ups took place in (a) the town of Aylesbury, (b) Aylesbury constituency, (c) Aylesbury Vale District, (d) Wycombe District and (e) Chiltern District in each of the last three years; [208580]
(2) how many business registrations for value added tax there were in (a) the town of Aylesbury, (b) Aylesbury constituency, (c) Aylesbury Vale District, (d) Wycombe District and (e) Chiltern District in each of the last three years. [208579]
Mr. Thomas: VAT registration data provide the only accurate indicator of the level of business start-up activity.
The number of new VAT registrations in Aylesbury Vale, Wycombe and Chiltern districts and Aylesbury constituency are shown as follows for 2004 to 2006. Data for VAT registrations and de-registrations in 2007 will be available autumn 2008.
| Number of new VAT registrations and VAT-registered businesses | ||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Source: BERR National Statistics publication ‘Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2006’ available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm | ||||
Although the number of new VAT registrations in each area has fluctuated between 2004 and 2006 the total number of VAT registered businesses has increased in all areas over the period. The stock of VAT registered businesses in the Aylesbury Vale district has increased by 485 (7 per cent.) between the start of 2004 and the start of 2007; in Chiltern district there has been an increase of 215 (5 per cent.); in Wycombe district there has been an increase of 240 (3 per cent.); and in Aylesbury constituency there has been an increase of 285 (7 per cent.).
VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £60,000 at the start of 2006.
Only 1.9 million out of 4.5 million UK enterprises (43 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2006.
Post Offices: Cash Dispensing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions he has had with banks on locating cash dispensers in post offices. [209840]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 9 June 2008]: This is a commercial and operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Post Offices: Closures
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many and what percentage of post offices have been closed in (a) North West Cambridgeshire constituency, (b) Cambridgeshire, (c) the East of England and (d) England and Wales since 1997. [209092]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which organisations in Wales participated in consultations on closure of post offices. [209836]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 9 June 2008]: A list of respondents to the Government's national consultation on the post office network was published in the Government's response published on 17 May 2007 and is accessible on the Department's website:
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) post offices within supermarkets and (b) stand-alone post offices have been chosen for closure; and what percentage this represents of each category of post office. [209837]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 9 June 2008]: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post offices in Bournemouth are being considered for closure under the Post Office Network Change Programme. [209902]
Mr. McFadden: I understand that Post Office Ltd plans to start local public consultation on any proposed post office closures in Bournemouth on 15 July.
Post Offices: Miserden
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons there is to be a further period of consultation on Miserden Post Office, with particular reference to proposals for outreach. [208994]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Post Offices: Standards
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance is issued to post offices on maximum waiting times at post office counters; what procedure is in place for complaints from (a) hon. Members, (b) local authorities and (c) members of the public about excessive waiting times; and if he will make a statement. [209914]
Mr. McFadden: Management of queuing times at post offices is an operational for Post Office Ltd. (POL) and I have asked Alan Cook, the Managing Director, to reply direct to the hon. Member. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Complaints about queuing times can be made to POL by telephone on 08457 223344, online at
or in writing by freepost to Royal Mail Customer Services, Freepost RM1 1AA. If the response from POL is not considered to be satisfactory, then Postwatch, the statutory consumer body, can be contacted by telephone on 08456 013265 or in writing to Freepost, Postwatch or online at
Postal Services: EU Law
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps the Government have taken to implement Directive 2006/123/EC of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market; what estimate he has made of the number of services affected by implementation; what assessment he has made of the effect of implementation on (a) the Royal Mail and (b) the Post Office; and what information he holds on the implementation of the directive in other EU member states, including (i) the date of implementation and (ii) the length of any derogation. [208626]
Mr. McFadden: The Government recently consulted on its proposals for implementing the services directive in the UK and intends to publish its response shortly. This response document will summarise views gathered from the consultation and set out the Government's latest implementation plans. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The directive applies to all service sectors except those specifically excluded. It is expected to produce substantial benefits to the UK economy of between £4-6 billion per year.
Postal services are within scope of the directive but there is a derogation for services of general interest in the postal sector from some of the directive’s provisions.
A large-scale exercise is currently underway across Government to “screen” legislation and administrative requirements for compliance with the directive. The legislation governing Royal Mail and the Post Office is being examined as part of this exercise. Information on the regulatory regime that applies to postal services may need to be included in the point of single contact that the directive requires us to create.
The directive further requires member states to impose certain obligations on service providers, which includes Royal Mail and the Post Office. For example:
Article 22 requires member states to ensure that service providers make certain information available to service recipients.
Article 27 requires member states to take the general measures necessary to ensure that service providers supply contact details to which recipients can send a complaint or a request for information about the service provided, and that they respond to complaints within the shortest possible time and make their best efforts to find a satisfactory solution.
Article 20 requires member states to ensure that the general conditions of access to a service made available by providers to the public at large do not discriminate against recipients based on their nationality or place of residence (although providers are able to retain differences in their service conditions where these differences are justified by objective criteria, such as differing prices for postage and packaging depending on where the client is located).
All member states are required to implement before 28 December 2009, are working to do so and meet regularly with each other and the commission to share information and best practice.
Redundancy Pay
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on the effectiveness and appropriateness of current UK statutory redundancy settlements. [209627]
Mr. McFadden: The current system for redundancy payments is working effectively.
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