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22 July 2008 : Column 1125W—continued
Zimbabwe: Elections
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the British Embassy in (a) Windhoek, (b) Gabarone, (c) Maputo and (d) Luanda on the attitude of those countries to the legitimacy of elections in Zimbabwe. [218634]
Meg Munn:
Countries in the region have expressed a range of views in response to the sham election which took place in Zimbabwe on 27 June. But there is a
common thread, they are all concerned about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe and the violence and instability accompanying it. Election observers from the Southern African Development Community, which represents countries in the region, have stated clearly that the election on 27 June did not represent the will of the Zimbabwean people.
The UK continues to engage with Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola and all of the countries in the region with the aim of supporting the establishment of a transitional Government in Zimbabwe that can start to repair the damage done to democracy, rule of law and economic well-being by the Mugabe regime.
Zimbabwe: Foreign Relations
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the objectives of the Government are in its policy towards Zimbabwe. [219905]
Meg Munn: The Government's overall objective is that the democratic right of the people of Zimbabwe to choose who leads their country, and how it is governed, should be respected. The Zimbabwean people clearly indicated on 29 March their wish for a change of government and president, We do not respect the legitimacy of any Government in Zimbabwe that does not reflect that wish. The onus now is on the region—the Southern African Development Community and the African Union—to demonstrate that they are serious about making dialogue work.
We are also deeply concerned at the growing humanitarian crisis and are pressing the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately allow full and non-discriminatory access to humanitarian assistance to prevent the suffering of the most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe.
We shall continue our twin track approach of applying pressure on the Mugabe regime's elite via targeted sanctions and keeping the ordinary people of Zimbabwe alive through our contribution as the second largest bilateral donor of aid. We will continue to press others to join us in that approach.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Biofuels
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions his Department has had on the EU's proposed biofuels sustainability criteria; and whether he plans to review the Government's own criteria in relation to biofuels. [219399]
Malcolm Wicks: The UK Government have been, and will continue to be, actively involved in discussions on sustainability criteria for biofuels at all levels in Brussels. These talks include Coreper, the ad hoc sustainability working group and in bilateral and other meetings with representatives from the European Commission and other member states.
Ministers and officials in the relevant Government Departments work together closely on these issues. We have been pressing for the sustainability criteria for biofuels to be as robust and comprehensive as possible, and in the light of the findings of the Gallagher review, we will also now press for them to take proper account of the indirect impacts of biofuels.
Once the renewable energy directive is adopted, the UK will need to amend its own sustainability requirements for biofuels accordingly. The detail of the renewable transport fuel obligation's reporting requirements is a matter for the Renewable Fuels Agency.
Business: Females
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of each regional development agency's funding of women's enterprise. [203668]
Mr. McFadden: The Department and the regional development agencies are currently carrying out a major project which will evaluate all the agencies’ programmes. Where agencies have discrete programmes for women's enterprise those will be evaluated separately. The result of the project will be published in the autumn.
The RDAs are our key partners in promoting enterprise and we are working collaboratively with them in the roll out of the strong package of measures on women's enterprise announced recently as part of the Government's Enterprise Strategy. Those measures include provision for: £12.5 million of Government capital through a women's investment fund; women's business centre pilots; enhanced mentoring support; a new national enterprise centre of expertise; a media campaign; and activity aimed at opening up procurement opportunities to women-owned businesses. More information on the strategy is available at:
Canatxx
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he has met representatives of Canatxx to discuss gas storage in the last 12 months. [220652]
Malcolm Wicks: Yes. Representatives of Canatxx gave me an oral presentation on their Preesall gas storage project (as well as their Amlwch LNG import project) on 5 December 2007.
Coal: Imports
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many tonnes of coal were imported into Britain in 2007. [220146]
Malcolm Wicks: Provisional figures show 43.3 million tonnes of coal were imported into the United Kingdom during 2007.
Coal: Mining
Mrs. Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many tonnes of coal were mined from Britain's deep coal mines in 2007. [220145]
Malcolm Wicks: Provisional figures show 7.7 million tonnes of coal were mined from deep mines in the United Kingdom during 2007.
Companies House: Telephone Services
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what income his Department received from the Companies House 0870 number in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2005-06. [217539]
Mr. Thomas: The current income received by Companies House for the use of the 0870 number is as follows:
| Current income received (£) | |
There is however an ongoing dispute over a rebate for 2006-07 and 2007-08. The expected income should be on similar lines as 2005-06.
Conditions of Employment: Parents
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which business leaders he and his predecessor have met in the last 12 months to discuss family-friendly working practices. [215782]
Mr. Thomas: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular meetings with the Confederation of British Industry, the Engineering Employers' Federation, the Institute of Directors and the British Chambers of Commerce. Family-friendly working practices are discussed.
Departmental Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the reasons were for the time taken to transfer the letter of 18 June from the hon. Member for Walsall, North to the Department of Work and Pensions, ref: 74157; and if he will take steps to speed up the transfer of correspondence by his Department. [220007]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 21 July 2008]: A delay was occasioned because policy officials were in discussion about which Department should lead on the issues raised not only by my hon. Friend but by many other hon. Members.
It was agreed that it was for the Department of Work and Pensions to respond and all letters received were transferred from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 30 June. Due to the volume of letters transferred, there was a delay in sending out letters to the Members concerned to inform them of the transfer for which I apologise.
This Department has reviewed its procedures to ensure that, in future, adequate resources are in place to cope with the transfer of such volumes of correspondence.
Departmental Early Retirement
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff in (a) his Department and (b) his Department's agencies have taken early retirement in the last two years. [217386]
Mr. Thomas: The Civil Service Compensation scheme (CSCS) provides compensation for civil servants who depart early under the following categories:
compulsory early retirement or severance;
flexible early retirement or severance;
approved early retirement
Those over 50 receive early retirement; those under 50 generally qualify for lump sum severance payments.
The number of employees who have taken early retirement in BERR in the last two years (1 April to 31 March) are as follows:
| Number | |
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House and they will respond to you directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 21 July 2008:
I am responding on behalf of Companies House to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
In the last two financial years twenty-two employees left Companies House due to early retirement.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 21 July 2008:
The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2007/3388) asking how many staff have taken early retirement from the Insolvency Service within the last two years.
Seven staff have taken early retirement in the last two years.
Departmental ICT
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of his Department’s computer systems (a) was at the time of purchase and (b) is now. [214698]
Mr. Thomas: The core Department outsourced its IT services to Fujitsu Services Ltd. via a private finance initiative (PFI) agreement awarded in 1998. The value of the agreement can be found in the Department’s accounts. The agreement commenced in April 1999 and runs for 15 years. As the Department leases its computer equipment through this agreement, any financial depreciation is the responsibility of the supplier as they are responsible for the refresh of the equipment under the terms of the agreement.
Information on any other systems outside of the core Department’s PFI agreement could be obtained only with disproportionate cost.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many permanent staff within (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are classed as (i) staff without posts and (ii) part of a people action team. [210861]
Mr. Thomas: The Department currently has four people actively seeking posts within the Department or elsewhere in Whitehall.
The Department’s agencies have delegated responsibility for their human resource functions and the information requested is not held centrally. I have therefore approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House and they will respond to you directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 21 July 2008:
I am responding on behalf of Companies House to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Companies House has no staff without posts or as part of a people action team.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 21 July 2008:
The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of the Insolvency Service in respect of your question (2007/2951) asking how many permanent staff within (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are classed as (i) staff without posts and (ii) part of a people action team.
The Insolvency Service does not have any permanent staff that are classed as staff without posts and part of a people action team. Therefore is a nil return.
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the change in the number of employees in his Department and its agencies has been since the Department was established. [217062]
Mr. Thomas: When the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was established on 30 June 2007, the number of staff employed by its predecessor, the Department of Trade and Industry, was 2,813. The current number of core BERR staff is 2,607 (excluding UKTI).
I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House and they will respond to you directly.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 22 July 2008:
I am responding on behalf of Companies House to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
When the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was established in June 2007 Companies House had 1,153 employees (1,045 full time equivalent), and at the end of June 2008 there was 1,196 employees (1,092 full time equivalent).
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 22 July 2008:
The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has asked me to reply to you directly in respect of your question (2007/3374) asking what the change has been in the number of employees in his Department and its agencies since the Department was established.
Since our parent Department BERR was established in 2007, The Insolvency Service has increased its number of employees by 217.
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