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22 July 2008 : Column 1146W—continued
Sellafield: Insurance
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2008, Official Report, column 76W, on Sellafield, what the financial value is of the insurance indemnity against claims deemed to be uninsurable to be granted to the successful bidder to manage Sellafield; and how this figure was calculated. [220167]
Malcolm Wicks
[holding answer 21 July 2008]: While the impact of any call on the proposed nuclear indemnity could be very high, there is an extremely small possibility
only of the indemnity ever being used, and it is therefore not possible to put a meaningful financial value on the indemnity. The impossibility of quantifying the monetary value of the indemnity is the main reason that there is no commercially available insurance, and the reason an indemnity is needed.
Severn Barrage: Railways
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consideration the Government has given to the feasibility of including a new railway line in the Severn barrage project. [219005]
Malcolm Wicks: We published the terms of reference for the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study in January. The terms of reference for the study reflect the Government view that there is not currently a strategic case to justify new transport links between Wales and south-west of England. The evidence is based primarily on the Eddington Review which is being responded to through the Government’s “Towards a Sustainable Transport System”—both of these documents are available on the Department for Transport’s website at
We expect to be consulting on the scope of the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for a tidal power project in the Severn estuary later in the year and do not at this stage envisage including new transport links within the scope. That is not to say a new transport link could not be considered at a later stage—but such a development may require further assessments of its environmental impacts at that time.
The Department for Transport have commissioned further work from the Highways Agency and Network Rail on engineering issues and longer term transport requirements across the Severn estuary. The results of these high-level assessments will be available in the autumn.
Silverstone
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the local economic effects on Milton Keynes of Silverstone losing the right to hold the Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2010. [221198]
Mr. McFadden: No economic assessment has been made specifically for Milton Keynes. An Economic Impact Assessment was completed in 2003 on the Fosters British Grand Prix 2002 at Silverstone but it did not narrow it down to specific areas. A new Economic Assessment is being commissioned by Northampton Enterprise on the effect of the move from Silverstone.
Small Businesses: Ethnic Groups
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of new businesses started by (a) women and (b) black and ethnic minority people in each of the last five years. [219046]
Mr. McFadden: The Department does not produce estimates of the number of business start-ups by women and ethnic minority people.
However estimates are available of the number of newly self-employed people by gender and ethnicity from analysis of the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey.
BERR analysis of ONS Labour Force Survey on newly self-employed women and ethnic minority people is shown in the following table for the years 2003 to 2007.
| Newly self-employed( 1) , UK | |||||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| (1) Those who in each quarter say they have been self-employed for less than three months. (2) All non-white ethnic minority groups. Source: BERR analysis of ONS Labour Force. | |||||
Supermarkets
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects to respond to the Competition Commission's report on supermarkets. [220374]
Mr. Thomas: I expect to issue the Government's response to the Competition Commission's report during July and within the 90 days set out in guidance.
Supermarkets: Ombudsman
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will adopt the Competition Commission's proposal of an ombudsman for supermarkets; and if he will make it his policy that the ombudsman should represent the local interest in supply chain operations. [221575]
Mr. Thomas: The CC is seeking, under Section 159 of the Enterprise Act 2002, undertakings from the grocery retailers covered by the new groceries supply code of practice (GSCOP) to establish an ombudsman to monitor and enforce compliance with the GSCOP. If the CC is unsuccessful in establishing the Ombudsman within a reasonable period of time, the CC will formally ask BERR to take the necessary steps to set up an ombudsman. BERR would then carry out a full consultation before taking a decision on the way forward.
Trade Competitiveness: Medical Equipment
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the likely levels of future competitiveness in the market for (a) urology-related products, (b) stoma-related products and (c) single-line items. [220199]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
The Department works closely with other Government Departments, including the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, to improve patients’
access to beneficial new treatments and medical technologies. The contribution that innovative medical technologies can make to the delivery of modern health and social care services was recognised as part of Lord Darzi’s report on the NHS Next Stage Review “High Quality Care For All” published on 30 June 2008. As a result, the Department is working across Government and with the medical technology industry to develop a strategy which promotes uptake of clinically and cost effective innovative products throughout the care pathway. A copy if the Next Stage Review has already been placed in the Library.
Regarding stoma and urology items that are dispensed in Primary Care, mechanisms are in place to assess innovation when a supplier seeks to have an item listed in the Drug Tariff. Similar mechanisms would apply to single-line items.
The Department is seeking best value for money from the expenditure it makes in all areas of healthcare.
In Secondary Care, buyers procure goods and services via a tendering process. Consequently, market forces will drive a level of competition among suppliers who wish to secure NHS contracts.
Regarding the provision of stoma and urology items in primary care, the Department recently published an impact assessment (IA) alongside the consultation entitled “Proposed new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of stoma and urology appliances—and related services—in Primary Care. June 2008”. The IA considers the impact of the proposals set out in the consultation and includes a robust competition impact. A copy if the IA has already been placed in the Library.
Trade Unions
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent representations he has received from trades unions on (a) alternative means of conducting union ballots and (b) secondary industrial action with the same company as the primary action; and if he will make a statement. [221420]
Mr. McFadden: The TUC's General Secretary regularly meets my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, to discuss a range of issues which have included TUC proposals for reform to industrial action law. They last met on the 26 June.
UBS
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what contracts have been awarded to UBS and its sister companies by his Department since June 2007. [220071]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 21 July 2008]: Central records indicate that no contracts have been awarded by the Department to UBS since June 2007.
Further information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Wind Power
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the (a) progress towards and (b) the merits of the target for offshore wind energy production; and what steps he plans to take to meet that target. [219389]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government do not have a target for 33 GW of electricity from offshore wind by 2020.
On 10 December 2007, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform commissioned a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) on a draft plan for up to an additional 25 GW (installed capacity) of new offshore wind farms by 2020, in addition to the 8 GW already planned.
The assessment will consider the potential impacts and implications of future development before any decision is made as to what is an acceptable level of development. The SEA is due to be completed in spring 2009.
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many wind turbines generating (a) under 100kW, (b) between 100kW and 1MW and (c) over 1MW there are in England and Wales. [219664]
Malcolm Wicks: In terms of wind turbines under 100kW ('microgeneration'), we assessed in our Element Energy research that there were 1,100 micro-wind turbines installed in the UK at the end of 2007. These were mostly in the range 1.5 to 4kW. However, we do not have these data broken down by nation. The research document can be downloaded at:
The following table shows the number of wind turbines generating in England and Wales at May 2008:
| Onshore | Offshore | |||
| Country | 100kW to 1MW | Over 1MW | 100kW to 1MW | Over 1MW |
| Source: AEA Technology. | ||||
Working Hours
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department's Work-Life Balance Study cost. [220753]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 21 July 2008]: The latest work-life balance study comprised the 3rd Work-Life Balance Employee Survey in 2006 and the 3rd Work-Life Balance Employer Survey in 2007. The total cost was £316,245 (excluding VAT). The employee survey was £144,820 (excluding VAT) and the cost of the employer survey was £171,425 (excluding VAT).
Communities and Local Government
Audit Commission Act 1998
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance (a) the Audit Commission and (b) her Department has produced on steps local authorities should take to publicise the rights of members of the public to financial information under the Audit Commission Act 1998 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003. [221219]
Mr. Dhanda: Neither Communities and Local Government nor the Audit Commission advise local authorities on how to meet their statutory obligations under the Audit Commission Act 1998 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003.
The Audit Commission publishes a leaflet “Councils’ Accounts Your Rights: England” on its website. This leaflet is aimed at members of the public and summarises their rights to inspect, question and challenge councils’ accounts.
Additionally, individuals have access to information about public authorities through powers under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance (a) her Department and (b) the Audit Commission has provided on whether members of the public have rights to access the records of safety camera partnerships under the terms of the Audit Commission Act 1998 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003. [221220]
Mr. Dhanda: Neither Communities and Local Government nor the Audit Commission provide guidance specifically on this issue.
The public’s right of inspection under section 15 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 relates to the accounts to be audited and all books, deeds, contracts, vouchers and receipts relating to them, which are placed on deposit during the annual four week inspection period. Where the partnership is accounted for through the authority it is therefore covered on the same basis as any other activity of the authority.
Business: Community Relations
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to encourage businesses to share their facilities with local communities. [219551]
Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 21 July 2008]: Government encourage businesses to build corporate responsibility into their operations and to take account of their economic, social and environmental impacts, including on local communities. Government also encourages businesses to be engaged in local strategic partnerships and priority setting through local area agreements, recognising that business involvement will often play a critical part in delivering better services and outcomes for local communities.
Within this context, it is for individual businesses to consider whether it would be appropriate to share their facilities with local communities.
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