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12 Jan 2009 : Column 442W—continued
Whole Sports Plans
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport within the Sports Governing Body Whole Sports Plans, by what standard means the baselines of participants have been determined. [246763]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The baselines for the NGB Whole Sport Plans are provided by Active People Survey 2. This surveyed 191,000 adults (over the age of 16) across England between mid October 2007 and mid October 2008. The Active People Survey is carried out continuously through the year and uses computer assisted telephone interviews to survey a random sample of adults across every local authority in England. A ‘participant’ is defined as someone who takes part in the sport on at least one occasion a week for at least 30 minutes, and to at least a moderate intensity.
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 12 January 2009
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Arms Trade: Eritrea
Mr. Moore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will list the approved export licences to Eritrea in 2007; how many applications for licences to export to Eritrea were refused during (a) 2007 and (b) 2008; in respect of what types of goods and services such applications were refused; and what the grounds were for refusal. [243936]
Ian Pearson: The Government publish detailed information on export licences issued, refused and revoked, by destination, including a summary of the items covered by these licences, and where appropriate the criterion against which the licence has been refused, in their Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls.
The Government's Annual Reports, published since 1997, and Quarterly Reports, published since 2004, are available from the House of Commons Library and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website at
The most recent annual report published covers 2007 and the latest quarterly report covers the first quarter of 2008.
Arms Trade: Statistics
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on what basis defence export statistics will be compiled in the future. [243257]
Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation will continue to produce estimates of UK defence export orders based on information provided in confidence by UK defence and security companies. Aggregated information will appear in UK Defence Statistics which is published annually by the Ministry of Defence. The information will relate to the value of new orders recorded by defence and security companies in a particular calendar year.
Billing
Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to encourage the Government's prime contractors to pay sub-contractors within 10 days. [245248]
Mr. McFadden: BERR are in discussion with our leading suppliers to encourage them to pass on our 10-day payment terms and will be working with them to reduce payment times along the entire supply chain. We are also encouraging other Government Departments to take similar action. In addition, we have asked all of our delivery partners to ensure payments to suppliers are made within 10 days of receiving a correctly rendered invoice and to also encourage their suppliers to pass on these payment terms.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the performance of public bodies in making payments to suppliers within 10 days of receiving an invoice; and if he will make a statement. [244582]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 17 December 2008]: BERR is currently collecting data from other Government Departments and from its own delivery partners on performance in making payments to suppliers within 10 days of receiving a correctly rendered invoice. Although complete figures are not yet available, Government Departments and public bodies have embraced payment within 10 days and are working to implement this across their own organisation and to encourage suppliers to pass on these terms.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many organisations his Department has contacted to ask that suppliers be paid within 10 days of an invoice being received in the last three months. [244595]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 17 December 2008]: BERR has asked all of its delivery partners to ensure payments to suppliers are made within 10 days of receiving a correctly rendered invoice. We have also published prompt payment guidance for public sector organisations on BERR's website. In addition, we are encouraging our leading suppliers to pass on our 10 day payment terms and will be working with them to reduce payment times along the entire supply chain.
Business for New Europe
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent representations he has received from Business for New Europe in connection with the proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. [243107]
Mr. McFadden: My noble Friend, the Secretary of State, has received no representations from Business for New Europe in connection with proposals on a third runway at Heathrow.
Business: Complaints
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to business of compliance with investigations into super complaints. [242595]
Mr. Thomas: No estimate has been made by the Department since the regime came into force. However, the overarching regulatory impact assessment prepared for the Enterprise Act 2002 estimated that all consumer measures introduced by the Act would impose no significant costs to business.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what consumer benefit studies have been conducted into the use of super complaints. [242034]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 9 December 2008]: None have been conducted by this Department.
Business: Ethics
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps the Government has taken to ensure that private companies are socially responsible in their actions. [245865]
Ian Pearson: The Government are a strong supporter of responsible business behaviour and promote a business-led, voluntary approach to promote corporate responsibility as mainstream business practice. There is now a statutory statement of directors’ duties in the Companies Act 2006, which includes the duty to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members. The UK also promotes adherence to the OECD Guidelines for Multi-national Enterprises, which set recommendations for good corporate behaviour.
Business: Loans
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the eligibility criteria are for applications for loans from the new transition fund. [241377]
Mr. McFadden: The loans will be available to SMEs within the European Union definition; eligible companies will be able to apply for new loans for a period of up to six months from the inception of the fund. The repayment period will be three years or as agreed with the company within this time frame. In order to qualify applicants must be able to demonstrate that the absence of such funding is exposing the business to the risk of significant short-term contraction or endangering its existence. Loans from the fund will normally only be made where the existing financiers (including bankers) are, at the time of application to the fund, willing to maintain some borrowing facilities on agreed terms. Applicants, through their business plans, should be able to demonstrate a positive impact on jobs, either through job creation or job retention. The fund will be run on a fully commercial basis and will provide individual loans of up to £250,000. Loans from the fund cannot be used to pay down existing borrowings and business assets could be taken as security at the fund manager's discretion although this would not generally extend to personal guarantees or charges over individuals' private residences. If security is not taken, this fact will be reflected in assessing the “commercial” rate of interest to be applied.
The fund will cover most SMEs but there are exceptions and companies falling within the definition of a “business in financial difficulty” under the ‘Community Guidelines on State Aid for Rescuing and Restructuring firms in difficulty’ (2004/C 244/02 issued on 1 October 2004); retail businesses and those in commercial property investment will be ineligible.
Business: Postal Services
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of bulk mail deliveries undertaken by private companies in the last period for which figures are available. [245822]
All central and local Government Departments and agencies use the most appropriate and cost-effective postal operator and service to meet their general and respective specific business needs. It is the responsibility of each Government Department to ensure the best value for money when procuring goods or services, and this includes postal services which have been the subject of a report by the National Audit Office in 2006.
Cement
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect on the long-term supply of cement and concrete to the construction industry of domestic cement manufacturers ceasing to produce cement in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [244498]
Ian Pearson: BERR monitors both cement production and the import of both cement and clinker to the UK. These statistics are published both annually in the "Construction Statistics Annual" and through the monthly "Statistics of Building Materials and Components". Currently around 10 per cent. of UK cement is imported, and an almost similar proportion of clinker for cement production. The sector is reporting that there is currently world over-capacity for cement production. Historically, the sector has varied the level of imports to suit their market, commercial and operational decisions. We would expect this to continue.
Cement: EU Emissions Trading Scheme
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect on domestic cement manufacture of carbon dioxide emissions allowance auctioning proposals under Phase III of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme should (a) no border adjustment mechanism be introduced for non-carbon constrained countries and (b) no free allowances be granted; and if he will make a statement. [244497]
Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
Government believe that sectors at risk of carbon leakage should be identified on the basis of robust evidence and we will continue to consider the available evidence. A number of studies have been carried out to
examine the impacts of the introduction of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on the competitiveness of those sectors covered by the scheme. To date the two most significant pieces of UK research are those which were carried out by Climate Strategies and Oxford Economics, both of which were published in 2007 and were funded by DEFRA and/or BERR. Each report considered the effects of the EU ETS on a number of key sectors, including cement.
The results of the modelling study undertaken by Oxford Economics suggested that the impact of the EU ETS on industrial production would be small. The results suggested that, if industry were required to purchase all of their allowances, at a carbon price of €25/tCO2 and assuming no equivalent action by non-EU countries, then less than 0.1 per cent. of domestic production in the non-metallic minerals sector (which contains cement) would be lost to countries outside of the EU.
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the carbon dioxide price at which domestic cement manufacturing may begin to reduce in the UK should no equalisation measures be placed on cement exporters outside the EU at the start of Phase III of the Emissions Trading Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [244499]
Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
The Government commissioned Oxford Economics to undertake a research project to examine the impact that the EU ETS could have on production decisions in UK industrial sectors. While the study did not identify a specific tipping point at which domestic cement production will begin to reduce, the results of the study did suggest that the impact on domestic production would be small. For example, the modelling results suggest that, if the industry were required to purchase all of their allowances, at a carbon price of €25/tCO2 and assuming no equivalent action by non-EU countries, less than 0.1 per cent. of production in the non-metallic minerals sector, which contains cement, is likely to be lost to countries outside the EU.
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will estimate the percentage of domestic cement manufacture which may move to countries outside the ambit of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) at a price per tonne of carbon dioxide of (a) 20 euros, (b) 25 euros, (c) 30 euros, (d) 35 euros and (e) 40 euros (i) should free allowances be granted to cement manufacturers at each percentage point between 80 and 100 per cent. of their total allowances under Phase III of the ETS and (ii) should no equalisation measures be placed on exporters outside the EU at the start of Phase III; and if he will make a statement. [244500]
Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
The available evidence suggests that, if the non-metallic minerals sector (which includes the cement industry) is allocated 100 per cent. of their allowances for free, assuming a carbon price of €25/tCO2 and no equivalent action by non-EU countries, less than 0.1 per cent. of domestic production would be lost to countries outside
of the EU. The percentage reduction in domestic production is not available for all carbon prices. However, we would expect the impact to be larger at higher carbon prices.
The assessment of which sectors are at risk of carbon leakage as a result of the costs of complying with the EU ETS will nevertheless be decided on the basis of EU data. The allocation of free allowances will therefore be dependent on the cost increase and trade intensity data for the cement industry across all EU member states rather than just the UK.
Climate Change
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of its capacity to adapt to climate change; and what plans he has to publish a climate change adaptation strategy. [241182]
Ian Pearson: In July 2008, the cross-Government Adapting to Climate Change Programme published Adapting to climate change in England—a framework for action which set out the Government's strategy for adaptation and the work-plan for the cross-Government Programme for the next three years. This programme increases Government's capacity to adapt by ensuring a coordinated approach across all Departments and the public sector, and overall responsibility for it rests with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Information about the Programme and its work can be found at
This includes taking forward work flowing from the Climate Change Act—including a national Climate Change Risk Assessment and cost benefit analysis which will inform future priorities for the statutory adaptation programme that will then begin in 2012.
The Government's longer term strategy on adapting to a changing climate will be set out in this statutory National Adaptation Programme, which will be reviewed and updated on a five year rolling basis in response to updated risk assessments, and report to Parliament.
In addition, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is encouraging industry sectors to consider and review their resilience arrangements and is working towards embedding adaptation into its own operations.
Company Law: Billing
Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the proportion of publicly-listed companies which complied with the provisions of the Companies Act 1985 to submit their payment terms to Companies House in the latest period for which figures are available. [246766]
Ian Pearson: All public companies are required to disclose their payment terms in their accounts. It is the responsibility of the companies to ensure that their accounts meet all the requirements of the Companies Acts.
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