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26 Oct 2009 : Column 125W—continued
The above 28 projects are being grant funded to a total of £59.1 million.
Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industry
Jessica Morden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many cars have been purchased under the car scrappage scheme in (a) the UK and (b) Wales. [294703]
Ian Lucas: Using data based on the locations of dealerships and data for scrappage transactions which have been completed and vehicles delivered, there have been 169,159 completed scrappage transactions across the UK including 7,934 in Wales.
MW Kellogg: Export Credit Guarantees
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the support provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in connection with the liquefied natural gas Plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria included commissions to agents. [293802]
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps were taken by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to ascertain whether MW Kellogg Ltd. or other subsidiaries of Halliburton were implicated in (a) domestic and (b) foreign jurisdictions in allegations of bribery in connection with the liquefied natural gas Plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria. [293803]
Ian Lucas: Prior to committing its support for the supplies of goods and services by MW Kellogg Ltd. to the LNG plant at Bonny Island in Nigeria, ECGD obtained from the company a warranty that to the best of its knowledge no-one, including anyone acting on its behalf, had engaged in any corrupt activity in connection with the goods and services for which ECGD provide its support. Following the provision of its support, ECGD became aware of allegations of bribery and corruption in connection with the LNG plant at Bonny Island. Since ECGD is not an investigatory body and has no investigatory powers, it does not carry out investigations into such allegations but reports them to the Serious Fraud Office.
News International
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any Minister or official in his Department and its predecessors has had (a) meetings, (b) communications and (c) other contacts with News International in the last five years. [295331]
Mr. McFadden: The BIS relationship manager has met with their opposite number in News International on a reactive basis over the past five years, when industrial concerns of a general nature were raised. In addition, Lord Carter held a private meeting with James Murdoch on 26 February this year as part of his evidence gathering for the interim Digital Britain Report.
Northern Rock: Corporate Hospitality
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Shareholder Executive has spent on entertaining staff of Northern Rock since January 2008. [295408]
Mr. McFadden: Gary Hoffman (chief executive) and Anne Godbehere (chief finance officer) of Northern Rock attended the Shareholder Executive annual reception on the 9 October 2008.
The cost of the reception, quoted by Government Hospitality, was £35 per head.
Public Appointments
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what duties the new Chief Construction Officer will have. [292969]
Ian Lucas: The duties of the chief construction adviser will be to:
Chair a new construction category board, which will build on the work of the existing Public Sector Construction Clients Forum, to oversee the implementation and further the development of best value in Government construction procurement;
Chair an enhanced sustainable construction strategy delivery board to help ensure policy regarding the industry is effectively co-ordinated;
Assess the key barriers to growth in the UK's low carbon construction sector to ensure the UK is well placed to serve developing needs and markets;
Work with the industry, through the Strategic Forum for Construction, to deliver the industry improvement agenda, including the Construction Commitments;
Promote innovation in the sector, working closely with the Technology Strategy Board and other funding bodies;
Co-ordinate the Whitehall response to reports featuring construction.
The chief construction adviser will also lead the Low Carbon Review of the Construction Industry announced by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on 17 September.
Regulatory Policy Committee
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Regulatory Policy Committee has met since April 2009; and what advice it has provided to Ministers on better regulation. [294076]
Ian Lucas: Michael Gibbons was appointed as the chair of the Regulatory Policy Committee on 15 October. The other members will be appointed shortly and together they will then agree the strategy and work programme for the Committee.
John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much it cost to establish the Regulatory Policy Committee; and what estimate he has made of its running costs for 2009-10. [294080]
Ian Lucas: The Regulatory Policy Committee is being funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills from within existing departmental budgets. The chair and members will be unpaid and the secretariat will be provided by existing BIS civil servants occupying accommodation on the BIS estate.
Royal Bank of Scotland: Corporate Hospitality
Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Shareholder Executive has spent on entertaining staff of the Royal Bank of Scotland since January 2008. [295403]
Mr. McFadden: Since January 2008, there has been no expenditure incurred by the Shareholder Executive entertaining staff of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Royal Mail: Industrial Disputes
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of items of mail which have been delayed by industrial action by Royal Mail employees in the last three months. [294580]
Mr. McFadden: Operational matters are the direct responsibility of the company. I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member.
A copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what compensation is available to small businesses adversely affected by industrial action by Royal Mail employees; and if he will make a statement. [294581]
Mr. McFadden: It is clear that national postal strikes will have an impact on small businesses that heavily depend upon Royal Mail services. Compensation for delayed mail is a matter for Royal Mail who have put in place a compensation framework agreed with Postcomm, the industry regulator. Compensation for delays caused by industrial action relating to Royal Mail's bulk mail products is subject to a decision by the regulator.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the effects of a national strike by Royal Mail employees on (a) online retailers, (b) small businesses and (c) the UK economy. [294675]
Mr. McFadden: It is clear that national postal strikes will have an impact on those businesses and associated services that heavily rely on Royal Mail services.
We are in regular contact with both the management and the union about the dispute. Our message to them is that, in the interests of Royal Mail, the Communication Workers Union members and the country, they should sit down and resolve this dispute through talks.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many items of mail he estimates would be delayed by (a) a national postal strike, (b) a series of rolling strikes and (c) unofficial industrial action; and if he will make a statement. [294677]
Mr. McFadden:
Any delay in the mail caused by industrial action depends on the type of action called
and the effectiveness of Royal Mail's business continuity and recovery plans. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member.
A copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what compensation will be paid by the Royal Mail to businesses which can demonstrate financial losses from postal strikes. [295689]
Mr. McFadden: Compensation for delayed mail is a matter for Royal Mail who have put in place a compensation framework agreed with Postcomm, the industry regulator. Details concerning Royal Mail's compensation procedures can be found on Royal Mail's website
Compensation for delays caused by industrial action relating to Royal Mail's bulk mail products is subject to a decision by the regulator.
Students: Employment
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of university students who were undertaking part-time employment at the same time as their studies in the latest period for which figures are available. [295754]
Mr. Lammy: The Student Income and Expenditure Survey 2007-08, published on the 21 April, is a comprehensive study of student income, expenditure, borrowing and debt. It showed that 53 per cent. of all English domiciled full-time undergraduate students undertook paid work at some time during the academic year-either during term-time, during the short vacations or both. For those undertaking such work, earnings over the academic year were on average £4,005 (after tax).
Students: Finance
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Randall) of 11 June 2009, Official Report, column 1009W, on student finance, when he expects to announce the independent review of tuition fees. [295201]
Mr. Lammy: My right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Education and Skills, told the House in January 2004 that there would be an independent review of tuition fees once we had evidence on the first three years of the variable fee regime.
My noble Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, has announced that the Independent Review of Variable Tuition Fees will be launched this autumn.
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that students resident in England applying to study at Trinity College, Dublin are correctly advised by Student Finance England on financial support which is available to them. [295249]
Mr. Lammy: Trinity College Dublin is classed as an overseas institution for students resident in England, therefore the courses are not designated for support under the Education (Student Support) (No.2) Regulations 2008 and the students would not receive financial support from the English Government. Student Finance England would not be expected to provide advice on the support available to students intending to study at Trinity College but rather would refer them to the higher education authority in Dublin who would be able to advise on possible sources of financial assistance.
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the merits of reducing the cost to students of taking a second degree. [295315]
Mr. Lammy: In general, we believe it is right to give priority in spending public funds on students studying a degree for the first time. This has for some time been our policy on financial support for students, and it has increasingly been our policy in respect of the teaching grant paid to universities since 2008. We believe it to be the right policy on grounds of equity because it allows more people access to higher education; and because it is the most effective way to grow the number of people with high level skills. There are exceptions to this general presumption: for example, students going to study at a higher level, and students studying programmes which most clearly meet economic needs such as foundation degree programmes.
Telecommunications
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many households have discontinued their fixed line telephone connection in each of the last 12 months. [294752]
Mr. Timms: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Telephone Services: Fife
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of (a) households and (b) businesses in (i) Fife and (ii) North-East Fife constituency which will be (A) liable for and (B) exempt from payment of the levy on telephone lines proposed in the Digital Britain White Paper. [295239]
Mr. McFadden: This Department has made no specific estimate of the number of (a) households and (b) businesses in (i) Fife and (ii) North-East Fife constituency which will be (A) liable for and (B) exempt from payment of the levy on telephone lines proposed in the Digital Britain White Paper.
Ofcom estimates that there are 172,121 fixed lines in the Fife area. We do not have estimates on the number of people on benefits in this constituency but recognise that those on the lowest incomes might have difficulty
paying the fixed line levy and that is why we have confirmed that those on social telephony schemes will be exempt. The social telephony schemes are available to those on income support, income-based job seeker's allowance, employment support allowance (income rated) or guaranteed pensions credit and should be an accurate indication of ability to pay.
Training: Finance
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department provided to employers for employer-based training as classified by the sector skills council in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. [295584]
Kevin Brennan: The Department's main support for work-based adult skills training is provided through the Train to Gain and Apprenticeships programmes. In 2006-07 the expenditure on both these programmes was £457 million; in 2007-08 it rose to £585 million.
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