House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 31 Jul 1998 (pt 52)

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Gas Exploration Industry

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to meet representatives of the gas exploration industry to discuss proposals set out in the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation consultation document. [49635]

Mr. Mandelson [holding answer 9 July 1998]: The Minister for Science, Energy and Industry met representatives of the UK Offshore Operators Association on 16 July, and of Shell on 27 July to discuss the Review.

Motor Dealers

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the introduction of the licensing of motor dealers in some Scottish regions; and what plans she has to extend the scheme to other regions. [51206]

Dr. Howells: No assessment has been made of the introduction of licensing of second-hand motor dealers which is at the discretion of individual local authorities in Scotland under powers in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 which enables them to license all second-hand dealers for the purposes of preserving public order and safety and the prevention of crime. There are no plans to extend the scheme to other regions beyond Scotland.

Export Credits (Sri Lanka)

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount of export credits were available for Sri Lanka for each of the years 1994 to 1997; and in each year what amount was cover for military exports. [51797]

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Mr. Mandelson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 9 June 1998, Official Report, columns 504-05, which will provide the full details requested.

My hon. Friend will see from this that during these years ECGD issued guarantees for export credits to Sri Lanka totalling £257 million. None of these related to defence business.

Renewable Energy

Mr. Stunell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans she has to increase the target percentage of electricity to be generated from renewable sources of energy by 2010; [52444]

(3) how much money she plans to allocate to research into renewable energy technologies in each of the years covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review; [52439]

(4) what is the current level of Government funding of research into (a) offshore wind farms, (b) onshore wind farms, (c) tidal wave power schemes and (d) photovoltaic panels; and what was the value of departmental spending for each in real terms for each of the last four years. [52452]

Mr. Battle: The Government are committed to a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources in line with our manifesto commitment. To this end, I am reviewing policy towards new and renewable sources of energy, including consideration of what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10 per cent. of UK electricity needs from renewables by the year 2010 and how renewables can make an effective contribution to meeting requirements for future greenhouse gas reductions. The review, which is nearing completion, is examining the status of all the new and renewable energy technologies and the UK industry and their future prospects in both home and export markets. It is also considering what further research, development, and demonstration is needed in the longer term. I expect to announce the outcome of the review later this year.

Expenditure on the New and Renewable Energy Programme was cut significantly by the previous Government in the years following publication of their policy and strategy in Energy Paper Number 62, entitled "New and Renewable Energy Technology: Future Prospects for the UK", and further cuts were planned. Expenditure under the Wind sub-programme was reduced from £2.7 million in 1994-95 to £1.2 million (net) in 1997-98. Similarly the expenditure under the Solar sub-programme fell from £2.1 million in 1994-95 to £1.6 million (net) in 1997-98.

Since coming into office, I have reversed the planned cuts in the overall programme budget set by the previous Government, increasing provision for 1998-99 by £2 million to £11.1 million (net). For Wind and Solar energy, expenditure in 1998-99 can be expected to remain broadly in line with that in 1997-98, subject to project recruitment and progress. No expenditure on Tidal energy is expected in 1998-99 following the previous

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Government's earlier decision to close that programme. Beyond 1998-99 expenditure will depend on the outcome of the current policy review.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement on Government policy on renewable energy; [54109]

Mr. Mandelson: The Government are committed to a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources in line with our manifesto commitment. To this end, I am reviewing policy towards new and renewable sources of energy, including consideration of what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10 per cent. of UK electricity needs from renewables by the year 2010 and how renewables can make an effective contribution to meeting requirements for future greenhouse gas reductions. The review, which is nearing completion, is examining the status of all the new and renewable energy technologies and the UK industry and their future prospects in both home and export markets. It is also considering what further research, development, and demonstration is needed for the longer term. I expect to announce the outcome of the review later this year.

Office Hours

Mr. Bercow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the normal office hours of senior civil servants in her Department. [52565]

Mr. Mandelson [holding answer 27 July 1998]: Senior civil servants in my Department are required to sign a personal contract which states (for those with a full time contract):

"You are required to work a minimum (over a 5 day week) of 41 hours elsewhere, including daily meal breaks of one hour. As a senior civil servant, you will be required to work such additional hours as may from time to time be reasonable and necessary for the efficient performance of your duties."

The hours worked by part-time senior civil servants are subject to individual arrangements.

Milk Marque

Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to refer the consequences of the major dairy companies' refusal to submit bids in the July 1998 Milk Marque selling round to the MMC; and if she will make a statement. [52555]

Mr. Mandelson [holding answer 27 June 1998]: The Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) asked the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) to investigate the supply of raw milk in Great Britain on 27 January 1998, under the monopoly provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.

This is now a matter for the MMC. The reference enables the MMC to look at all relevant aspects of the supply of raw milk in England, Scotland and Wales, and it will take on board the actions of the parties to the latest selling round in its inquiry.

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Any evidence that the dairy companies may have colluded in refusing to submit bids in Milk Marque's latest selling round may be a matter to be considered by the DGFT under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976. If the hon. Member has evidence of such collusion he should bring it to the attention of the DGFT at the following address:

Mr. John Bridgeman

Director General of Fair-Trading

Office of Fair Trading

Field House

15-25 Bream's Buildings

LONDON

EC4A 1PR.

Asbestos

Mr. Cox: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance her Department issues to those constructing buildings for which it is responsible on the use of materials containing asbestos. [52308]

Dr. Howells: My Department does not undertake the construction of new buildings. However, in the refurbishment of existing buildings the Department meets all its statutory duties related to the removal of asbestos, and the Department's overriding policy is not to use asbestos based materials during the construction phase of the works and not to specify the use of such materials.

Research Establishments

Mr. Singh: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Government have taken on the previous Administration's Prior Options reviews of the public sector research establishments. [52149]

Mr. Battle: During December 1996 the previous Administration completed "prior options" reviews of 38 Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs), the results of which were announced in January 1997. The outcome for the majority of the establishments was retention in the public sector.

Over the last few months, I and my Ministerial colleagues have been considering our joint approach to the specific outcomes of these reviews. The majority of these proposed a range of measures to ensure the establishments were managed as effectively and efficiently as possible, most of which are already being implemented. The Government have concluded that the implementation of these measures should continue, since they improve value-for-money and the provision of high quality services. This was taken forward in the context of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review.

The following PSREs were involved in the reviews:

National Weights and Measures Laboratory

Central Laboratory for the Research Councils

Babraham Institute

Institute for Animal Health

Institute of Arable Crops Research

Institute of Food Research

Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research

John Innes Centre

Roslin Institute

Silsoe Research Institute