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Mirror Group Newspapers
Mr. Radice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she will publish her Department's inspectors' inquiry, set up in April 1992, into the circumstances of the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers plc; and what is the current state of progress with the report. [50836]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 16 July 1998]: The inspectors have not yet reported to me. A decision on publication will be taken when the report has been received and fully considered. It is not our policy to comment on an inspection during its progress.
Libya
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the impact on United Kingdom trade with Libya of sanctions against that country. [49435]
Mrs. Roche
[holding answer 16 July 1998]: The Department keeps a watching brief on trade between the United Kingdom and Libya. The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Libya on 15 April 1992. These sanctions relate to a ban on the sale of goods related to the Military and Aviation sectors, a world-wide ban on flights to and from Libya, and restrictions on diplomatic movement. Further sanctions were introduced on 1 December 1993 and relate to oil-related goods and equipment; material for Libyan airfields, making aircraft available to Libya; and extending the earlier provisions related to technical advice and training. The extended measures also introduced a limited assets freeze. The effect of sanctions on United Kingdom trade with Libya has been minimal. Britain's exports to Libya for 1997
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were £269 million, which equates to a 2.5 per cent. decrease on the end-of-year figure for 1993, the year sanctions were introduced. Imports from Libya for 1997 were £231.4 million compared with £156.6 million in 1993.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action she is taking to monitor the electrical goods market to ensure that price fixing is not occurring. [51218]
Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
Under UK competition legislation the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for keeping the operation of markets under review, and considering allegations of anti-competitive behaviour, abuse of monopoly power or restrictive trade practices, including price fixing.
As part of his responsibilities, the Director General will keep under review compliance with the Order made by my right. hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 19 May 1998, following the 1997 Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of eight categories of domestic electrical goods. The Order prohibits suppliers of those goods from recommending retail prices to retailers, and from influencing the prices at which retailers sell their goods, and comes into force on 1 September 1998.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will take steps to ensure that United Kingdom consumers continue to benefit from high street retailers importing branded goods from outside the EU on a parallel basis. [51217]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
Under present United Kingdom legislation (the Trade Marks Act 1994) trade mark rights cannot be used to prevent or control parallel importation into this country of genuine goods, that is, goods already put on the market by, or with the consent of, trade mark owners, but this reduction in their rights applies only to goods put on the market in the European Economic Area (EEA). Under current legislation, goods put on the market outside the EEA do not come within this exception. Trade mark owners may, if they wish, use their rights to prevent or control the importation into the United Kingdom of such goods. However, the effects of the exercise of rights in this way is subject to the requirements of European and domestic law governing supply and competition.
The issue of parallel importation from outside the EEA into EC Member States is important for the operation of the European Single Market. The European Commission is currently undertaking a major study to investigate the economic effects of the use of trade marks and other intellectual property rights in relation to parallel importation. We will consider the results of this work very carefully when they emerge towards the beginning of next year, and we intend to take a strong part in the discussions and decisions which follow.
The Trade Marks Act implements Directive 89/104/EC.
In implementing, the UK Parliament, along with all other Member States, took the view that the Directive required that trade mark owners should be able to use
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their rights to control or prevent parallel imports from non-EEA countries. This is reflected in the UK Act at Section 12. A recent case before the ECJ (the Silhouette case) questioned this interpretation. The judgment confirms that this interpretation is correct.
The Commission's study into intellectual property rights and their effects on parallel importation was instigated following Dutch objections to provisions in a Directive concerning industrial designs protection, which provisions mirror those of the trade marks Directive.
Mr. Breed:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures she will take to ensure that fuel poverty does not increase as a result of the introduction of competition into the gas and electricity supply industries; and if she will make a statement. [50927]
Mr. Battle:
The Green Paper "A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework for Utility Regulation" highlighted a particular concern that disadvantaged consumers may be benefiting least from emerging competition in gas and electricity supply. Competition has, and will, continue to benefit all consumers in these markets by driving prices down and services standards and choice up. But it is important that these benefits should be enjoyed fairly by all. The gas and electricity regulators and energy companies, in consultation with consumer representative bodies, were therefore asked to draw up an action plan to ensure that disadvantaged consumers benefit from improved efficiency, more choice, and greater fairness. That action plan has now been received and is being considered carefully, along with the many representations submitted on these issues. The President of the Board of Trade will be announcing the Government's response as soon as possible.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will place in the Library a copy of the 93+2 protocol on international nuclear safeguards agreed in June between Euratom, IAEA and other relevant parties. [51400]
Mr. Battle:
I have arranged for a copy of the Council Decision of 8 June approving the three Additional Protocols, with the text of the three Additional protocols attached as annexes, to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The three Additional Protocols were also approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency on 11 June.
We expect the agreement to be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities in due course.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the impact on the United Kingdom aerospace industry of the award of the contract to Airbus Industrie to provide aircraft for US Airways. [51038]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 17 July 1998]: The UK's industrial partner in Airbus, British Aerospace, has a 20 per cent. stake in Airbus which brings considerable
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economic benefits to the UK. Airbus and related businesses support 25,000 UK jobs in 300 companies, and contribute £1 billion to the UK trade balance. Airbus is an excellent example of European industrial co-operation. In the first half of this year Airbus has estimated that it has won 52 per cent. of the world market for large civil aircraft.
The US Airways order was for up to thirty A330-300 aircraft, comprising 7 firm orders, 7 options, and 16 reserved production positions. The 14 orders and options are estimated to be worth over $1,500 million. Orders such as this demonstrate Airbus' continuing technical and commercial excellence.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of her Department's invoices were paid within the target period during the last year; and what was the figure for each of the three preceding years. [50014]
Mrs. Beckett:
My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Firms, Trade and Industry will publish details of the payment performance of all Government Departments for the 1997-98 financial year before the Summer Recess. Following is the information for the Department of Trade and Industry, for the three preceding years:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 84 |
| 1995-96 | 93 |
| 1996-97 | 97.9 |
Export Licences
Yvette Cooper: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will place in the Library statistics on export licences issued and refused for the period 1 January to 1 March 1997. [51650]
Mrs. Beckett: The statistics on export licences issued and refused for this period were placed in the House Library today.
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