§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. TebbitThe Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites meets regularly three times each year. At its most recent meeting on 26 March, it made various recommendations to my Department about the designation of a new historic wreck site and about a number of applications for licences to survey and excavate existing designated sites. These recommendations have been accepted and are now being implemented.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Household Electrical Equipment; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. EyreThe Advisory Committee on the Safety of Household Electrical Equipment does not submit written advice, but the views of the members, who represent a wide range of interests, are invaluable in helping discharge my Department's responsibilities for the safety of electrical equipment, including the administration of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations (1975).
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the British Overseas Trade Advisory Council, and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe British Overseas Trade Advisory Council meets two or three times a year and these meetings 495W constitute the principal channel by which the council tenders advice. The last meeting of the council, at which my right hon. Friend presided, was on 23 April, when the council advised on changes in the Government's export promotion services and on some current problems in international trade. While the council does not normally submit collective written advice, individual members do write to my Department about matters arising at the council's meetings. The council's advice, whatever the form in which it is given, is taken into account in formulating policy on the matters in question.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Cinematograph Films Council; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. TebbitLast month. It concerned a request from a trade body to amend a recent statutory instrument on the Eady levy. The council advised that it was too soon to review the amendment and I agreed. The trade body concerned has been informed.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Distribution Statistics Advisory Committee; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. EyreThe committee's function is to advise the Department of Trade on matters concerning distribution statistics. It does not normally give advice direct to Ministers, but its recommendations are incorporated in official submissions to Ministers whenever proposals are made for new statistical inquiries into the distributive trades or for changes to existing inquiries. The most recent occasion was in November 1979 when proposals for the 1980 retailing inquiry which had previously been agreed with the committee were submitted for the approval of departmental Ministers.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Export Guarantees Advisory Council; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. ParkinsonIt is not the function of the Export Guarantees Advisory496W Council to provide myself or my right hon. Friend with written advice. The council is a body of senior business men and City representatives who give their time free of charge and who meet regularly, usually monthly, to discuss the provision of guarantees under section 1 of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978 and to set limits for individual markets.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Insurance Advisory Panel; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. EyreThe Insurance Advisory Panel does not provide me with collective written advice. The insurance advisers are usually consulted individually about matters within their own particular expertise and experience and their advice is taken into consideration in relation to the exercise of my responsibilities under the Insurance Companies Act 1974.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Overseas Projects Board; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. ParkinsonOn 31 January 1980 the Overseas Projects Board advised that the powers of the British Airports Authority be extended by legislation to enable it to play an enhanced role in exports. This advice has been accepted by the Government and an amendment will be brought forward to the Civil Aviation Bill.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) when he last received written advice from the Standing Advisory Committee on Patents; and what action he has taken as a result;
(2) when he last received written advice from the Standing Advisory Committee on Trade Marks; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. EyreThe practice in respect of both committees is for meetings to be held to discuss matters on which advice is desired, but on individual topics the Department often consults the committee members by correspondence. The last round of correspondence was in February 497W for patents and April for trade marks. The advice received assisted the Department in formulating amendments to the Patent Rules 1978 and in deciding whether Her Majesty's Government should intervene in a case before the European Court of Justice.
§ Mr. Philip Hollandasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he last received written advice from the Standing Advisory Committee on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Ships; and what action he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. TebbitThe Standing Advisory Committee on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Ships meets at roughly monthly intervals to consider and advise my Department on technical, shipping and environmental matters concerned with the safe transport of dangerous goods in ships. The committee's recommendations are reflected in the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Rules 1978 (as amended), my Department's Blue Book and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. The committee's recent recommendations concerning durable labelling and also the transport of explosives on passenger ships are expected to be implemented shortly.