§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the functions and objectives of(a) the Monitoring Committee on Misleading Price Indications, (b) the Standards Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee, (c) the Energy Advisory Panel, (d) the Advisory Committee for the Joint Environmental Markets Unit and (e) the Advisory Committee on Coal Research.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe information requested is as follows:
506W(a) Monitoring Committee on Misleading Price Indications
The Committee was formally disbanded in May 1993 by the then Minister for Consumer Affairs.(b) Standards Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee (SQMAC)
The SQMAC became the Measurements Advisory Committee, MAC, on 1 July 1994. The function of the MAC is to advise the Department on:
—the effectiveness with which the National Measurement System supports UK industry, and—the priorities which the Department should assign to programmes of work undertaken to meet the demands of the national measurement system.Its objectives are:
—advising on the broad objectives, balance and strategy for Government support of measurement and proposing effective means for the delivery of that message to business in general in support of wealth creation;:—advising on the commercial opportunities resulting from the research and development carried out by contractors, in support of the national measurement system;—contributing to an annual longer term perspective, as input to the Department's annual "Forward Look" at programme expenditure over the next five years and longer;—identifying key priorities for the UK measurement system within a European and global context;—taking account of the advice of technical experts (Working Groups), to advise on priorities for funding.(c) Energy Advisory Panel
The function of the panel is to assist in the preparation of the annual energy report which the Government undertook to prepare, as explained at paragraphs 3.31 and 3.32 of the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal: Conclusions of the Government's Coal Review" (CM 2235, March 1993). The panel's objectives are:-
—to offer views on the structure, content and balance of the report against the background of Government energy policy as outlined in the White Paper.(d) Advisory Committee for the Joint Environmental Markets Unit (JEPU)
The function of the committee is to advise the Department on the priorities and future work of JEPU. Its objectives are:-
—to consider how Government and industry can most effectively identify and exploit environmental market opportunities at home and overseas;—to assess and recommend specific actions to pursue these objectives.—to consider how to encourage firms, particularly small and medium sized enterprises to take up new environmental opportunities.(e) Advisory Committee on Coal Research
The advisory committee was established in 1993 to provide advice to the Department with respect to its coal research and development programme. The terms of reference for the Committee and its membership are listed in annex B of Energy Paper 63, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the functions and objectives of(a) the Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power, (b) the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee and (c) the Overseas Projects Board.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe information requested is as follows:
(a) Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power
The council's primary function was to give Minister's detailed technical overview of the research and development plans of the nationalised energy industries. The privatisation of these industries essentially removed the need for this function and 507W with the establishment of the Energy advisory panel in October 1993, ACORD was dissolved.(b) Offshore Industry Liaison Committee
The function of the committee is to advise the Minister responsible for the oil and gas sector regarding the progress of the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry on the United Kingdom continental shelf. Its objectives are;— to analyse problems affecting the competitiveness of the industry, identify gaps in its capability and propose strategies for improving its performance and coverage.(c) Overseas Project Board
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 7 July 1994, Official Report, column 295.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy in respect of the requirement on the Official Receiver to implement the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 when the Official Receiver is undertaking the investigation of possible offences referred to him by contractors undertaking case administration work.
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansLegal advice indicates that the role of official receivers in conducting further interviews of bankrupts and company directors would remain unchanged.