Departmental Responsibilities (Hansard, 4 December 1996)

§ Mr. Lang

[holding answer 3 December 1996]The responsibilities of the Department of Trade and Industry apply to the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, except where indicated as followsCorporate and consumer affairs Company law Northern Ireland has its own company law. Companies House Northern Ireland has separate legislation for the administration of registration functions, but maintains close links with Companies House. The Registrar for Scotland comes within the Companies House structure, but there are differences in the Scottish law of property and the legal system. 700W Consumer affairs DTI does not fund the Northern Irish General Consumer Council or Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux. Nor is it responsible for Northern Irish legislation on misleading price indications, weights and measures, product liability and specific safety regulations. Some consumer legislation has specific sections which apply only to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Insolvency Service The Insolvency Service has no responsibility in relation to Northern Ireland. Its responsibilities are limited to England and Wales for preliminary administration and investigation of compulsory insolvencies; acting as trustee or liquidator; reporting criminal offences; undertaking banking and investment services for bankruptcies and liquidations; and policy advice to Ministers. Industrial Relations Directorate (IRD) Most of DTI's industrial relations work does not cover Northern Ireland, although industrial relations legislation is adopted almost in its entirety there. IRD is responsible for the whole of the UK, however, for the negotiation of certain EU directives; policy and practices on pay; industrial disputes and public funding; and interest in trades unions. Most IRD related NDPBs, including the industrial tribunal and employment appeals tribunal, and ACAS, do not cover Northern Ireland. The Office of Manpower Economics does, however, cover the whole of the UK. Investigations Various investigations powers in the Companies Acts 1985 and 1989, the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and the Financial Services Act 1986 do not cover Northern Ireland. In addition, in view of the differences between English and Scottish law, and where it is appropriate to use external investigators, the Department frequently uses accountants practising in Scotland to undertake investigations in cases with a Scottish dimension. ENERGY PROMOTION Export promotion DTI has overall responsibility for export promotion policy throughout the UK in collaboration with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Delivery of export promotion services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the relevant Department. ENERGY Energy policy DTI has responsibility for establishing the framework of UK energy policy, but implementation of that policy lies partly with the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Department of Economic Development (NIDED). Nuclear industries The Scottish Office has responsibility for the safety and licensing of civil nuclear installations in Scotland. There are no civil nuclear sites in Northern Ireland. The Welsh Office is involved in any emergency at a civil nuclear site in Wales. Responsibility for reporting incidents at civil nuclear sites to DTI Ministers is confined to England and Wales, although DTI would act on the Scottish Office's behalf in notifying nuclear emergencies to the European Union and other countries. Coal The principal provisions of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 do not extend to Northern Ireland. Energy technologies Overall policy is dealt with by the DTI, including orders for renewable energy under the non-fossil fuel obligation for England and Wales. Separate arrangements exist in Scotland and Northern Ireland for the non-fossil fuel obligation. Electricity The Electricity Act 1989 does not cover Northern Ireland. 701W Regulatory issues, entailing liaison with OFFER, relate to England and Wales only. EU directive negotiations are undertaken on behalf of the UK, but both the Scottish Office and NIDED are consulted, and they have responsibility for implementation. Section 34 directions relating to fuel stocks for security purposes are for England and Wales only; Scotland and Northern Ireland make their own arrangements. Pension regulations made by the former Secretary of State for Energy do not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland. DTI's electricity emergency provisions do not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland. The DTI does not sponsor the electricity industry in Northern Ireland. Engineering inspectorate DTI's responsibility for the conduct and reporting of public inquiries and hearings into the contested proposals of the electricity and gas supply industries (e.g. overhead lines and underground cables) does not extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Oil and gas The principal provisions of the Gas Act do not extend to Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Office has separate responsibility for gas policy in the province. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Government Offices The network of Government Offices covers the English regions only and is jointly run by DTI, DoE, DfEE and DOT. Regional development On regional industrial policy, DTI takes the lead for the development and targeting of industrial policy, but works closely in consultation with the Scottish and Welsh offices. (In Northern Ireland these subjects are dealt with separately by the Northern Ireland Office.) Powers to provide regional selective assistance (RSA) in Scotland and Wales are exercised by the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales. RSA is not available in Northern Ireland which has a separate arrangement. DTI is responsible for the co-ordination of UK policy on the EU structural and cohesion funds. However, decisions on the implementation and allocation of funds in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are generally made by the relevant Department. Business links Business links are established in England only, as is the local competitiveness challenge. Innovation, technology and design services are delivered within England through business links. DTI also funds the provision of innovation and technology counsellors in Wales through their similar Business Connect service. Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) policy On SME issues, DTI works closely with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices in developing policies. Any action arising is the responsibility of the separate departments. The small firms loan guarantee scheme operated by the DTI is available throughout the United Kingdom. Invest in Britain Bureau The Invest In Britain Bureau (IBB) is responsible for inward investment promotion for the whole of the UK. It operates through a network of regional development organisations and Government offices in England; national agencies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales; and overseas through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Management best practice DTR's management best practice programme extends to England, Wales and Scotland. Academic/industry programmes cover all the UK with the Scottish Office, Welsh Office and Northern Ireland Office contributing additional funds to allow extra activity in their areas. The international technology programmes also cover the whole of the United Kingdom. 702W Small and Medium Enterprise technology DTI funds SMART in England and Northern Ireland. DTI funds SPUR in England and SPUR for further development of SMART projects in Northern Ireland. The Scottish and Welsh Offices are responsible for SMART and SPUR arrangements in Scotland and Wales. DTI funds focus technical in England. INDUSTRY Engineering, automotive and metals sectors The Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland administers and pays for its own shipbuilding intervention fund and shipbuilding grants, within the context of a policy laid down for the UK as a whole, on which DTI leads. Innovation The Scottish Office has responsibility for the funding and operation of innovation measures in Scotland. The Welsh Office has responsibility for the operation of design services and the SMART and SPUR schemes in Wales, although DTI retains responsibility for the funding of other innovation measures in Wales. Responsibility for technology and innovation in Northern Ireland is handled by the Northern Ireland Office. Radiocommunications Agency In the Radiocommunications Agency, regional licensing and forcement action is carried out through a network of Regional Offices. Implementation is uniform throughout the UK and representative local offices exist in Cardiff for Wales, Falkirk for Scotland and Belfast for Northern Ireland, as well as several offices in England.

Relevant information on the approximate proportion of the time and budget of the Department devoted to its main responsibilities is contained in MINIS, which is published annually by the DTI.