§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of her Department in determining dividend guidelines relating to BNFL; when the guidelines were last reviewed; and what factors were taken into account in determining such guidelines. [12938]
§ Mr. BattleDividend policy is reviewed from time to time by my Department, in consultation with the Treasury, the most recent being in 1995, when the basis of calculating the dividend was changed from a current cost accounting basis to a historic profit after tax basis. A number of factors are taken into account in determining dividend policy, including the need for the Government, as shareholder, to earn a reasonable rate of return on its investment.
784W
Gender Grade Permanent FTA Casual Standby Secondment Male Female Grade 6 0 2 0 0 2 4 20 Grade 7 1 8 0 4 51 57 7 SEO/SSO/SPTO1 1 2 0 0 2 4 21 Higher Executive Officer 2 0 0 0 3 3 22 Executive Officer 1 4 1 0 0 2 4 Administrative Officer 13 5 143 0 0 56 105 Administrative Assistant 2 1 49 0 0 19 33 Insolvency Examiner G 0 0 0 0 2 2 20 Investigations Officer 6 4 0 0 0 10 0 Administrative Trainee 7 0 0 0 0 5 2 Higher Executive Officer D 6 0 0 0 0 4 2 Higher Scientific Officer D 3 0 0 0 0 1 22 Lawyers 11 0 0 0 1 4 8 Legal Trainees 2 0 0 0 0 1 21 Senior Research Officer 2 0 0 0 0 1 21 Assistant Economist 6 0 0 0 1 4 3 Assistant Statistician 1 0 2 0 0 3 20 Typist 0 0 13 0 0 0 13 1 Senior Executive Officer/Senior Scientific Officer/Senior Professional and Technical Officer. 2 Note that ethnic data has been suppressed for those grades where numbers recruited are five or less, to avoid the possibility of identifying individuals.
§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what contact has taken place between officials of her Department and representatives of BNFL since 1 May. [12950]
§ Mr. BattleThe Department maintains regular contact with BNFL on a wide range of issues.
§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade when her Department last approved BNFL's corporate plan; what period it covered; and if it indicated that mixed oxide fuel is to be manufactured by BNFL at Sellafield. [12942]
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsBNFL's 1996 Corporate Plan was approved in November 1996. It covered the period from April 1996 to March 2000. The Plan, and the Company's 1996 Annual Report and Accounts, indicated that Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel continues to be manufactured at Sellafield.