§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the arrangements established to transfer the steel industry to private ownership contained provisions that excluded the new owners from liability to implement the decontamination of contaminated areas of steel plant sites. [149660]
§ Mr. ByersNo such provisions were introduced. Private owners have full liability in respect of decontamination of contaminated areas.
The Government will vigorously enforce their powers in this area.
§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer the decision of Corns plc not to allow an employee buy-out of Llanwem Steel Works to the(a) Office of Fair Trading and (b) Competition Commissioner. [150205]
§ Mr. ByersUnder UK competition law, in the first instance it is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate any possible breaches of
406Wthe Export Credits Guarantee Department for (a) renewable energy projects, (b) demand site energy efficiency projects and (c) civil nuclear projects, including nuclear fuel cycle projects, in each of the last 10 years; what the (i) value and (ii) use of each credit was; when each was supplied; and when the work was completed. [149614]
§ Mr. CabornECGD does not hold its information on cases on a basis which would enable it to answer this question readily in the detail requested. Due to these limitations a complete answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, from information available on ECGD's systems we have been able to identify a list of guarantees that meet the criteria of the question.
competition law and only then can cases be referred to the Competition Commission.
I have no formal powers to refer competition issues to the Office of Fair Trading, but I have drawn this case to the attention of the Director General of Fair Trading.
§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer the decision of Corns plc not to allow an employee buy-out of the Llanwern Steel Works to the European Union Competition Commissioner. [150206]
§ Mr. ByersI have no formal powers to refer competition issues to the European Union Competition Commissioner, but I have drawn the matter to his attention.