HC Deb 19 September 2002 vol 390 cc142-5W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 15 May 2002,Official Report, column 659W, on the Export Credit Guarantees Department, if she will break down the money paid under the Export Credit Guarantees Department (a) in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1997–98 to the USSR (Civil Misc), (b) in 2000–01 to Jordan, (c) in 1999–2000 to the Philippines (Civil Aerospace), (d) in 1999–2000 to Indonesia (Civil, Misc), (e) in 1999–2000 to Indonesia, (Civil Aerospace) and (f) in 1999–2000 to Indonesia (Defence) by (A) the company and (B) the project involved; and if she will make a statement. [70553]

Ms Hewitt

The table below lists the companies that ECGD has paid claims to and the types of project involved for the requested markets, years and sectors. ECGD seeks to recover claims payments on all cases whether through rescheduling agreements in the Paris Club or negotiations with individual buyers.

Year Market/Sectors Companies Projects
Kleinwort Benson Ltd Flight Simulator
Lloyds TSB Ground to Air Missiles
West LB Line of Credit (*3)
Military Aircraft
Military Communications Equipment
Naval Simulators
Radar Equipment
Total Claims £149.8m

John Austin

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what investigations are being carried out by the ECGD following the judgment of Judge Cullinan in Lesotho, on British companies that received ECGD support; and whether they have referred this case to the relevant external investigatory body. [72919]

Ms Hewitt

We are aware that there has been a guilty verdict delivered against Masupha Sole, the former Chief Executive of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. However, the consortia involved in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project have not been convicted of corruption.

ECGD is currently seeking information from the companies who were supported by ECGD and who were members of the consortia concerned, and continues to closely monitor developments in relation to Court action in Lesotho.

ECGD is fully committed to eliminating bribery and corruption. On 28 September 2000, ECGD strengthened its own anti corruption measures—pre-empting the OECD Export Credit Group's Action Statement on Bribery and Officially Supported Export Credits and reflecting the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total was of(a) premiums and (b) claims paid by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in the financial year 2001–02. [72606]

Ms Hewitt

[holding answer 24 July 2002]: The following table details premiums earned and claims paid for 2001–02.

I have also included the total of recoveries and interest received by EGCD in the same period.

£ million
Premium Earned 76.9
Claims Authorised 250.0
Recoveries and Interest 503.5

£ million £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million
Fuel Type Market 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Total
Fossil Abu Dhabi 8 8
Anguilla 1 1
Brazil 16 16
China 32 291 1 323
Cyprus 5 5
Dominican Republic 23 23
Hong Kong 73 1 74
India 20 89 48 157
Indonesia 39 39
Israel 11 11

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total of(a) premiums earned, (b) recoveries received, (c) claims paid and (d) interest support was in Export Credits Guarantee Department operations in relation to their defence business in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02. [72504]

Ms Hewitt

[holding answer 24 July 2002]: The following table details Claims Paid, Premium Earned and Claims Recovered in respect of ECGD's support for defence related business in 2000–01 and 2001–02. The cost of interest rate support has been estimated on the proportion of ECGD credit business constituted by defence related business.

Information on amounts received through Paris Club rescheduling has not been included as it is not held on sectoral basis and this cannot be readily determined. It is likely that taking account of these amounts would improve the position in respect of defence business cashflow.

Year Premium Earned £ million Claims Paid £ million Estimate of Interest Rate Support Claims Recovered £
2000–01 38 181 4 0
2001–02 10 125 7 0

Mr. Colman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what ECGD support has been granted for(a) fossil fuel, (b) renewable energy and (c) nuclear power projects, broken down by country, in each year from 1997 to 2002. [72864]

Ms Hewitt

The following table details amounts of ECGD business issued for power projects within the fossil fuel, nuclear and renewable energy sectors, between 1997 and 2002 to date.

£ million £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million
Fuel Type Market 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Total
Malaysia 770 770
Mexico 3 77 80
Oman 10 25 35
Saint Kitts and Nevis 8 8
Taiwan 128 18 146
Turkey 22 34 56
Vietnam 24 24
Zimbabwe 9 9
Egypt 6 6
Philippines 72 72
Bangladesh 7 7
Nuclear
China 58 58
Renewable
Thailand 6 6
Total 159 428 1103 233 11 1933

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 21 June 2002,Official Report, column 588W, on ECGD, if she will break down the figures for the financial years (a) 19992000 and (b) 2000–01 by country. [72926]

Ms Hewitt

The following table details premium earned and claims paid by ECGD in respect of defence business by country for financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

1999–2000 2000–01
Claims Indonesia 151 Indonesia 180
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 1
Total 152 181
Premium Turkey 10.2 South Africa 29.2
Saudi Arabia 8.9 Saudi Arabia 6.6
Oman 3.2 Oman 1.6
Malaysia 2.6 Greece 0.6
Kuwait 0.5
Total 25.4 38.0