Whether the consolidation of the G20 group of developed and developing countries has now been fully settled, allowing for a common approach to the industrial tariff negotiation to take place; if not, (a) why not, (b) which countries are still holding back and (c) by when was consolidation expected to take place; if so, (i) when was this consolidation finalised, (ii) what common approach to negotiation on industrial tariffs has taken place and (iii) what role is South Africa expected to play in the G20?
(1) Whether the Government will subsidise the increasingly higher cost of electricity for high-electricity demanding industries such as the automotive manufacturing industry; if so, what are the relevant details; if not, (2) whether he will raise existing subsidies on account of such electricity tariff increases; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether he will make a statement on the matter?
(1) What (a) were the reasons for and (b) are the implications for economic growth of the announcement by a certain company (name furnished) of the cancellation of the cost plus 3% iron-ore pricing arrangement with two companies (names furnished); (2) whether he will make a statement on the matter?
(1) Whether he has been informed of the government-sponsored international TV and other media campaign in connection with the 2010 Fifa World Cup Soccer tournament to market South Africa as an international tourist destination; if so, (2) whether he has been informed that this media campaign does not show any of the country’s tourism assets which is one of our largest employment sectors, but only focuses on soccer, thereby missing the opportunity to change international perceptions of the country; if so, (3) whether he has discussed this matter with the Minister of Tourism as part of his programme of interdepartmental coordination of industrial growth-related activities; if not, why not; if so, what was the outcome of the discussions; (4) whether he will make a statement on the matter?
Whether the Government has taken steps (a) to enable the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to be recapitalised regularly and (b) for the interest it charges to be reduced substantially; if not, why not, in each case; if so, how will the cost of capital be reduced for small and medium enterprises?
Whether the Government will expand the mandate of the Competition Commission to ensure that empowerment companies are included in mergers; if not, why not; if so, how will the Government ensure that the Competition Commission assist empowerment companies in this regard?
Whether the Government has moved away from the duty credit certificate model to a system based on credits where qualifying companies can now use the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for accessing finance; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
(a) When will the Government’s procurement specifications mentioned in the Industrial Policy Action Plan 2 be finalised and (b) what was the response of public corporations regarding local and imported components for proposed infrastructure projects?
(1) With reference to the bigger emphasis that was put in the past on the development of South-South trade relations compared to North-South trade relations, how is prioritisation done with regard to South-South as opposed to North-South trade development; (2) whether the Government envisages any assistance with national development priorities from the United Kingdom; (3) whether the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and some Southern African Customs Unions (Sacu) members were discussed during the recent state visit to the United Kingdom; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) how will the threat to SACU be resolved; (4) whether the Government lobbied any of the South-South partners for the same priorities as those that were discussed with his United Kingdom and European counterparts; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (5) what is the trade opportunities and priorities that the Government would prefer to rather develop with the South-South trading partners?
(1) (a) What were the reasons taken into consideration when it was decided to suspend a certain person (details furnished) at the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro) at the beginning of 2009, (b) why is it deemed necessary for him still to be suspended after more than a year and (c) which of the delays in finalising this matter (i) have been caused by or (ii) were requested by Cipro; (2) what has been the total cost of this labour action in terms of (a) (i) salary and (ii) benefits of the incumbent for the period of suspension, (b) the costs of getting external chairpersons for the disciplinary hearings and (c) any other costs related to this disciplinary action?
