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Electricity Prices
30. Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received regarding the rise in electricity prices from 1 April 1990.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about electricity prices.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has made an estimate of the contribution of the rises in domestic electricity prices in April 1990 to the retail prices index.
Mr. Baldry : It is estimated that the increases in electricity prices effective from April 1990 should add between 0.20 per cent. and 0.25 per cent. to the retail prices index once the tariffs have been fully implemented.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has discussed the implications of articles 85 and 86 of the treaty of Rome for the new pricing structure of the electricity supply industry of England and Wales with the European Commissioner responsible for competition, in respect of (a) domestic and (b) industrial consumers.
Mr. Baldry : The European Commission has been kept fully informed of all aspects of the Government's proposals for electricity privatisation.
National Power
31. Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he is carrying out regarding the appointment of the chairman of National Power.
Mr. Wakeham : I am carrying out such consultations as I consider appropriate.
53. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of National Power regarding possible generation of electricity using gas.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chief executive of National Power regularly to discuss many aspects of his business.
Oil and Gas Exploration
32. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the likely level of drilling on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1990.
47. Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the likely level of drilling on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1990.
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Mr. Peter Morrison : A recent survey of company intentions by my Department showed that a record number of more than 200 exploration and appraisal wells could be drilled in the United Kingdom continental shelf this year.
38. Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for the reduction of the number of fallow blocks on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1990.
54. Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for the reduction of the number of fallow blocks on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1990.
Mr. Peter Morrison : As I indicated in my reply on 26 February to my hon. Friends the Members for Maidstone (Miss Widdecombe) and for Broxtowe, (Mr. Lester), I am pressing forward with the fallow block initiative. I will be keeping in close touch through 1990 with the licensees concerned, and I will be encouraging them to continue the good progress made in 1989 in reducing the number of fallow blocks.
43. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many significant discoveries of oil and gas were made on the United Kingdom continental shelf during 1989.
52. Mr. Wood : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many significant discoveries of oil and gas were made on the United Kingdom continental shelf during 1989.
55. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many significant discoveries of oil and gas were made on the United Kingdom continental shelf during 1989.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Twenty-nine significant discoveries, comprising nine of oil, 13 of gas, four of oil and gas, two of gas and condensate and one of condensate were made on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1989, the highest total in any one year since offshore activity began in 1964.
57. Mr. Page : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many of the wells drilled on the United Kingdom continental shelf have been drilled (a) since 1964 and (b) since 1979.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) earlier today.
Electricity Supply
36. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to discuss reciprocal electricity supplies sharing and purchase arrangements between EEC member states with his counterparts in the Council of Energy Ministers.
Mr. Wakeham : Sharing and purchase arrangements for electricity supplies within the Community are for the electricity industries. However, the Energy Council on 21 May is likely to consider the Commission proposal for a directive on electricity transit. The directive seeks to reduce barriers to transit and thus promote interstate trade in electricity.
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British Coal
42. Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal ; and what were the principal matters which were discussed.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
44. Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the numbers employed by British Coal in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
60. Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the manpower figures for British Coal in 1990-91.
Mr. Baldry : The Government do not make estimates of future manpower levels in British Coal. Such levels depend on a number of factors, including the corporation's continued ability to raise its competitiveness.
Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the Government have invested in British Coal since 1979.
Mr. Baldry : Since 1979 the Government have invested over £6.5 billion in the coal industry and continue to invest at a rate of over £2 million every working day.
Offshore Energy Industry
46. Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the level of employment in the offshore oil and gas industry in each of the years from 1983 to 1989.
Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the level of employment in the offshore oil and gas industry in each of the years from 1983 to 1989.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Mr. Thompson) earlier today.
61. Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of capital investment in the North sea in 1989 ; and what are the prospects for 1990.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 16 March, Official Report, column 397.
62. Dr. Michael Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Peter Morrison : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet the representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Electricity Undertakings (Property)
48. Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the proposed proportion of property assets to total assets of (a) Nuclear Electric, (b) National Power, (c) PowerGen and (d) the National Grid Company.
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Mr. Baldry : The Central Electricity Generating Board submitted on 12 March a scheme for transferring all the board's property, rights and liabilities to successor companies. Subject to my approval and any modifications this scheme will come into force on 31 March. My Department is now considering the board's scheme, which is commercially confidential, and is undertaking the consultations called for by statute.
Landfill Gas Schemes
50. Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many landfill gas schemes are in operation.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Currently, 35 landfill gas schemes are operational and a further 30 are being planned. The estimate of current energy savings is 150,000 tonnes coal equivalent per annum (tcepa). Of the existing schemes, 13 are generating electricity with a capacity of 16 MW.
National Union of Mineworkers
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to meet the president of the National Union of Mineworkers.
Mr. Wakeham : I am always happy to meet officers of the coal mining unions at their request.
National Society for Clean Air
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met representatives from the National Society for Clean Air ; and what matters were discussed.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I have had no meetings with the National Society for Clean Air.
Nuclear Reactors (Accidents)
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations his Department has recently had to improve emergency planning procedures to deal with a civil nuclear reactor accident.
Mr. Baldry : The Department regularly consults organisations concerned with all aspects of civil nuclear emergency planning. This is done under the auspices of the nuclear emergency planning liaison group, which brings together representatives of Government Departments, the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate (NII) the National Radiological Protection Board, nuclear operators, the police, local authorities and the fire service. My Department is also a member of the nuclear emergency arrangements forum where matters of common interest are discussed between the nuclear operators, the NII and Government Departments. In addition, the Department participates in ad-hoc meetings with various organisations from time to time to consider particular aspects of planning.
Electricity Bill Estimates
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many complaints he has received from consumer organisations over the practice of electricity boards estimating fuel use when access to meters is readily available.
Mr. Baldry : The Department of Energy receives representations from consumer organisations from time to time on a wide range of issues including estimated billing. However, this is a matter for the industry.
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Coal Contracts
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to receive the notification of approval or otherwise from the European Commission regarding the coal contracts agreed between British Coal and National Power and PowerGen.
Mr. Wakeham : I hope that the Commission will be able to respond favourably in due course to the arrangements notified to it.
Lord Marshall of Goring
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met Lord Marshall of Goring in his capacity as chairman of the CEGB ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Wakeham : I met Lord Marshall regularly as chairman of the CEGB. The discussions at such meetings are confidential.
Cornwall Energy Project
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what support has been given to the Cornwall energy project.
Mr. Peter Morrison : My Department has contributed 25 per cent. of the cost--some £80,000--to the Cornwall energy project conducted by Cornwall county council.
National Grid Company
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he can yet estimate the extent to which industrial energy producers will increase their rates to the National Grid Company after privatisation.
Mr. Baldry : Prices will depend on market conditions and the specific details of any relevant contracts.
Gas and Electricity Prices
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on (a) the percentage increase and (b) the real increase in the price of gas and electricity over the past five years.
Mr. Wakeham : The increases for domestic and industrial consumers are shown in the following tables :
|c|Domestic Sector|c|
|c|Percentage changes between the 4th quarter of 1984 and the 4th
quarter|c|
|c|of 1989|c|
|Current prices |Deflated prices<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gas |+11 |-15
Electricity |+21 |- 8
<1> Deflated using the GDP (market prices) deflator. The GDP deflator for
the 4th quarter of 1989 has been estimated using the change in the retail
prices index (all items).
Source: Fuel price indices published in Tables 19 and 20 of Energy Trends.
Industrial sector
Percentage changes between the 3rd quarter of 1984 and the 3rd quarter of 1989
Current prices Deflated prices
Gas 20 39
Electricity 18 9
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Deflated using the GDP (market prices) deflator. The GDP deflator for the 4th quarter of 1989 has been estimated using the change in the retail prices index (all items).Source : Fuel price indices published in tables 19 and 20 of Energy Trends.
Chemical Spillages (North Sea)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many complaints there have been regarding spillages or discharges of chemicals from North sea oil and gas installations over the last five years.
Mr. Peter Morrison : There have been no complaints concerning spillages or discharges of chemicals from North Sea oil and gas installations over the last five years.
However, following the Piper Alpha incident, several queries were received concerning the PCBs present in equipment on the installation.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many prosecutions there have been for the spillage or discharge of chemicals from North sea oil and gas installations over the last five years.
Mr. Peter Morrison : There have been no prosecutions for spillage or discharge of chemicals from North sea oil and gas installations over the last five years.
Nuclear Industry (Work-related Diseases)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received, and from whom, concerning employees in the nuclear industry and work-related diseases ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : I have received a number of representations from the public and from Members of this House concerning this matter.
Natural Gas
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current production of natural gas from the United Kingdom sector of the North sea in million tonnes of oil equivalnt ; and what is the projected use of natural gas by 2005 and 2020 outlined in the range of scenarios produced in the study "An Evaluation of Energy-related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them".
Mr. Peter Morrison : Gas production from United Kingdom fields in 1988--the last year for which full data is available--was approximately 39 million tonnes oil equivalent (MTOE). Primary gas demand in the study referred to was estimated to range between 59 and 100 MTOE in 2005 and between 72 and 169 MTOE in 2020. This range of estimates was based on price assumptions provided by the International Energy Agency.
Greenhouse Effect
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy to whom the departmental study for the IPCC "An Evaluation of Energy-related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them", has been circulated for peer review external to the Department.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The study has not been subject to formal peer review. It was undertaken at the specific request of the energy and industry subgroup of the
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response strategies working group of the IPCC, and given to it at the end of November 1989. In the preparation of the study, a number of groups within and outside Government were consulted, and some provided input. Much of the data used was from published sources. The Department's advisory council on R and D for fuel and power (ACORD) will discuss the study shortly.Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to update the departmental study for the IPCC "An Evaluation of Energy-related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them", to include new information and data, and to take account of critical reviews received since its publication.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I have no plans to update this study. It was carried out as a response to a specific request from the energy and industry subgroup of the response strategies working group of the IPCC for material to assist the work of that subgroup. The work of the subgroup is expected to be completed before the end of April.
Sizewell
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what were the original overall costs for the development programme at Sizewell ; and what are his latest projected costs figures.
Mr. Baldry : The Sizewell B project was sanctioned by the CEGB on 1 April 1987 at a cost of £1,691 million. The board's most recent estimate, derived from evidence given to the Hinkley Point C inquiry in September 1989, is £1,870 million at 1987 prices.
French Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if either the French Government or Electricite de France have informed him of any risk or failure at nuclear power stations situated on or near the northern coast of France ;
(2) if he will consult both the French Government and Electricite de France to ensure that arrangements exist for notificaion in case of serious risk or failure at northern nuclear power stations in France ;
(3) what discussions he has had with the French Government or with Electricite de France in regard to the safety of nuclear power stations that are close to the northern coast of France.
Mr. Baldry : There are continuing contacts between my officials and those of the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and their French counterparts.
The nuclear installations inspectorate has an exchange of information arrangement with the French nuclear safety regulatory body--Service Central de Surete des Installations Nucle aires (SCSIN)--which includes the exchange of safety-related information. There is no reason to suppose that the standards of safety adopted by the French are any less rigorous than those applied in the United Kingdom.
Arrangements already exist, under a bilateral treaty with the French Government, for Her Majesty's Government to be notified of any accidental release of radioactivity from a
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French nuclear installation. In addition, the French Government are a party to the early international notification arrangements established by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Community.An independent means of detecting and monitoring any abnormal increases in environmental radioactivity of the kind which might stem from an overseas nuclear accident is provided by the radioactive incident monitoring network (RIMNET).
Magnox Fuel
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the volume of intermediate-level waste that is generated due to the reprocessing of spent fuel for each of the fuel types Magnox, advanced gas reactor and pressurised water reactor.
Mr. Baldry : I understand from British Nuclear Fuels plc that the volumes of intermediate level wastes, conditioned for disposal, generated from the reprocessing of spent fuel are approximately as follows :
2.00 cubic metres per tonne of uranium of Magnox fuel reprocessed.
2.25 cubic metres per tonne of uranium of advanced gas reactor fuel reprocessed.
1.25 cubic metres per tonne of uranium of pressurised water reactor fuel reprocessed.
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