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Housing Valuations, Borders
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the district valuer's valuation for houses in each of the areas in the borders proposed to be sold by Scottish Homes to the Waverley housing trust.
Mr. Lang : I am considering the terms of the sale proposed by Scottish Homes to Waverley housing trust. Details such as the district valuer's valuations will be made available when I announce my decision.
NHS Trusts
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which hospitals within the Renfrew district area of Argyll and Clyde health board have applied for trust status ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No applications for NHS trust status have been received from within the Argyll and Clyde health board area. However, given the benefits to patients which are now clearly emerging from existing operational trusts, I would expect those charged with health care in Renfrew district, as elsewhere, would wish to examine the matter very carefully.
Spanish Customs Officers
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what assessment has been made on the impact on the Scottish fishing industry of the interruption of supplies bound for the Spanish market as a result of planned industrial action by Spanish customs officers ;
(2) what discussions he has had with the Scottish Fish Merchants Association on the planned industrial action by Spanish customs officers.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Spanish market is a very important outlet for Scottish fish and shellfish and it would be of some concern if the trade with Spain were to be disrupted. For the moment, industrial action by Spanish customs agents appears to be sporadic with notice of their intentions being given in advance. As yet there have been no representations from Scottish fish processing sources on the matter. We are continuing to monitor the situation.
Food Hygiene
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the likely timetable for the introduction of amendments to the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 1959.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) on 21 February 1992.
Repossession Orders
Mr. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many orders for repossession of houses there were in each sheriff court area in Scotland for 1979, 1990 and 1991.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 19 February 1992] : Information on orders for repossession of houses is included in the returns relating to all actions involving land or heritable estate which are
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supplied to the courts for the purposes of the Judicial Statistics (Scotland) Act 1869 and cannot be identified separately.DEFENCE
Atomic Energy Authority, Harwell
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) from which subheads of which votes funds for his Department's contracts with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Harwell are taken ;
(2) what contracts his Department has with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Harwell ; what are the purposes of these contracts ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The Atomic Weapons Establishment has a number of contracts which utilise the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's expertise in the fields of nuclear waste treatment, plutonium handling, safety studies, materials analysis and equipment testing and calibration. Funding for these contracts is provided from class 1, defence vote 2-- defence procurement. It would not be in the national interest to reveal further details of the funding arrangements.
Nuclear-Powered Warship Safety Committee
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the terms of reference of the nuclear-powered warship safety committee.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The terms of reference are to advise the Secretary of State for Defence and other Ministers on all public safety matters associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of nuclear-powered warships.
Procurement
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of proposed changes of regulations relating to the defence procurement programme on supplier companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : My Department is unaware of any proposals for such changes that would affect supplier companies.
Publicity
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information requested is as follows : Royal Navy/Royal Marines
1. Press campaign to recruit RN/RM officers--February/March 1992. 2. Press campaign to recruit specialist RN officer
categories--February/March 1992.
(This is in place of the cinema campaign mentioned in my answer of 8 November 1991, at column 297. )
Territorial Army
1. Combined TV and press recruiting campaign--January/March 1992.
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Northern Ireland
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the involvement of military forces in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The armed forces are in Northern Ireland acting in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to defeat terrorism. We are determined to defeat terrorism within the rule of the law.
Housing Task Force
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the housing task force to report.
Mr. Tom King : The housing task force, under the chairmanship of my noble Friend the Earl of Arran, was required to look radically at housing for the services. This it has done and it has now reported to me with proposals for the immediate future, and the medium and longer term. It has undertaken a major task in a short time and I pay tribute to the contribution made by its members, including those from the private sector, the service charities and the voluntary housing sector. I have placed in the Library a note describing the actions that are being taken in the light of its recommendations. Separately, I have placed a note in the Library setting out a number of improvements to provision for resettlement advice and support for the services.
ENERGY
Renewable Energy
14. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what initiatives he is taking to assist local authorities in the development of renewable energy sources.
Mr. Moynihan : The Department of Energy is supporting a series of pilot studies to assist local authorities to identify the renewable energy potential in their area and to explore the associated planning and environmental issues. The first two studies are taking place in Cumbria and Devon.
20. Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what new plans he has to increase electricity production from renewable sources.
Mr. Moynihan : The non-fossil fuel obligation will continue to bring forward additional renewables-sourced generating capacity. Meanwhile, I am reviewing my Department's renewable energy strategy.
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of new rules and regulations proposed by his Department which would affect small firms engaged in renewable energy projects ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : Proposed new regulations are subject to a compliance cost assessment, which would include consideration of the effect on business. The departmental deregulation unit regularly surveys the scope for reducing burdens on business. However, at present I have no proposals to introduce new rules or regulations which would affect small firms engaged in renewable energy projects.
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United Kingdom Continental Shelf
19. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of gas production on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1990.
Mr. Moynihan : In 1990, 50 billion cubic metres of gas were produced from the United Kingdom continental shelf. My Department's provisional estimate is that the level of production rose by over 10 per cent. in 1991.
Petroleum Act 1987
21. Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any proposals to modify the Petroleum Act 1987 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : As far as the abandonment provisions of the Petroleum Act 1987 are concerned, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 9 December 1991 at column 335 . In addition, the Offshore Safety Bill makes provision for those powers in the Petroleum Act which relate to the establishment of safety zones to be made an "existing statutory provision" of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. There are no other plans to modify the Petroleum Act.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
22. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of carbon dioxide emissions produced as a result of energy use in the home ; and if he will make a statement.
24. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of carbon dioxide emissions produced as a result of energy use in the home.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : It is estimated that in 1990 the domestic sector emitted some 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (or 40 million tonnes of carbon). This represents about a quarter of total emissions. These figures take into account the domestic sector's estimated share of emissions from the electricity supply industry.
Energy Prices
23. Sir Anthony Durant : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much the level of prices for fuel, light and power has changed in real terms since 1986.
Mr. Moynihan : I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Jessel) earlier today.
Coal Task Force
25. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is in a position to respond to the report of the coal task force.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Our response to the report by the task force on coal research and development issues will be published in due course.
Coal Industry (Industrial Disputes)
26. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of production lost through industrial disputes in the coal industry in (a) 1980-81, (b) 1986-87 and (c) 1990-91.
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Saleable tonnage lost as a result of industrial disputes for the years quoted are as follows :
|Million
|tonnes
------------------------
1980-81 |1.5
1986-87 |1.0
1990-91 |0.2
Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many days were lost through strikes in the coal industry in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : This Department does not collect information of this nature. British Coal, however, records saleable tonnage lost as a result of disputes in its annual report, and the latest figures are :
|Million
|tonnes
------------------------
1978-79 |1.5
1982-83 |3.6
1986-87 |1.0
1990-91 |0.2
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Electricity
27. Mr. Andrew Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much domestic electricity prices rose (a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) since 1984.
Mr. Wakeham : Between 1974 and 1979 domestic electricity prices rose by 16 per cent. in real terms (an increase of 147 per cent. in cash terms). Between 1984 and 1991 they fell by five per cent. in real terms (an increase of 41 per cent. in cash terms).
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the applications under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, stating for each application whether it was granted, refused, or is outstanding ; and whether it has gone to a public inquiry.
Mr. Wakeham : The applications made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 are as listed.
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Site |Applicant |Proposals |Status
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hinkley Point "C" |Nuclear Electric |1,200 MW PWR |Consent given 6 September 1990
Killingholme "A" |National Power |1,020 MW combined cycle gas turbine |Consent given 17 April 1990
| station (CCGT)
Little Barford |National Power |680 MW CCGT |Consent given 5 February 1991
Rye House |PowerGen |560-680 MW CCGT |Consent given 19 December 1990
Sutton Bridge |Electricity System Industry |60 MW coal-fired station |Withdrawn
Ratcliffe on Soar |PowerGen |Installation of FGD |Consent given 27 March 1991
Ferrybridge "C" |PowerGen |Installation of FGD |Under consideration
Wilton |Teesside Power Ltd. |1,725 MW CCGT |Consent given 5 November 1990.
Deeside |Deeside Power |450 MW CCGT |Consent given 15 November 1990. A
| Development Company | new application to increase the output
| Ltd. | to 500 MW has been received and is
| under consideration
Drax |National Power |New ash disposal facilities |Under consideration
Keadby |Energy Resources Ltd. |720 MW CCGT |Consent given 4 March 1991
Plymouth |PowerGen |350-450 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Staythorpe "C" |National Power |1,500 MW CCGT |Awaiting report of public inquiry
Angle Bay |Texaco Ltd. |1,100 or 1,280 MW CCGT |Consent given 9 September 1991
Didcot "B" |National Power |1,500 MW CCGT |Awaiting report of public inquiry
Ryedale |Kelt UK Ltd. |50-60 MW open cycle gas turbine station |Awaiting report of public inquiry
Coryton |Coryton Cogen Ltd. |460 MW CCGT |Consent given 4 July 1991
Barking |Barking Power Ltd. |1000 MW CCGT |Consent given 11 February 1992
Rugby |Rugby Power Company |380 MW CCGT |Withdrawn
| Ltd.
Blyth |National Power |New ash disposal facilities |Consent given 3 February 1992
Killingholme |PowerGen |Cooling water works |Withdrawn
"PowerGen"
Belvedere |Cory Environmental Ltd. |126 MW station fuelled by refuse |Under consideration
Ardleigh |Eastern Generation Ltd. |380 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Medway |Medway Power Ltd. |660 MW CCGT |Under consideration
King's Lynn |Energy Supply Company |118 MW CCGT |Consent given 14 January 1992
| Ltd.
Stallingborough |Humber Power Ltd. |1,100 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Dungeness |Nuclear Electric |New low level waste handling facility |Under consideration
West Burton |National Power |New ash disposal facility |Under consideration
Pembroke |National Power |Fitting of new dust control equipment |Under consideration
Connah's Quay |PowerGen |1,350 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Shoreham |South Coast Power Ltd. |450 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Oldbury-on-Severn |Nuclear Electric |Installation of a silt lagoon |Under consideration
Charterhouse Street, |Citigen Ltd. |90 MW station fuelled by gas and fuel |Under consideration
London EC1 | oil
Spondon |Courtaulds |318 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Seabank |Seabank Power Ltd. |1,212 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Greenwich |MetroPower Ltd. |370 MW CCGT |Under consideration
Sutton Bridge |Independent Power |700 MW CCGT |Under consideration
| Generators Ltd.
Trafford, Manchester |Electricity System Industry |680 MW CCGT |Under consideration
| Ltd.
King's Lynn |Eastern Generation Ltd. |380 MW CCGT |Under consideration
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Citizens Charter
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairmen of the regional electricity companies to discuss the citizens charter.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet chairmen of the regional electricity companies from time to time to discuss a range of issues.
Severn Barrage
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report progress on the Severn barrage project.
Mr. Moynihan : A £50,000 preliminary financing study for the barrage has just been agreed, in addition to the existing environmental and energy capture studies costing £940,000.
Verification Technology
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department received any invitation to (a) attend, (b) participate in or (c) present a paper on radioisotope monitoring at the Joint Verification Technology Information Centre/Royal Astronomical Society discussion meeting on nuclear verification being held at the Geological Society on 14 February.
Photovoltaic Research
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what funding his Department has provided into photovoltaic research for each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Moynihan : On 8 May 1991 I announced that the Government would fund a £250,000 programme of research into photovoltaics. It is expected that expenditure in FY1991/92 will amount to about £60,000. Prior to my announcement, the Department's renewable programme undertook an investigation into photovoltaics costing about £40,000, and the report was published in 1990 as ETSU-R-50, "Review of Photovoltaic Power Technology". Between FY1981/82 and FY1990/91, the solar element of the renewables programme was directed primarily at passive solar design, rather than photovoltaics, with expenditure rising from £0.7 million to £2.1 million during that period.
Oil
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much oil is refined per head of population in each Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development country and member state of the European Community.
Mr. Moynihan : In 1990, the latest year for which data are available, the amount of oil refined per head of population in OECD countries and member states of the European Community was as follows ;
Country |Tonnes of
|refined oil per
|head of
|population
--------------------------------------------------
Australia |1.75
Austria |1.16
Belgium<1> |2.96
Canada |3.16
Denmark<1> |1.54
Finland |2.10
France<1> |1.40
Germany<1> |1.71
Greece<1> |1.63
Iceland |Nil
Ireland<1> |0.50
Italy<1> |1.58
Japan |1.41
Luxembourg<1> |Nil
Netherlands<1> |4.74
New Zealand |1.38
Norway |3.10
Portugal<1> |1.06
Spain<1> |1.42
Sweden |2.05
Switzerland |0.45
Turkey |0.40
United Kingdom<1> |1.54
United States |2.92
<1> Member states of the European Community.
NB Germany refers to the (former) Federal
Republic of Germany.
Source: Population-OECD Main Economic Indicators.
Source: Oil data-International Energy Agency.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of United Kingdom oil is refined within Wales ; and how much this is per head of population.
Mr. Moynihan : In 1990, 19.7 per cent. of United Kingdom oil was refined in Wales. The amount of oil refined per head of population in Wales in 1990 was 6.06 tonnes.
International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has regarding the annual budget of the International Atomic Energy Agency for safeguards and other purposes for each year since 1979 ;
(2) what has been the annual contribution in financial terms to the International Atomic Energy Agency for each year since 1979 ; and what non- financial assistance has been given.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Details of all these are given in the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual accounts. I am making arrangements for copies of the accounts to be deposited in the Library of the House.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy from which countries radioactive and toxic waste was treated at the nuclear re- processing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991 ; and what methods of transportation were used.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Neither radioactive nor toxic waste is imported for treatment at Sellafield. During the period mentioned by the hon. Member, spent nuclear fuel from Italy and Japan was reprocessed to recover the uranium and plutonium for possible recycling. The fuel in question was transported by sea and rail. The arrangements were subject to the stringent requirements laid down by the appropriate national and international regulations. Fuel from United Kingdom customers was also reprocessed at Sellafield during the period.
Column 401
Libya
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received the report of the outcome of the visit of the
Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Libya on 2 February.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The International Atomic Energy Agency has made a report in the form of a press release on this visit. A copy of the press release has been placed in the Library of the House.
Balance of Trade (Fuels)
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the balance of trade in fuels in 1991.
Mr. Wakeham : In 1991 the United Kingdom had a trading surplus in fuels worth £104 million.
Coal Imports
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the volume of coal which will be imported into the United Kingdom during 1992 and in each of the next three years ; and what proportion he expects imported coal to be of the total tonnage consumed in each of those years.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We do not make such estimates.
Privatisations
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the amount of electricity and gas saved since privatisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : In the electricity industry, competition has created an incentive on generators to reduce their fuel costs and an incentive on customers to manage their demand. As a result, the National Grid Company has noted evidence that high peak demands are now being managed more effectively, and older, inefficient plant is being closed down.
The Government are taking steps in the Utilities Bill to open up the gas market to wider competition, which will encourage a further focusing on costs by supplier and consumer as they evaluate the new options open to them.
British Gas and the regional electricity companies have also introduced initiatives to encourage their customers to use energy more efficiently, such as advisory services, Codes of Practice, competitions for industrial and commercial consumers, and appliance labelling. In addition, the Government have welcomed OFGAS' intention to incorporate into the gas tariff an "E factor" which would allow British Gas to pass on costs of energy efficiency programmes to consumers, and also the consultation document from OFFER on energy efficiency in the electricity industry.
Greenwich Power Station
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will take into account the impact on the water quality and fish stocks of the Thames when considering whether to approve the application from MetroPower Ltd., to reconstruct the Greenwich power station.
Column 402
Mr. Wakeham : I am obliged, when considering an application made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, to take into account the environmental effects before deciding whether to grant my consent to an application.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take into account the reports by Greenwich environmental health department and by the director of public health for Bexley on the rate of respiratory diseases among the population of Greenwich when considering whether to approve the application from MetroPower Ltd., to reconstruct the Greenwich power station.
Mr. Wakeham : I have not received either of the reports. Greenwich borough council, which is the relevant planning authority, has yet to give me its views. It is a matter for the council whether to include these reports when submitting its views to me.
Offshore Installations
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) in relation to the relevant provisions contained in the Petroleum Act 1987, if he will list the offshore installations and pipeline networks which have been dismantled and removed or those which are to be demolished and withdrawn from their sites on the United Kingdom continental shelf ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) in relation to the relevant provisions contained in the Petroleum Act 1987, how many programmes involving the abandonment of (a) offshore installations and (b) submarine pipe line networks he has approved over the past three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : Over the past three years my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has approved two abandonment programmes under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987, relating to the Crawford (block 9/28a) and Blair (block 16/21a) fields. On the Crawford field all installations and pipelines have been dismantled and removed from the United Kingdom continental shelf. They comprised :
--The North Sea Pioneer floating production system.
--The Hamilton 2 CALM loading buoy.
--Subsea facilities, including flexible pipelines and control lines.
On the Blair field, the single production wellhead has been dismantled and removed ; two small partially trenched pipelines have been left in place after cleaning and, to prevent interference with fishing vessels, have been covered with concrete mattresses where they were not trenched. Approval of the abandonment programme was subject to conditions requiring inspection and maintenance of these pipelines.
No other installations or pipelines have been dismantled and removed. The Piper Alpha installation was toppled in situ in 1989 as it was not safe or practicable to abandon it by other means. The Government have made clear that each abandonment programme submitted under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987 will be considered on its merits, in the light of all the circumstances prevailing at the time, and taking full account of environmental and fishing interests. The standards taken into account when a decision is made regarding the removal of disused offshore installations and structures will be consistent with the guidelines adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Application of the IMO guidelines means that the majority of platforms on the UKCS will be entirely removed.
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