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Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested is given in the table:
Unadjusted claimant unemployment
|Percentage change<1>
|July 1987-
Parliamentary |September 1995
constituency
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheffield Central |-33.2
Sheffield Attercliffe |-35.2
Sheffield Brightside |-32.9
Sheffield Hallam |-31.8
Sheffield Heeley |-34.8
Sheffield Hillsborough |-30.9
Total Sheffield constituencies |-33.2
<1> The figures are based on unadjusted data and are therefore subject
to seasonal influences as well as changes in the coverage of the count.
SCOTLAND
Ministerial Visits
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is the practice of his Department to give prior notice to right hon. and hon. Members when he or a Minister from his Department attends an official engagement or organises an official visit to their constituencies and if he will make a statement. [39156]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: Arrangements are in place within my Department to give right hon. and hon. Members notice when I or any other Minister from my Department attends an official engagement or organises an official visit to their constituency.
Prisoners (Immigration Status)
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are in Scottish prisons for reasons related to immigration status. [38830]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Malcolm Chisholm, dated 2 November 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of people held in prison for reasons related to immigration status.
Information on the number of prisoners held in relation to immigration status is collected on a monthly basis. The average number in August 1995 was 27.
New Departmental Accommodation
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of land procurement, planning designing, constructing and fitting out the new Scottish Office building; how many additional jobs have been created, both directly and indirectly; what is his estimate of the additional accommodation costs or savings which will be achieved in each of the next 10 financial years; and if he will make a statement. [39165]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The building at Victoria quay was purchased by Property Holdings for incorporation into the government estate at a total cost of £46.925 million excluding VAT, which includes the site, construction and professional fees. Fitting-out costs of approximately £14.5 million for occupational services works are being met by the Scottish Office.
Column 431
It is difficult to estimate the effect of the development on jobs. At the peak of construction activity, there was a work force of 600 on site and during fit-out, an average of 140. Fifteen hundred staff and contractors are working in the building and they and visitors to it will provide custom for local businesses.My Department estimates that running cost savings of about £3 million a year will be achieved from lower opportunity cost rentals than were payable on the buildings given up, economies of scale, the energy efficient design of the building and its flexibility to respond to changing working patterns. There will also be considerable gains to the operational efficiency of the Department due to the co-location of a large number of staff on a single site.
Temazepam
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of deaths in each of the past five years which were related to the abuse of the drug Temazepam; what estimate he has made of the percentage of those which involved the gel formulation; and if he will make a statement. [39195]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The number of deaths certified as being due to drug misuse for the years 1990 to 1994 is as follows: 1990: 136
1991: 125
1992: 153
1993: 209
1994: 247
With regard to the number of deaths which were related to the abuse of the drug Temazepam, figures where Temazepam was the sole cause of death are not available. However, for the year 1994 the number of deaths where Temazepam was found was 52. Figures for previous years and the percentage of those which involved the gel formulation are not available.
All figures are contained in the report "Collection of Information on Drug Related Deaths by the General Register Office for Scotland", a copy of which is in the Library.
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of people who have had one or more limbs amputated as a result of injecting the gel formulation of the drug Temazepam during each of the past five years. [39183]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Because of the covert nature of the misuse, information on the precise extent of physical injury or damage resulting when Temazepam soft gelatin gel-filled capsules are injected is not held centrally.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for (a) the financial year 1994 95 and (b) the estimated figures for the financial year 1995 96, for each executive agency for which he is responsible. [39520]
Column 432
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: As the information requested is lengthy, I shall arrange for copies of the lists to be placed in the House Library.
Parliamentary Constituencies
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now publish full constituency data for the new parliamentary constituencies in Scotland. [40207]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: This information is not held centrally. The Parliamentary Constituencies (Scotland) Order 1995 gave effect to the proposals of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland, copies of whose report have been placed in the House of Commons Library. The new constituencies do not come into effect, however, until the next general election. Until then, electoral registration officers have a statutory duty to publish registers according to the present constituencies, but they also make preparations to enable the registers to be adapted for use at the next general election.
Wheelchairs
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of new electrically powered wheelchairs supplied by the national health service in Scotland over the past five years. [40260]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Information on the overall number of powered chairs issued in the last five years is not held centrally. Details of the number of indoor/outdoor powered chairs and indoor powered chairs purchased since the provision of special funding in 1992 are set out.
|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95|1995-96
-------------------------------------------------------
Indoor/Outdoor |313 |267 |286 |<1>93
Indoor |497 |409 |<1>87
<1> For six months 1 April 1995 to 30 September 1995.
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will review the current criteria for eligibility for electrically powered wheelchairs to be provided by the national health service; [40259]
(2) if he will relax the criteria to enable more national health service patients to qualify for electrically powered wheelchairs in Scotland in future. [40262]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The criteria to determine eligibility for the provision of electrically powered wheelchairs were established in September 1992 in consultation with the clinicians in the artificial limb and appliance centres. Following a review after practical experience of the arrangements, it was decided that these criteria had been too tightly drawn, and they were revised to embrace a wider range of patients. The revised criteria were agreed by all centres in 1994. In view of this recent revision, there are no plans for a further review at present.
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of supplying electrically powered wheelchairs by the national health service in Scotland over the past five years; and what plans he has to provide finance for the next three-year period. [40261]
Column 433
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The provision of patient-controlled electrically powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs was announced in February 1992. Initial funding of £2.5 million was earmarked over the following three years to provide around 1,300 electrically powered wheelchairs for use both indoors and outdoors by severely disabled people. The level of funding to be provided in future years is still to be determined.
Category A Prisoners
Mr. Mallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many category A prisoners are currently in the prison system in Scotland; and how many are in each sub-category. [38841]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 30 October 1995]: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 2 November 1995:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of category A prisoners held in prison; and the numbers in each sub-category.
As at 20 October 1995 there were 20 category A prisoners held in Scotland. Category A is not divided into sub-categories in Scotland.
Ministerial Transport
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost of ministerial transport in each of the past five years; what allowance has been paid to Ministers who use their own vehicles; and what has been the cost in each of the past five years. [40748]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The cost to the Scottish Office of ministerial transport in each of the last five years is as follows: 1991 92: £234,803
1992 93: £224,163
1993 94: £256,270
1994 95: £292,143
1995 96: £150,723 (6 months)
No payments have been made to Ministers for the use of their own vehicles in the past five years.
Homelessness
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of which local authorities have benefited from the additional £29 million supplementary capital allocation issued in six bidding rounds between 1991 and 1994 to enable authorities to tackle homelessness; and if he will set out the individual initiatives funded through the allocations, indicating for each individual project (a) the local authority through which the allocation is channelled, (b) the target client group, (c) the number of units provided, (d) the physical type of accommodation, (e) whether the project provides temporary or permanent accommodation, (f) the capital cost of each project, (g) whether the project was funded through the housing revenue account or the non-housing revenue account and (h) which of the six bidding rounds the project is funded through. [40641]
Column 434
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: Between 1991 and 1993, a total of £22.6 million additional capital allocations were made available to local authorities in response to specific bids made by them. In 1993 94 and 1994 95, further supplementary capital allocations of £4.35 million and £2.62 million respectively were provided to allow authorities to accelerate or enhance the investment plans for the homeless contained in their housing programmes. Information on the distribution of these resources is set out in the table which follows. Detailed information on individual projects in the form requested is not held centrally.
Additional
capital
allocations £ Financial
million
Local Authority |HRA |non-HRA |year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Borders
Berwickshire |0.040 |- |1991-92
|0.050 |- |1992-93
Ettrick and Lauderdale |0.221 |- |1992-93
Roxburgh |0.260 |- |1992-93
Tweeddale |0.204 |- |1991-92
|0.120 |- |1992-93
Central
Clackmannan |0.350 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
Falkirk |0.654 |- |1991-92
|0.320 |- |1992-93
|- |0.100 |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
Stirling |0.260 |- |1991-92
|0.200 |- |1992-93
|0.110 |- |1993-94
Dumfries and Galloway
Annandale and Eskdale |- |0.228 |1992-93
|0.110 |- |1993-94
Nithsdale |- |0.100 |1991-92
|- |0.400 |1992-93
|- |0.130 |1993-94
Stewartry |0.085 |- |1991-92
|0.125 |- |1992-93
|- |0.100 |1994-95
Wigtown |- |0.184 |1992-93
|- |0.150 |1994-95
Fife
Dunfermline |0.065 |- |1991-92
|0.138 |- |1992-93
Kirkcaldy |0.343 |- |1991-92
|0.227 |- |1992-93
|0.174 |- |1993-94
North East Fife |0.165 |- |1992-93
|0.080 |- |1993-94
Grampian
Aberdeen |0.465 |- |1991-92
|- |0.075 |1991-92
|0.350 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
|0.350 |- |1994-95
Banff and Buchan |0.200 |- |1991-92
|0.030 |- |1994-95
Gordon |- |0.150 |1991-92
|0.240 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
|0.050 |- |1994-95
Kincardine and Deeside |0.156 |- |1992-93
Moray |0.125 |- |1991-92
|0.090 |- |1992-93
Highland
Badenoch and Strathspey |0.300 |- |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
|0.020 |- |1994-95
Caithness |0.060 |- |1992-93
Inverness |0.160 |- |1991-92
|0.580 |- |1992-93
|0.250 |- |1993-94
Lochaber |0.045 |- |1991-92
|0.227 |- |1992-93
|0.200 |- |1993-94
Nairn |0.220 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
Ross and Cromarty |0.400 |- |1992-93
|0.155 |- |1993-94
Skye and Lochalsh |0.150 |- |1992-93
Lothian
East Lothian |0.275 |- |1991-92
|0.346 |- |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
|0.120 |- |1994-95
Edinburgh |0.930 |- |1991-92
|0.681 |- |1992-93
|- |0.200 |1993-94
|- |0.200 |1994-95
Midlothian |0.450 |- |1992-93
|0.044 |- |1993-94
West Lothian |0.208 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute |0.250 |- |1991-92
|0.200 |- |1992-93
|- |0.220 |1993-94
Bearsden and Milngavie |0.124 |- |1992-93
Clydesdale |0.040 |- |1991-92
|0.270 |- |1992-93
|0.110 |- |1993-94
|- |0.050 |1993-94
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |0.032 |- |1991-92
|0.292 |- |1992-93
|- |0.130 |1993-94
|- |0.132 |1994-95
Cumnock and Doon Valley |0.285 |- |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
|0.120 |- |1994-95
Cunninghame |0.144 |- |1991-92
|0.405 |- |1992-93
|0.156 |- |1993-94
Dumbarton |0.413 |- |1991-92
|0.247 |- |1992-93
|0.080 |- |1993-94
East Kilbride |0.130 |- |1992-93
Eastwood |0.190 |- |1992-93
|0.080 |- |1994-95
Glasgow |0.900 |- |1991-92
|0.775 |- |1992-93
|0.250 |- |1993-94
|0.600 |- |1994-95
Hamilton |0.356 |- |1992-93
|0.200 |- |1994-95
Inverclyde |0.125 |- |1991-92
|0.100 |- |1992-93
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |0.210 |- |1991-92
|0.060 |- |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
Kyle and Carrick |0.625 |- |1992-93
|- |0.150 |1994-95
Monklands |0.350 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
|0.250 |- |1994-95
Motherwell |0.200 |- |1991-92
|0.367 |- |1992-93
Renfrew |0.318 |- |1991-92
|0.600 |- |1992-93
|- |0.016 |1992-93
Strathkelvin |0.160 |- |1991-92
|0.050 |- |1992-93
Tayside
Angus |0.290 |- |1992-93
Dundee |0.515 |- |1991-92
|0.681 |- |1992-93
|0.221 |- |1993-94
Perth and Kinross |0.456 |- |1992-93
|0.200 |- |1993-94
Islands Areas
Orkney |- |0.135 |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
|0.200 |- |1994-95
Shetland |0.130 |- |1992-93
Western Isles |0.120 |- |1991-92
|0.220 |- |1992-93
Edinburgh |0.930 |- |1991-92
|0.681 |- |1992-93
|- |0.200 |1993-94
|- |0.200 |1994-95
Midlothian |0.450 |- |1992-93
|0.044 |- |1993-94
West Lothian |0.208 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
Strathclyde
Argyll and Bute |0.250 |- |1991-92
|0.200 |- |1992-93
|- |0.220 |1993-94
Bearsden and Milngavie |0.124 |- |1992-93
Clydesdale |0.040 |- |1991-92
|0.270 |- |1992-93
|0.110 |- |1993-94
|- |0.050 |1993-94
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |0.032 |- |1991-92
|0.292 |- |1992-93
|- |0.130 |1993-94
|- |0.132 |1994-95
Cumnock and Doon Valley |0.285 |- |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
|0.120 |- |1994-95
Cunninghame |0.144 |- |1991-92
|0.405 |- |1992-93
|0.156 |- |1993-94
Dumbarton |0.413 |- |1991-92
|0.247 |- |1992-93
|0.080 |- |1993-94
East Kilbride |0.130 |- |1992-93
Eastwood |0.190 |- |1992-93
|0.080 |- |1994-95
Glasgow |0.900 |- |1991-92
|0.775 |- |1992-93
|0.250 |- |1993-94
|0.600 |- |1994-95
Hamilton |0.356 |- |1992-93
|0.200 |- |1994-95
Inverclyde |0.125 |- |1991-92
|0.100 |- |1992-93
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |0.210 |- |1991-92
|0.060 |- |1992-93
|0.150 |- |1993-94
Kyle and Carrick |0.625 |- |1992-93
|- |0.150 |1994-95
Monklands |0.350 |- |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
|0.250 |- |1994-95
Motherwell |0.200 |- |1991-92
|0.367 |- |1992-93
Renfrew |0.318 |- |1991-92
|0.600 |- |1992-93
|- |0.016 |1992-93
Strathkelvin |0.160 |- |1991-92
|0.050 |- |1992-93
Tayside
Angus |0.290 |- |1992-93
Dundee |0.515 |- |1991-92
|0.681 |- |1992-93
|0.221 |- |1993-94
Perth and Kinross |0.456 |- |1992-93
|0.200 |- |1993-94
Islands Areas
Orkney |- |0.135 |1992-93
|0.100 |- |1993-94
|0.200 |- |1994-95
Shetland |0.130 |- |1992-93
Western Isles |0.120 |- |1991-92
|0.220 |- |1992-93
1. HRA: Housing revenue account expenditure on authority's own stock.
2. Non-HRA: non-housing revenue account expenditure on other housing provision.
Market Testing
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the health services that have been market tested by, or notified to, his Department and won by the private sector indicating (a) the location and (b) the organisation winning the tender. [40619]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 31 October 1995]: The list of contracts won by the private sector following market testing in the NHS in Scotland is set out in the table:
|Contractor
Health board area |Service type |(Number of
|contracts)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |Hotel Services |Mediguard (1)
|Painting |John Miller and Son (4)
|Capital Decorator (2)
|Trident Main Services (1)
|Grounds |Russell Landscape (1)
| Maintenance
Ayrshire and Arran |Hotel Services |Mediguard (1)
|Painting |Baxter and Gillespie (4)
|Moss Painting (2)
|Financial |Bank of Scotland (1)
|Transport |Cochrane Leasing (1)
|Turner Hire Drive (1)
|Vehicle |Maconochies of Kilmarnock (1)
| Maintenance
|Supplies |Meadowhead Stores (1)
Dumfries and |Estates |Crossan Electrical (1)
Galloway | Maintenance
Fife |Catering |Sodexho (1)
|General Ancillary |Initial Healthcare (1)
|Mediguard (2)
Grampian |Domestic |Mediguard (4)
|Car Parking |Securiguard Ltd. (1)
|Internal Audit |Coopers and Lybrand (1)
|Occupational |RGIT Health Ltd. (1)
| Health
|Care Management |CHS (1)
Greater Glasgow |Domestic |Hospital Hygiene (2)
|Sunlight (1)
|Initial Healthcare (4)
|Olscot Ltd. (3)
|Catering |Sodexho (1)
|Portering |Sunlight (4)
|Mediguard (1)
|Hospital Hygiene (2)
|Olscot Ltd. (1)
|Painting |HAT Painting Ltd. (4)
|McLean and Speirs Ltd. (3)
|Fitzroy Building (1)
|Grounds |P and D Services (1)
| Maintenance
|CBC Lands Division (4)
|OCS Cleanmaster Ltd. (1)
|Financial |Bank of Scotland (1)
Highland |Laundry |John O'Groat Co. Ltd. (2)
Lanarkshire |Portering |Sunlight (1)
|Pall Mall Services (1)
|Hospital Hygiene (1)
|Multi-Services |Sunlight (1)
|Initial Healthcare (2)
|Catering |Mediguard (1)
|Estates |Serco Services Ltd. (1)
| Maintenance
|Painting |HPC Coating (2)
|Bell Decorating (1)
Lothian |Multi-Service |Sodexho (1)
|Domestic |Initial Healthcare (1)
|Catering |Sodexho (1)
|Mediguard (1)
|Hotel Services |Initial Healthcare (1)
|Painting |HAT Painting Ltd (1)
|Estates |Drake and Scull (1)
| Maintenance
|Engineering |Drake and Scull (1)
Shetland |Hotel Services |Gardner Merchant (1)
Tayside |General Ancillary |Talorplan (1)
|Car Parking |Securicor Guard Service (1)
|Laundry |Gordons (1)
|Wheelchair |Archibald Young (1)
| Technical Support
Bankruptcy Petitions
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many petitions for bankruptcy have been begun by his Department for businesses with under 500 employees in each of the last five years.
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 1 November 1995]: Since the enactment of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, there has only been one case of sequestration, in 1992, in which the Secretary of State for Scotland was the petitioning creditor.
Annual Remuneration
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individuals in (a) his Department, (b) agencies and (c) non- departmental public bodies receive annual remuneration including benefits in kind exceeding (i) £100,000, (ii) £200,000 and (iii) £300,000 in each year since 1985 86. [40872]
Column 439
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 1 November 1995]: Other than pension contributions, benefits in kind are not normally paid to staff in the Department, agencies and NDPBs. As members of the principal civil service pensions scheme, staff receive benefits in accordance with the scheme rules which have been deposited in the Library of the House.
No individual in my Department or its agencies has received over £100,000 annual remuneration in the specified period. One employee in a non-departmental public body will receive marginally in excess of £100,000 in the financial year 1995 96.
Salaries
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the (a) lowest (b) highest full-time salary paid to any employee in his (i) Department, (ii) agencies and (iii) non-departmental public bodies in (1) 1994 95 and (2) 1995 96. [40873]
Lord James Douglas Hamilton [holding answer 1 November 1995]: It is the Government's normal policy to publish civil servants' salaries in bands. On this basis, the information requested is as follows:
Z
|Highest full-time|Lowest full-time
|salary |salary
|Year |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department |1994-95 |95,000-99,999 |4,000-4,999
|1995-96 |95,000-99,999 |4,000-4,999
Agencies |1994-95 |55,000-59,999 |4,000-4,999
|1995-96 |75,000-79,999 |4,000-4,999
NDPBs |1994-95 |95,000-99,999 |-
|1995-96 |100,000-104,999 |-
The lowest salaries in the table are given to 16-year-olds in the most junior grades. Information on the lowest-paid salary paid in an NDPB could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Nurse Call Bell Systems
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines cover the operation of nurse call bell systems in NHS hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [39804]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: It is for individual trusts in Scotland, in the light of local circumstances, to determine their operational arrangements for nurse call systems and to ensure that they are brought to the attention of their staff during training and ward orientation. Technical guidance on call systems is contained in health technical memoranda 2015 "Bed Head Services", a copy of which will be placed in the Library.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Gallie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is in a position to make a statement for a second round of bidding under the Scottish renewables obligation. [41845]
Mr. Kynoch: Following a consultation exercise earlier this year about the first order, the proposed second order would oblige ScottishPower and Hydro-Electric to secure more--about 70 to 80 MW--of their output from
Column 440
renewable sources. The consultation exercise showed broad support for the Government's approach to developing renewable energy. The first order led to 30 quality renewables projects with a total capacity of 76 MW securing contracts with ScottishPower and Hydro-Electric. I am now minded to make a second order under the Scottish renewables obligation in 1996. I hope that this proposed second order will again attract technically sound and innovative projects which will be even more competitive on price. If so, the second order is likely to be about the same size as the first. I see this as an opportunity for the renewables industry to show that it is responding to the challenges which it faces.My Department will be issuing further guidance shortly for prospective applicants. The two Scottish public electricity supply companies are currently assembling information and guidelines for parties interested in submitting schemes into SRO2. Applicants are invited to make contact now with the relevant Scottish company ie the one in whose area the development is proposed, to discuss any aspect of the process.
Electricity Supplies
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households in Scotland are estimated to be without a mains electricity supply. [41203]
Mr. Kynoch: My right hon. Friend does not make such estimates.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Electromagnetic Radiation (Power Lines)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research he has been informed of on the relationship between electromagnetic radiation from power lines and cancer; and if he will make a statement. [39809]
Mr. Eggar: The most recent advice received about the alleged link between electromagnetic fields from power lines and cancer is a statement issued in March 1994 by the National Radiological Protection Board, based on a set of Scandinavian studies. These studies did not establish that exposure to EMF was a cause of cancer, although they provided some evidence to suggest that the possibility exists in the case of childhood leukaemia. A five-year study of the incidence of childhood cancers, taking into account a range of possible causes, is being conducted by the UK Co- ordinating Committee on Cancer Research, the results of which are expected in 1997.
Trade Union Right Commissioner
Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what overseas visits were carried out by the Commissioner for Rights of Trade Union Members and for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action during 1994 95; and what was the cost, duration and purpose of each visit. [40933]
Column 441
Renewable Energy
Dr. Michael Clark: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is yet able to make a statement on the outline arrangements for the fourth round of bidding for electricity from renewable sources of energy, known as NFFO-4. [41647]
Mr. Page: Following consultation earlier this year with over 50 associations and individual bodies with an interest in non-fossil fuel obligation orders in respect of renewable energy, I can now announce my outline policy proposals.
Government policy is to work towards 1,500 MW DNC--declared net capacity-- of new renewables-based generation capacity in the UK by 2000--and I shall continue with this broad aim. From current assessments, my Department expects that a total of 900 MW will commission and generate electricity under the first three renewables NFFO orders in England and Wales, from current Scottish and Northern Ireland--Sottish renewable order and Northern Ireland NFFO--orders, from prospective future SRO and NI-NFFO orders, and from capacity built outside NFFO/SRO arrangements. On this basis, a further 600 MW would be required to deliver the 1,500 MW policy and it is likely that this will be met by future orders for England and Wales. However, the working assumption is that only about two-thirds of projects, and capacity contracted under future NFFO arrangements will proceed to commissioning, with the implication that the level of obligations set in future orders beyond NFFO-3 will need to be about 50 per cent. higher than the capacity likely to be commissioned. I therefore expect that new NFFO orders for England and Wales of about 900 MW will be required to deliver the 600 MW of operational capacity. To the extent that it appears in later years that more or less capacity will commission under earlier NFFO orders or outside NFFO arrangements, I shall take that into account in setting the policy for future NFFO arrangements.
I have considered the representations made to my Department on past and future arrangements, and have taken into account the practical considerations in making a series of further orders. I propose to make a fourth renewables order--NFFO-4--in early 1997 in respect of the 12 regional electricity companies in England and Wales in their capacity as public electricity suppliers, and one further order in 1998. I currently expect each of these orders to be for approximately 400 MW to 500 MW of new capacity, but will review these levels in the light of further estimates of capacity likely to come forward under the third order--NFFO-3--the quality and cost of the proposal received, and the expected degree of convergence towards the market price represented by those proposals, relative to average and marginal prices paid under NFFO-3. This new round of bidding for electricity from renewables, launched today, is expected to stimulate further convergence between electricity prices under NFFO and the market price for electricity--bringing electricity from renewables closer to the point where they can compete in the open market against conventional generation. I expect proposals to be even more competitive than under NFFO- 3. I will be taking into account estimates of the percentage of projects in each technology band likely to go forward to commissioning in NFFO-4, but on the basis of past
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experience would expect the fourth order to lead to construction and operation of a total of 300 MW to 400 MW of new capacity from all technology bands.In setting out the prospective technology bands, I have taken into account the extent to which available resources have or would be taken up by existing NFFO contracts, the extent of demonstration provided by those contracts, and the Department's priorities attached to demonstrating the use of other renewable energy fuels and technologies.
For the NFFO 4 order, I am considering separate bands for new generating stations, based on
Wind power: split into two bands, ie large windframs and small- clusters/single-machines, but with the split point at less than the 1.6 MW DNC used for NFFO 3;
Hydro: from stations with a total capacity of less than 5 MW DNC;
Landfill gas: from licensed sites where tipping was being carried our prior to 22 July 1993;
Energy crops and/or forestry waste: by
gasification-by-partial-combustion or pyrolysis;
Municipal and industrial waste by fluidised-bed combustion: including the use of non-gaseous sewage-matter (up to 10 per cent. on a dry-weight basis);
Municipal and industrial waste with combined-heat-and-power technology: including the use of non-gaseous sewage-matter (up to 10 per cent. on a dry -weight basis)
Agricultural and food-processing waste by anaerobic digestion: food- processing waste limited to a maximum of 20 per cent. on a dry-weight basis.
During the parliamentary passage of the Environment Bill, my right hon. Friend the then Minister for the Environment and Countryside stressed that the Government attached great importance to CHP schemes to help carry forward their energy efficiency policies. He explained that that was why the Government were seeking a power to include in a future NFFO/renewables order a technology band defined by reference to heat as well as electricity. The Environment Act, with the new power, became law before the summer recess. The new power enables me to consider a band based on municipal and industrial waste with combined heat and power. This gives generators with suitable schemes, with prospects of supplying substantial quantities of heat, the opportunity to bid into a specific CHP band. If suitable schemes come forward at a competitive price, I should be prepared to use the new power to include such a band.
In order to promote diversity among developers of renewable energy projects, I reserve the right, as in NFFO 3, to limit the number of projects or capacity for which any particular developer can gain contracts in this fourth round of bidding.
As with NFFO-3, my intention is that the NFFO-4 order should run for 15 to 20 years--as from early 1997. This would enable the RECs to offer generators premium payments for up to 15 years, with the difference between the NFFO contract price and the pool price being financed through the fossil fuel levy, paid by licensed electricity suppliers and reflected in electricity bills.
I understand that the regional electricity companies expect to select projects through a competitive tendering process and that contracts will be offered to successful bidders at their bid price.
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I am discussing prospective arrangements with the Director General of Electricity Supply and the regional electricity companies, to whom I shall in due course provide further guidance about my proposals in respect of the proposed NFFO--4 order. Confirmation of my outline policy proposals on NFFO--4, and the details of that further guidance to the RECs, will be published shortly in "Renewable Energy Bulletin No 6"--REB--6. I understand that the RECs expect to initiate the competitive tendering process shortly thereafter.Those project developers who have not already done so should contact:
Renewable Energy Enquiries Bureau, ETSU, Harwell, OX11 ORA (tel 01235 432450 or 433601, fax 012335 433131 or 432923 to put their name on the mailing list for REB-6. In addition, those project developers who have not already done so should also register their interest in NFFO-4, by letter or fax to:
Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd
Bamburgh House
Market Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6BH
(fax 0191 210 2888 or 0191 210 2887)
Generators with existing NFFO contracts need not register with the NFPA, as they will automatically be sent a copy of the information notes.
The Office of Electricity Regulation has considered what site-specific evidence of the extent of the renewable energy resource it will require from developers when making their technical submissions for NFFO-4. I understand that Offer has decided that: developers of wind projects will be required to submit evidence of site wind resource over a minimum period of 12 months, which must include at least 13 weeks continual measurement on site which shall include measurements made over a winter period;
developers of hydro projects will be required to submit evidence of site hydro capacity based on:
i) the mean flow data for the water course covering a period of at least 15 years, available from the Institute of Hydrology; or i) 15-year rainfall data from a given catchment area, making due allowance for adsorption, run- off and evaporation rates, to calculate the river flow at the off-take point for the generating station; or iii) on-site data over a period of two years, normalised to the mean average rainfall over a period of at least ten years.
developers of landfill gas projects will be required to submit evidence of on-site pumping trails over a period of not less than 30 days of continual measurement.
The municipal and industrial waste with combined heat and power--MIW/CHP-- band is intended for schemes which are capable of delivering substantial qualities of heat. I understand that, to this end, Offer has decided that developers of MIW/CHP schemes will be required to provide evidence of conditional contracts to supply heat--such contracts to be conditional upon their schemes being awarded NFFO contracts and going forward to commissioning--when making their economic/commercial submissions to Offer. The
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