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Wind Turbines
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much electricity was produced from wind turbines in the United Kingdom in (a) 1992, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [30801]
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Mr. Page: Electricity generated by wind schemes in the UK in each of the years 1990 to 1995 was approximately as follows:
| Year | GWh |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1 |
| 1991 | 2 |
| 1992 | 26 |
| 1993 | 213 |
| 1994 | 337 |
| 1995 | 379 |
| Total | 958 |
I expect the numbers to continue to rise year by year as more wind farms come into operation.
Electricity Consumption
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the gross consumption of electricity in the United Kingdom in (a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [30761]
Mr. Page: Consumption of electricity in the United Kingdom was 291.45 TWh in 1992, 295.75 TWh in 1993 and, provisionally, 303.22 TWh in 1995. Electricity consumption grew by 3.9 per cent. in 1995, and by 1.3 per cent. per year on average over the last five years.
Anglia Television
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investigations are currently being undertaken into possible insider dealing in Anglia Television shares; and when these investigations are expected to be completed. [30835]
Mr. John M. Taylor: It is not the practice of the Department to comment on individual cases.
Offshore Installations (Pollution)
Ms Ruddock: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each of the last five years (a) the number of releases of oil or chemicals from offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf, (b) the substance released and the amount of oil or waste for each escape and (c) the name of the installation and the operator in each case. [31102]
Mr. Page: It is an offence under the Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971 to discharge oil or any mixture containing oil into the sea from a pipeline or in the course of petroleum exploration and production in the United Kingdom continental shelf if that discharge is not the subject of an exemption granted in accordance with section 23 of that Act. In practice the operators of installations on the UKCS obtain exemptions to permit operational discharges. These exemptions are limited in accordance with international standards and require the operator of the installation to report any discharge made in accordance with the exemption. The amount of oil discharged in accordance with these exemptions is published in summary form in volume 2 of the annual energy report, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House. The number of notifications make it impracticable to give this information otherwise than in summary form.
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Companies licensed to carry out petroleum exploration and production on the UKCS are required by the terms of their licence to report to the Secretary of State any escapes of petroleum from the licensed area. A summary of oil spills reported to the Department of Trade and Industry is also published in volume 2 of the annual energy report. Again, the number of spills make it impractical to give details of each discharge.
The use of chemicals offshore is regulated by a notification scheme whereby licensees seek prior approval of the use of chemicals in exploration and production. Licensees are not required to report releases of chemicals from installations.
Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 1 May, Official Report, column 545, what was the potential conflict of interest of Mr. Roger Harris that caused him to absent himself from the south-west industrial development board meeting; and on how many occasions potential conflicts of interest have prompted similar action by Mr. Harris. [28754]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 13 May 1996]: The potential conflict of interest arose because KPMG, of which Mr. Roger Harris is a senior partner in the Plymouth office, was acting as auditors and grant consultants to Pendennis Shipyard Ltd. Mr. Harris has absented himself for similar reasons from discussions by the board on other occasions.
Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what remuneration was granted to Mr. Kenneth Holmes for his external services between the dates of appointment and termination of contact; what were the terms of this contact; for what reason the contract ended; who has since assumed responsibility for this role; and what checks have been made into their financial background and interests. [28736]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 13 May 1996]: A total of £238,868 was paid to Dellcourts Limited, a company owned and controlled by Mr. Holmes, in respect of his services between 5 February 1991 and 15 April 1995. By the end of this period, the relevant contract had run its full term and was being renewed on a monthly basis.
The external advisers currently assisting the Government office for the south-west on applications from companies for financial assistance are:
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Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 13 May 1996]: The work of the Department's former south-west regional office is now performed by the Government office for the south-west which employs 230 officials. Like all public servants, they must not use information gained in their work to advance their financial interests or the financial interests of others, nor must they participate in the taking of any decision which could affect the value of those interests.
Mr. Rowe:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the implications for the Government's competition policy of the judgment of Mr. Justice Knox in the chancery division of the High Court in the case of Mid Kent Holdings plc. delivered on 30 April; and if he will make a statement. [29614]
Mr. Lang
[holding answer 16 May 1996]: I have carefully studied the judgment delivered by Mr. Justice Knox on 30 April. In relation to the specific case before the court, he concluded that Mid Kent Holdings did not have a sufficient private right to obtain declarations that General Utilities was in breach of undertakings given to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 21 March 1991, and that in those circumstances he considered that it would be wrong for him to give a view as to whether there had been such a breach. Mr. Justice Knox also reaffirmed my discretion under section 93(A)2 to bring civil proceedings in respect of any failure, or apprehended failure, to fulfil an undertaking. I will ensure that future decisions take full account of Mr. Justice Knox's judgment in so far as it may be relevant.
Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if applications to his Department for financial assistance under the loan guarantee scheme are (a) considered and (b) offered by Department of Trade and Industry regional offices; if the value of the loan guarantee determines whether central or regional offices are responsible for the offering of this financial support; what other reasons require responsibilities to change between offices; and if he will make a statement. [30030]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 20 May 1996]: All applications for assistance under the small firms loan guarantee scheme, whatever their size, are considered centrally through the Department's loan guarantee section in Sheffield.
The scheme is a joint venture between the DTI and the lenders involved. It is the lender's responsibility to undertake the commercial assessment of a business proposal, and decide whether it is prepared to lend. Only if all normal bank lending criteria are met, other than the lack of security, should the scheme be considered. It is the lender who applies for, and receives, the guarantee.
It is the DTI's responsibility to consider whether the application meets scheme criteria. If so, the guarantee is issued.
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Simplified arrangements allow certain lenders and their borrowers quicker access to the scheme where the loan amount does not exceed £30,000.
Mr. Wareing:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the newly recognised Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will enjoy the same agreements on trade that were in place for the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; what are the present arrangements for the duties on trade with Yugoslavia; if EUR1 certificates are applicable; whether former trading and duty arrangements between the European Union and Yugoslavia are being recognised by the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [30256]
Mr. Oppenheim
[holding answer 22 May 1996]: The 1982 trade and co-operation agreement between the EC and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was abrogated in 1991 following the break-up of the country. In February 1992 the trade benefits of the TCA were re-introduced for Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina only. Trade sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were lifted in November 1995, but the preferences of the 1982 TCA were not extended to it. In accordance with the regional approach agreed by EU Foreign Ministers in October 1995, the EU will conclude new individual agreements covering trade with all of the successor states of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including FRY, as and when the political conditions have been met.
Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial interests in companies are held by the officials in his Department's south-west regional office. [28737]
Mr. Rodney Pool of Riverdale Ltd.
Mr. Terry Scarrott
Mr. William R. Mountford
Checks on all three have been undertaken on the Insolvency Service and other departmental databases; they have also been asked to supply--for inclusion on a register--details of their financial and other interests in companies.
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