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Renewable Energy
Mr. Hunter: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the Government's policy for renewable energy; and what measures she proposes to take to increase the use of renewable energy. [8539]
Mr. Battle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 10 June 1997, Official Report, column 417.
Life Patent Directive
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the draft Life Patent directive under consideration in the European Parliament was (a) published for consideration by the Council of Ministers and (b) considered by them; what recommendation they made on the directive, what consultations Her Majesty's Government have entered into with interested bodies in
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the United Kingdom; if the Government have signed the requisite Explanatory Memorandum; and what parliamentary scrutiny this directive will receive. [8505]
Mr. Battle:
The Commission's proposal for a Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions was published on 13 December 1995, and formally sent to the Council of Ministers on 25 January 1996. The Opinion of the European Parliament on the Commission's proposal is still awaited and to date consideration by the Council has taken place only at official level. No recommendation have emerged.
The Commission's proposal was circulated for comment in February 1996 to some 50 interest groups representing the professions, industry, consumers, trades unions, the research community, groups concerned with social and environmental impact of biotechnology, and including member organisations of the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property, a body set up to advise Ministers on all aspects of industrial property.
An Explanatory Memorandum was submitted by this Department on 4 March 1996, and further Memoranda will be submitted as matters proceed before the Council.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the calculation and forecasts for CO2 emissions contained in European Union document 8468/97 from the Secretary-General. [8160]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 14 July 1997]: I submitted an Explanatory Memorandum to Parliament on 9 July 1997 on the European Union document 8468/97, a copy of which is in the Library of both Houses. My officials have discussed the scenario for future carbon emissions with the European Commission and believe it fairly describes likely broad trends at European Union level.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 9 July 1997, Official Report, column 485, what matters are dealt with in the 1952 Atomic Energy Board (minutes and papers); and if she will now transfer those documents to the Public Record Office for release for public inspection. [8708]
Mr. Battle:
The 1952 Atomic Energy Board (minutes and papers) dealt with a variety of issues pertinent to the UK nuclear industry. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs stated in his answer of 9 July, many of these records contained material of a sensitive nature and therefore, both IKAEA and MOD agreed at the last review of this file in 1996, that these papers should not be released at this time.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to increase accessibility to information held by (a) her Department and (b) the Atomic Energy Authority relating to nuclear power generation. [8709]
Mr. Battle:
I attach considerable importance to freedom of information and am concerned to improve the level of information made available to the public. The Department of Trade and Industry already makes a significant amount of information about nuclear power generation available through publications such as the
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Energy Report and the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics. It will continue to explore ways of increasing access to this information both proactively and in response to specific requests. This is being reflected, for example, in the more forthcoming answers to Parliamentary Questions, on a range of nuclear issues, in the last two months.
The UK Atomic Energy Authority is publicly committed to a policy of frank and open communication of information wherever possible.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what papers relating to the Windscale fire in 1957 are still held by her Department; and if she will now pass those to the Public Record Office for release for public inspection. [8707]
Mr. Battle:
All known files relating to the Windscale fire are already in the Public Record Office. I am not aware of any other files held by the Department. The official UKAEA historian, Lorna Arnold has also written a book on the Windscale fire, "Windscale 1957--Anatomy of a Nuclear Accident" published 1992, which includes an exhaustive reference list.
Ms Dari Taylor:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Government have clarified for British Telecom its position on the Special Share in advance of the company's annual general meeting of 16 July. [9069]
Mrs. Beckett:
I have written to British Telecom stating that the Government is willing to redeem its Share. This decision was taken after careful consideration of the specific issues involved; it has no implications for other Special Shares where any decisions would have to take account of the different circumstances in each case.
Mr. Dafis:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade and Industry how many homes in Britain are solar powered currently; and if he will set targets to increase this number. [7098]
Mr. Battle:
There are currently four solar powered (photovoltaic) domestic housing schemes in the UK, comprising a total of 14 homes in the private sector. However, there are over 40,000 homes with active solar heating and many more with passive solar design features. The current cost of installing photovoltaic (PV) panels (1.5--3.0kWp) onto a domestic house is typically between £10,000 and £15,000 per property. PV electricity costs typically around 5--10 times more than conventionally generated electricity, depending on specific circumstances. However, the technology is developing rapidly, and with continually falling costs due to economies of scale, PV may become a strategically important electricity generating technology in the future.
I recently announced a review of policy on new and renewable energy, and the Government's support for the solar energy industry will be considered in that context.
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Mr. Wicks:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the annual social security cost among those waiting for hospital admissions (a) in total and (b) broken down by benefit category in the last year for which figures are available. [8705]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
No information is recorded about whether or not benefit recipients are waiting for hospital admission.
Mr. Gale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 9 July, Official Report, column 1037, if SERPS will continue and expand in line with demand from all those that wish to remain members of the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [8590]
Mr. Denham:
The forthcoming Pensions Review will look at all aspects of pensions provision. We will retain SERPS for those who wish to remain members of it.
Mr. Gale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 9 July, Official Report, column 1037, what firm proposals he has to enable pensioners to belong to a pension scheme that is flexible, secure, gives value for money and does not reduce people's savings if they become unemployed; what price formula he intends to use when increasing the basic state pension in line with prices; how long he expects his Department's wide ranging review of pensions to take; and if he will list the organisations that will be consulted. [8591]
Mr. Denham:
The Government is committed to the development of stakeholder pensions, which will be good quality second pension schemes. They will allow those without access to occupational schemes to invest their contributions in a secure, flexible and value for money pension. A framework for stakeholder pensions will be developed in close consultation with potential pension providers and representatives of employers, employees and the self-employed. We will also build on the good quality second pensions that many employees enjoy by supporting the existing framework of occupational pensions.
My right hon. friend the Secretary of States, will shortly announce details of the Pensions Review, including when it will report.
As part of the review, we will engage in a process of wide ranging consultation. We will involve all key players, including employers, employees, the pensions industry, and pensioners' organisations. The Government will ensure that the views of pensioners are heard.
My right hon. Friend is required to review annually the value of Basic Retirement Pension to determine whether it has retained its value in relation to the general level of prices. The results of that review will be announced in due course. We will retain the Basic State Retirement Pension as the foundation of pension provision, increasing it as least in line with prices.
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