---

Regional Aid

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to publish the Government's proposals for changes to the regional aid map in the United Kingdom. [76283]

Mr. Byers: As soon as possible.

Renewable Energy

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will commission a study of the potential of the UK manufacturing skill base to capture a proportion of the market for offshore wind energy turbines; [76164]

(2) what plans he has to develop a medium to long term strategy for the UK's renewable energy technologies; and what assessment he has made of the industry's ability to compete (a) globally and (b) with Denmark in the supply of offshore wind energy technology. [76166]

Mr. Battle: The Government are committed to a new and strong drive to develop renewable sources of energy and has undertaken a review of the status and prospects for renewables, including offshore wind energy. As a first step towards that policy the fifth and largest Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO-5) Order of 1,177 MW was announced on 24 September 1998.

For the future the Government have been reviewing what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity needs from renewables by 2010, and what contribution new and renewable energy technologies might make to future greenhouse gas commitments.

To achieve 10 per cent. electricity from renewables would require 3-4 Gigawatts (DNC) of additional renewable capacity over and above that in place or likely to be commissioned from existing NFFO arrangements. It would require the use not only of technologies which have formed the mainstay of NFFO to date, such as waste, including landfill gas and onshore wind but also a significant contribution from offshore wind and energy crops.

The Government will shortly be publishing a consultation document on the status and prospects for renewables. A co-ordinated strategy would need to be agreed between Government and industry to cover the medium-term future with a view also to the longer term.

17 Mar 1999 : Column: 701

Such a strategy is expected to arise from the renewables consultation document. It would need to take account of the European White Paper on renewables.

As for offshore wind, I have already consulted interested parties on the most suitable arrangements for incorporating the development of offshore wind energy into the NFFO process and the results of my consultation will be incorporated into the co-ordinated strategy arising from the renewables consultation document.

In the meantime, my Department's New and Renewable Energy Programme continues to support preparatory work on offshore wind, including monitoring the development of the first offshore wind NFFO project, at Blyth, and encouraging UK manufacturing industry to seize the commercial opportunities within the offshore wind arena. We have already awarded contracts to two offshore wind projects under NFFO-4. These are located at Gunfleet Sand, near Clacton, Essex, comprising 12.8 MW contracted capacity and the other at Blyth, Northumberland comprising 0.72 MW contracted capacity. Total DTI expenditure on wind energy projects in 1997-98 was £1.5 million.

Post Office

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the White Paper on the future of the Post Office. [76438]

Mr. Byers: It remains my expectation, as my right hon. Friend the Minister of State told the Trade and Industry Select Committee on 9 December, that the White Paper will be published in the first half of the year.

Trade Delegations

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many trade delegations he has led since becoming Secretary of State; and what trade delegations he has made plans to lead during the remainder of 1999. [76490]

Mr. Byers: I became Secretary of State at the beginning of this year. I will be making two major trade promotion visits later this year--the first to China (including Hong Kong), and Japan and the second to India and Saudi Arabia. In addition, I will be visiting Russia in May for the Intergovernmental Steering Committee on Trade and Investment.

Small Businesses

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses he has visited in the last year. [76974]

Mr. Byers: In an official and unofficial capacity I have visited many small businesses in the last year.

Oil Pollution

Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will meet local hon. Members to discuss the latest BHP oil pollution incident; [76582]

(2) if he will make a statement on the recent oil pollution incident on the beaches of Rhyl and Prestatyn. [76584]

17 Mar 1999 : Column: 702

Mr. Battle [holding answer 15 March 1999]: An oil spill was reported from BHP's Liverpool Bay Development on Saturday 6 March, following which small amounts of oil were deposited on beaches in Rhyll and Prestatyn. BHP has shut down oil and gas production from the development until the cause and circumstances of the incident are identified.

My officials are working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in regard to this oil spill. The incident is being investigated by a DTI Inspector, and I will also ensure that an independent assessor conducts a review of the incident. I have told all concerned that I am looking for a thorough but prompt investigation.

I wrote to the local hon. Members for the Vale of Clwyd, for Clwyd, West (Mr. Thomas) and for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) on 9 March informing them of this incident. I stated that I would continue to keep them in touch with developments I would be pleased to meet the hon. Members to discuss this incident.

Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all oil pollution incidents in the Irish Sea in the past 10 years, giving the size of the incident, the company responsible and the date. [76583]

Mr. Battle [holding answer 15 March 1999]: The information relating to oil pollution incidents from offshore installations in the Irish Sea Basin over the last 10 years is as follows:

Date	Operator	Amount (tonnes)
1 March 1993	Hamilton	0.01
30 November 1993	British Gas	0.30
6 November 1995	British Gas	4.0
13 November 1995	BHP Petroleum	0.022
21 March 1996	British Gas	0.004
6 July 1996	British Gas	0.070
5 September 1996	British Gas	0.004
15 September 1996	British Gas	0.001
22 September 1996	British Gas	0.500
8 May 1997	British Gas	0.013
2 July 1997	British Gas	0.019
27 January 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.001
24 March 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.500
28 March 1998	British Gas	0.001
24 April 1998	BHP Petroleum	1.000
28 April 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.500
4 May 1998	British Gas	0.0151
12 May 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.500
14 June 1998	BHP Petroleum	46.00
20 June 1998	British Gas	0.0005
7 August 1998	British Gas	0.066
21 October 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.0019
1 November 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.042
29 November 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.001
11 December 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.010
15 December 1998	BHP Petroleum	0.010
6 March 1999(7)	BHP Petroleum	(7)0.83
9 March 1999	BHP Petroleum	0.010
Total		54.4315

(7) provisional--investigation ongoing

As an approximation 1 tonne = 1.25 cubic metres of oil.

17 Mar 1999 : Column: 703

Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the guidelines relating to oil pollution around the British coast following the new information about the effect of oil pollution of less than one part per billion. [76585]

Mr. Battle [holding answer 15 March 1999]: This information comes from studies into the Exxon Valdez oil spillage which occurred in 1989. It will be reviewed and taken into account by my officials and their colleagues in other Government Departments when considering the potential threat of oil spills to fisheries and the marine environment.

Victoria Street Conference Facilities

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many outside organisations used the conference facilities at his offices in Victoria Street in the last year for which figures are available. [76975]

Dr. Howells: The majority of events making use of the Department's conference facilities at 1 Victoria Street are internal.

Of 2,495 events held during 1998, less than 1 per cent. were organised by outside bodies. A further 25 per cent. of events were co-ordinated by DTI staff but in conjunction with organisations from outside the Department.

The Department is currently reviewing the operation of its conference centre with a view to maximising its availability for Departmental events.

India

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to visit India. [76976]

Mr. Byers: I will be visiting India later this year, at a date to be confirmed.

---