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Renewable Energy
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what factors underlay the setting of a renewable energy target of 10 per cent; [81783]
- (2) what is his estimate of the potential contribution of each renewable energy source to meeting a target of 10 per cent. of total energy supply from renewable sources. [81782]
Mr. Battle:
The Government published a consultation paper "New and Renewable Energy--Prospects for the 21st Century" on 30 March 1999, which outlines the Government's policy. Key factors underlying that policy include putting the environment at the heart of their decision making. Climate change is recognised as one of the greatest environmental threats facing the world today. Prudent use of natural resources, including renewable energy sources, is one of the Government's objectives. Energy from renewable energy sources is clearly an important element in securing both the diversity and sustainability objectives and has the potential to be supplied on an increasing scale at competitive prices. In line with their Manifesto commitment to "a new and
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strong drive for new and renewable sources of energy", the Government are working towards a target of renewable energy providing 10 per cent. of UK electricity supplies as soon as possible. They hope to achieve this by 2010. It would require of the order of 3-4 GW (Declared Net Capacity) of new plant in addition to that already contracted to achieve that.
The technologies expected to contribute by 2010 are wastes (municipal, industrial and agricultural), wind (onshore and offshore), hydro, landfill gas and energy crops. The proportions of each will depend upon a number of factors including the extent of technical development and future fuel prices.
Other technologies such as photovoltaics have the potential to make major contributions to world energy needs in the longer term if their development continues and energy companies announce their intention of moving into this market on a significant scale.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards negotiating an agreement on investment since the ending of negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [81616]
Mr. Wilson:
The UK, and the EU as a whole, have called for investment to be on the agenda of a future round of negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Decisions on the content of that agenda will be taken at the WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle later this year. In the meantime, the UK is participating in the analytical work of the WTO Trade and Investment Working Group and the parallel work in the UNCTAD Expert Meetings on International Investment Agreements.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to ensure that social, environmental and development issues are given high priority in future discussions on developing an international agreement on investment. [81617]
Mr. Wilson:
The Government are committed to ensuring that, within any new framework for international investment, full account is taken of social, environmental and development concerns.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the European Commission document I.G 1/98 prepared by DG1 for a meeting of the EU Council's Article 113 Committee; and if he will make a statement. [81627]
Mr. Wilson:
I refer my hon. Friend to the response I gave on 23 February 1999, Official Report, column 201, to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Chaytor).
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if a concordat has been agreed between his Department, the Scottish Office, Welsh Office and Northern Ireland Office, concerning inward investment. [81925]
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Mr. Wills
[holding answer 23 April 1999]: The concordat on financial assistance is one of a number of concordats which will be discussed and concluded between United Kingdom Departments and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland once they are established.
Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on the clothing and textile industry of the proposed closure of the National Training Centre for Knitting Machine Mechanics and Technicians. [81739]
Mr. Battle:
I assume that the National Training Centre referred to by my hon. Friend is the knitting facility at the North Warwickshire college in Hinckley, Leicestershire, which I understand has taken the decision to close its textile faculty based on the lack of support from the industry.
News of closure is never welcome, particularly when the industry itself is under such pressure. However, there are many other educational institutions in the region who provide a high level of training in this area. DeMontfort, Derby and Nottingham Trent universities all offer various forms of technical training in knitting and a centre of excellence has been set up in North Nottinghamshire by West Notts College and New College Nottingham. The impact on the industry of the Hinckley closure is therefore likely to be negligible.
6. Mr. Randall:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to seek asylum in Britain over the next 12 months. [80955]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
For a number of reasons, including the situation in Kosovo, it is very difficult to estimate the numbers likely to claim asylum in the next year. The figure could be in the range of 52,000 to 62,000, if we take into account all the potential applicants from countries where there may be upheavals.
13. Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers, refused asylum by his Department, who have remained illegally in the United Kingdom over the last five years. [80962]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
At the end of November 1998, the number of failed asylum seekers who had either not appealed against the refusal of asylum or who had exhausted their rights of appeal and who were the subject of port or enforcement action was estimated to be 24,000. This figure does not include applicants whose claims had been refused, but who were not yet subject to enforcement action.
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Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers entered the United Kingdom for each month since January 1998; and of those how many were (a) granted asylum, (b) granted leave to remain and (c) refused the right to remain. [81981]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The available information is given in the table. Decisions on asylum applications may not relate to the same cases within each period.
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| Year | Total applications | Total decisions | Grants of asylum | Grants of ELR | Total refusals | Backlog clearance ELR(8) | Backlog clearance Refusals(8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1998 | 2,860 | 3,065 | 705 | 230 | 2,130 | -- | -- |
| February 1998 | 2,650 | 3,035 | 405 | 390 | 2,240 | -- | -- |
| March 1998 | 3,200 | 3,070 | 375 | 425 | 2,270 | -- | -- |
| April 1998 | 3,135 | 2,520 | 350 | 320 | 1,850 | -- | -- |
| May 1998 | 3,110 | 2,360 | 420 | 250 | 1,690 | -- | -- |
| June 1998 | 3,575 | 2,675 | 580 | 305 | 1,790 | -- | -- |
| July 1998 | 4,215 | 2,710 | 435 | 435 | 1,840 | -- | -- |
| August 1998 | 4,420 | 2,480 | 505 | 380 | 1,595 | -- | -- |
| September 1998 | 4,455 | 2,825 | 480 | 460 | 1,885 | -- | -- |
| October 1998 | 5,010 | 3,255 | 630 | 340 | 2,290 | -- | -- |
| November 1998 | 4,620 | 2,780 | 415 | 265 | 2,100 | -- | -- |
| December 1998 | 4,770 | 800 | 50 | 110 | 645 | -- | -- |
| January 1999 | 4,700 | 575 | 15 | 135 | 425 | 420 | -- |
| February 1999 | 4,185 | 740 | 35 | 110 | 600 | 535 | -- |
| Total | 54,900 | 32,885 | 5,395 | 4,155 | 23,340 | 955 | -- |
(6) Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5, with "*"=1 or 2
(7) Decisions on asylum applications may not relate to the same cases within each period
(8) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre '93 act asylum backlog
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what admittance criteria are applied to those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom as result of the Kosovo crisis. [82065]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have agreed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that any recommendations for evacuation from the region should be co-ordinated through the office of the UNHCR. They will give priority to medical cases, other vulnerable persons, and the support of family unity, and make recommendations to the Home Office for consideration.
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