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Nuclear Energy (Emissions Reduction Targets)
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by how much generation of electricity from nuclear sources would have to be increased over current levels to (a) save two million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and (b) meet all the Government's current carbon dioxide reduction targets. [114819]
Ms Hewitt: The table sets out the required increase in nuclear generation to achieve savings of 2 MtC and 22 MtC. The latter figure represents the additional reduction required, based on existing policies, to achieve the domestic goal of a 20 per cent. reduction in CO 2 by 2010. The provisionally estimated generation from nuclear plants in 1999 was around 88 TWh. This amount of generation is estimated to be saving between about 10 and 21 MtC, depending on the mix of fuels assumed to be displaced.
| Extra nuclear generation required (TWh) if displacing: | ||
|---|---|---|
| CO 2 savings required | Coal | Gas |
| 2 MtC | 9 | 21 |
| 22 MtC | 94 | 234 |
National Grid Company (Compulsory
Purchase Order)
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received
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concerning the Inspector's report closing the inquiry following the withdrawal of all compulsory purchase orders on the line of pylons from Picton to Shipton by Bellingborough; and if he will make a statement. [114338]
Mrs. Liddell:
Two written representations have been received following the withdrawal by the National Grid Company plc at the public inquiry on Thursday 2 March 2000 of the National Grid Company plc (Nunthorpe to Newby) Compulsory Purchase Order 1999. That inquiry related to the compulsory purchase of certain rights to underground part of the proposed 400 kV electrical connection between Lackenby, Picton and Shipton at privately owned land between Nunthorpe and Newby. The Secretary of State is now awaiting the Inspector's report on the proceedings, but understands that the company considered it had obtained all the necessary voluntary agreements from the landowners along the route of the proposed compulsory purchase order.
Shona McIsaac:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the average number of construction jobs which will be created by each of the gas-fired power stations for which approval has been sought but not yet granted. [114156]
Mrs. Liddell:
The actual number of construction jobs will vary according to the size of the power station and the stage reached in its construction. From information available to the Department, we estimate that construction of 1 Gigawatt could generate peak employment of around 800 jobs, including an allowance for employment in production of the gas turbines themselves.
Shona McIsaac:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will lift the moratorium on the construction of new gas-fired power stations. [114158]
Mrs. Liddell:
The Government expect to be able to relax the stricter consents policy for new gas-fired power stations as soon as it concludes, on the basis of advice from the Director General of Electricity Supply, that the reform programme has been undertaken and the distortions in the electricity market have been removed. The Government expect the reforms to be substantially complete across the picture before the consents policy is relaxed.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on which dates Lord Levy has had meetings with (a) ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department since 1 May 1997, giving in each case the purpose of the meetings; and if he will make a statement. [113502]
Mr. Byers
[holding answer 7 March 2000]: Records of meetings with officials are not held centrally, but to the best of my knowledge, no Minister or senior official in the Department of Trade and Industry has met Lord Levy since 1 May 1997 in his capacity as the Prime Minister's personal envoy delivering messages in the Middle East.
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Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is his estimate of the extra electricity requirement to supply the proposed new housing build in the South-East; [114184]
Mrs. Liddell:
No such estimate has been made.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to encourage the building of new power stations in the South East. [114185]
Mrs. Liddell:
As was made clear in the October 1998 White Paper the Government intend to leave the initiative for proposals for new generation capacity entirely to developers. Power stations are run by private companies which must make market investment decisions, subject to the usual environmental and planning/consent constraints. It is therefore a matter for power station developers to consider where they wish to locate their stations.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of counterfeit goods seized by trading standards officers in the United Kingdom during 1999. [114991]
Dr. Howells:
Information about the value of counterfeit goods seized by trading standards officers is available in a National Counterfeiting Survey compiled by Warwick University, but the latest figures available only cover the period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999. The replies from 75 per cent. of Trading Standards Departments in England, Wales and Scotland show that during this period goods with an estimated street value of £22,445,580 were seized, this being equivalent to a value of £65,053,217 if they had been genuine goods. These figures are not, though, comprehensive, but it is hoped that better estimates covering the whole of the UK will be available in the future. One initiative that should, among other things, help to deliver an improved understanding of the extent of all intellectual property crime is the new Counterfeiting and Piracy Forum. The Forum will meet for the first time later this month bringing together industry, public sector enforcers, consumers, retailers and Internet service providers with Government. This Forum will be able to explore issues such as better record keeping of criminal activity, greater co-operation and co-ordination of enforcement effort and how to make consumers more knowledgeable about short and long term damage to both themselves and others caused by the purchase of fake goods.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list by region of residence the numbers of (a) claims received in respect of respiratory disease, (b) interim and expedited awards in respect of respiratory disease by (i) number and (ii) value, (c) claims in respect of vibration white finger and (d) interim and general damage awards in respect of vibration white finger by (i) number and (ii) value. [115043]
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Mrs. Liddell:
The information is as follows:
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(2) what is his estimate of the extra electricity transmission lines and their cost, that will be needed by new-build homes in the South-East. [114186]
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Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims his Department has received in respect of respiratory disease; and in respect of how many claims spirometry has been completed. [115045]
Mrs. Liddell:
As at 5 March the Department's claim handlers had received 98,803 claims. 66,077 of these are from live claimants, of which 44,797 have received spirometry tests, with a further 12,619 invited to make appointments.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been made in respect of respiratory disease by (a) the sufferer and (b) widows and dependants where the claimant has died after the date of claim. [115044]
Mrs. Liddell:
As at 16 March IRISC, the Department's claims handler, had been informed of 4,249 claims where the sufferer has died since their date of claim. Details are not available of the number of widows or dependants who have died after submitting claims.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the locations, dates of opening or proposed dates of opening are of centres for medical assessment of claims for vibration white finger. [115049]
Mrs. Liddell:
There are currently 13 centres open for medical assessment of claims for vibration white finger. The location and dates of opening for the centres are as follows:
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| Location | Dates |
|---|---|
| Newcastle | 9 August 1999 |
| Sheffield | 23 August 1999 |
| Mansfield | 1 September 1999 |
| Cardiff | 8 September 1999 |
| Glasgow | 13 September 1999 |
| Edinburgh | 6 October1999 |
| Barnsley | 10 November 1999 |
| Wakefield | 12 December 1999 |
| Nottingham | 7 January 2000 |
| Manchester | 10 January 2000 |
| Birmingham | 21 February 2000 |
| Stoke | 1 March 2000 |
| Swansea | 6 March 2000 |
An additional centre will be opened in London (Victoria) by the end of March.
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