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Nuclear Decommissioning
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the costs of (a) managing civil nuclear waste and (b) decommissioning civil nuclear facilities in each year since 1995; and if she will estimate the costs this year and in the remaining years of the current expenditure plan. [29699]
Mr. Wilson: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Linda Perham) on 17 December 2001, Official Report, columns 25–26W.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the cost to BNFL of decommissioning nuclear plants for which it has responsibility. [28740]
Ms Hewitt [holding answer 22 January 2002]: BNFL's annual report and accounts state that decommissioning expenditure charged against provisions since financial year 1993–94 was as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 82 |
| 2000 | 76 |
| 1999 | 80 |
| 1998 | 10 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1994 | 7 |
Prior to this date no decommissioning expenditure charged against provisions was disclosed in BNFL's annual report and accounts. Information on any such expenditure is not readily available and would require disproportionate time and cost to bring together.
Fuel Poverty
Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the source of the figures for the number of fuel poor households which are not connected to the gas network given in paragraph 9.12 of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy; what the definition is of fuel poverty used in this paragraph; what verification
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of the figure has been carried out by (a) her Department and (b) independent bodies; and if she will make a statement. [25280]
Mr. Wilson: Paragraph 9.12 of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy states that around 1.3 million people without a gas supply in Great Britain are thought to be in fuel poverty. This figure is a broad estimate derived from estimates for England (0.9 million), Scotland (0.3 million) and Wales (0.05 million) based on official data sources. The production of these figures, and the overall estimate, have been overseen by members of the Government Statistical Service.
It is estimated that in 1998 there were approximately 0.9 million households in England which were fuel poor and did not have mains gas in the home (the householder stated that there was no gas supply in the home). The source of this information was the 1998 Energy Follow Up Survey which was carried out by the Building Research Establishment on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This figure has been derived under both main definitions of fuel poverty used in the Government's UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, set out as follows. There is a small difference (0.08 million) between the figures under these two definitions; however, both figures round to 0.9 million.
- (1) Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income (including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime;
- (2) Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income (excluding housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime.
A summary of the fuel poverty results from this survey is available at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/fuelpoverty/ index.htm
It is estimated that in 1996 there were approximately 320,000 households in Scotland which were fuel poor and did not have a mains gas supply in the home (i.e. there was neither a gas meter, nor a mains gas pipe in the home). This is the latest information available for Scotland. The source of this information is the 1996 Scottish House Condition Survey which is carried out on behalf of the Scottish Executive.
The definition of fuel poverty which was used is that a household needs to spend 10 per cent. or more of income (including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on all fuel use.
It is estimated that in 1997–98 there were approximately 50,000 households in Wales which were fuel poor and did not have a mains gas supply in the home. This is derived from information from the 1998 Welsh House Condition Survey which was carried out on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales. The estimate of fuel poverty in Wales is based on the number of households eligible for assistance through the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (222,000 in 1997–98). Figures are not currently available under definitions of fuel poverty, and this "eligibility measure" is used as a proxy.
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Electricity
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to ensure that Ofgem has adequate financial services expertise to monitor and prevent any collapse in the new electricity trading arrangements. [26600]
Mr. Wilson: I have asked Callum McCarthy, the chairman of Ofgem, to respond directly to the hon. Member on the issue. I will ensure that copies of the letter are placed in the Libraries of the House.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the Energy Regulator's statement in favour of small generators and transmission losses from large remote power stations. [29491]
Mr. Wilson: The treatment of losses through transmission has been a long running issue in the electricity industry, the general consensus within the industry is that the current arrangements are not ideal. It will be important that any proposed change to the system carefully considers the effect on both small and large-scale generation, including remote sites.
Icelandic Water Trawlermen's
Compensation Scheme
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claimants under the Icelandic water trawlermen's compensation scheme have had payments reduced to take account of previously paid exgratia payments. [27629]
Ms Hewitt: Up to 11 January 2002 there were 2,606.
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total amount is which has been deducted from the compensation paid under the Icelandic water trawlermen's compensation scheme as a result of previously paid exgratia payments. [27628]
Ms Hewitt: Up to 11 January 2002 the total amount was £5,887,609.
Launch Aid
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the conditions attached to the grant of launch aid are deemed commercially confidential. [28046]
Mr. Wilson: The conditions of Launch Investment are commercially confidential under exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The disclosure of the terms and conditions of Launch Investment would harm the commercial interests of the companies concerned.
Arms Sales
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the level of debt owing to the United Kingdom by overseas Governments as a result of arms sales for the years 1997 to 2002. [27216]
Ms Hewitt: The table shows future amounts due on guarantees, and unrecovered claims in respect of ECGD guarantees issued in support of defence business during
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the financial years shown. The year of ECGD guarantee issue does not necessarily reflect the year that the equipment was sold.
| Year | Future amounts due on guarantees | Unrecovered claims |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 118 | 5 |
| 1998–99 | 284 | 0 |
| 1999–2000 | 508 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | 1,893 | 0 |
| 2001–02(21) | 10 | 0 |
| Total(22) | 2,814 | 5 |
(21) Pre 1 January 2002
(22) 1 April 1997 to 1 January 2002
Refurbishment
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years. [27955]
Ms Hewitt: The Department has not carried out a full refurbishment of any buildings during the last four years. The capital costs of minor works, redecorations, maintenance and partial refurbishments in these years has been as follows:
| Financial year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 2.28 |
| 1998–99 | 2.17 |
| 1999–2000 | 2.85 |
| 2000–01 | 2.70 |
Wind Power
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what landscape criteria she applies in determining applications for wind power stations with an output greater than 50 MW. [28388]
Mr. Wilson: All relevant criteria set out in planning guidance and environmental assessment guidance are taken into account. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry also has a duty under Schedule 9 of the Electricity Act 1989 to have regard to the extent to which a person who formulates a proposal has complied with his duty of having regard to the desirability of preserving natural beauty and do what he reasonably can to mitigate any effect the proposal would have on the natural beauty of the countryside. In addition the views of the relevant local planning authority which will be familiar with the local terrain are also taken into account.
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what approvals she has given to wind power stations with an output greater than 50 MW in the last 12 months; and what public consultation was undertaken in each case. [28389]
Mr. Wilson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has approved in principle the application for a windfarm at Cefn Croes. Formal approval will be issued once the necessary planning conditions and planning obligations have been agreed.
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The public were consulted on the application and their views were taken into account. There have been no other windfarm approvals.
Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the criteria used when deciding whether to erect wind farms apply to the whole of the United Kingdom. [29273]
Mr. Wilson: Decisions on wind farms or any other type of power station over 50 megawatts in England and Wales are handled by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. In reaching her decision my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for will consider all relevant criteria set out in planning guidance and environmental assessment guidance. Other competent authorities responsible for authorising smaller power stations can be expected to apply similar criteria.
Applications for power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are devolved matters. As a consequence the criteria are a matter for them.
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