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11 Sept 2003 : Column 433W—continued
Structural Funding (Merseyside)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many jobs were created by the first Merseyside Objective 1 Programme between the years 1994 to 1999; [128563]
- (2) what the five key targets were for the first Merseyside Objective 1 Programme which ran from 1994 to 1999; and what the outcomes were for each target; [128562]
(3) how many people accessed further education or training between the start of the first Merseyside Objective 1 Programme in 1994 until its end in 1999; [128565]
(4) how many cases there were of business assistance provided by the first Merseyside Objective 1 Programme from 1994 to 1999 in Merseyside. [128564]
Jacqui Smith: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 9 July 2003, Official Report, column 798W.
National Grid
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total generating capacity available to the National Grid was in each year since 1983; and what the percentage change in generating capacity was in each year. [128302]
Mr. Timms: Available data are shown in the following table.
| Year | Capacity (MW) | Change in year (MW) | Change in year (percentage) |
|---|---|---|---|
| At end of financial year | |||
| 1983–84 | 57,640 | — | — |
| 1984–85 | 58,225 | 585 | +1.0 |
| 1985–86 | 59,270 | 1,045 | +1.8 |
| 1986–87 | 61,615 | 2,345 | +4.0 |
| 1987–88 | 61,194 | -421 | -0.7 |
| 1988–89 | 61,376 | 182 | +0.3 |
| 1989–90 | 65,592 | 4,216 | +6.9 |
| 1990–91 | 63,822 | -1,770 | -2.7 |
| 1991–92 | 61,931 | -1,891 | -3.0 |
| 1992–93 | 60,636 | -1,295 | -2.1 |
| 1993–94 | 61,358 | 722 | +1.2 |
| 1994–95 | 58,946 | -2,412 | -3.9 |
| 1995–96 | 58,265 | -681 | -1.2 |
| 1996–97 | 62,758 | 4,493 | +7.7 |
| 1997–98 | 61,885 | -873 | -1.4 |
| 1998–99 | 63,087 | 1,202 | +1.9 |
| 1999–2000 | 64,049 | 962 | +1.5 |
| 2000–01 | 66,465 | 2,416 | +3.8 |
| 2001–02 | 67,593 | 1,128 | +1.7 |
| 2002–03 | 66,468 | -1,125 | -1.7 |
Source:
National Grid Transco
Offshore Wind Power
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been put in place
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to ensure that new offshore wind power projects will have sufficient grid connection points and capacity capabilities to connect the required megawatts. [128128]
Mr. Timms: I have stated that transmission licences will apply throughout the strategic areas and I shall legislate to achieve this. Transmission licences covering the strategic areas will provide certainty for generators that there will be a connector of last resort, in addition to providing infrastructure that is efficient, economical and which guards against the owner of the connection wielding market power. DTI and Ofgem are working together to create the necessary regulatory regime and will issue licences in a timely way that ensure that generation and infrastructure development can run concurrently.
Science and Biotechnology Sectors
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of international and domestic (a) regulation and (b) financial support on the (i) science and (ii) biotechnology sectors in the United Kingdom. [128121]
Jacqui Smith: International and domestic regulation of science in general, and biotechnology in particular is necessary to encourage scientific and technological innovation, while protecting the legitimate interests of members of the public and other groups that might be affected by scientific developments.
The biotechnology regulations in place maintain a framework for ethical scientific study in an industry of rapid expansion and improvement. The Government realises that a supportive regulatory environment in the UK and Europe will be critical to the success of the UK biosciences sector.
The Government regularly monitors the effect of scientific regulation. The government/industry Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team is considering the topic of regulation and is likely to make recommendations for action in its report which is due to be published in the autumn.
The Government is committed to support UK science. In 2000 the budget for science and technology increased by 7 per cent. in real terms, year on year, and as a result of the last spending review it will be increasing at 10 per cent. per annum in real terms over the next three years. In 1997–8 the science budget was 1.3 billion. By 2005–6 it will be 2.9 billion. The Government has also invested heavily in modernising the scientific infrastructure of the country.
The Government's cross-cutting Review of Science and Research published in March 2002 included a review of funding of the UK science base, and the effectiveness of departments' own science and research programmes to ensure that they are delivering maximum long-term benefits to the economy and quality of life. Following this review, the Government published in July 2002 its strategy for science, engineering and technology—"Investing in Innovation"
The Government regularly assesses the effect of its financial support for the biotechnology industry. The Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team is also reviewing government support for the sector.
11 Sept 2003 : Column 435W
Trade Liberalisation
Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment her Department has made of the consequences of dumping of goods by developed countries upon trade liberalisation in developing countries. [121283]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK has long been conscious that reductions in the currently high levels of trade-distorting support in the agriculture sector are necessary to address over-production in the developed world and the consequent disruption of world commodity markets, which are of vital interest to developing countries. So the UK was pleased that all WTO members agreed at Doha in November 2001 to "comprehensive negotiations aimed at: reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support."
Unpaid Bills
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of bills remained unpaid in excess of 30 days in each year since 2001 in her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies; what the (a) longest and (b) average time is that an invoice has remained outstanding for payment in that period; and whether it is her Department's policy to pay interest on late payment of invoice. [126653]
Ms Hewitt: The percentage of bills that were unpaid by the Department and its agencies within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice was 2.3 per cent. for the financial year 2001–02 and 2.8 per cent. for the financial year 2002–03.
Information on the longest and average time that an invoice has remained outstanding for payment by the Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Department's policy is to pay interest on late payment of undisputed and correctly presented invoices where appropriate in line with relevant legislation.
Wind Generators
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many wind generators are working in the United Kingdom; and how many are planned to be built in the next five years. [129062]
Mr. Timms: My Department does not collate figures for all wind turbine generators in the UK. Only if a wind farm application is referred to DTI through section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 or through the Transport and Works Act 1992 (wind farms of an installed capacity of 50 megawatts or above onshore and 1MW or above offshore) would this Department have figures. The British Wind Energy Association states that the current number of wind turbines operating in the UK which are grid connected is 1,030, and the total installed capacity for operating wind turbines in the UK is 587 megawatts.
Wind generation will provide an important contribution to the Government's target of generating 10 per cent. of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010. It is for wind farm developers to bring forward their proposals for future developments. There have been an
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encouraging number of applications for wind farms that have received planning consent and I expect this trend to continue.
WTO Negotiations
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent steps she has taken to protect water services in developing countries within the WTO negotiations. [120517]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Water services are the responsibility of individual WTO member countries, who are responsible for the regulatory environment and any other requirements on the provision of water services. The Department for International Development (DFID) provides technical assistance in a number of developing countries aimed at improving regulatory capacity. DFID also provides a range of trade-related support to help developing countries pursue their interests with respect to WTO agreements.
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