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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1176W—continued
Asbestos
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department and its agencies on (a) asbestos surveys and (b) the management and
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removal of asbestos since 1 January 2001; and what budget is available to (i) commission asbestos surveys and (ii) manage and remove asbestos from buildings in (A) 2003 and (B) 2004. [130922]
Alun Michael: Defra expenditure on asbestos related works within its own buildings and agencies has been as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Minimal |
| 2002–03 | 242,000 |
| 2003–04 | (48)200,000 |
(48) Is a 'best estimate' based on current commitments.
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Minimal |
| 2002–03 | 420,345 |
| 2003–04 | (49)260,000 |
(49) Is a 'best estimate' based on current commitments.
No budget for 2004–05 has been approved at the present time.
CAP Reform
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further proposals she has to reform the Common Agricultural Policy. [129064]
Mr. Bradshaw: On 26 June EU Agriculture Ministers agreed a radical reform of most elements of the Common Agricultural Policy. The UK Government is pressing for similar radical reform of the remaining sectors, which include the sugar, olive oil, cotton and tobacco regimes and we are pleased that the European Commission intends to bring forward proposals in the next few months.
We are consulting on how we should implement the reforms already agreed so that we can introduce the new scheme from 1 January 2005, the earliest date permitted.
Carbon Trust
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) debt equity deals and (b) interest free energy action loans the Carbon Trust has approved since it was established. [128033]
Mr. Morley: I understand that the Carbon Trust has received 84 proposals for equity investment. Of these, 31 are in progress, and three investments have been made totalling £1.7 million (leveraging in a further £16 million).
The Carbon Trust are also seeking opportunities to support embryonic low carbon technology companies through both the offer of incubator services and through the future creation of incubator funds.
The Carbon Trust's loan scheme has approved over £1 million worth of loans to SMEs since it started in January 2003. The Trust currently receive over 60 inquiries per month. On September 1 there were 149
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applications under consideration, 32 formal offers had been made and 15 loans had been paid with a total value of £440,000.
Community Composting
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on community composting; and what plans she has to expand its take-up. [130592]
Mr. Morley: The Government recognise the valuable role that community composting groups can play in delivering more sustainable waste management.
We are taking various measures (that do not relate to community groups alone) to increase the amount of waste that is composted. For example, we have set targets to increase the level of recycling and composting of household waste to 17 per cent. by 2003–04 and 25 per cent. by 2005–06. We are primarily looking to local authorities, as the statutory waste collection and disposal authorities, to deliver these targets. Some authorities are working with community groups to do this and the Government encourage this partnership-working.
We are also supporting the Composting Association with a grant of £272,000 over three years to raise awareness and increase the understanding of composting and uses of composts.
In addition, funding of £35.2 million is available until September 2006 specifically for community waste schemes in England under the New Opportunities Fund's Community Recycling and Economic Development Programme.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research projects are being supported by her Department in the area of community composting; and what discussions she has had with representatives of the waste industry on the subject of community composting. [130593]
Mr. Morley: I am not aware of any research projects currently being funded by Defra specifically concerning community composting. However, Defra does fund some community composting projects through the Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund. Under the category of community initiatives, the fund is supporting two projects with composting elements.
Defra is also providing funds of £12.2 million over the next three years to the Waste and Resource Action Programme to stimulate markets for composted products. A proportion of these funds will be used for research projects, some of which may be of relevance to community composting groups.
The Government hold regular discussions on a number of topics with representatives of the waste industry.
Consultancy Contracts
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many consultancies were commissioned by her Department in the last two years for which figures are available; and what the cost of those contracts was. [130888]
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Alun Michael: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Costs
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was to her Department for (a) ministerial cars and drivers, (b) taxis, (c) train travel, (d) the use of helicopters, (e) airline tickets and (f) chartered aeroplanes in each year since 1997. [123081]
Margaret Beckett: With regard to the costs for ministerial cars and drivers, I refer to the answer given by the Cabinet Office and the letter from the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to the hon. Gentleman, dated 17 September 2003.
The costs to the Department for taxis, train travel and airline tickets, use of helicopters and chartered planes since 8 June 2001, when Defra was formed, are as follows:
| Year end 31 March | Train travel (£) | Public transport travel (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 (part year) | 1,487,983 | 636,681 |
| 2002–03 | 1,631,848 | 620,267 |
| 2003–04 (to 31 July) | 688,191 | 201,403 |
The figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 include travel expenses incurred as a result of foot and mouth disease.
All the figures for 'Travel by Public Transport' includes the use of helicopters, chartered planes, airline tickets, taxis, bus, underground and pedal cycle expenses, and can be broken down further only at disproportionate cost.
End of Life Vehicles Directive
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the costs to local authorities of implementing (a) the End of Life Vehicles Directive and (b) the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. [129402]
Margaret Beckett: (a) The ELV Directive contains no provision which applies directly to local authorities. However, under the New Burdens arrangements, DTI have transferred to local authorities £25 million for 2003–04 to meet any additional costs they may incur in relation to abandoned vehicles as a result of the directive's implementation. It is proposed to transfer similar sums in respect of financial years 2004–05 and 2005–06.
(b) The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive does not place direct responsibilities on local authorities for the collection and disposal of WEEE, but on producers and distributors. Future implementation options will take full account of the costs for all stakeholders and will be subject to full consultation.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans
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she has to enforce greater energy saving practices in homes; and what timescale has been drawn up for homes to improve their energy saving practices. [130532]
Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 18 September 2003]: The Energy White Paper details the steps being taken to encourage greater energy efficiency in the UK, and sets out an ambitious strategy for energy efficiency up to 2010 and beyond. Energy efficiency is expected to deliver about half the carbon savings needed to meet our goals for 2020. This will mean roughly doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement of recent decades.
Households account for around 5MtC of the expected savings by 2010. The Energy White Paper sets out measures which have the potential to deliver 3.5MtC by 2010, in addition to the savings of 1.5MtC from measures already in place. It is estimated that by 2020, a further 4–6MtC of annual savings can be realised in the household sector.
Key measures proposed in the White Paper that would provide a statutory basis for improvements in energy efficiency in households include extension of the Energy Efficiency Commitment beyond 2005 at possibly twice its current level of activity; improvements in building standards through revisions to the Building Regulations, which we aim to bring into effect in 2005; and faster improvements in the standards of new household appliances.
The Government intend to publish an Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan within a year of the White Paper's publication, which will provide further detail on all of these policies.
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to increase the UK's energy efficiency. [131078]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Energy White Paper details the steps being taken to encourage greater energy efficiency in the UK, and sets out an ambitious strategy for energy efficiency up to 2010 and beyond. Energy efficiency is expected to deliver about half the carbon savings needed to meet our goals for 2020. This will mean roughly doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement of recent decades.
Key measures proposed in the White Paper include extension of the Energy Efficiency Commitment beyond 2005 at possibly twice its current level of activity; improvements in building standards through further revisions to the Building Regulations; faster improvements in the standards of new household appliances; and consultation on economic instruments to improve household energy efficiency.
Already established are a wide range of policies and measures to encourage energy efficiency across the economy. These include:
- Climate Change Agreements, where companies can gain an 80 per cent. discount from the Climate Change Levy for eligible processes by entering into Agreements and meeting energy efficiency targets;
the work of the Carbon Trust, which takes the lead on energy efficiency for business and the public sector, and supports the development of a low carbon economy in the UK. The Trust was launched in April 2001 as part of the CCL "package";
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the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which will generate significant emissions reductions and is the first economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme in the world. The UK Government is also working towards implementing the European ETS, due to start on 1 January 2005.
funding for the Energy Saving Trust to run a number of programmes to promote the sustainable and efficient use of energy in homes. The Trust also facilitates the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, which brings together key stakeholders to support and promote domestic energy efficiency.
encouraging improvements in product standards so that energy-using appliances operate more efficiently;
the Building Regulations, updated in 2002, which are already delivering significant energy efficiency improvements in new and existing buildings.
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