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Mains Gas Network

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans her Department has to provide assistance and support for the extension of the mains gas network to those areas without access, with particular reference to deprived communities; [178011]

(2) what discussions have been held between her Department and the Treasury to seek funding for the extension of mains gas provision to areas of England not served by the network; and if she will make a statement. [178012]

Mr. Timms: The Department estimates that, based on figures for 2001, around 450,000 vulnerable, fuel poor households lacked access to mains gas, and that around 180,000 of those households might feasibly be connected to the mains gas network. The Department has been considering the possibility of funding for a programme to provide connection to deprived communities without mains gas. The Design and Demonstration Unit, which is based in DTI and designs and develops projects in support of White Paper objectives has completed two pathfinder projects to provide gas connections to deprived communities, and is currently working on a third. It hopes to undertake more projects during 2004–05.

Parental Leave

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parents in the (a) £5,000 to £10,000, (b) £10,001 to £15,000, (c) £15,001 to £20,000, (d) £20,001 to £25,000 and (e) £25,001 to £30,000 income brackets have exercised their right to take parental leave in each year since its introduction. [175406]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 24 May 2004]: Data on the take-up of parental leave disaggregated by income band is not yet available.
 
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Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parents of disabled children have taken parental leave in each calendar year since the right to such leave was introduced. [175408]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 24 May 2004]: Data on the take-up of parental leave by the parents of disabled children is not yet available.

Post Office Closures (London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office closures there have been in each London borough in each year since 1997. [177126]

Mr. Timms: I am advised by Post Office Ltd. that data on post office closures by local authority area is not available in the form requested, as the company does not require this data for operational purposes. However, it has produced quarterly statistics on post office closures by Government region/country since March 2000 and the net closure figures for the London region are:

Year to end March 2001—10

Year to end March 2002—16

Year to end March 2003—44 (including 11 under the urban reinvention programme)

Year to end March 2004—155 (including 142 under the urban reinvention programme).

Post Office Reinvention Programme

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with Post Office Ltd. on the interpretation of European Commission approval of the funds made available for the Post Office Urban Reinvention Programme; and if she will make a statement. [177701]

Mr. Timms: The terms of the compensation funding for the Post Office Urban Reinvention Programme are set out in the October 2002 offer letter between the Department and Post Office Ltd. and reflect fully the terms of the European Commission's approval of the scheme for state aid purposes.

The rationale for the urban reinvention programme, and the context of the European Commission's state aid clearance, is to restore the urban post office network to economic sustainability by reducing its size, while continuing to maintain good levels of accessibility with at least 95 per cent. of the urban population nationally living within one mile of a post office and the majority within half a mile at the end of the programme.

Radio Frequency Identifiers

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 443W, on radio frequency identifiers, if she will assess the potential change in the number of jobs in the retail sector as a result of the implementation of radio frequency identifier devices technology. [177810]

Mr. Timms: Radio frequency identifier device (RFID) technologies are currently deployed in the retail environment for tagging at case or pallet level in distribution and stock control. It does not appear to have had impacts on job numbers. The possible
 
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extension of RFID technology to tagging at item level may have implications for employment and the range of skills and competences required of retail staff. The Department for Trade and Industry will monitor developments through its relationship with the retail sector and the relevant Sector Skills Councils.

Renewable Energy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what target her Department has set for (a) the amount and (b) the percentage of electricity the UK should be obtaining from renewable sources by (i) 2004 and (ii) each year to 2010; what revision to the original renewables obligation targets for electricity from renewable sources has been made since it was introduced; what progress has been made to date; and what assessment she has made of whether the targets will be met within the stipulated time. [176741]

Mr. Timms: The information requested is as follows:

(a) The Government have set the target of 10 per cent. of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2010, but has not set separate targets for each year until that date.

(b) During the first year of Renewables Obligation operation, the UK produced about 1.8 per cent. of its electricity from eligible renewable sources—somewhat below the level of the Renewables Obligation of 3.0 per cent. for that period. However, including all renewables sources, the total UK production from renewables for the same period was slightly over 3.0 per cent.

The Government recently announced that the level of the RO would be increased from 2010 rising to 15.4 per cent. by 2015. This will help long-term investment decisions in renewables.

The targets we have set are achievable, but challenging, since we are starting from a low base. However, we are doing all we can to achieve this target. The Government have established a framework for expansion and expect the industry to demonstrate they can achieve our goals at an acceptable cost.

We expect the main growth between now and 2010 to come from onshore and offshore wind farms.

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the study commissioned by her Department of the actual and potential impact of community benefits schemes on the deployment of renewable energy projects. [177881]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The Department has commissioned a study of the actual and potential impact of community benefits schemes on the deployment of renewable, especially wind, energy projects. A report is expected later this year.

Secondments

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many UK Trade and Investment international trade advisers went on secondment to the private sector in the last year for which figures are available. [176354]

Ms Hewitt: We have begun encouraging such outward interchanges to the private sector but none has yet taken place. However, over 70 per cent. of UK Trade
 
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and Investment's international trade advisers were recruited from the private sector, and already have relevant business experience.

South West Regional Development Agency

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants have been distributed by the South West Regional Development Agency since 2002–03, broken down by (a) county and (b) district. [176743]

Jacqui Smith: South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) does not hold the information on the basis requested. Grant payments are recorded against the themes set out in SWRDA's Corporate Plan 2003–06, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

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