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22 Jul 2004 : Column 515W—continued
Regulatory Impact Assessments
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the distinction is between regulatory impact assessments where (a) the benefits justify the costs and (b) the benefits outweigh the costs. [183217]
Mr. Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
The Cabinet Office guidance "Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment" requires the responsible Minister to certify that he or she is satisfied that the benefits of the proposed measure justify its costs. The Minister will consider the full range of benefits arising from the measure, including social, environmental and economic.
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Renewable Energy
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the capital grants demonstration projects for renewable energy technologies that are not yet economic with support from the renewable obligation alone. [185397]
Mr. Timms: The Department has supported with capital grants the following number of demonstrations of renewable energy technologies not yet economic with support from the Renewables Obligation alone. This includes funding for Capital Grants which has been allocated from the Big Lottery Fund.
The total number of projects in each sector that the Department is aware of is:
Photovoltaic—653, under the major demonstration programme.
Biomass—21, under the Bioenergy Capital Grants Scheme
Offshore wind—12, under the Offshore Wind Capital Grants Scheme.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines she has issued on the percentage of energy which should come from renewable sources in relation to the proposed development at Clyst Vale in Devon. [185764]
Mr. Timms: Our overall target is that by 2010, 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity should come from renewable sources. ODPM are currently reviewing their national guidelines which help set out planning guidance for local authorities on renewable energy development. Responses to their consultation and the new planning guidance, PPS 22, are being analysed and final publication of PPS 22 is due in the summer.
At a regional level the Southwest Government Office have planning guidance in the shape of RPG 10—produced in 2001 and informed by PPS 22's predecessor. This sets an indicative target of 11–15 per cent. of electricity from renewables by 2010—just under 600MW of capacity. The regional office then worked with individual counties to agree indicative targets at the county level and incorporate them into individual renewable energy strategies; for example, Devon has a 151 MW indicative target. These were based upon detailed resource and character assessments of the landscape but the indicative targets are not split by technology. RPG 10 is due to be updated by the Regional Spatial Strategy in 2005—which will be informed by PPS 22. No guidelines have been issued in respect of renewable energy provision for any individual development.
Renewable Obligations Certificate
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent the renewable obligations certificate can be traded with wind power generating companies registered in the UK but whose beneficial ownership lies in offshore tax havens. [185739]
Mr. Timms:
Renewables obligation certificates or ROCs are issued in relation to eligible renewables output from generating stations in the United Kingdom. ROCs can be traded within Great Britain and in future this will be extended to include Northern Ireland. The renewables obligation is placed upon licensed electricity suppliers supplying customers in Great Britain,
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irrespective of where those suppliers may be based, and ROCs can be expected to be of value to such companies, to those selling renewables electricity to them and to traders in ROCs.
Renewables Obligations Order
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects the Renewables Obligation Order review's findings will be published; what the parameters of the review are; and from whom it will take evidence. [185841]
Mr. Timms: We plan to publish our proposals on the scope and terms of reference of the review later this summer. We aim to complete the review itself by the end of 2005—this will include a statutory consultation on any proposed changes to the Obligation.
The Utilities Act requires us to consult a wide range of statutory consultees before any changes are made to the Order. Such consultees include the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority. The Gas and Electricity Consumer Council, electricity suppliers to whom the Order would apply and generators of electricity from renewable sources. Gauging the opinion of this range of consultees will enable us to seek views from a wide base.
Small Businesses
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support has been offered to small businesses in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) south Tyneside, (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) England in each year since 1997. [184517]
Nigel Griffiths: A number of steps have been introduced to help small businesses including an increase of capital allowances to 50 per cent. and raising VAT registration threshold to 58 per cent., all of which helps small businesses in south Tyneside.
The Employer Training Pilot, run in Tyne and Wear for the last 15 months, is being made available to businesses throughout the north east. This helps businesses to improve workforce skills by providing training tailored to their needs. The main source of publicly funded business support is Business Link Tyne and Wear (BLTW).
Core funding of £2.2459 million provided to Business Link Tyne and Wear (BLTW), laid the foundation on which they are planning to source additional funding projected at £14.5 million for the benefit of businesses in Tyne and Wear, for the year 2004–5. Such funding and the creation of partnership working allowed the following to be delivered within Tyne and Wear.
Around £7.5 million was made available to SMEs based in the sub-region in 2003–04 as part of projects managed by BLTW.
Businesses benefited from a range of Workforce Development services to help SMEs achieve the Investors in People Standard (liP) and develop their workforce.
Financial subsidies up to 45 per cent. towards consultancy can be accessed by businesses of any age or size issue. Around £4 million is available for this purpose.
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SMEs benefit from up to 45 per cent. funding towards the cost of exhibition space, and design, build and dressing of stands. BLTW have held three 'Meet the Buyer' events over the last two years as a means for local SMEs to meet buyers from both within and beyond the region, offering them the opportunity to become integral cogs in supply chains. BLTW also recently hosted an 'Access to Finance' event, where SMEs met flinders. This was attended by 30 funders and over 100 SMEs.
Unsecured loans of up to £15,000 are available to SMEs in the NE that have difficulty accessing finance elsewhere. The SMEs must work with a mentor and repay the loan within five years.
A Business Link adviser is currently based at TEDCO's premises in Jarrow providing advice and support to south Tyneside businesses. Business adviser will soon be based in south Tyneside metropolitan borough council premises, and in south Tyneside College two days a week.
In addition a Tyne and Wear Small Business Fund, through ONE NE's Single Programme Funding, of a 50 per cent. Capital Equipment Grant of between £500 and £2,500 available to pre-start and new businesses—up to 12 months old.
Supplementing the support available from BLTW, south Tyneside metropolitan borough council and south Tyneside Enterprise Agency, TEDCO run a number of their own initiatives to support SMEs in the south Tyneside borough. These initiatives are outlined as follows:
South Tyneside metropolitan borough council:
Tyne and Wear Small Business Grant;
50 per cent. of eligible costs up to £5,000;
New businesses up to 36 months old;
Supports projects from a wide range of sectors with a capital spend of at least £2,000.
£20,000-£100,000;
New and established businesses in most sectors;
Encourages major investments into the borough which support the attraction, creation, retention and rescue of significant jobs and businesses.
Youth Employment Grant:
Up to £3,000 on 30 per cent. basis over first year;
Established businesses in all sectors;
30 per cent. of the first years basic wage costs in a new, full-time, permanent post, for a person of south Tyneside, under 25 years of age.
Access is available to the Tyne and Wear Business Start-up service, for individuals to access advice and support on all aspects of starting and running a business. The trend for business start-up is an upward one, in 2001, 50 start-ups were recorded for south Tyneside rising to 83 for 2003.
There is close partnership working with South Tyneside Credit Union, STRIDE and the citizen's advice bureau on anti-poverty and projects focused on
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wealth creation and retention. Total funding for these activities in Jarrow since 1997 has been in the region of £311,000.
Business Development support activities include Outreach counselling, E-commerce, Marketing Support, Business Planning, Cluster Development, Workforce Development, graduate and undergraduate placement programmes and support with grant applications for expansion and growth. Total funding for the counselling and consultancy aspects of this work has been in the region of £230,000.
Grants for local businesses have been accessed through south Tyneside to promote growth, competitiveness, support expansion and inward investment. There have been two sources of this funding, a Major Grants Fund, and the south Tyneside Development Fund. It is not possible to ascertain an exact split of funds, but in broad terms, since 1997 Jarrow businesses have received £200,000 from the Major Grants Fund and £100,000 per annum from the Development Fund.
Further financial support has also been available through The Department for Work and Pensions, e.g. InBiz and also through DTI Regional Selective Assistance although it has not been possible to establish how much.
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