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13 Jun 2005 : Column 80W—continued
Inward Investment
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of inward investment within the EU has been received by (a) the UK, (b) France and (c) Germany in each of the last five years. [1644]
Ian Pearson: The latest figures available for the proportion of inward investment within the EU that has been received by (a) the UK, (b) France and (c) Germany is shown in the tables.
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Union Total | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| France | 13.5 | 11.5 | 12.1 | 13.3 | 13.0 |
| Germany | 16.6 | 20.9 | 17.4 | 18.3 | 16.3 |
| United Kingdom | 21.3 | 19.4 | 20.8 | 19.6 | 20.1 |
Note:
Data includes EU intra investment sourced from UNCTAD world investment report 2004.
Manufacturing
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry if he will make a statement on manufacturing output. [1855]
Alun Michael: Manufacturing output increased by 0.9 per cent. between March and April but declined by 1.4 per cent. on the three-month moving average and by0.7 per cent. in the three months to April compared with the same period last year. It is important to recognise that manufacturing output data can be volatile, and prone to large revisions over time. Almost all the major independent forecasters are forecasting that output will grow in 2005 for the third successive year.
Manufacturing remains vital to the UK economy, and the Government want a successful manufacturing sector producing high value-added products. We are committed to providing the right support through the manufacturing strategy, which sets out an action plan to develop the sector and help more and more companies make the transition to high value manufacturing.
National Power Provision
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received from Yorkshire Electricity Distribution Limited the information concerning power cuts in the East Riding of Yorkshire referred to in his answer of 30 January 2004, Official Report, columns 589–90W. [3236]
Malcolm Wicks:
Yorkshire Electricity Distribution Limited have advised the following numbers of power failures in the areas indicated in each of the five years ending 2003.
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Natural Gas
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is for protecting natural gas supplies being imported into the UK from the (a) former Soviet Union and (b) Middle East up to 2020. [2978]
Malcolm Wicks: As set out in the White Paper Our Energy Future—creating a low carbon economy" published in February 2003, the Government believes that allowing the free operation of a competitive UK market, within an appropriate regulatory framework, is the most efficient way to ensure security of gas supply. Commercial operators have every incentive to ensure diverse sources of gas, supply routes and entry points so as to reduce the risks arising from supply interruption from any one source. The current UK gas market arrangements are already delivering a number of competing gas import projects, potentially delivering gas from such diverse sources as Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Algeria, Qatar, and other Liquefied Natural Gas exporters.
We also engage with key producers, both bilaterally and multilaterally, including those in the middle east and the former Soviet Union. For example, the EU-Russia Energy Dialogue encompasses discussion across all energy sectors. We believe that action with Russia to improve energy efficiency in both extraction and use of energy could have a major impact on the amount of oil and gas available for export. This would benefit the EU's security of supply but would also have a very positive effect on the Russian economy and environment. During our EU presidency we aim to re-invigorate the EU-Russia Energy Dialogue to promote investment energy efficiency, network development and energy trade.
An important part of our engagement with energy producing and transit countries is through the multilateral Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), which promotes the rule of law in energy trade, investment and transit between its contracting parties and thereby improves security of energy supply. ECT signatories comprise all of Europe, all the former Soviet Union and others. Since 1999 members have been negotiating a Protocol intended to supplement existing ECT provisions on energy transit by offering negotiated access to pipelines and grids. However, differences between the EU and Russia on key outstanding issues have prevented the Transit Protocol from being concluded. As part of our EU presidency union, the UK will work closely with all relevant parties to try to conclude the Transit Protocol negotiations, although success remains dependent on the EU and Russia being able to resolve their differences.
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Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the UK's energy needs are met by natural gas; and what the forecast is for (a) 2010 and (b) 2020. [2979]
Malcolm Wicks: Forty one per cent of the UK's energy needs in 2004 were met by natural gas. According to the latest energy projections, the corresponding figures for 2010 and 2020 are 41 per cent. and 46 per cent. respectively.
Energy projections are available at the following websites: http://www.dti.gov:uk/energy/sepn/uep2004.pdf which provides detailed estimates to 2010 and http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/uep_addendum.pdf which provides an overview of projections to 2020.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from where he expects natural gas used in the UK to be sourced in (a) 2010 and (b) 2020; and in what quantities. [2980]
Malcolm Wicks: As set out in the White Paper Our Energy Future—creating a low carbon economy" published in February 2003, the Government believe that allowing the free operation of a competitive UK market, within an appropriate regulatory framework, is the most efficient way to ensure security of gas supply. Commercial operators have every incentive to ensure diverse sources of gas, supply routes and entry points so as to reduce the risks arising from supply interruption from any one source. The current UK gas market arrangements are already delivering a number of competing gas import projects, potentially delivering gas from such diverse sources as Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Algeria, Qatar, and other Liquefied Natural Gas exporters.
The latest Joint Energy Security of Supply report, published in November 2004, gives DTI's forecast of UK gas demand for 2004–13. Forecast demand in 2010 and 2013 is 94 billion cubic metres (bcm) and 98 bcm respectively (net of producers' own use). There are existing import facilities into the UK from Norway and via the UK-Belguim Interconnector, and the report notes that perhaps 40 per cent. of UK demand might be met by imports in 2010 and 80 per cent. in 2020. It also records the capacities of the publicly announced proposed new import facilities for the UK. These are expected to be in place before 2010.
This report can be found at http:/www.dti.gov.uk/energy/jess/jessreport5.pdf.
Where the gas actually flows from will be a reflection of commercial decisions.
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