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20 Jun 2005 : Column 720W—continued
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
3G Mobile Phone Masts
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was raised by the Exchequer in auctioning 3G mobile phone mast licences. [5569]
Alun Michael: In April 2000 the Radiocommunications Agency raised £22.478 billion from an auction of five licences for radio spectrum to support the third generation of mobile telephones.
Further details can be found in the National Audit Office report 'The Auction of Radio Spectrum for the Third Generation of Mobile Telephones', published October 2001.
Carbon Capture Technology
Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the cost of installing carbon capture technology in the UK's coal-fired power stations. [5126]
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Malcolm Wicks: The cost of fitting carbon capture technology to coal-fired plant is estimated to be between £600 and £700 per kWt of installed capacity.
Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to assess carbon capture technology for the UK's coal-fired power stations. [5127]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government plans are set out in the Carbon Abatement Technology Strategy for Fossil Fuel Use announced on 14 June 2005 and which is available in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on the underwriting of the cost of carbon capture technology being fitted to coal-fired power stations in the UK. [5178]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government will be responding to the committee's report shortly. The Carbon Abatement Technology Strategy for Fossil Fuel Use, announced on 14 June 2005, will examine possible measures to encourage the initial commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies in the UK.
Coal Health Claims
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safeguards have been put in place to protect the interests of his Department when a senior Irisc employee leaves to take up employment with a solicitor or claims handler. [2734]
Malcolm Wicks: No such safeguards have been put in place.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Minister signed the (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease agreements on mining compensation with the claimants' solicitors group; and on what date. [5747]
Malcolm Wicks: Both agreements were signed by Nabarro Nathanson solicitors on behalf of the Department. The vibration white finger agreement was signed on 24 January 1999 and the respiratory disease agreement was signed on 22 September 1999.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2005, Official Report, column 70W, on Coal Health Claims, on what date in 1999 the Minister for Energy and Industry approved in writing the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease agreement with the Union of Democratic Mineworkers. [6057]
Malcolm Wicks:
Ministerial approval for agreeing separate negotiations for the claims handling arrangements for respiratory disease with the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) was given in December 1998. The terms of compensation are the same as for the Claims Handling Agreement with the claimants' solicitors group. Ministerial approval for signing the UDM agreement was given in November 1999.
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Departmental Name
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the proposal to change the name of his Department cost in terms of (a) signage, (b) stationery and (c) literature. [1085]
Alan Johnson: Preliminary work was undertaken to meet the name change of the Department at an overall cost of £14,500. This was broken down into:
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was of (a) changing the title of the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry and (b) reverting to the original title. [2689]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 9 June 2005]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 304W.
Electricity Generation
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of dispatchable electricity generation constituting the United Kingdom's electrical power portfolio he estimates will be obsolete by the year 2020; and what steps he is taking to encourage its replacement. [4960]
Malcolm Wicks: The DTI's latest energy projections (http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/uep_addendum.pdf for information to 2020 and http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/uep2004.pdf for more detailed information for 2010) indicate that around 40 per cent. of current generating capacity may close by 2020. There are significant uncertainties attached to this estimate. Generating plants do not have fixed lifetimes and worldwide experience shows that significant increases in plant lifetime can be achieved through various means.
It is a matter for market participants to decide whenand to what extent new generating capacity is constructed or existing capacity is refurbished with a view to prolonging lifetimes.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the proportion of the projected electrical generation fleet in 2020 that will be (a) gas-fired, (b) coal-fired, (c) nuclear powered, (d) oil fired and (e) powered by other sources. [4962]
Malcolm Wicks: Consistent with the most recent published projections http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/uep_addendum.pdf) estimated shares of generating capacity in 2020 are: gas 61 per cent. coal 13 per cent. nuclear 5 per cent. oil 2 per cent. and other 19 per cent.
Further information on energy projections is also available at the following website: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/uep2004.pdf
Mail Trains
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the reintroduction of mail trains; and on which routes they have been reintroduced. [5155]
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Barry Gardiner: Decisions about Royal Mail's transport network are an operational matter for the company's board. The Government welcome Royal Mail's decision to reintroduce some rail use as part of its transport infrastructure.
I understand that Royal Mail has entered into a contract with GB Railfreight to provide services between London and Scotland. The chief executive has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member with more details.
MG Rover
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance is available to companies supplying MG Rover who are not located in the West Midlands; what assessment has been made of claims of retention of title made by Rover suppliers in respect of stock supplied to Rover; and what assistance is planned to be given to companies with such claims. [2742]
Ian Pearson: The support package for MG Rover suppliers was announced on 8 April 2005 and is available nationally, not just to those companies located within West Midlands. The assistance available includes short-term support for the wage costs of affected employees, loan finance for working capital and help with business planning. These services can be accessed via the Rover taskforce's supplier help line on 0121 607 0121. Details are also available at http://www.rover-response.info.
It is for individual companies to pursue retention of title claims with the administrators of MG Rover and Powertrain. Several suppliers have done this successfully. The Government have made no assessment of retention of title claims and there are no plans to do so.
In order for suppliers with valid claims to recover their property, it is necessary for the MG Rover distribution centre to be staffed and kept open. The cost is significant and the activity is of no benefit to MG Rover's creditors. The administrators are therefore unwilling to fund it and the Department, through the Rover taskforce, have agreed to meet the cost for a limited period so as to assist suppliers to reclaim their stock of components. This facility will be made available up to 23 June 2005.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what time on Thursday 7 April the former Secretary of State were informed that MG Rover would be entering administration; in what way he was given that information; and by whom. [5862]
Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State received a telephone call from John Towers at 8.30 pm London time on April 7 informing her that MGR Directors had met and agreed to call in administrators and would be making a statement.
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