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18 Jul 2005 : Column 1340W—continued
Hydro Power
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many micro generators using hydro power contribute to the main grid. [12664]
Malcolm Wicks: 239 small-scale (i.e. with a capacity below 5MW) hydro generators accounted for 184MW of installed generation capacity at the end of 2004. It is not clear how much of this capacity is exported to the distribution network, rather than consumed by the generator, as the number will change on a daily basis according to the level of demand by the generator themselves and the total electricity generated on a given day.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what electricity price is guaranteed to microgenerators using converted water mills; and for how long their price is guaranteed. [12666]
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Malcolm Wicks: The levels of electricity generated by a converted water mill will vary according to the size of the installation, the flow of the water and other such factors. There is no price guarantee for the electricity exported to the distribution network. Any payment for this electricity will be subject to agreement between the relevant distribution network operator and the generator.
Electricity generated by converted water mills will be eligible under the Renewables Obligation allowing generators to claim Renewable Obligation Certificates.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the capital cost of converting a water mill to microgeneration. [12667]
Malcolm Wicks: The cost of converting a water mill to become a microgeneration station depends heavily on the site in question and the size of the scheme. A study by BSD Ltd. in September 2002 suggests that schemes typically cost anything between £1,000 and £3,000 per installed kW, and much more than this for small domestic scale schemes. My Department has recently put out a tender for some research that will look at the costs and benefits of all forms of microgeneration including micro-hydro.
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the economic viability of microgeneration using converted water mills. [12668]
Malcolm Wicks: The economic viability of converted water mills acting as microgenerators depends on manydifferent factors—the cost of the conversion, the generating capacity of the installation, the actual output of the generating station, agreement with the relevant distribution network operator on tariff for any electricity exported, etc.
My Department has recently put out a tender for some research to look at the costs and benefits of all forms of micro generation including micro-hydro. This study will feed into work on the Government's strategy for the promotion of microgeneration which will be published next year.
International Trade Advisers
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many international trade advisers are employed by regional development authorities; and if he will make a statement. [10485]
Ian Pearson: International Trade Advisers are not employed by Regional Development Agencies. They are funded by UK Trade and Investment, which acts as the RDAs' International Trade arm, and are employed by local providers of business support services (mostly Business Link Operators). In the 2005–06 financial year, UK Trade and Investment is making funding available for a network of 282 International Trade Advisers across the nine English regions.
Liquid Natural Gas (Equatorial Guinea)
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential for Equatorial Guinea to supply liquid natural gas to the UK. [12190]
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Malcolm Wicks: We have not made a specific assessment of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) potential in Equatorial Guinea, although we are aware that the development of the LNG sector offers greater opportunity for the export of such natural gas reserves. The sourcing of gas supplies from overseas is a matter for commercial operators who have every incentive to make their own assessment of the merits of supplies from different countries.
Lost/Stolen Goods
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the items reported within his Department as being lost or stolen, together with the approximate value of each item, in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [10520]
Alan Johnson: I refer the hon. Member for Southend, West to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 146W, for items reported lost and stolen each year until end 2005.
The latest figures reported for 2005 are:
The Department's records do not differentiate between items reported lost or stolen, or those belonging to the Department or individuals. The value of the reported losses for 2005 was not recorded.
Luneside Link
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Luneside Link, as referred to in the context of the Northern Route (Heysham/ M6 link) in the North West Development Agency Regeneration and Economic Development Assessment Final Report of January 2005, is. [12654]
Alun Michael:
The Regeneration and Economic Development Assessment Final Report states that the Luneside link is a proposed new bridge across the River Lune, linking Morecambe Road and the quayside at Luneside West regeneration area. It also states that the link would provide a new river crossing, bypassing the railway 'barrier' and the residential areas to the east.
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Manufacturing
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to prevent UK manufacturing jobs being relocated to countries where labour costs are lower. [12472]
Alun Michael: The Government want a successful manufacturing sector in this country and naturally we would like to keep as many jobs in the UK as possible. However it is not our policy to intervene in the location decisions of private companies. The Government's manufacturing strategy focuses on helping companies to meet the challenge from countries with low labour costs by moving to high value, high skill manufacturing. In addition UK trade and investment seeks to encourage foreign direct investment which in 2004 created/safeguarded over 38,000 manufacturing jobs.
MG Rover
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date his Department was first informed of the financial difficulties facing MG Rover; and on what date (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department first entered into discussions with executives at MG Rover. [5869]
Ian Pearson: From the time that BMW sold the company it was always clear that MG Rover would need to find a partner if it was to be successful in the long-term. From its regular contact with the company (primarily at official level), the Department was aware that the need was becoming more pressing as time went on.
MG Rover made a request for a bridging loan facility from the Government at a meeting on 21 February 2005.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's discussions with (a) MG Rover management executives and (b) representatives of the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation in the month of (i) January, (ii) February, (iii) March, (iv)April and (v) May. [9357]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 4 July 2005]: Clearly the period between January and April was one where important decisions were being taken by MG Rover's management and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). Consequently DTI Ministers and officials had a number of discussions with MG Rover management and SAIC although I can confirm the Department has had no discussions with either during May.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming) of 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 308W, on MG Rover, if he will list the strict criteria under which the bridging loan facility was to be provided. [9643]
Ian Pearson
[holding answer 4 July 2005]: The fundamental points on which the Government would have required satisfaction before making a bridging loan facility available were confidence that the deal with SAIC would proceed and that the facility would have
18 Jul 2005 : Column 1344W
been repaid in full as a result. Any loan would have been secured against available assets and borne a commercial rate of interest.
The formulation of the detailed criteria was, however, integral to the policy making process and their release in full would not be in the public interest.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the Government first received a request for a bridging loan to aid the completion of a commercial deal to help secure the future of MG Rover. [9677]
Ian Pearson: The Government received a letter from John Towers on 15 March 2005 formally requesting a loan until completion of the deal with SAIC. An oral request was made in a meeting between Kevin Howe and officials on 21 February.
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