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12 Sept 2005 : Column 2261W—continued

Manufacturing

Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of manufacturing in Northamptonshire with particular reference to the Wellingborough constituency. [14769]

Alun Michael: The County of Northamptonshire still has a dominant manufacturing base with footwear, plastics, perfumes and toiletries over-represented against national averages. The Wellingborough East (WEAST) development and Milton Keynes South Midlands sub-regional strategy will improve infrastructure in the Wellingborough district in order to attract business and industry and help indigenous businesses grow. However, like manufacturing businesses throughout the East Midlands and the UK, Northamptonshire businesses are facing severe competition from overseas. As the pace of technological change speeds up and new industrial economies develop, the future of the manufacturing sector within the region must be based on the recognition that innovation is key to regional competitive success. That involves the continuous introduction of new and differentiated products and services.

Media Relations

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year. [14675]

Alan Johnson: The information requested is not kept in the form requested and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

MG Rover

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Department made of
 
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the business plans of the (a) Phoenix and (b) Alchemy bid for Rover at the time of the company's sale by BMW in 2000, in terms of (i) long-term employment, (ii) redundancy packages and (iii) current and future pensions for (A) Rover employees and (B) Rover's suppliers and dealers; and what assessment was made of the likely effect of each bid on the local Longbridge economy. [6666]

Ian Pearson: A preliminary comparison of Phoenix and Alchemy proposed business plans was carried out by the department in April 2000. A further assessment of the Phoenix bid was carried out in May 2000 but by then Alchemy had withdrawn. These were broad assessments, based on information available from the parties, of their developing business plans, and did not, for example, look at the detailed pension position.

The Longbridge Taskforce produced an assessment of the impact of Rover's closure on component suppliers and the local economy more widely in April 2000. This was placed in the Libraries of the House.

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 18 July 2005, Official Report, column 1344W, on MG Rover, when the decision was taken by his Department, following the requests made by Kevin Howe and John Towers, to offer a bridging loan to aid the completion of a commercial deal; and when that decision was first communicated to MG Rover management. [14385]

Ian Pearson: The Department wrote to MG Rover's management on 17 March 2005 setting out in detail the criteria that had to be met in order for a bridging loan to be made.

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received evidence that suggests MG Rover was trading whilst insolvent during April. [14386]

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State appointed inspectors under section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985 to examine the issues raised by the FRRP in their report to him and events leading up to the appointment of administrators on 8 April 2005.

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a Government bridging loan facility remains available to aid the completion of a commercial deal to help secure the future of MG Rover; whether the Government have been approached with a request for such a facility by a potential bidder since the company entered administration; whether the Government have offered any such facility to potential bidders since the company entered administration; and if he will make a statement. [14387]

Ian Pearson: The answers to the three questions are as follows:

Mine Rescue Services

Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2005,
 
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Official Report, column 464W, on mine rescue services, if he will list the (a) values, (b) dates and (c) scope of the contracts held by the Coal Authority with Mines Rescue Services Ltd, in each year since 1994. [14085]


 
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Malcolm Wicks: Details of all contracts between the Coal Authority and Mines Rescue Services Ltd, are listed in the following table:
ScopeStart dateEnd dateValue (£)
Call-off contracts for specialist services(7)11 April 199512 April 19997,250
Supply and installation of communication equipment at Bilston Glen Colliery15 November 199915 December 19991,729
Underground labour at Park Drift Mine19 February 200130 March 200114,400
Call-off contracts for specialist services(7)*1 April 200131 March 200328,920
Fire protection cover for records in transit1 August 200131 October 20013,520
Call-off contracts for specialist services(7)*1 April 200331 March 200543,635
Emergency call-out cover20 January 200331 March 20049,500
Emergency response to surface hazard incidents1 April 200431 March 20071,296,000


(7) The provision of resources from the six regional rescue stations to deal with surface hazards associated with past coal mining;
The provision of resources to facilitate the Mines (safety and Exit) Regulations 1988;
The provision of resources to facilitate the Escape from Mines Regulations 1995.
(8) Contract awarded following OJEU competitive tender exercise.


Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Coal Authority has participated directly or indirectly in (a) financial support and (b) contracts with Mines Rescue Services Ltd in connection with overseas mining operations. [14086]

Malcolm Wicks: I can confirm it has not.

Minimum Wage Helpline

Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workplaces in Midlothian were reported to the minimum wage helpline for failing to comply with the national minimum wage legislation in 2004. [14754]

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.

Nine cases were reported to the National Minimum Wage Helpline in the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 for the EH postcode area.

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workplaces in Paisley and Renfrewshire North were reported to the Minimum Wage Helpline for failing to comply with national minimum wage legislation in 2004. [14147]

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.

Six cases were reported to the National Minimum Wage Helpline in the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 for the PN postcode area.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to visit Coventry in the next six months. [14849]

Alan Johnson: I do not currently have any plans to visit Coventry in the next six months.

Non-Fossil Fuel/Renewables Obligations

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much (a) research and development funding, (b) capital grants and (c) other state support for energy technologies, excluding the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation and the Renewables Obligation was provided in each year since 1990, broken down by (i) technology, (ii) Government Department and (iii) support scheme. [14486]

Malcolm Wicks: It has not been possible to collate all public expenditure and other Government support since 1990 for energy technologies in the time available at proportionate cost. However it is possible to detail direct DTI and Research Council expenditure on new and renewables, clean fossil fuels and nuclear. These are set out in the following tables.

In addition to this both DEFRA and the Scottish Executive provide funding to the Carbon Trust which conducts research into low carbon energy activities among other activities. DEFRA also funds research into combined heat and power, which is also detailed in the tables.

The Government's support for clean, low carbon road vehicle and fuel technologies, including support for research, development and demonstration projects, was summarised in the 2002 Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, a copy of which is available via the Department for Transport's website at http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft roads_506885.hcsp.
DTI New and Renewable Energy Programme—External Spend for each technology area by financial year from 1990–91

Spend (rounded to nearest £000)
Programme area1990–911991–921992–931993–941994–951995–961996–971997–98
Bio Wastes874,0001,237,0001,158,000916,0001,235,0001,097,000593,00075,000
Biomass973,0001,153,0001,961,0002,378,0002,350,0002,313,0001,937,0001,317,000
Embedded Generation054,000108,000463,000908,000835,000647,000586,000
Fuel Cells155,000339,000362,000827,000915,0001,172,000914,000900,000
Geothermal-Aquifers-8,00055,000130,000143,0000000
Geothermal-Hot Dry Rocks2,579,0001,567,0001,088,000989,000245,000000
Hydro33,000122,00070,000167,000148,00079,000142,00057,000
Solar2,124,0002,354,0002,302,0002,378,0002,067,0001,878,0001,874,0001,660,000
Tidal1,860,0001,932,0001,726,000582,000220,000165,00000
Wave388,000467,000325,000196,000106,00042,00050,0000
Wind4,530,0006,674,0008,694,0007,310,0002,729,0003,370,0002,365,0001,240,000
Grand Total13,500,00015,954,00017,924,00016,349,00010,923,00010,951,0008,522,0005,835,000









 
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Spend (£000)

Programme area1998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–032003–042004–05Total
Bio Wastes48,00025,00056,00013,00042,000259,0007,628,000
Biomass1076,0001,585,0001,267,0001,333,0001,595,0001,346,000974,22223,558,222
Embedded Generation530,000596,000589,000776,0001,424,000725,0001,105,6409,346,640
Fuel Cells1,197,0001,168,0001,410,0001,249,0001,200,0001,701,0004,907,43018,416,430
Geothermal-Aquifers0000000320,000
Geothermal-Hot Dry Rocks00000006,468,000
Hydro80,000138,00060,000130,000200,00085,00001,511,000
Solar983,0001278,0001,264,0001,522,0004,485,0003,131,0001,970,34031,270,340
Tidal0027,000305,0001,996,0002,914,0001,268,53012,995,530
Wave91,00011,000331,000662,000748,0002,104,0005,521,000
Wind950,000801,000913,0001,248,0001,428,0001,395,0001,459,60045,106,600
Grand total4955,0005602,0005,917,0007,238,00013,118,00013,660,00011,685,762162,133,762




Notes:
1. From 2000–01, figures do not include spend on contracts placed direct by DTI.
2. For 2004–05, highlighted cells show a combined spend for the two areas.
3. It has not been possible to collate expenditure on oil and gas research in the time available.





DTI Clean Coal Programme

£
1990–9110,199,000
1991–924,108,000
1992–933,020,000
1993–946,918,000
1994–956,876,000
1995–966,626,000
1996–975,195,000
1997–983,100,000
1998–992,900,000
1999–20002,500,000
2000–014,300,000
2001–024,400,000
2002–033,000,000
2003–045,000,000
2004–05(9)6,500,000
Total68,142,000


(9) Estimated


Figures for direct Government expenditure (but not including spending by the Research Councils) on nuclear fission are given in the following table.
Nuclear

£
1991–9273,500,000
1992–9369,200,000
1993–9460,900,000
1994–9512,500,000
1995–966,000,000
1996–979,300,000
1997–981,000,000
1998–991,600,000
1999–20002,500,000
2000–010
2001–022,000,000
2002–032,100,000
2003–042,100,000
2004–052,200,000
Total244,900,000

DTI Capital Grant Programmes

£
2002–032003–042004–05Total
Biomass (DTI and Lottery spend)10,0001,913,0001,923,000
Offshore Wind Capital Grants015,000,00015,000,000
Clear Skies Community Renewables200,0001,387,0002,413,0003,800,000
Major PV Demo Programme960,0002,880,0006,450,0009,330,000
Grand Total1,160,0004,277,00025,776,00030,053,000









 
12 Sept 2005 : Column 2267W
 

DEFRA CHP Programme

£
1990–91300,000
1991–92300,000
1992–93300,000
1993–94400,000
1994–95500,000
1995–96500,000
1996–97700,000
1997–981,000,000
1998–991,300,000
1999–20001,900,000
2000–012,500,000
2001–022,800,000
2002–031,600,000
2003–042,500,000
2004–052,000,000
Total18,600,000




Notes:
1. Several indirect measures of state support for CHP were introduced in 2001–02.
2. Of those that can be enumerated, climate change levy exemption on fuel inputs to Good Quality CHP and good quality CHP electricity outputs were valued at up to £80 million per annum, while eligibility for Enhanced Capital Allowances is worth in the region of £10 million per annum to the industry.
3. Capital grants for Community Energy programme schemes were introduced in 2002–03 and the spend on schemes including CHP was: £427,000 in 2002–03, £4,315,000 in 2003–04 and £4,896,000 in 2004–05.





Research Council Spend

£
Programme area1997–981998–991999–20002000–012001–02
Biofuel00021,54051,545
Biomass446,665870,970736,434600,811700,790
CHP4,38236,29763,21077,166267,313
CO2 sequestration00022,54441,589
Fuel cells887,5841,011,524703,128898,6371,145,076
Hydrogen30,348135,53159,16982,976318,500
Solar1,439,8351,286,0001,076,0001,134,0001,130,000
Photovoltaic2,254,7563,001,8352,759,5172,991,9773,536,428
Wave and tidal0157,000175,000300,599605,693
Wind199,847225,903177,716260,596330,283
Wind/solar l021,00021,000100,0000
Wind/wave 2028,00028,00028,00028,000
Waste66,0129,98539,65239,96295,718
Geothermal000040,493
Storage325,808649,899669,617837,918888,602
Networks1,347,6781,167,6951,081,132919,1651,114,793
Total renewable7,002,9158,601,6397,589,5768,356,38410,318,881
Conventional331,072103,266107,890549,2201,120,493
Fission power42,11181,22861,793127,562324,879
Energy Efficiency and Low Carbon Innovation1,732,0721,854,7761,693,6291,400,4001,671,465
Other and General013,000303,000670,000602,000
Fusion16,600,00012,600,00014,300,00017,000,00014,400,000
Total25,708,16923,253,90924,055,88828,103,56628,437,717

£

Programme area2002–032003–042004–05Total
Biofuel143,990134,92992,325444,329
Biomass783,0261,042,5261,186,2576,367,479
CHP356,756225,90570,7911,101,820
CO2 sequestration77,78730,32342,461214,704
Fuel cells1,468,0421,193,165917,6088,224,764
Hydrogen516,5601,494,1551,495,1304,132,369
Solar1,157,0001,453,0231,753,33410,429,192
Photovoltaic2,770,3542,381,0442,761,86622,457,777
Wave and tidal616,694830,2261,050,2533,735,465
Wind490,447481,572255,6722,422,036
Wind/solar l000142,000
Wind/wave228,00028,00028,000196,000
Waste124,826169,024154,474699,653
Geothermal64,55063,55073,46079,429
Storage809,871730,182499,5365,411,433
Networks1,388,4901,804,7492,463,12511,286,827
Total renewable10,795,39212,072,28212,850,259
Conventional1,349,3801,252,5821,627,5546,441,457
Fission power307,195212,239125,4531,282,460
Energy Efficiency and Low Carbon Innovation1,979,5541,211,8812,914,27614,458,053
Other and General665,000762,0001,944,0004,959,000
Fusion14,600,00015,630,00019,530,000124,660,000
Total29,696,52131,140,98538,991,541




Note:
Prior to 1997 data on Research Council expenditure were not collated in a way which is comparable to post 1997 expenditure.




 
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Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what mechanism surpluses are generated from the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation; what the level of those surpluses has been since their inception; and what the projected level of surpluses is for the next three years. [14487]

Malcolm Wicks: When the Renewables Obligation (RO) was introduced in 2002 projects under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO), the previous support mechanism, were included to ensure that from the outset there was liquidity in the ROC market. ROCs allocated to NFFO projects and the electricity they generate are auctioned by the NFPA and the resulting funds are used to pay the electricity prices guaranteed to the projects and their NFFO contracts. The income received from suppliers for the electricity and ROCs generated by NFFO projects currently exceeds payments made to the NFFO generators. This generates a surplus.

The size of the fund administered by Ofgem, resulting from surplus revenue collected by the Non Fossil Fuel Purchasing Agency (NFPA), in each year since 2001 are as follows:
Year ending MarchSize of the fund (£ million)
200163.8
200228.6
200387.1
2004146.5
2005169.1

The NFPA estimate that the size of the fund for the next three years is expected to be in the region of:
Year ending MarchEstimated size of the fund
(£ million)
2006270
2007380
2008500

These are however very broad estimates and the actual size of the fund may vary considerably from the figures shown.


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