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12 Sept 2005 : Column 2273W—continued
Wind Farms
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on house prices of (a) established wind farms and (b) proposed wind farm developments. [13382]
Malcolm Wicks:
Research in November 2004 by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on the impact of wind farms on house prices shows that it is too early to say categorically what effects, if any, wind farms
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have on house prices. This is inline with a separate study on house prices and wind farms conducted for the British Wind Energy Association by chartered surveyors, Knight Frank.
Both surveys found that the perception that wind farms may impact on house prices is fuelled largely by misunderstandings about wind farms and the 'fear factor' arising at the prospect of them being constructed in proximity to homes. While a planning application for a wind farm may have a marginal effect on prices, the RICS survey found evidence that prices begin to recover after any initial dip when wind farms have been up and running for two years. This suggests that they become more accepted, as communities grow used to them.
There is no evidence to date to reveal a sustained negative trend in property values among properties in proximity to the wind farms.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the sites of (a) established wind farms and (b) proposed wind farms; and what the generating capacity is of each. [13486]
Malcolm Wicks: There are currently more than 100 wind farms with grid connection throughout the UK. The following table is taken from the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) website and lists them at:
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The list of those wind farms that are currently under construction is:
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the financial responsibility for grid connections differs depending on whether wind farms are onshore or offshore. [15073]
Malcolm Wicks: At present there is no regulatory regime in place which allows the connection of offshore wind farms to the transmission system.
However, recognising the need to allow offshore transmission, the Government took powers under the Energy Act 2004 to create a suitable regime.
We have been working on options for this regulatory regime and I have today launched a joint consultation with Ofgem entitled, 'Regulation of Offshore Electricity
Transmission', which sets out, and seeks views on, three possible approaches.
DEFENCE
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of hearing loss equates to a 20 per cent. disablement in considering applications to the Armed Forces Compensation scheme; and what evidence his Department uses for this assessment. [14022]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 21 July 2005]: The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme does not involve the percentage assessment of disabling conditions. Compensation is paid according to a tariff with 15 levels of award for injuries of differing severity. With regard to hearing loss, a permanent bilateral loss of between 50 and 75dB, averaged over 1, 2 and 3kHz, attracts a lump sum award at tariff level 13 (£5,250), if there is mild or no tinnitus. A lump sum award at tariff level 11 (£11,000) is paid if there is severe tinnitus. Level 11 awards also attract a continuing guaranteed income payment. Hearing loss of less than 50dB does not attract compensation.
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The 50dB threshold for compensation is the same used for the war pension scheme, where the rules of the scheme prescribe that a loss of between 50 and 53dB, averaged over 1, 2 and 3kHz, shall be assessed at 20 per cent. It is also used for the assessment of industrial deafness under the civilian Industrial Injuries Benefit Scheme. The independent Industrial Injuries Advisory Council confirmed the appropriateness of the threshold in industrial injuries in November 2002.
The evidence used to determine the degree of disablement due to service-related hearing loss under the war pension scheme is taken from audiometric tests conducted on or about the date of termination of service. Where no such tests were conducted the assessment is on the basis of the earliest available evidence. Assessment on the basis of later evidence would inevitably include hearing loss arising after service and therefore not due to service: a war pension assessment can include only disablement that is due to service.
Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of whether there can be variation in the time taken for the full consequences of noise-induced hearing loss to become apparent. [14023]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 21 July 2005]: The Ministry of Defence is committed to evidence-based policy and decision making. Current accepted scientific understanding is that permanent hearing loss due to noise exposure does not improve or worsen after removal from the noise. Hearing loss may subsequently worsen due to age and other causes, but there is no evidence that the worsening is caused or increased by prior noise exposure where that exposure has ceased.
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