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15 Nov 2005 : Column 1054W—continued
Energy Efficiency
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to encourage progress in promoting household energy efficiency in West Lancashire. [27837]
Mr. Morley: The Government funds the Energy Saving Trust to deliver energy efficiency solutions to household consumers. Through its network of local Energy Efficiency Advice Centres, the Trust provides advice on energy efficiency to consumers and refers them to any grants or offers for energy efficiency measures available in their area. The Lancashire Energy Efficiency Advice Centre provides advice and support to West Lancashire.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes Ofgem has made in the last six months to its scoring and value of insulation measures when assessing measures being taken under the energy efficiency commitments. [27849]
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Mr. Morley: Ofgem has made no changes in the last six months to the improvements in energy efficiency that it determines for insulation measures under the Energy Efficiency Commitment 2005–08.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of fuel suppliers being able to carry over unlimited energy savings from Energy Efficiency Commitment 2002–05 to Energy Efficiency Commitment 2005–08 upon the number of homes which will have to be insulated in order to meet the reduction targets; and if she will make a statement. [27918]
Mr. Morley: Ofgem's report to the Secretary of State on the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) 2002–05 includes an assessment of the transitional provisions to the EEC 2005–08, which enabled energy suppliers to start work early on their targets for EEC 2005–08 and energy efficiency activity to continue without interruption. We will take account of the impact of these provisions both in our monitoring of the EEC 2005–08 and in our consideration of proposals for the EEC 2008–11, including the transitional provisions to that phase. It is open to energy suppliers how they will meet their targets for the promotion of improvements in energy efficiency under EEC 2005–08.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much has been provided to the HEAT project through the energy efficiency commitment in each year of its operation; [27922]
(2) how many dwellings have had energy efficiency measures installed through the HEAT programme, broken down by (a) type of measure and (b) total funding provided; and what proportion of these were assessed as fuel poor. [27923]
Mr. Morley: While I understand that H EAT is an energy supplier's scheme under the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), Ofgem, who administers the EEC does not report on an individual scheme basis. Ofgem's report to the Secretary of State A Review of the Energy Efficiency Commitment 2002–05" sets out for each energy supplier the percentage of energy savings achieved towards its target according to the types of measures delivered—insulation, heating, appliances and lighting. For each type of measure the percentage of savings achieved in the priority group of low-income consumers is specified.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dwellings have been insulated in each year since the inception of the energy efficiency commitments; what percentage of the target set for each year this represents; and how many she estimates will be insulated through the second round of energy efficiency commitments of 2005 to 2008. [27924]
Mr. Morley:
Under the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), it is open to energy suppliers how they meet their targets for the promotion of improvements in energy efficiency. During the EEC 2002–05, 367,070 cavity wall insulation, 224,521 loft insulation (professional), 330,274 loft insulation (DIY) and 17,689 solid wall insulation measures were installed. The target for the EEC 2002–05 was set for the three-year period and these measures represent 38 per cent. of
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the target. (Figures are not available on an annual basis and do not reflect the number of dwellings insulated, since some may have received both loft and wall insulation.)
Mr. Anthony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households in (a) Great Yarmouth constituency and (b) Norfolk have received assistance under the Warm Front Scheme in each of the last five years. [28041]
Mr. Morley: Between the launch of the Warm Front Scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2005, the number of households assisted in each year in the Great Yarmouth constituency was as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 163 |
| 2001–02 | 464 |
| 2002–03 | 471 |
| 2003–04 | 246 |
| 2004–05 | 474 |
| Total | 1,818 |
During the same period, the number of households assisted in Norfolk was:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 1,007 |
| 2001–02 | 3,795 |
| 2002–03 | 2,608 |
| 2003–04 | 1,912 |
| 2004–05 | 2,835 |
| Total | 12,157 |
Essential Chlorofluorocarbons
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the UK's position relative to that of other countries in respect of Annex I of Commission Decision 2005/626/EC, OJ L 224 volume 48 of 30 August on the definition of essential chlorofluorocarbons. [27754]
Mr. Morley: Under the Montreal Protocol, which phases out chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), CFC's can continue to be used in pharmaceutical metered dose inhalers (MDI's), until the party concerned declares that use to be non-essential. The EU (and corresponding UK) Transition Strategy for the Phase Out of CFC's in MDI's sets out how the transition away from CFC's in MDI's will be managed.
The Transition Strategy states that when an adequate number and range of CFC-free metered dose inhalers (MDIs) to meet patient needs are available for an individual drug, the use of CFCs will no longer be considered essential for that drug product. To date, the UK has declared salbutamol as non essential.
The variations between EU member states, shown in Annex 1 of Commission Decision 2005/626/EC, are partly dependent on clinical practice which varies from country to country. The majority of products listed in Annex 1 are either not marketed in the UK or are not available as MDI's, hence the UK has had no need to declare the use of CFCs as non-essential.
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The European Commission, with member states, is currently reviewing the scope for further declarations of non-essentiality in relation to a number of other drug products used in inhalers. Following this review the UK may be in a position to declare further drug products non-essential.
Fishing
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on the use of fixed bolt rigs in lakes in England. [27134]
Mr. Bradshaw: The use of fixed bolt rigs is legal if used in conjunction with a licensed rod and line and in accordance with fishery byelaws.
To encourage anglers to take a responsible approach to their sport, the National Angling Alliance has produced a Code of Conduct for Coarse Anglers. This has been endorsed by the Environment Agency. This code includes advice on how bolt rigs should be used to minimise the risk to fish.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on whether fishing lakes and rivers should have a closed season. [27135]
Mr. Bradshaw: Fishing close seasons in England and Wales are specified in the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, 1975, and byelaws made under that Act. The rationale for the statutory close seasons is to protect fisheries from the impacts of angling during the spawning season. Coarse fish are returned alive to fisheries and therefore a close season for these species may no longer be justified on all waters.
The close season for coarse fish runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive on all rivers, the Norfolk Broads and on some stillwater Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It also applies to several canals which have multiple connections with neighbouring rivers.
The statutory coarse fish close season has been removed on canals and on all other stillwaters.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government is taking to stop the poaching of (a) carp, (b) bream, (c) pike and (d) tench in lakes in England. [27137]
Mr. Bradshaw: Poaching", whether for these or other fish species, generally refers to taking fish using illegal methods, and/or taking fish without the owner's permission, i.e. theft. It cuts across the roles and responsibilities of the fishery owner, the Environment Agency and the Police.
The Environment Agency is responsible for regulating fishing methods, under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, 1975. Individual fishery owners and the police are responsible for enforcing the Theft Act, 1968.
The Environment Agency does not have the powers to prosecute under the Theft Act, but will work with the police to bring prosecutions where both theft and illegal fishing offences are committed.
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The Environment Agency takes an intelligence-led approach to programming enforcement and offence detection. It will respond to reports of illegal fishing in line with its customer charter. When it detects an offence and can gather sufficient evidence, it will take further action in line with its enforcement and prosecution policy.
The Environment Agency and the police support local fishwatch" schemes, whereby fishery owners share information on suspicious activity.
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