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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Amateur Radio
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom about the Amateur Radio Licensing consultation; and if he will make a statement. [27722]
Alun Michael: I have had no discussions with the Office of Communications (Ofcom) on this matter. Consultation on amateur radio licensing is the responsibility of Ofcom, which is the independent regulator for the communications sector, deriving its main powers and duties directly from statute rather than by delegation from the Secretary of State, and accountable to Parliament in its own right.
Bankruptcies
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many bankruptcies have been declared in each year since 2003. [27146]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In England and Wales there were:
For 2005, figures are only available for the first three quarters to end September, there were:
More detailed insolvency statistics for Great Britain from 1997 onwards are available on the DTI website at http://www.dtistats.net/sd/insolv. Figures for 2005 as a whole will be available on 3 February 2006.
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British Nuclear Group
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has had on the potential sale of British Nuclear Group over the last six months; and if he will make a statement. [28512]
Malcolm Wicks: Ministers and officials have met with BNFL and key stakeholders to discuss a range of strategic options for British Nuclear Group, including the possibility of a sale, to give it the best chance of success in the future and place it in the strongest possible position to win the upcoming NDA site competitions.
Business Support
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses have obtained contracts from Government bodies to conduct research on their behalf under the Small Business Research Initiative in the last two years, broken down by (a) number of different companies, (b) number of companies who have obtained more than one contract and (c) size of the contracts obtained. [28922]
Alun Michael: Not all Government Departments maintained detailed records in respect of their contracts during the voluntary phase of SBRI and so their breakdown requested is not available.
In the Budget on 16 March this year, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, mandated Departments to participate in the Small Business Research Initiative and the DTFs Small Business Service will shortly publish the overall performance figures. Where possible the report will give contract values and set out what these represent as a percentage of baseline R and D budgets for 2003–04 and 2004–05.
The Government is taking steps to improve disclosure of Small Business Research Initiative performance by Departments. A new system of record keeping will be in place from April 2006 and we intend that contract details such as have been requested will be available at the end of 2006–07.
Carbon Sequestration Technology
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to improve the use of carbon sequestration technology in the UK. [28486]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 15 November 2005]: The Carbon Abatement Technology Strategy which I announced in June this year includes a number of activities to encourage the development and deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) also known as Carbon Sequestration technologies. Copies of the Strategy are available in the Libraries of the House.
These activities include support for R and D with some £4 million announced for R and D as part of the latest call for proposals under the Department's Technology Programme. Additionally I announced some £25 million from 2006–07 over 4 years for the demonstration of Carbon Abatement Technologies which includes Carbon Capture and Storage.
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In his Budget Statement this year my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that we would look into the possibility of measures to encourage the deployment of CCS as part of the Climate Change Programme Review. We expect to announce the results of this when the Review is Published in the next few weeks.
A number of other activities identified in the Strategy are also being taken forward.
Clear Skies Programme
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many schools have applied for grants under the community stream of his Department's Clear Skies grant programme. [28657]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 15 November 2005]: 137 applications were made to Clear Skies from schools of which 71 were offered funding.
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support from his Department will be available to school solar hot water and wind installations after the final funding round for Clear Skies community grants ends on 4 November. [28658]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 15 November 2005]: Further funding for schools will be available through a low carbon buildings programme, which will allow developers to chose the most appropriate technology for each project, including all those mentioned. We recently announced a budget of £30 million over three years for the new programme which will begin in April 2006, subject to EU State Aids approval. The Department is also looking to work in partnership with major private sector players in the energy field in order to expand the micro generation sector, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy technologies on schools.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the deadline was for community grant applications to the Clear Skies grant programme. [28672]
Malcolm Wicks: The final deadline for community applications to Clear Skies was 4 November
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grant support is available to community groups for (a) solar water heating, (b) wind, (c) hydro and (d) ground source heat pumps projects following the final deadline for community applications to his Department's Clear Skies programme. [28832]
Malcolm Wicks:
Further funding for community groups will be available through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme for which we recently announced a budget of £30 million over three years. The new programme will allow developers to choose the most appropriate technology for each project, including all those mentioned above. The new programme will begin in April 2006, subject to EU State Aids approval. The Department is also looking to work in partnership with major private sector players in the energy field in order to expand the micro generation sector, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy technologies on schools.
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Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the take-up to date has been by (a) home-owners and (b) community groups of funding for technologies supported under the Clear Skies Initiative for (i) solar water heating, (ii) wind, (iii) hydro, (iv) ground source heat pumps, (v) automated wood pellet stoves and (vi) wood fuel boilers. [28965]
Malcolm Wicks: Household applications under Clear Skies are as follows:
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