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14 Dec 2005 : Column 2118W—continued
Sunday Trading
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact that increasing Sunday trading hours in England would have on (a) the volume of road traffic, (b) the number of shoppers travelling to (i) out-of-town shopping centres, (ii) main supermarkets and (iii) high street stores and (c) smaller local convenience stores. [37113]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We are currently considering the case for liberalising Sunday trading hours. The factors referred to by the hon. Member will clearly be relevant to this trade and industry.
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what form of public consultation will take place as part of the review he has announced into Sunday trading laws; and whether he expects the review will take evidence from the public. [37209]
Mr. Sutcliffe: We will be consulting widely and considering the views of all interested parties, including members of the public, before any decisions are taken. Ministerial colleagues and officials are actively discussing with stakeholders and inviting views and-evidence on the issue. Officials have also commissioned a cost benefit analysis of the case for further liberalisation from independent consultants, which will be published.
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce the timetable for his proposed review of Sunday trading laws; what the terms of reference will be; who he expects will lead the review; to whom they will report; and if he will make a statement. [37210]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There is no fixed timetable for this work. Departmental officials have been asked to evaluate the case for further liberalisation of Sunday trading hours. To assist in this, we have invited independent consultants to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the options.
Telecommunications
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 798W, on telecommunications, when the chief executive of Ofcom will respond. [32571]
Alun Michael:
The chief executive responded to the hon. Member on 2 December. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2119W
Wind Farms
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for consent to the development of (a) offshore and (b) onshore wind farms have been made to his Department under (i) section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and (ii) section 3 of the Transport and Works Act 1992 in each of the last five years; and what percentage have been (A) granted and (B) refused. [36972]
Malcolm Wicks:
The information requested is set out in the following table
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2120W
| Applications | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Onshore | Offshore | Offshore | |
| S36 | S36 | TWA | |
| 2001 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 12 | 5 |
The number granted, refused and not yet determined is as follows:
| Total | Granted | Refused | Not yet determined | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | ||
| 25 | 12 | 48 | 0 | 13 | 52 |
In addition two applications which had been received before 2001 were determined in the period. One was granted and one refused.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of wind levels in the Bridgwater constituency; and in what locations. [37241]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department has made no assessment of the wind levels in his Bridgewater constituency. However, wind levels are of interest to wind farm developers, as it will determine whether any proposed development is viable.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation has been undertaken on off-shore wind turbines in the Bristol channel. [37243]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department has undertaken no consultation on offshore wind turbines in the Bristol channel.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines he has issued on the siting of wind turbines near to nuclear power stations. [37244]
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research he has commissioned on wind levels at Hinkley Point nuclear reactor. [37247]
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research he has commissioned into the costs and benefits of wind farms; and if he will make a statement. [37612]
Malcolm Wicks: The Environmental Change Institute, on behalf of the DTI, recently published a report into wind power and the UK wind resource. Some of the report's main findings were:
Wind power availability is greater during winter than at other times of the year, and is on average stronger during the day than overnight;
Wind power delivers around two and a half times as much electricity during periods of high electricity demand as during low demand periods;
Low wind speed conditions affecting 90 per cent. or more of the UK would occur in around one hour every five years during winter; and
The chance of wind turbines shutting down due to high winds speed conditions is very rare—high winds affecting 40 per cent. or more of the UK would occur in around one hour every 10 years.
A copy of the report is available online from www.eci.ox.ac.uk/renewables/ukwind.
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he will take of the protection afforded to the North Wales coastline by the Constable Bank in considering the application for consent to develop the Gwynt y Mor wind farm. [37913]
Malcolm Wicks: Offshore wind farm developers are required to produce an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) when submitting an application for consent. The Government will take into account the EIA, and many other considerations, before reaching a decision on whether to grant consent. The Government will also consult statutory advisors such as the Countryside Council for Wales.
A copy of npower renewables non-technical summary of the Gwynt y Mor environmental statement is available from their website. Their website address is http://www.npower-renewables.com/gwyntymor/index.asp
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he will take of the cost of key components in considering the application for consent to develop the Gwynt-y-Mor wind farm. [37914]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government do not take into account the cost of the project when considering an application for consent to develop an offshore wind farm. The cost of the Gwynt-y-Mor wind turbine project is a matter for the developer.
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial compensation is made available to persons whose property values are adversely affected by the development of wind farms pursuant to the granting of departmental consents. [35171]
14 Dec 2005 : Column 2121W
Malcolm Wicks: A study by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2004 suggests that wind farms have no lasting impact on UK house prices. It shows that local house prices recover from any initial impact once a wind farm has been operating for two years.
Also evidence from the Public attitude to wind farms: a survey of local residents in Scotland" conducted by MORI in 2003 suggests that those living nearest to wind farms are their strongest advocates. The results of this survey can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/pawslr-00.asp
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