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6 Mar 2006 : Column 1161W—continued
Wind Power
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has made an assessment of the impact of wind power generation in other countries on (a) employment opportunities and (b) the environment; and if he will make a statement. [55193]
Malcolm Wicks:
The Department has not carried out any assessment of the impact of wind power generation on employment opportunities in other countries. However, the European Wind Energy Association estimate that more than 72,000 people are currently employed in the wind sector across Europe, with the potential to employ 200,000 people by 2020. This compares to just 25,000 jobs in 1998.
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The Department has made no assessment of the impact of wind power generation on the environment in other countries. However, we recognise that wind power, like other low carbon technologies, has the potential to make a significant contribution in reducing greenhouse gas emissions—the main cause of climate change.
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the (a) employment opportunities resulting from and (b) the environmental impact of wind power; and if he will make a statement. [55198]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department estimates that there are currently 8,000 people employed in the renewables industry in the UK, the majority of which work in the wind sector. Given the continued growth of the renewables industry in the UK, we estimate that this could rise to between 17,000 and 35,000 jobs by 2020.
The Department has established a research advisory group to fund research into the impact of wind farms on the environment, including addressing concerns over seascape, birds and navigational safety. In addition, applications for consent to construct wind farms, submitted to the DTI, are accompanied by an environmental impact assessment.
Indeed projects like the Black Law windfarm demonstrate that, if properly sited, such developments not only produce zero emissions, but can also have a positive impact on the environment. The RSPB make clear that the Black Law windfarm, on the site of an abandoned opencast coalmine, represents an exciting opportunity to deliver real biodiversity benefits through habitat management.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Accidental Dwelling Fires
John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps the Government are taking to reduce the number of accidental dwelling fires started by children between the ages of 0 and nine years and related casualties. [56156]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Young children are particularly vulnerable to death and injury by fire and may also cause fire accidentally. Nearly all fire and rescue services provide fire safety education in schools, supported by materials from the National Community Fire Safety Centre. Most fire and rescue services also work with individual young firesetters and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published good practice guidance in 2005.
To ensure early and effective intervention and education, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently published for public consultation a draft Fire and Rescue Service Strategy for Children and Young People. The Strategy will deliver a reduction in fire risk for children of all ages. Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are currently working through the responses and the ODPM will publish a final version of the Strategy later this year.
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Arm's Length Organisations
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) value and (b) repayment date is of each loan provided by his Department to arm's length management organisations in London. [54465]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not provide loans to arm's length management organisations (ALMOs).
The ODPM's financial support for local authorities takes the form of supported borrowing approvals. The allocations for local authorities with ALMOs in London are tabled as follows.
| ALMO allocation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Authority | 2002–04 | 2004–06 |
| Round 1 | ||
| Hounslow | 35.0 | 64.7 |
| Westminster | 20.3 | 53.7 |
| ALMO allocation | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2003–05 | 2005–07 | |
| Round 2 | ||
| Brent | 33.8 | 20.2 |
| Hillingdon | 16.6 | 31.4 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 21.7 | 21.7 |
| ALMO allocation | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2004–06 | 2006–08 | |
| Round 3 | ||
| Barnet | 19 | 29.9 |
| Islington | 24.9 | 59.6 |
| 2005–07 | ALMO allocation (£ million) |
|---|---|
| Round 4 | |
| Brent (partial) | 14.0 |
| Ealing | 64.0 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 78.1 |
| 2006–08 | ALMO allocation (£ million) |
|---|---|
| Round 5 | |
| Hackney(43) | 88.980 |
| Lambeth (part)(43) | 8.589 |
| Newham(43) | 78.113 |
(43) Allocation subject to the local authority receiving the Secretary of State's consent to delegate its housing management functions to its ALMO and the ALMO receiving at least a two star rating from the Housing Inspectorate.
These approvals give permission for a local authority to borrow money to fund capital expenditure on its stock. Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Subsidy is paid to local authorities by ODPM to cover the interest payments that a local authority must make on this borrowing. The terms of the loans taken out by local authorities with ALMOs are a matter for the individual local authorities.
6 Mar 2006 : Column 1164W
Barker Report
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the population growth and immigration assumptions used in the Barker report on future housing needs. [55695]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 3 March 2006]: The assumptions on population growth in the Barker report were based on the Office for National Statistics population projections.
Brownfield Sites
Mr. Byers: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will re-define the term brownfield site to exclude gardens of residential homes. [54033]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 27 February 2006]: Draft Planning Policy Statement 3 Housing" (PPS3), published for consultation in December 2005, does not propose a change in the definition of brownfield land, residential gardens have been included as brownfield land since 1985. However as draft PPS3 emphasises, this does not necessarily mean that they are suitable for development.
The consultation period for responses to draft PPS3 closed on 27 February. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consider any consultation responses on this matter when finalising PPS3.
Business Rates (Milton Keynes)
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid in business rates in Milton Keynes in each year since 1996–97; and how much was received by Milton Keynes Council from the central rate pool. [54899]
Mr. Woolas: The amounts Milton Keynes collected in business rates and the amounts they received back from the central pool from 1997–98 to 2004–05 are set out in the following table. Unfortunately this information is not readily available for 1996–97.
(44) Collection figure includes £1,050,221.10 in recouped schools relief; audited contribution figure was £65,702,688
Capacity Fund
Mr. Wills: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding the Department has made available through the Capacity Fund for the Partnership between Swindon borough and Kent county councils. [54728]
6 Mar 2006 : Column 1165W
Mr. Woolas: Swindon received approval for a grant of £1 million in March 2005 to enable the council to meet expenditure incurred through the piloting of a social services franchise with Kent CC. The Department of Health met £180,000 of the £1 million.
The Kent Swindon franchise has enabled the council to move from 0 Star Social Services in December 2003 to 1 Star (December 2005).
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