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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 10 March 2006
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will reply to the letter of 12 January from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire. [57641]
Malcolm Wicks: I replied to the hon. Member on 6 February as the issues raised fall within my portfolio.
Electricity Supply
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what minimum (a) additional utilities infrastructure, (b) additional works to existing electricity supply infrastructure and (c) change in per capita consumption of electricity he expects to be required in order to enable an adequate electricity supply to be maintained when the Government have achieved its target for additional new dwellings in Mid Sussex by 2016; and what steps the Government are taking to ensure an adequate electricity supply. [56567]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 6 March 2006]: This is a matter for the companies concerned, in discussion with their energy providers. However, the Government recognises the importance of infrastructure as an essential element in developing sustainable communities, whether delivered by the private or public sector, and is developing several initiatives to facilitate infrastructure delivery and funding. For example consultation on a Planning Gain Supplement and a cross cutting government review of infrastructure were both announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor in December 2005.
Gas Prices
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to protect consumers from high gas prices; and if he will make a statement. [57130]
Malcolm Wicks: A number of programmes are in place to help vulnerable consumers. In particular, the 2001 Fuel Poverty Strategy set out programmes across the UK with the target that no household in the UK should be in fuel poverty by 2018. Funding for fuel poverty programmes was increased by £300 million in the Chancellor's pre-Budget report.
The Government have no role in setting prices, and cannot direct Ofgem as to its approach to the market, which has delivered gas and electricity prices that remain below the EU 15 median price. Expenditure on energy was, on average, three per cent of household income in 2004/05. The Government are concerned that,
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at a time of rising prices, all consumers take measures to minimise energy expenditure while properly heating their homes, by choosing the most appropriate supplier and tariff, using the cheapest payment method (usually direct debit), and taking energy efficiency measures.
Geothermal Energy
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of geothermal energy to meeting (a) current and (b) future domestic energy requirements. [57282]
Malcolm Wicks: The UK Government have previously assessed the potential geothermal resource from aquifers (permeable rock formations) as part of a broader strategic evaluation of indigenous energy supplies during the 1980s. The conclusions of this work were published in 1986 1 . The results revealed that the resource was limited either because surface temperatures or permeabilities were lower than expected. It is possible that this resource could be developed in the future for commercial or other applications if the resource is sufficiently promising and is in close proximity to a large heat demand.
Between 1977 and 1994 the UK attempted to develop Hot Dry Rock technology. The development of the technology revealed a number of problems. These included the creation of a suitable reservoir, the ability to seal short circuits, and the extrapolation of rock mass characteristics to a depth where temperatures might be sufficiently high enough for electricity generation (~6km). In order to determine the relative performance of an HDR system at this depth a conceptual design for a commercial prototype was developed which provided the basis for resource/cost modelling. This conceptual design highlighted the very high unit costs of generation (~17 p/kWh at 1990 prices). In view of these difficulties it was decided to re-evaluate the costs and performance of HDR systems in combination with collaborative participation in the European programme.
The European HDR programme is still under development and will be further evaluated through the development of a small pilot plant. Its performance will be monitored, however there is no certainty that even if successful the technology would be competitive for the UK.
More recently interest has been growing in the use of Ground Source Heat Pumps. This technology can be applied to buildings of virtually any scale including domestic dwellings. It relies on heat exchange with the ground immediately beneath or close to buildings. There are at least 15 installations connected to commercial or public buildings in the UK, including the recently opened Welsh Assembly building.
The UK Government have directed its efforts into promoting the technology rather than resource assessment, which could be regarded as virtually ubiquitous. Both Defra and the DTI, in collaboration with the Heat Pump Association, have helped establish a UK Heat Pump Network to develop a partnership between manufacturers, specialist advisers, and user
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groups. This network will ensure that independent and authoritative advice is available on the application and use of heat pumps.
GM Crops
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the recent WTO ruling on genetically modified crops. [55486]
Ian Pearson: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) issued an interim report to parties on 8 February 2006. According to WTO rules, interim reports are confidential, and they are only circulated to the parties to the dispute in order for them to send comments to the panel. The final panel report will be publicly available and is expected in April.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Public Order
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions there were between his Department and the Metropolitan police concerning the protests outside the Danish embassy on 3 February (a) before and (b) after the event. [50281]
Mr. Charles Clarke: There was no contact between the Home Office and the Metropolitan police before the protest outside the Danish embassy on 3 February. I asked for and received a briefing note about this protest from the Metropolitan police on 6 February.
Terrorism
Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further resources to protect the public against terrorism he plans to allocate. [46009]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I announced, via a written ministerial statement to the House on 25 January 2006, Official Report, column 57WS, additional counter-terrorism funding for the police service. Additional police specific counter-terrorism funding is set out in the table.
| 2006–07 | 2007–08 | |
|---|---|---|
| Resource | ||
| Metropolitan Police | 30 | 45 |
| Local and Regional Policing outside of London | 33 | 65 |
| Total | 63 | 110 |
| Capital | ||
| Police Service | 30 | 35 |
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Mineral Water
Graham Stringer:
To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many bottles of mineral water were
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purchased by the House of Commons in each of the last three financial years. [56258]
Nick Harvey: The House of Commons purchased the following number of bottles of mineral water in each of the last three financial years:
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 330 ml bottles | 19,176 | 0 | 0 |
| 500 ml bottles | 151,996 | 159,936 | 158,712 |
| 750 ml bottles | 80 | 16,716 | 336 |
| 1 litre bottles | 70,941 | 53,854 | 70,021 |
| Total (in litres) | 153,402 | 146,359 | 149,629 |
This water was purchased by the Refreshment department for sale in the House of Commons bars and restaurants, and for supply to the Serjeant at Arms' department for use in the Committee and meeting rooms. 22,586 of the 70,021 1 litre bottles purchased in 2004–05 were transferred from the Refreshment department to the Serjeant at Arms' department for this purpose. No figures are available for the number of bottles transferred in previous years, but the quantity is likely to have been broadly similar.
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