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19 Jun 2006 : Column 1577W—continued
Departmental Chief Accounting Officer
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) name, (b) professional and academic qualifications and (c) relevant experience are of the Chief Accounting Officer of his Department. [76839]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Departmental Accounting Officer, and Permanent Secretary, is Sir Brian Bender. His academic qualifications are a BSc and PhD in Physics. He has no professional accountancy qualifications. He has been a Permanent Secretary and Departmental Accounting Officer since 1999, in four Departments: the Cabinet Office (1999-2000), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (2000-01), Defra (2001-05) and DTI since October 2005.
The Accounting Officer is a role that the Permanent Secretary combines with his personal responsibility for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the Department and for department-wide procedures in financial and other matters. The Accounting Officer is assisted in the discharge of these duties by the Director General of Finance and Strategy.
The current Director General of Finance and Strategy is Mark Clarke. He has an MA from Oxford University in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1979 with Arthur Andersen and Co., and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA). Since 2000 he has held Finance Director roles within Barclays, Abbey and Bank of Ireland, where he was UK Finance Director. From 1995 to 2000 he was a Director in the management consultancy practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, specialising in financial management, performance management and business effectiveness. He joined DTI in June 2006.
Energy Bills
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the Department's projections are for (a) commercial, (b) retail, (c) household and (d) manufacturing energy bills in January (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2015; and if he will make a statement; [78287]
(2) what the Department's projections are for average commercial (a) gas and (b) electricity prices in January (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2015; and if he will make a statement. [78288]
Malcolm Wicks: The DTI does not project energy bills or prices for the commercial, retail, household or manufacturing sectors.
The DTI does make a range of assumptions regarding the likely path of future fossil fuel prices (oil, coal and gas) when undertaking forward-looking analysis and these are illustrated in the recent paper on UK Emissions projections. This is available at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/environment/projections/recent/page26391.html.
Energy Provision
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much public subsidy was given to the (a) nuclear, (b) oil, (c) gas, (d) coal and (e) renewables generating industries in each of the past 30 years. [68029]
Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is as follows:
Available figures for nuclear subsidies are given in the following table. Figures are based on the premium received by Nuclear Electric plc over and above the market price for electricity in the period 1990-96. Figures dating back to 1974 could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
| £ million | |
With the exception of British Energy, there have been no public subsidies to the nuclear generating sector since privatisation. In terms of British Energy, a loan facility was provided to the company in 2002 to support it through its restructuring. This loan was re-paid in full with interest in December 2003 and no further drawings can be made. As a result of the restructuring which completed in January 2005, the Government have taken direct financial responsibility for BE's historic spent fuel liabilities. The following payments have been made since restructuring to meet those historic spent fuel liabilities:
2004-05—£185 million;
2005-06—£189 million.
The Government are also underwriting British Energy's decommissioning fund to the extent that its liabilities outweigh its assets. In return, the company is making enhanced payments into the fund. On current valuations, the assets of the fund exceed the liabilities.
I am not aware of any subsidies to the oil and gas generating industries over the last 10 years. Further, historic, information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
I am not aware of any subsidies to the coal generating industries over the last 10 years. Further, historic, information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information on how much was spent by Government on renewable energy research, development, dissemination and demonstration, between 1989 and 1997, was published by my hon. Friend, the then Energy Minister to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker), on 24 March 2000, Official Report, column 715W.
The statistics indicate that investment in renewable energy remained broadly unchanged between 1989 and 1996 at under £26 million a year. This compares to Government spending of around £500 million in renewables and other low carbon technologies between 2002 and 2008. The Chancellor also recently announced in the Budget a further £50 million, on top of the £30 million that I had previously announced, for the Low Carbon Building Programme, which supports micro-generation and energy efficiency measures.
Further, historic, information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Interconnector
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much electricity has been inputted through the inter-connector with France in each of the last five years; and what percentage of total UK electricity supply electricity so inputted represents. [78171]
Malcolm Wicks: The available information is as follows:
| Electricity exported from the UK via the interconnector with France (GWh) | Electricity exported from the UK to France as a percentage of UK electricity production | Electricity imported into the UK via the interconnector with France (GWh) | Electricity imported into the UK from France as a percentage of UK electricity supply | |
Wylfa Nuclear Power Station
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Department will announce whether the life of Wylfa nuclear power station will be extended beyond its planned closure date of 2010; and if he will make a statement. [78286]
Malcolm Wicks: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of the UK's historic nuclear legacy including that of the Magnox nuclear power station at Wylfa. The NDA's current expectation as set out in its approved Strategy is that Wylfa will close at the end of 2010. However, my Department has asked that the NDA consider the options for running Wylfa beyond that date. The NDA is producing a report on the options which it will in due course publish.
Defence
Aircraft Carriers
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the date when a firm order will be placed for each of the future aircraft carriers. [77391]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 14 June 2006]: The future aircraft carrier (CVF) programme is in its demonstration phase. This will develop and deliver a mature design; provide a more detailed cost definition; further reduce risk within the programme; and produce a contractual framework that will allow a decision to be made to commit to manufacture. Only when we are satisfied that all this work is sufficiently mature will the main investment decision be taken and orders placed.
Debt Collectors
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) his Department and (b) its (i) executive agencies and (ii) non-departmental public bodies use the services of private debt collectors. [71065]
Mr. Ingram: The Defence Bills Agency, which carries out accounts payable and receivable functions for the Ministry of Defence and its executive agencies, does not use the services of private debt collectors in its debt collection process. Although the Department sponsors six executive NDPBs, these are all independent charities and it is therefore a matter solely for these bodies as to whether or not they use the services of private debt collectors.
Departmental Chief Accounting Officer
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) name, (b) professional and academic qualifications and (c) relevant experience are of the chief accounting officer of his Department. [76792]
Mr. Watson: The Principal Accounting Officer of the Ministry of Defence is the Permanent Secretary, Bill Jeffrey. His degree is in Mathematics (BSc (Hons)) and he has experience at senior levels in several Government Departments, including in posts with substantial financial responsibilities.
Accounting Officer is a role that the Permanent Secretary combines with his personal responsibility for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the department and for department-wide procedures in financial and other matters. The Accounting Officer is assisted in the discharge of these duties by suitably qualified and experienced senior managers.
Foreign Travel
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on foreign travel by his Department in each of the last eight years. [76057]
Mr. Watson: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Since 1999, the Government have published, on an annual basis, the total costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. This information is available in the Library. Information for the financial year 2004-05 was published on 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 158WS. Information for the financial year 2005-06 is in the process of being collated and will be published shortly.
All travel is conducted in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Joint Service Publication (JSP) 800.
Indonesia (Training Courses)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide (a) training courses to military personnel from Indonesia and (b) other forms of military and security co-operation to that country; and if he will make a statement. [78372]
Mr. Ingram: Following the Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia in March 2006, a joint statement was issued with the President of Indonesia on our bilateral relations in the round. This welcomed
“the launch of a new modern defence and security relationship to address contemporary challenges, from co-operation on counter-terrorism and maritime security to UK support for Indonesia’s security sector reform process”.
Consequently, and in consultation with other Government Departments, the MOD has offered training courses to Indonesian military personnel in the following subjects during the current financial year.
Peace Support Operations.
Managing Defence in a Diplomacy.
Various subjects at the Royal College of Defence Studies.
Jungle Patrolling.
Maritime Exclusive Economic Zone management.
Other forms of military and security co-operation undertaken this financial year include a programme of two-way senior officer visits, support to the development of Indonesia’s Security Sector Strategy, and a visit by HMS Westminster to Jakarta.
Iraq
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed that ‘wetting’ was official policy for dealing with looters in Basra; who authorised this policy; and if he will make a statement. [77184]
Mr. Ingram: The practice of ‘wetting’ is not, and has never been, official policy for dealing with looters in Basra.
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