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25 July 2006 : Column 1482W—continued
Energy Crops
Mr. Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support for growers of (a) miscanthus and (b) other energy crops will be provided after 31 July 2006. [88224]
Ian Pearson: DEFRA is currently considering how best to support energy crops under the new Rural Development Programme (RDP), which will come into operation in 2007. The RDP is a national programme but is part funded by the EU, so it will need to comply with the provisions of the EU Rural Development Regulation (RDR). Therefore, DEFRA is also in discussions with the Commission on how support for Energy Crops can continue under the RDP in 2007 and beyond.
The EU's annual €45 per hectare Energy Aid payment is available to farmers for purpose-grown energy crops grown on non set-aside land. Farmers can also receive the single payment for purpose-grown energy crops on set-aside or where the EU's €45 per hectare energy aid payment is claimed for crops on non set-aside land.
Support for energy crops is also provided by Research and Development funding from DEFRA. This underpins an expansion in the commercial breeding programme. The aim is to double the output of new varieties by developing crops with maximised yield and resistance to fungal diseases and pests.
Energy Efficiency
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much energy his Department estimates would be saved if all homes that needed it were insulated. [81429]
Ian Pearson: We estimate that if all homes received all cost-effective insulation measures (such as loft and cavity wall insulation) where appropriate, the maximum energy savings would be around 240 peta joules (PJ). For comparison, current energy consumption from all UK housing is around 2,000 PJ, so the saving is around 12 per cent.
However, in practice households are likely to take some of the savings as comfort (for example, higher internal temperatures), which would reduce the savings accordingly. If comfort taking is assumed to be 30 per cent., the energy savings would be around 160 PJ.
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why his Department has revised the energy savings calculations for (a) light bulbs and (b) insulation. [81430]
Ian Pearson: Revisions were made in the light of new information arising from monitoring and modelling projects. Full details were published under the energy efficiency commitment (EEC) section of the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/ eec/pdf/measuremix.pdf in February 2005.
For light bulbs, the new factors were the use of an average saving across different bulb wattages and different bulb types; recognition that most households were now likely to have at least one compact fluorescent lamp, most probably in the most heavily-used light fitting, so the annual hours of use for new installations would now be shorter than before (thereby reducing the annual savings); and allowance for the heat replacement effect.
For insulation, monitoring projects had indicated that actual energy savings were rather lower than expected from models. Additionally, in practice, the extent of the fillable cavity was somewhat smaller than the external wall area. Pending the outcome of further monitoring, the energy (and carbon) savings were slightly reduced. DEFRA has a continuing programme of monitoring and research to keep the savings from different measures as up to date as possible.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make an assessment of the rate of return to energy efficiency schemes supported by the Department including social benefits; and if he will make an assessment of the private rate of return and payback period for private individuals who benefit from such schemes. [81786]
Ian Pearson:
For the first phase of the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC1), the estimated Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the scheme as a whole was around 30 per cent. excluding the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) and the value of air quality improvements. It was over 35 per cent. if these were
included. The returns for the current phase are expected to be slightly lower, since the “quick wins” have now been acted on.
The corresponding IRR for a private individual benefiting from EEC will depend on the measure installed, and the particular incentive offered by the energy supplier. The Energy Saving Trust has information on typical benefits and costs charged to consumers under the scheme, and we have used this information for the following two examples.
For cavity wall insulation, using today’s prices, the IRR is 45-50 per cent. and the payback period just over two years. The corresponding figures for a pack of four low energy lamps, using the savings assumptions for EEC2 (see www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energv/eec/pdf/measuremix.pdf) are 80-90 per cent. and 14 months.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was of the warm front and energy efficiency schemes in each year since 2000; and how much was spent on (a) grants, (b) promotion and advertising and (c) administration in each year. [88891]
Ian Pearson: A full response to this question could be made only at disproportionate cost.
Environment Agency
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) by what percentage the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its spending from the original level allocated for 2006-07; [87628]
(2) pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Reading West (Martin Salter) Oral Answer of 20 July 2006, Official Report, column 445, on the Environment Agency (grant in aid), by what amount the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its budget in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement; [88920]
(3) whether the budget for flood defences is to be changed; and if he will make a statement. [88921]
Ian Pearson: As part of the Spending Review 04 settlement, the Environment Agency was given an increased indicative grant in aid budget for 2006-07 of £573 million. However, following the initial budget setting exercise for 2006-07 this figure was reduced by 0.77 per cent. This amounts to a £4.4 million reduction.
A budget review exercise is under way which is examining expenditure across the whole of DEFRA. No final decisions have yet been taken. Meanwhile, consultation is taking place with Environment Agency to evaluate the budget review proposals and options.
Environmental Budget Lines
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been requested in the budget allocations for environmental budget lines in his Department. [89033]
Ian Pearson:
DEFRA is committed to living within its overall budget for 2006-07 as voted by Parliament. At present there is a budget review exercise under way which is examining expenditure across the whole of
DEFRA. No final decisions have yet been taken and these are expected to be made by early August. Meanwhile consultation is taking place between the Department’s Environment Directorate General and its delivery partners, including the Environment Agency, to evaluate the budget review proposals and options.
Environmental Noise
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the responses to the consultation on proposals for transposition and implementation of Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. [88317]
Mr. Bradshaw: Copies of the responses will be made publicly available during the summer, through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. I also will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
EU Directives
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department was of implementing and administering EU directives, regulations and policies in 2005-06. [86757]
Ian Pearson: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department, but by the management units responsible for the policy areas concerned. Disaggregated costs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
EU Legislation
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department issues (a) advice and (b) instructions to the Scottish Executive on the implementation of EU legislation in Scotland. [86513]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 19 July 2006]: Implementation of EU legislation is a matter for the Scottish Executive, in those areas which are devolved, by the Scotland Act 1998. The Department offers advice on implementation, when asked to do so by the Executive.
Farm Incomes
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the trend in the level of farm incomes over the last five years. [87086]
Barry Gardiner: Farm incomes for England in the past five years are given in the table as follows.
| Net farm income by farm type ( 1) , England 2000-01 to 2004-05 | |||||
| 2000-01 | ( 2) 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | |
| (1) Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business. (2) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull. Source: Farm Business Survey (FBS) | |||||
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average annual income was of (a) farms and (b) hill farms in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Cumbria, and (iii) Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year since 1997. [88527]
Ian Pearson: Farm incomes for England since 1997 are given in the table as follows. Grazing livestock (less favoured area) is equivalent to hill farms
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