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25 July 2006 : Column 1524W—continued
Hydro-electricity
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1446W, on hydro-electricity, if his Department will commission a study to determine the potential energy generation from the River Severn (a) from incorporating hydro-electric generating equipment at the five existing weirs between Stourport and Gloucester and (b) from building five variable height weirs with hydro-electric generating equipment between Bridgnorth and Stourport. [85738]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 14 July 2006]: Tidal impoundment schemes—such as barrages and lagoons—and tidal current technologies have the potential to make a significant contribution to carbon reductions. In common with other power generation projects they could bring with then a number of external benefits, but generally are not competitive with other forms of low carbon generation. During the course of the recent Energy Review consultation we received a range of views on tidal generation, in particular on the plans for a Severn Barrage, which could provide around 5 per cent. of current UK electricity demand by 2020. This could cost in the region of £14 billion. It is clear that while attractive in terms of energy generation and associated benefits, plans for a Severn Barrage would raise strong environmental concerns in view of the designations that apply to the Severn Estuary.
We are however, interested in improving our understanding of how to make best use of the potential tidal resource in UK waters. Together with the Welsh Assembly Government, we will therefore work with the Sustainable Development Commission, the South West Regional Development Agency and other key interested parties to explore the issue arising on the tidal resource in the UK, including the Severn Estuary, including potential costs and benefits of development using the range of tidal technologies and their public acceptability.
Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years. [68999]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Expenditure on overnight accommodation for Ministers in the Department of Trade and Industry for financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 is shown in the table. The year 2005-06 includes travel costs for the six-month period when the UK held the Presidency of the EU. Details of expenditure prior to 2004 is not available at this level of detail.
These figures include the costs of both the Minister and any accompanying private secretaries. All travel by Ministers and officials is undertaken in line with the Ministerial and Civil Services Codes of Conduct.
| Expenditure on overnight accommodation by Ministers Office | |
| Financial year | £ |
Multilateral Agreements
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states on corporate governance in relation to the collective responsibility of board members for financial statements and key non-financial information. [88579]
Mr. McCartney: Amendments to the Fourth Company Law Directive (78/660/EEC) on the annual accounts of certain types of company and the Seventh Company Law Directive (83/349/EEC) on consolidated accounts were adopted on 14 June 2006 by the European Parliament and Council.
Among other matters, the amending directive provides that board members of companies must be collectively responsible for the drawing up and publication of the annual accounts, the annual (i.e. directors’) report and any separate corporate governance statement. The requirement for a corporate governance statement (either as part of the directors’ report or as a separate statement) is a new disclosure requirement which applies to companies whose securities are traded on a regulated market.
The amending directive will shortly be published in the Official Journal of the EU containing in full the collective responsibility provisions, the requirements as to the content of the corporate governance statement and the types of companies to which it applies. The amending directive must be implemented by member states within two years of its coming into force. The Department of Trade and Industry will be consulting on its implementation.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states on new disclosure requirements regarding off-balance sheet arrangements and related party transactions. [88580]
Mr. McCartney: Amendments to the Fourth Company Law Directive (78/660/EEC) on the annual accounts of certain types of company and the Seventh Company Law Directive (83/349/EEC) on consolidated accounts were adopted on 14 June 2006 by the European Parliament and Council.
Among other matters, the amending Directive extends to companies in the EU disclosure requirements in the notes to accounts as regards:
a. Off-balance sheet transactions - companies will be required to disclose the nature and business purpose of certain company arrangements that are not included in the balance sheet and the financial impact of those arrangements; and
b. Related party transactions—information about certain transactions which have been entered into by the company with related parties must be disclosed.
The amending Directive will shortly be published in the Official Journal setting out the new disclosure provisions in full, their scope and member state options to grant exemptions from them. The amending
Directive must be implemented by Member States within two years of its coming into force. The Department of Trade and Industry will be consulting on its implementation.
National Nuclear Laboratory
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with (a) British Energy, (b) BNFL, (c) the NDA and (d) NIREX regarding the creating of a National Nuclear Laboratory. [87612]
Mr. Darling [holding answer 24 July 2006]: In assessing the need for a National Nuclear Laboratory, my officials have had discussions with a broad range of purchasers and providers of nuclear Research and Development.
Nuclear Decommissioning Agency
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he made of the extent to which there was a potential conflict of interest when a director of the Environment Agency was appointed to the Board of the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency; and if he will make a statement. [87383]
Malcolm Wicks: I refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 17 July 2006, Official Report, column 135W.
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on plans to merge the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority with Nirex. [87563]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
Future policy, and arrangements for implementing this, will be decided by the Government in light of the Committee for Radioactive Waste Management's (CoRWM's) final recommendations. CoRWM's report is due to be delivered to the Government at the end of this month and copies will be made available in the Libraries of the House. The Government will make a formal response to their report after the parliamentary summer recess.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than (a) two and (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case. [85196]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Current data shows that the department has 25 questions remaining unanswered as of 10 July 2006. Four are unanswered between two and three weeks of tabling and 21 unanswered in over three weeks.
Delays in answering questions occur for a number of reasons including the need to obtain information from external agencies and other bodies, and problems related to the transfer of questions between Government Departments.
The Department aims to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of them being tabled. This is not always possible but the department makes every effort to achieve this.
Petrol Stations
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many petrol stations there were in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cumbria, (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale, (d) urban areas and (e) rural areas in each year since 1997. [88642]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of petrol station in England and Wales and in Cumbria is as follows:
| Year end | England and Wales | Cumbria |
The data were provided by Catalist Ltd. and was first collected in 1998. Data on numbers of rural and urban petrol stations, and in Westmorland and Lonsdale, are not available.
Planning (Romney Marsh)
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and English Nature in respect of the application for permission for a wind farm at Little Cheyne Court, Romney Marsh. [87426]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 24 July 2006]: No. The correspondence between the Department and English Nature during the consideration of the application was placed on the planning register and is therefore already in the public domain.
Post Office
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation was undertaken with (a) Postwatch and (b) Postwatch East prior to the recent decision of his Department not to renew the Post Office Card Account contract. [45463]
Mr. Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
DWP officials have met Postwatch a number of times in the past to discuss the direct payment of benefits and pensions. Government funding for the Post Office card account will continue until March 2010 as always planned. This was provided for in the Post Office card account contract agreed by DWP and Post Office Limited in March 2002. An abridged version of the contract has been placed in the Library. The details of the contract were not discussed with Postwatch.
My officials met with officials from the national Postwatch organisation on 27 January 2006 and had a constructive discussion about our future strategy for paying benefits and pensions, including our small-scale pilots. A summary report of the pilot findings has now been placed in the Library. My officials have been in regular contact with Postwatch since that meeting, including attending meetings at Postwatch's Counters Advisory Group.
Postal Services
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the awarding of Post Office franchises to WH Smith stores; and what discussions he has had with the Post Office on this matter. [88677]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We have received representations from the hon. Member for Swansea, East (Mrs. James).
I have also had a discussion with Alan Cook, Managing Director of Post Office Ltd., on this in an initial meeting held on 22 June, following the decision.
Decision on individuals Post Offices branches are operational matters for which the management of Post Office Ltd. (POL) have direct responsibility.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which companies bid for the Post Office franchises in addition to WH Smith; [88678]
(2) whether franchises for postal services awarded to WH Smith include a requirement for re-investment in postal services by that company. [88679]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Decisions on individual Post Office branches are operational matters for which the management of Post Office Ltd. (POL) have direct responsibility. I have, therefore, asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member on the issues he has raised concerning the franchising of services.
Public Payphones
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many public payphones have been removed in (a) rural and (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; what steps the Government have taken to improve access to public payphones in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [86076]
Margaret Hodge: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive’s letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what publicly (a) funded and (b) administered support schemes for renewable energy research, development and generation have been
available since 1995; and how much was allocated to each programme in each year. [85233]
Malcolm Wicks: It has not been possible to collate all public expenditure and other Government support since 1995 for energy technologies in the time available at proportionate cost.
Aside from the Renewables Obligation, which is the Governments main mechanism for delivering renewables generation, the Government are investing around £500 million, between 2002 and 2008, in capital grants and research and development to support Low Carbon Technologies. Money that has already been allocated includes £50 million for the Marine Renewables Deployment Fund, £60 million for bio-energy, £41 million (this includes £10 million for PV Field Trials) for photovoltaics, £12.5 million for community renewables and £117 million for offshore wind.
The Chancellor also recently announced in the Budget a further £50 million, on top of the £30 million
that the Minister for Energy had previously announced, for the Low Carbon Building Programme, which encourages micro generation and energy efficiency in buildings.
In addition to this both DEFRA and the Scottish Executive provide funding to the Carbon Trust which conducts research into low carbon energy activities among other activities. DEFRA also funds research into combined heat and power, which is also detailed in the following tables.
The Government's support for clean, low carbon road vehicle and fuel technologies, including support for research, development and demonstration projects, was summarised in the 2002 Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, a copy of which is available via the Department for Transport's website at:
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