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4 Dec 2006 : Column 22W—continued
South-West Regional Development Agency
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost was of running the South West Regional Development Agency in the last period for which figures are available; and what work it has (a) undertaken and (b) completed in the Bournemouth area. [103172]
Margaret Hodge: The funds allocated to the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) for 2005-06 were £20,175,000.
SWRDA works with other partners to deliver the priorities in the Regional Economic Strategy. It has developed a range of regional programmes to support business productivity, encourage new enterprise and deliver skills for the economy which benefit business in the Bournemouth area. An example of this work is the SWRDA’s support for the ASTREA programme to develop unmanned aircraft which benefits Flight Refuelling who employ a number of Bournemouth residents.
SWRDA has invested in two business incubation centres, one at Bournemouth university which opened in 2002 and another at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth which opened in 2005 to support the retention of graduates in the local economy, particularly in the growth areas of computer animation and new media.
Tourism is vital to the economy of Bournemouth and SWRDA has worked closely with the council in developing a major project to enhance and refurbish the Bournemouth International Conference Centre. The rejuvenated facility opened in autumn 2005 and independent analysis suggests its customers now provide one quarter of the business for Bournemouth’s hotels, and are particularly important in the spring/autumn tourism season.
To address skills gaps and staff shortages in the hotel sector regionally and nationally, SWRDA is developing a national first, the Bournemouth Hotel School. It has assembled a site adjoining the Bournemouth International Conference Centre and appointed a private sector developer and operator who will invest around £30 million in this facility. This will also be the first newly built four star hotel in Bournemouth for many years.
Bournemouth contains areas of deprivation and SWRDA targeted the Boscombe area for investment through its Single Regeneration Budget programme in 2001. This programme concludes in 2007 and has delivered a range of new job opportunities, training and other community benefits including a new Enterprise Centre.
Supply2.gov.uk
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many business organisations attended the Supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 25 October 2006 sponsored by South East England Development Agency; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103316]
(2) how many business organisations attended the Supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 26 October 2006 sponsored by East of England Development Agency; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103317]
(3) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 20 September 2006 sponsored by One North East; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103325]
(4) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 21 September 2006 sponsored by North West Development Agency; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103326]
(5) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 5 October 2006 sponsored by Advantage West Midlands; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103327]
(6) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 10 October 2006 sponsored by London Development Agency; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103328]
(7) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow sponsored by Yorkshire Forward on 17 October 2006; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103329]
(8) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 18 October 2006 sponsored by the East Midlands Development Agency; and what the total cost was of running the event; [103330]
(9) how many business organisations attended the supply2.gov.uk roadshow on 19 October 2006 sponsored by Yorkshire Forward; and what the total cost was of running the event. [103331]
Margaret Hodge: The number of business organisations who attended each individual road show was as follows:
| Region | Date | Attendees |
| (1) Although a question was not raised asking for details of the roadshow that occurred in the South West, we have included this. | ||
The event in Hull (PQ 2006/182) on 17 October was not one of the official series of www.supply2.gov.uk roadshows and therefore we have not included details of this. Although this event was advertised in the www.supply2.gov.uk promotion material, this was actually a “Selling to the public sector” event arranged by Business Link Humber and the Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency.
The total cost of the support provided by the DTI was £7,500. BDP Solutions, the service provider for www.supply2.gov.uk, contributed the remainder of the costs.
Wind Power
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with E.ON since January 2005 on the level of financial support for off-shore wind farms; and if he will make a statement. [106492]
Malcolm Wicks: DTI officials have regular meetings with E.ON to monitor progress on the Round One offshore wind farm projects at Scroby Sands and Robin Rigg, which have been awarded capital grants.
Officials have also met E.ON to discuss the current consultation on the renewables obligation, including the future support for offshore wind.
Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much energy from wind power is being directed to the National Grid. [105875]
Malcolm Wicks: The installed capacity of wind power in the UK currently stands at 1,943 MW.
For 2005, the last year for which we have figures, electricity generation from wind power was 2,908 GWh.
Work and Families Act
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from (a) businesses and (b) business organisations on the operation of the Work and Families Act 2006. [106315]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The various public consultations undertaken relating to the Work and Families Act have received a wide range of representations from businesses and business organisations. Details of the responses can be found on the DTI’s website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/index.html (see Holidays and Work and Families sections).
In addition to the formal consultation exercises, officials have been involved in numerous meetings to discuss these issues with business representatives and other stakeholders. Ministers have also discussed these matters in their own meetings with business, ensuring that business interests have been taken into account. Finally, development of the changes has been informed by an HR advisory group specifically set-up to look at how to ease compliance for employers.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Barnsley metropolitan borough council’s scheme to reduce its carbon emissions through the installation of woodchip fuel in its heating systems. [103045]
Ian Pearson: We have noted Barnsley borough council’s active support for biomass heat and we welcome the progress they have made towards their target of a 60 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010.
We recognise that there are many local and regional initiatives which aim to reduce carbon emissions through the use of biomass heat and electricity. We are currently collecting information on these initiatives, through the Government Office network, and will assess them to see what lessons can be learnt. The results will inform the work currently being undertaken to develop a UK Biomass Strategy.
Biodiversity
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to approve the new Biodiversity Action Plan targets. [106335]
Barry Gardiner: The new Biodiversity Action Plan targets have been approved and are now available on the UK Biodiversity Partnership's website:
http://www.ukbap.org.uk/BAPGroupPage.aspx?id=98
Biofuels
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the UK’s biofuels consumption is met by imports, broken down by (a) country of origin and (b) feedstock. [105906]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not available.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of importing biofuels; [105907]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that imported biofuels are not produced at the expense of rainforests and other eco-sensitive areas. [105908]
Ian Pearson: The environmental sustainability of production is one of the Government's key priorities for biofuel development. That is why the Government are developing an environmental assurance scheme as an integral part of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). This will require all obligated companies to report on the greenhouse gas balance and wider environmental impacts of their biofuels. The reports will include details of the previous use of the land on which the biofuel feedstocks were grown, and the impacts on biodiversity of growing those feedstocks. This will encourage companies to supply biofuels which deliver the maximum greenhouse gas savings with the minimum environmental impact. It will also ensure that we can monitor the impact of both imported and domestically-sourced biofuels.
The Government will be looking to move to a system that allows only biofuels which meet certain minimum sustainability standards to benefit from the RTFO. This will involve developing a verifiable and robust system that is compatible with World Trade Organisation requirements on barriers to trade.
Bovine TB
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what compensation EU countries receive from the European Commission for bovine tuberculosis breakdowns. [106301]
Mr. Bradshaw: DEFRA does not hold this information. However, information on the support that member states receive is available on the European Union website at:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/eradication/legisl_en.htm.
British Waterways
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of recent funding changes to British Waterways; what criteria his Department took into account when making that assessment; and if he will make a statement. [106213]
Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 2 November 2006, Official Report, columns 571-72W, 7 November 2006, Official Report, columns 1067-68W, and 23 November 2006, Official Report, column 159W.
Bush Meat
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to tackle the international trade in bush meat. [107356]
Barry Gardiner: An inter-departmental ministerial body on biodiversity issues has commissioned a study into the importance of bush meat to poverty alleviation and biodiversity loss. It is expected to report in the new year.
DEFRA is funding the Bushmeat Working Group which considers strategies for a sustainable bush meat trade. Moreover, a number of agencies, Government Departments and local authorities are working together and sharing information to tackle meat crime in a co-ordinated manner. The Government have put £25 million into tackling illegal imports of animal products, following the foot and mouth outbreak, which will help counter illegal bush meat imports.
However, it must be stressed that there is a limit to what the Government can do in terms of tackling the trade in bush meat. We cannot intervene directly in sovereign matters of other countries, and bush meat has been a legitimate and acceptable food source in many countries for generations.
Cattewater Harbour
Bill Wiggin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will respond to petitioners who have objected to the
decision to grant a licence to dispose of dredging material from Cattewater harbour in Whitsand Bay; and if he will make a statement. [106730]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has granted a licence under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 to Cattewater Harbour Commissioners (valid from 28 July 2006 until 27 July 2007) that authorises the disposal of up to 19,500 tonnes of maintenance dredgings from the Harbour at the Rame Head disposal site. This quantity represents a relatively small fraction of the quantity of material which has regularly been disposed of in Whitsand Bay.
Licence applications are subject to robust assessment, in consultation with a range of stakeholders, and include a scientific analysis of the material for disposal. The material was assessed as suitable for disposal at sea and, while Cornwall county council objected to the continued use of Rame Head, other stakeholders were content for the licence to be issued.
In recognition of local concerns which have been voiced over the continued use of the Rame Head site, discussions have taken place with local scientists and stakeholders and a public meeting has been held to explain the evidence of underpinning licence decisions and the results of monitoring.
Although this did not convince all those opposed to the use of Rame Head, the Department considers that, subject to ongoing monitoring, disposal activity at the site is environmentally acceptable.
In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 28 November 2006, Official Report, column 497W.
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