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16 Apr 2007 : Column 177W—continued
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding will be allocated to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme domestic grants in (a) April and (b) May 2007; and if he will make a statement. [130342]
Malcolm Wicks: In the Budget 2007, the Chancellor announced that a further £6 million will be made available to the household stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme through to June 2008, taking the total available for householders to more than £18 million.
We are discussing in detail the restructuring of the scheme with industry to ensure we can make the best use of the additional funds. Taking into account the work required to re-shape the scheme, we have taken the necessary step to suspend the scheme for the
monthly allocation in April, with a view to restarting the household stream of the programme in May 2007.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how people will be able to apply for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme following the scheme's restructuring. [130514]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 29 March 2007]: In the Budget, it was announced that a further £6 million will be made available to the household stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, taking the total available for householders to more than £18 million.
Before deciding how to make best use of the extra funding, the household stream will be suspended for the monthly allocation in April so that it can be re-shaped.
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the Low Carbon Buildings Programme grants regime has been suspended; and if he will make a statement. [130625]
Malcolm Wicks: In the Budget 2007, the Chancellor announced that a further £6 million will be made available to the household stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme through to June 2008, taking the total available for householders to more than £18 million.
We are discussing in detail the restructuring of the scheme with industry to ensure we can make the best use of the additional funds. Taking into account the work required to re-shape the scheme, we have taken the necessary step to suspend the scheme for the monthly allocation in April, with a view to restarting the household stream of the programme in May 2007.
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance will be made available for households installing small scale renewable technologies during the restructuring of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. [130408]
Malcolm Wicks: In the Budget 2007, the Chancellor announced that a further £6 million will be made available to the household stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme through to June 2008, taking the total available for householders to more than £18 million.
We are discussing in detail the restructuring of the scheme with industry to ensure we can make the best use of the additional funds. Taking into account the work required to re-shape the scheme, we have taken the necessary step to suspend the scheme for the monthly allocation in April, with a view to restarting the household stream of the programme in May 2007.
Householders may temporarily be affected during the period of the suspension. However, it is important to note that of the £7.1 million allocated to household projects to date, £4.5 million remains in the pipeline of projects still to be completed.
Postal Services
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will allow sub-postmasters to offer Paypoint facilities with a view to increasing foot traffic. [130811]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no restrictions on sub-postmasters having a paypoint terminal on the retail side of their premises provided the terminal is not used for products and services offered on the Post Office side of the business.
Postal Services: Competition
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to lift restrictions on sub-postmasters offering competing services. [130810]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have no role in determining the terms and restrictions applying to sub-postmasters through their contract with Post Office Ltd.
Postal Services: Regulation
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the successor to Postwatch will work effectively at a regional level. [129620]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 27 March 2007]: The Department is working very closely with Postwatch, Energywatch, and the National Consumer Council to ensure that the practical implementation of the measures in the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill meet the detailed requirements of the different sectors. Serious consideration of how best to provide for a regional dimension for the way the new National Consumer Council represents consumer views is part of that ongoing work.
Public Bodies: Reorganisation
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the potential locations for the headquarters of the merged Postwatch, Energywatch and National Consumer Council. [129621]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 27 March 2007]: The Department has benefited from constructive and detailed input from the National Consumer Council, Energywatch and Postwatch on the considerations to be borne in mind when making a decision on the location of the headquarters for the new National Consumer Council. The final decision will be taken as soon as is practicable, having regard to the range of relevant issues.
Radio Frequencies: Licensing
Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what undertakings were made by the Government to bidders in the Third Generation mobile telecommunications licence auction on the refarming of 2G spectrum for 3G use. [127675]
Margaret Hodge:
'The Government made no undertakings to bidders in the 3G auction on the refarming of 2G spectrum for 3G use. However, set out in para 3.4.1.3 of the Information Memorandum issued at the time by N. Rothschild and Sons on behalf of the Government is an account of how the Government expected to approach the question of
refarming in the light of decisions that were expected to be made in due course within the EU. This Information Memorandum is available at:
and a copy is available in the Library of the House.
Renewable Energy Grants
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what value of grants were made to domestic households in England for renewable energy in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004, (d) 2005 and (e) 2006; and what the projected amount is of grants to be made in 2007-08. [128786]
Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is as follows:
| Number of grants | Value of grants | |
There are no figures available for 2007-08, as we do not publish forward projections.
Renewable Energy: Finance
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what date in (a) January and (b) February the allocation for grants in each month for renewable energy installations was exhausted; and whether he is considering changes to the scheme to avoid the adverse consequences of such exhaustions of allocations. [123837]
Malcolm Wicks: The introduction of monthly allocations to the household stream has provided us with the opportunity to manage the flow of funds with the aim of providing grants for householders through to June 2008, by which time some of our wider measures to promote microgeneration should be taking hold.
Since the cap was introduced in December 3006, householders have been able to apply for a share of the £0.5 million pot that is being made available on a monthly basis. In January 2007, these funds were fully committed to successful household applicants on 12 January 2007. In February 2007, these funds were fully committed to successful household applicants on 1 February 2007.
It is important to note that in the Budget 2007, it was announced that a further £6 million will be made available to the household stream, taking the total available for householders to more than £18 million.
Before deciding how to make best use of the extra funding, the household stream is to be suspended for the monthly allocation in April so that it can be re-shaped.
Satellites
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has held discussions with the East of England Development Agency on its proposal to spend £12 million on a space satellite. [130624]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 29 March 2007]: My officials in the British National Space Centre (BNSC) have worked with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), the South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) and the London Development Agency (LDA) to fund the UK subscription in support of the Inmarsat-led I-XL (Inmarsat eXtended L-band) bid to the European Space Agency (ESA) Alphasat Programme.
Seals: EC Action
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to ban the importation of (a) harp seal, (b) hooded seal and (c) other seal products into the UK; and if he will make a statement. [131101]
Mr. McCartney: I made an announcement by ministerial statement on this issue on 8 February 2007, Official Report, column 43WS.
Severn Barrage
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to commissioning an appraisal of the possible benefits and environmental risks associated with the building of a Severn barrage; and if he will make a statement. [131173]
Malcolm Wicks: A major study is currently under way that will help us to better understand how to make best use of the potential tidal resource in UK waters. The study is led by the Sustainable Development Commission working together with the DTI, the Welsh Assembly Government, the South West Regional Development Agency and other key interested parties.
The study is looking at the issues arising on the tidal resource, including consideration of the potential of the Severn Estuary. A final report by the Sustainable Development Commission will consider the various aspects of a Severn barrage from a sustainable development perspective and is expected by early summer.
Further information can be found at:
Small Businesses
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers are excluded from the provisions of statutory recognition procedures as a result of (a) the 21-worker threshold and (b) employment status. [129004]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The statutory recognition procedure applies to GB employers who, together with their associated employers, employ 21 or more workers. It is not possible to estimate precisely how many workers are employed
in organisations which fall under this threshold. However, at the start of 2005, the estimated number of employees working in UK enterprises with 19 or fewer employees was 4,764,000. There are no estimates of the number of workers who are excluded from the statutory procedure because of their employment status. However, because the definition of “worker” used for the purpose of the statutory procedure is broad, the number is likely to be relatively low.
Solar Power: Grants
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on demand for household solar photo voltaics (PV) of the decision to reduce the domestic solar PV grant by £1,000 per kWp from 2 April. [128723]
Malcolm Wicks: When the Low Carbon Buildings Programme was launched in April 2006, we always intended to review grant levels at the end of the first year. After discussions with industry, it was decided that the level of support for solar PV should be reduced in April 2007, from a maximum of £3,000 per kWp installed to a maximum of £2,000 per kWp installed.
This measure, among others, will help us to make funds available to householders until June 2008 when some of our wider measures to support microgeneration should be taking hold.
It is important to note that in the Budget 2007, the Chancellor announced that a further £6 million will be made available to the household stream of the programme, taking the total available to householders to more than £18 million. We are discussing in detail the restructuring of the scheme with industry to ensure we can make the best use of the additional funds, and to address the operational difficulties that have been encountered over recent months. Taking into account the work required to re-shape the scheme, we have taken the necessary step to suspend the scheme for the monthly allocation in April, with a view to restarting the household stream of the programme in May 2007.
Telecommunications: Fees and Charges
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to prevent (a) BT and (b) other telecommunication companies levying additional charges on customers who pay other than by monthly plan or direct debit. [124825]
Margaret Hodge: While this is a commercial matter, my understanding is that for a number of years, BT has applied a price differential between customers who pay their accounts by direct debit and those who pay by other means. This reflects the increased processing and debt management costs associated with payments not made by direct debit. Such differentials are common practice among communications providers and utility service providers.
From 1 May 2007, BT is changing how it presents this differential from a discount for those customers paying by direct debit, to a charge for those paying by other means. BT has combined this change with an increase of £1.50 a quarter in the charge (from £3 to £4.50).
The Light User Scheme, In Contact and BT Basic will not be affected by the increased charge. These are the special tariff schemes offered to vulnerable customers by BT as a result of the Universal Service Obligation placed on the company.
I have raised the matter with the chief executive officer of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom is considering whether any of the changes BT has recently made raise any regulatory issues and is coming back to me on this in April.
Tour Operators: Competition
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss the implications of the Thomas Cook-My Travel merger for competition in the UK package holiday market with the European Commissioner Health and Consumer Protection; and if he will make a statement. [128417]
Mr. McCartney: Investigation into the effects on competition in any merger is the responsibility of the independent competition authorities. Government Ministers have no role in this process and there are no plans to hold any discussions with the European Commission in relation to this proposed merger.
I would welcome any further information from the hon. Gentleman which may be helpful to the regulators.
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