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19 Jun 2007 : Column 1594W—continued
As part of our support to the Clean Energy Investment Framework, we have called for the World Bank and the other multilateral development banks to set out a set of specific targets to cover investments in areas such as renewables and energy efficiency. For example, last year the World Bank committed $860 million in these areas, but it needs to do more. The banks also need to look at their entire investment portfolios including lending for fossil fuels and help Governments make the right choices about their energy mix to underpin sustainable growth and poverty reduction. We expect this analysis to contribute to a better understanding of how to minimise the impact of development investments on carbon emissions.
Our Evaluation Department is currently considering establishing a baseline of data on climate change related indicators to help us better measure the Department’s contribution to helping developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Overseas Aid: Fossil Fuels
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department has provided to fossil fuel extraction projects through the World Bank and other international financial institutions in the last five years. [142890]
Hilary Benn: During the last five years the World Bank (International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) provided around $1.2 billion (£609 million) in financing for activities in fossil fuels. Around one-third of this is for policy work and mine closure programmes. Of the remaining two-thirds, around 80 per cent. is for investment in gas projects, including infrastructure investment such as storage and distribution. Loans for fossil fuel extraction from the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development amounted to $350 million (£178 million) and €768 million (£518 million) respectively. The International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank, the Inter-American Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank did not fund any fossil fuel extraction projects during this period.
In financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06 the UK provided £2.42 billion for the World Bank’s IDA, the African Development Fund (ADF) of the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Fund (AsDF), the Caribbean Development Bank Special Fund, the IMF, Regional Development Bank Capital Subscriptions including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and other IFI programmes. Details can be found in DFID’s Annual Report 2007, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Contributions from the UK and other shareholders are one source of finance drawn upon by the international financial institutions to provide loans and grants to developing countries. The banks also draw on other sources such as repayments and investment earnings. Lending on more commercial terms—to more developed countries—is usually financed from the banks’ own resources. Assistance to poorer countries, on much more concessional terms, is
financed by a combination of the banks’ and donor resources. Therefore it is not possible to say what proportion of the UK’s contributions was spent on fossil fuel extraction projects.
Solicitor-General
Project Al Yamamah
Nick Harvey: To ask the Solicitor-General what advice (a) his Department and (b) other Departments gave the Director of the Serious Fraud Office with regard to his investigation into the Al Yamamah deal with Saudi Arabia; and when the advice was given. [119161]
The Solicitor-General: I refer to my previous explanations of the views which were conveyed to the Director of the Serious Fraud Office about the national security implications of the investigation, 14 December 2006, Official Report, column 1120; 7 February 2007, Official Report, columns 875-76.
Scotland
Departments: Manpower
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials work in his Department. [143173]
David Cairns: The number of staff in the Scotland Office is published in the Office's Annual Report for 2007, a copy of which is in the House Library.
Departments: Official Cars
Mr. Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what make and model of car (a) he and (b) each Minister in his Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were used when making the decision in each case. [141991]
David Cairns: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Transport on 14 June 2007, Official Report, column 1269W.
Departments: Pay
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid in bonuses to his Department's staff in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007. [142724]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 19 December 2006, Official Report, column 1765W and to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) on 13 June 2007, Official Report, column 1048W.
Departments: Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much energy in kilowatt hours was purchased by his Department from renewable sources in the most recent year for which figures are available. [142204]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office subscribes to the sustainable development policies adopted by the Ministry of Justice.
The Scotland Office is included in the Ministry of Justice's annual returns on total energy usage across the Ministry's estate.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his strategy is for renewable energy and meeting energy targets in departmental buildings; and if he will make a statement. [142207]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office subscribes to the sustainable development policies adopted by the Ministry of Justice.
Elections
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any manual counts took place during the Scottish (a) parliamentary and (b) local election areas which used electronic counting to verify the accuracy of the counting machines. [141634]
David Cairns: It is for individual Returning Officers to decide on the conduct of the count. All 32 Returning Officers chose to conduct the count electronically and are confident of the accuracy of the result.
Oil: Natural Gas
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on the fiscal regime for the UK oil and gas sector. [140992]
David Cairns: The fiscal regime for the UK oil and gas sector is a reserved matter. The Government are committed to realising the full potential of our oil and gas reserves. This is why this year's budget confirmed that we would provide stability in the North sea fiscal regime—as requested by the industry—including retaining generous capital allowances and a continuing engagement with the industry to consider a future fiscal regime for the North sea.
Olympic Games: Greater London
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment the Government has made of the likely impact on (a) Scotland's infrastructure and (b) the Scottish economy of the relocation of (i) plumbers, joiners, electricians and related professionals and (ii) architects and associated building professionals to London and the South-East of England to service the Olympic building programme and associated developments. [143254]
David Cairns: The construction of the Olympic park and venues present huge opportunities for Scottish businesses. The flexibility within the UK labour market, that is a benefit of Union, has contributed substantially to the record levels of employment Scotland currently enjoys.
Prime Minister
Departments: Sign Language
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of providing British Sign Language (BSL) videos on the Downing Street website for the benefit of those whose first language is BSL. [142544]
The Prime Minister: Although British Sign Language is not used on the Number 10 website, my Office is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, including those who have hearing impairments. For example, the website provides transcripts and captions for audio and audio-visual material.
Trade and Industry
Carbon Sequestration: Research
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding is available for research on carbon capture and storage technology. [143148]
Malcolm Wicks: DTI supports research and development for carbon capture and storage (CCS) through the Technology Programme. During 2005-06 some £3.5 million was set aside for Carbon Abatement Technologies of which £2.3 million has been allocated to CCS. This funding will continue through 2007 at which stage the new arrangements for the Technology Strategy Board and Energy Technologies Institute will be introduced.
Additionally £35 million has also been allocated for the demonstration of components for CCS technologies. To date some £1.4 million of those funds has been set aside for one project.
Funding is also made available by the Research Councils. The following table outlines their expenditure on CCS research to date:
| £ | |
Cotonou Agreement
Mr. Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made by his Department on compliance with the Cotonou Agreement by the EU in its negotiations of economic partnership agreements; and if he will make a statement. [142183]
Mr. McCartney:
The DTI and the Department for International Development work closely together on issues relating to the Cotonou Agreement, in particular on economic partnership agreements.
Article 37.4 of the Cotonou Agreement states that the parties should carry out a formal comprehensive review in 2006. The UK was active in ensuring that the ACP had full participation in the review. All six EPA regions completed their reviews by April this year and these were endorsed by the EU-ACP Council of Ministers on 25 May 2007.
Departments: Remploy
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) services and (b) products his Department has procured from Remploy in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [143788]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Central records indicate that the Department has procured no services or products from Remploy in the last 12 months.
Domestic Wastes
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice the Chief Scientific Adviser has provided in relation to the collection of household rubbish. [143657]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Sir David King, has not provided specific advice in relation to the collection of household rubbish. Lead responsibility for assuring the quality of scientific evidence within individual Departments lies with the Chief Scientific Advisors appointed by those Departments.
Estate Agents: Complaints
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 23 April 2007, Official Report, column 946W, on estate agents: complaints, how many of the 210 complaints about the conduct of estate agents received by the Office of Fair Trading in 2006 were referrals from the Ombudsman for Estate Agents. [143187]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 15 June 2007]: None of the complaints received by the Office of Fair Trading in 2006 were referrals from the Ombudsman for Estate Agents.
Estate Agents: Fees and Charges
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been carried out (a) by and (b) on behalf of his Department into average fees charged by estate agents since the 2004 Office of Fair Trading report into the estate agency market. [143184]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 15 June 2007]: The Department has not carried out, or commissioned on its behalf, any research into average fees charged by estate agents since 2004.
The Office of Fair Trading has a general duty to keep under review the estate agency market including commercial developments relating to the carrying on of estate agency work, and the working and enforcement of the Estate Agents Act 1979.
The Office of Fair Trading is also responsible under UK competition legislation for monitoring markets and investigating allegations of anti-competitive behaviour.
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims by former miners or their families have yet to be settled in respect of compensation for (a) chronic bronchitis, emphysema or other respiratory diseases, (b) vibration white finger, (c) carpal tunnel syndrome and (d) pneumoconiosis in (i) Stoke-on-Trent Central, (ii) Stoke-on-Trent North, (iii) Stoke-on-Trent South, (iv) Stone and (v) Stafford constituencies; and how many claimants in each category have received interim payments. [141242]
Malcolm Wicks: [pursuant to the reply, 12 June, Official Report, c. 906W]: The entry on the table under VWF claims: Families who received interim payment in the Stoke-on-Trent Central constituency should read 13 and not 11. The total outstanding (miners) for Stoke-on-Trent North constituency should read 45 and not 47. Families who have received an interim payment in the Stone constituency should read 6 and not 4.
The entry on the table under Carpal Tunnel Syndrome claims: Families who have received an interim payment in the Stroke-on-Trent Central constituency should be 2 and not 4. Families who have received interim payment in the Stone constituency should read 1 and not 3.
Intellectual Property Review
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to implement Recommendation 39 of the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property; [143021]
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that internet service providers and copyright holders are observing protocols to remove and disbar internet users engaged in online copyright theft; and if he will make a statement; [143027]
(3) what progress is being made in ensuring that internet service providers accept their responsibility to tackle online copyright theft; and if he will make a statement. [143028]
Malcolm Wicks: Industry associations representing the interests of internet service providers and copyright holders are actively discussing developments of a voluntary protocol to address misuse of content and copyright theft. Discussions are proceeding well and we would anticipate agreement in autumn to forestall the need for Government intervention.
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