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Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Costs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what market testing has been carried out under the Warm Front scheme of the costs of labour, radiators and boilers. [161748]

Mr. Woolas: In August, White Young Green in its role as independent auditors of the Warm Front Scheme, completed a review of the price of gas central heating equipment provided under the Scheme (taking into account regional variances).

This review indicated that the measures provided are cost competitive against the market average. The review will be available shortly on the DEFRA website.

A similar assessment of oil fired systems is near to completion, with early indications, once again, showing the Warm Front scheme to be cost competitive against the market average.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Heating

Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes have been provided with heating under the Warm Front scheme in (a) England and (b) Bolsover constituency in the last two years. [161427]

Mr. Woolas: In the last two Warm Front Scheme years 142,041 households have been provided with heating in England and 309 households have been provided with heating in the Bolsover constituency.

The following table shows a yearly breakdown of the figures.
2006-07( 1) 2007-08

England

86,527

55,514

Bolsover

142

167

(1 )Year to date figures

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme: Prices

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how Warm Front's pricing structure for central heating installation was determined. [161256]


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Mr. Woolas [holding answer 29 October 2007]: Warm Front's pricing structure for central heating installation is based on the cost of materials and the cost of labour.

The cost of materials was determined by a competitive tender process undertaken by my Department to award contracts to supply materials. The contracts were won by Plumb Center (Wolseley ) and Graham Group (Saint-Gobain).

The cost of labour was determined by a competitive tender process undertaken by Eaga plc. Eaga plc was appointed the main contractor for Warm Front following an earlier competitive tender run by DEFRA. Eaga plc oversaw a competitive bidding process to appoint sub-contractors across the UK to support the delivery of the scheme. Through this process, Eaga plc was able to set regionalised labour prices as determined by the tender.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the variation of the market rate for boiler and central heating installation across the UK; and how the variation is reflected in Warm Front's pricing formula. [161257]

Mr. Woolas [holding answer 29 October 2007]: In August 2007, White Young Green, in its role as independent auditors of the Warm Front Scheme, completed a review of the price of gas central heating equipment provided under the Scheme (taking into account regional variances). This review indicated that the measures provided are cost competitive against the market average. The review will be available shortly on the DEFRA website.

To control the risk of rising prices, Warm Front obtained a two year price fix on materials starting in June 2005. Following a competitive tender to appoint sub contractors across England, the Scheme Manager, Eaga plc, put in place standard regionalised rates for labour (Eaga plc has reserved the right to re-tender these contracts in 2008).

Following the recent expiry of the two year price fix on materials, the need to track market changes is clearly important. The White Young Green review has provided confidence that the Warm Front Scheme remains competitive.

Housing: Northamptonshire

Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of proposed additional housing development in north Northamptonshire over the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [160823]

Jonathan Shaw: My Department works closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the environmental dimension of housing policy, including plans for housing growth and the provision of environmental infrastructure. This is evidenced by the strong environmental content of the recent Housing Green Paper. In north Northamptonshire, Defra's agencies have worked with key regional partners to produce a
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water cycle strategy for Corby, and subsequently the wider north Northamptonshire area, to support the development of the North Northamptonshire Core Strategy.

Inland Waterways: Floods

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with British Waterways on flood management strategies; what funding he has made available to British Waterways for their role in flood management; and if he will make a statement. [160727]

Jonathan Shaw: British Waterway’s contribution to flood management on a national scale is relatively limited as canals are not designed to take flood flows, but locally its contribution can be significant. British Waterways is currently working on a national flood management plan which will set the framework for addressing current and future risks to its network (due for completion at end of 2008).

Following the recent heavy floods, the Government have initiated a wide-ranging and thorough review to identify and lessons to be learned for the way that we manage and respond to such flooding events. This is being led by an independent chair, Sir Michael Pitt. All relevant aspects will be included. Initial findings are likely to be published towards the end of the year, followed by a formal report.

Landfill

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will allow local authorities to carry over their landfill allowance credits after the 2010 cut off period provided the UK has reached its EU landfill reduction target by this time. [161465]

Joan Ruddock: Under the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme, allowances have been allocated for waste disposal authorities for each year from 2005-06 to 2019-20. The number of allowances available nationally is limited in order to meet the UK’s derogated Landfill Directive targets in 2010, 2013 and 2020.

Waste disposal authorities (WDA) may not carry over surplus allowances in target years into the following year. This is a consequence of preventing the borrowing of allowances across target years. This check on the scheme is required to ensure that the UK as a whole does not exceed its targets.

Meat: Storage

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what proportion of the private cold storage facility available to his Department was in use for lamb and beef carcasses in the week beginning (a) 3 September 2007, (b) 10 September 2007, (c) 17 September 2007, (d) 24 September 2007 and (e) 1 October 2007; [160636]

(2) what the capacity is of private storage for lamb carcases available for use by his Department in each parliamentary constituency. [160637]


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Jonathan Shaw: DEFRA does not hold any food stock or private cold storage facility.

Organic Farming: Diseases

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will review the level of compensation payable for organic or pedigree organic animals slaughtered because they are either infected with or suspected of having bovine tuberculosis, BSE, brucellosis and enzootic bovine leukosis. [161794]

Jonathan Shaw: The Government recognise that the current table valuation based compensation system is a cause of concern to some farmers of organic animals. We are therefore considering whether system enhancements might be necessary, and what these might be.

While DEFRA has not ruled out the possibility of changes to the compensation system, any changes would need to be justified and take into account the interests of all parties, including taxpayers. They would also need to take account of the extensive evidence in the level of over-valuation experienced under the previous system based on individual valuations.

Overseas Aid: Environment Protection

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the budget is for the Environmental Transformation Fund for (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11. [159957]

Joan Ruddock: As announced in the comprehensive spending review, the domestic element of the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF) will total £370 million over the next three years. The domestic funding will be divided between the Department for Business Enterprise Regulatory Reform (BERR) and DEFRA. DEFRA’s share of the domestic ETF will be £170 million, to be invested within England, including an increase of £129 million over and above the Department’s baseline budget in this area for the next three years. The Devolved Administrations will receive consequential funding from DEFRA’s element of the fund.

Discussions are under way on the allocation of this element of the fund and the breakdown over financial years will be determined in due course.

In addition, the £800 million ETF International Window, jointly administered by DEFRA and the Department for International Development, is to be provisionally committed over the next three years to £100 million in 2008-09, £200 million in 2009-10 and £500 million in 2010-11.

Packaging: Recycling

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government has taken to encourage private and public organisations to recycle packaging waste. [161227]

Joan Ruddock: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations oblige businesses, which have an annual turnover of more than £2 million, and
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which handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year, to recover a minimum of 60 per cent. and recycle at least 55 per cent. of their packaging waste by 2008.

In addition to increasing the levels of recovery and recycling across all packaging materials, they are also driving down the sizing and weight of packaged items. Packaging recycling has doubled since 1997 and statutory binding targets will ensure further improvements.

The Landfill Tax provides a significant incentive to minimise waste arisings and divert waste from landfill to more sustainable alternatives such as recycling. The Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme (funded from Landfill Tax) allows businesses free and independent support and advice to help them increase their profitability by sending less waste to landfill and recycling more.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which is partly funded by DEFRA, is responsible for delivering greater material efficiency, including increasing recycling rates. Its work on packaging waste interlinks with many aspects of recycling, such as working with local authorities to advise on recycling facilities and overcome barriers to recycling.

WRAP is working with the retail industry and manufacturers to reduce packaging waste and increase the recycled content of packaging through the ‘Courtauld Commitment’ agreement. This is a voluntary agreement which aims to halt packaging growth by 2008 and make absolute reductions in packaging waste by 2010.

The Government are determined to lead the way and has set itself demanding targets for reducing and recycling its own waste. The Government have also committed to using public procurement operations to stimulate the market for recycled materials and waste reduction.


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