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14 Jan 2008 : Column 982W—continued
(b) Estimates of carbon savings from renewable electricity under the renewables obligation between 2008 and 2020 is given in the following table. These estimates assume that renewable electricity displaces gas generation, with a carbon factor of 95.7 MtC per GWh additional generation. The table gives savings based on its current structure, and under the regime proposed in the Energy Bill 2008.
| Estimated carbon savings from current RO structure (MtC) | Estimated carbon savings from proposed RO structure (MtC) | |
| Note: Estimates are based on results from the model of the renewables obligation from independent consultants. These figures are different from those included in the report ‘Reform of the Renewables Obligation—what is the likely impact of changes?’(1) as they take into account updated estimates of electricity sales and technology costs. (1) http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39039.pdf. | ||
Royal Mail: Delivery Services
Mr. Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of the business handled by Royal Mail comprised downstream access mail in the last three years for which figures are available. [177514]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. I have asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
I will put copies of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Trades Union Congress: Finance
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether the Trades Union Congress has a political fund, according to the records held by the Certification Officer. [177601]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 10 January 2008]: According to the records held by the Certification Officer, the Trade Union Congress has no political fund.
UK Trade and Investment: Defence
Mr. Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on what date he was informed of the Prime Minister's decision to close the Defence Export Services Organisation and to move its remit to UK Trade and Investment. [173403]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 11 December 2007]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 12 December 2007, Official Report, columns 292-93.
Unfair Commercial Practices Directive Regulations
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what timetable he envisages for the (a) publication, (b) consultation on and (c) implementation of the unfair commercial practices directive regulations.[177372]
Mr. Thomas: The Department of Trade and Industry consulted on draft Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) implementing the unfair commercial practices directive (UCPD) in May 2007. The draft CPRs reflect the outcome of two earlier consultations about implementing the UCPD. The first consultation paper was published in December 2005 and sought views in three areas: interpretation; enforcement; and simplification of existing legislation. The second consultation in December 2006 sought views on how to frame the criminal offences in the regulations implementing the directive.
I propose to lay the draft CPRs before Parliament in January. If approved in debate the regulations will come into force on 6 April 2008.
Wind Power
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of full-time equivalent person years that will be required to build sufficient (a) wind turbines and (b) associated infrastructure to meet the EU 20 per cent. renewables target. [175676]
Malcolm Wicks: It is too early to estimate what proportion of the UK contribution to the EU 20 per cent. target will come from any particular source of renewable energy, and the impact that will have. Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state will make toward the 20 per cent. target, but we will consult in 2008 on policy options to meet the UK's contribution and publish our foil UK renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.
Wind Power: North East Region
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the Government's policy is on the development of a North sea wind farm. [177648]
Malcolm Wicks: In November 2002, DTI published a consultation document ‘Future Offshore’ which outlined a strategic approach to offshore wind development in UK waters, available at the following link:
To date, the Government and The Crown Estate have held two competitions, Round 1 in 2000 and Round 2 in 2003, for offshore wind development rights. A map of these site lease areas can be found at the following link:
On 10 December, the Government announced the launch of a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) on a draft plan for up to 25 GW of new offshore wind development rights in UK waters, including in the North sea. A scoping consultation document, entitled ‘UK Offshore Energy SEA Scoping for Environmental Report’, is currently available at the following web link:
Depending on the results of the SEA and the magnitude of impacts identified, the Government will take a decision on what the acceptable level of offshore wind development is. As in previous rounds, developers would then be required to bid for site leases through leasing competitions to be held by the Crown Estate and, if successful, conduct their own site evaluations and undertake an environmental impact assessment before applying for the necessary development and environmental consents to build an offshore wind farm.
Health
Abortion (Amendment) Bill of Session 1979-80
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records his Department holds of the Abortion (Amendment) Bill of Session 1979-80; and if he will make a statement. [177736]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department no longer holds any files on the Abortion (Amendment) Bill of Session 1979-80. Four files have been transferred to the National Archives at Kew and are closed to the public under the 30-year rule. Two other files were destroyed following a review of the contents.
Action on Smoking and Health Foundation
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department allocated to the Action on Smoking and Health Foundation in each year since its inception. [173627]
Dawn Primarolo: The Department's grants to Action on Smoking Health under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 are set out in the following table.
| Financial year | Grants (£) |
Ambulance Services: Shropshire
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet members of Shropshire county council to discuss the future status of the Shrewsbury Ambulance Control Centre. [165842]
Mr. Bradshaw: The organisation and location of ambulance service control centres is a matter for local ambulance trusts. Therefore, it is recommended that the members of Shropshire county council request a meeting with Mr. Anthony Marsh, chief executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, in order to discuss the future status of the Shrewsbury Ambulance Control Centre. The Minister of State has already met the hon. Member to discuss his concerns about the future of Shrewsbury Ambulance control centre.
Atrial Fibrillation
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide services to tackle atrial fibrillation. [174392]
Ann Keen: The provision of national health service services is the responsibility of commissioners, providers and other local service managers who are best placed to plan for and deliver the particular mix of services needed by their local population.
The Department launched Chapter 8 of the Coronary Heart Disease National Service Framework, covering arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, in March 2005. Chapter 8 sets out quality requirements and markers of good practice for the NHS for the development of all arrhythmia services including those for people with, or suspected of having, atrial fibrillation.
In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence produced a clinical guideline on the management of atrial fibrillation (CG36) in June 2006.
In 2006-07, the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the general medical services contract has included quality indicators for the detection and management of patients with atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is also a significant risk factor for stroke. The recently published stroke strategy, therefore, reiterates the importance of good quality care for those with atrial fibrillation.
Bournemouth and Christchurch Primary Care Trust: Finance
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons specialist top-up funds paid to Bournemouth and Christchurch primary care trust district general hospitals in recognition of patients with complex conditions have been discontinued. [177357]
Mr. Bradshaw: We outlined our proposals to refine the targeting of specialist top-ups for 2008-09 in the “Options for the Future of Payment by Results: 2008-09 - 2010-11” consultation document published on 15 March 2007. The arrangements for 2008-09 were published on 13 December 2007 alongside the NHS operating framework.
The aim of these proposals is to better target the top-up payments at the most specialised activity within the scope of payment by results. Copies of the consultation document are available in the Library.
Breast Cancer: Screening
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of eligible women (a) in total and (b) in each ethnic group took part in the NHS Breast Cancer Screening Programme in each year since 1997. [175112]
Ann Keen: The information requested on the total proportion of eligible women who took part in the NHS breast screening programme in each year since 1997 is shown in the following table.
| Coverage (percentage) | |
| Women aged 50 to 64 | |
| Note: 1. Coverage is the percentage of eligible women with a breast screening test result in the previous three years. 2. The KC63 return from which this data is gathered does not collect information on ethnic groups. Source: Office for National Statistics/The Information Centre for health and social care, Breast Screening Programme: England 2005-06. | |
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the number of interval breast cancers in each year since 1997; and what plans he has to reduce the round length of breast cancer screening. [175134]
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