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30 Jun 2008 : Column 559W—continued
Microgeneration: Theft
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what information his Department collects on the number of (a) solar thermal panels, (b) photovoltaic solar tiles and (c) micro-generator wind turbines stolen from households in the last 12 months; and whether anti-theft guidance is issued to householders installing micro-generation technologies. [213089]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department does not hold any information on microgeneration technologies which may have been stolen from households in the last 12 months or provide guidance on this issue.
Nuclear Power
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the evidential basis was for his statement in his speech to the meeting of G8 Energy Ministers in Aomori, Japan on 8 June, that the debate about the role of nuclear power in the UK has shifted in recent years and that there is now a positive recognition that nuclear power can play an important role in securing energy supplies and reducing carbon emissions. [212605]
Malcolm Wicks: The terms of the debate on energy have changed in recent years. There is growing recognition that the UK is becoming a net importer of energy as our production of oil and gas declines and that climate change requires us to find low-carbon forms of producing energy. It is also recognised that urgent action is required in both areas. Our public consultation on nuclear power found much support for our view that the evidence argues that nuclear power should be part of the solution to these challenges, although I recognise that not everybody shares this view.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he has taken to put into effect Article 8.2 of the Convention on Nuclear Safety on ensuring an effective separation between the regulators and those organisations concerned with the promotion or utilisation of nuclear energy. [213082]
Malcolm Wicks: There are governmental mechanisms in place to maintain regulatory independence. HSE is sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, which has no role in promoting nuclear technology. The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is answerable to Parliament for nuclear safety in Great Britain.
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) independence as a regulator is ensured under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, where HSE is given direct responsibility for the enforcement of the nuclear safety regulatory system. Similarly, the environment agencies are made responsible to provide the environmental protection regulatory system under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.
Oil: Storage
Nick Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much (a) crude oil and (b) diesel was stored in the UK on 1 May (a) 2008, (b) 2007, (c) 2006 and (d) 2005. [213166]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 23 June 2008]: Opening stocks of (a) crude oil and (b) diesel oil stored in the UK on 1 May for the years 2005 to 2007 and on 1 April 2008 (for which latest figures are available) are shown in the following table.
| Million tonnes | ||
| Crude oil | Diesel oil | |
Plastics: Wastes
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the potential to convert plastic waste to fuel in the UK; whether any such projects are being supported by the Government; and if he will make a statement. [212996]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government-funded Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP) has recently completed a detailed analysis of the options for dealing with waste plastic, including recycling, energy recovery as a fuel and landfill. WRAP held a dissemination event for industry on 5 June 2008. The full reports can be found at:
The work concluded that for the majority of plastic waste it was generally preferable to recycle the plastic into new products rather than use it to generate energy.
The small fraction of waste plastic that it is not practical to recycle provides good potential for energy-from-waste, particularly as a refuse derived fuel. Landfilling was the least favourable option.
Post Offices: Closures
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post offices there were in Yeovil constituency in each year since 1980; which post offices are open in the constituency; and if he will make a statement. [212251]
Mr. McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Renewable Energy
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of (a) the Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment published by the United Nations Environment Programme and (b) the opportunities the assessment offers to British companies. [212817]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 20 June 2008]: The SWERA website at:
is a very useful website that provides solar, wind and meteorological data for a number of different regions across the globe. British companies looking for investment opportunities overseas should certainly consider using sites like this one to inform their strategic decisions.
Retirement
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of people who would wish to continue working beyond the usual retirement age. [213591]
Mr. McFadden: In March 2006 we published the final regulatory impact assessment (RIA) for the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations. It estimated that in the first year the legislation would lead to an increase in labour supply of 3,000 people aged 65 and over, rising to 14,000 after 10 years.
Salmon: Norway
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make it his policy to support an anti-subsidy case in Europe with regard to Norway and salmon production. [212955]
Mr. Thomas [holding answer 20 June 2008]: The Government will support any application for an anti-subsidy case provided that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to do so, and has said so to the Commission.
Television
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on (a) commissioning and (b) funding the production of television programmes (i) in each of the last three years and (ii) in 2008-09 to date; what programmes these were; and which companies made them. [213554]
Mr. Thomas: This Department has not commissioned or funded any television programmes in the last three years or in 2008-09 to date.
Water Power
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what research and development funding his Department has allocated to tidal and wave energy production since 2001; what recent representations he has received about the issue; and if he will make a statement. [212414]
Malcolm Wicks: The UK has supported the challenge of developing and commercialising emerging wave and tidal-stream technologies in many ways since 2001. We currently have in place the most comprehensive package of support measures for marine energy anywhere in the world. Since 2000 over £100 million has been committed.
The package of support measures funded by BERR and DIUS includes:
£9 million for high quality basic science through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s ‘Supergen Marine’ consortium.
£35 million for innovative industry led technology development under the Technology Programme.
The £1.1 billion Energy Technology Institute (a public/private partnership) will boost support for R and D. Its first call for Expressions of Interest, launched in December 2007, included wave and tidal technologies.
£50 million under BERR’s ‘Marine Renewables Deployment Fund’ to support the first larger-scale demonstration projects. Including £2 million towards the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, which provides world leading test facilities for wave and tidal-stream technologies. And £4.5 million has been earmarked for the ‘Wave Hub’ project that will provide the infrastructure for the first commercial wave farms.
In addition we have also announced our intention to band the Renewables Obligation to provide additional support to foster the development of these emerging technologies. Marine technologies will receive two Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) further increasing our support.
It has been estimated that up to 20 per cent. of the UK’s electricity needs could be met from clean indigenous marine energy resource. Therefore it makes sense to support research into this area of electricity generation and the above package of support demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to supporting the development of this sector as highlighted in the Energy White Paper published in May 2007.
I have had several meetings with the Wave and Tidal Industry, most recently with Pelamis Wave Power Ltd in early June and my officials are in regular contact with the BWEA Marine Strategy Group and the Wave Energy Technology Developers’ Forum.
Wind Power
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he has received representations on the effects of wind farms on (a) the identification of aircraft on radar screens, (b) low-flying training and (c) seismic activity detection. [208505]
Malcolm Wicks: BERR Ministers and officials conduct regular discussions with wind industry representatives and counterparts in MOD, DFT, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and National Air Traffic Services (NATS) on radar and operations issues, and in particular identification issues.
In addition, BERR chairs and facilitates an Aviation Strategy Group where military and civilian aviation officials and representatives of the wind industry are represented and are consulted on outstanding and future concerns.
Related to the Prime Minister’s commitment last year to find technical solutions to reduce aviation and radar objections around wind farms, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on this issue was also recently announced on 13 June. The MOU is a high level agreement between Government (including BERR, DFT and MOD)
and industry that aims to deploy the renewable power the UK requires while also ensuring we maintain both a safe airspace and national security.
The MOU and its associated workstreams (linked together in an Aviation Plan) will focus on several areas, including the exploration of innovative technological solutions focused on air defence and air traffic radar, and all parties have signed up to commit to find a solution to this issue.
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many applications for wind farms have been (a) received, (b) accepted and (c) rejected in (i) the UK and (ii) Yorkshire and Humberside area in each year since 2001. [213316]
Malcolm Wicks: The following tables set out the numbers of applications for onshore wind farms received, consented and rejected in the UK and the Yorkshire and Humberside area in each year since 2001. This includes applications under both Section 36 of the Electricity Act and the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA).
It should be noted that an application consented or rejected in a specific year may have been received in a previous year.
| Applications received | ||||
| Number of applications | Megawatts | |||
| UK | Yorkshire and Humberside( 1) | UK | Yorkshire and Humberside( 1) | |
| (1) There were six applications with no submission dates—these are not included in the table. | ||||
| Applications consented | ||||
| Number of applications | Megawatts | |||
| UK | Yorkshire and Humberside( 1) | UK | Yorkshire and Humberside( 1) | |
| (1 )There were three applications with no consented dates—these are not included in the table. | ||||
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