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24 Nov 2008 : Column 1153W—continued
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many new staff members were recruited by the nuclear installations inspectorate following the recruitment campaign that began in December 2007. [236572]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
Since December 2007, HSE has run three nuclear recruitment campaigns. From the first two campaigns 15 nuclear inspectors have already taken up post, another two have accepted but have not yet taken up duty, and the final one is currently negotiating terms and conditions. Interviews of applicants from the most recent campaign are still underway: 25 applicants are under consideration.
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the job titles are of posts filled by the nuclear installations inspectorate following the recruitment campaign that began in December 2007. [236573]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
There are no specific job titles of posts filled by the NII all of which are classed as band 3 nuclear inspector grade.
All nuclear inspectors have been allocated across the nuclear directorate in the following disciplines:
Chemical engineering;
Civil engineering;
Fault studies;
Mechanical engineering;
Radiation protection;
Structural integrity;
Radiation waste management;
Management for safety;
Quality assurance.
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department’s most recent estimate is of the cost to (a) the nuclear installations inspectorate and (b) other bodies within or sponsored by his Department of the generic design assessment. [236746]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
As of 14 November 2008, HSE Nuclear Directorate total estimated generic design assessment (GDA) cost is:
| Year period | Actual/forecast | Cost (£) |
Actual costs are based on running costs (payroll, travel and subsistence, training, staff subs etc. for inspectors and admin staff) and a proportion of external consultancy costs (programme expenditure) relevant to generic design assessment work. The costs also include a pro rata share of HSE’s corporate overhead costs.
The above costs include both safety and security of generic design assessment aspects. They do not include Environment Agency/Scottish Environment Protection Agency costs, which operate under a separate charging regime, as neither agency is sponsored by DWP.
Forecast costs based on the same premise as above but also include:
estimate costs of recently appointed project managers and technical support contractors who will be assisting Nuclear Directorate review GDA submissions.
reduction from four to two requesting parties.
Renewable Energy: Electricity Generation
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward plans to support the installation of high voltage direct current cabling and infrastructure for the distribution of offshore and onshore renewable electricity generation. [236775]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The existing onshore electricity grid network is for alternating current (AC), which is the most economic for transmission over shorter distances. high voltage direct current (DC) grid is more costly but generally more economic over longer distances.
The transmission companies are funded and incentivised (including incentives to innovate technically) to deliver the most economic and efficient infrastructure reinforcements for the development of the GB grid to connect the large amount of new generation, including
renewables expected to connect in the coming years. Decisions on which technology to use are therefore a matter for the transmission companies.
Renewable Energy: International Co-operation
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the content of the discussion of the development of alternative energy sources that occurred at the Jeddah Energy meeting in June 2008; how that discussion will inform the Government's stance on the development of alternative energy sources during the international summit of oil producers and consumers in London on 19 December; and if he will make a statement. [236347]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Communiqué associated with the Energy meeting held in Jeddah in June this year, called for further action in the promotion of energy efficiency in all sectors, technology transfer and an exchange of the best practices and applications in the fields of energy resources production and consumption.
The London Energy Meeting being held on 19 December will be the next step in enhancing the dialogue between producing and consuming countries, in particular, reporting on progress of the agreed Jeddah commitments. This will include opportunities for collaboration in technology and alternative energy sources and promoting energy efficiency measures.
The UK has made progress against this agenda in a number of areas:
The recent announcement from E.ON and Masdar to invest in the 1000 megawatt (MW) London Array offshore wind farm.
The announcement this month of a new £250 million UK-Qatar Clean Technology Investment Fund will be set up to develop and deploy low emission energy and technology.
Hosting a meeting of international experts to discuss measures to put the UK at the forefront of the research, development and early commercial deployment of low emission transport. Key announcements included £100 million for research, development and demonstration of low carbon including electric vehicles.
Renewable Energy: National Grid
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost likely to be incurred by the National Grid in order to meet the 2020 renewables target. [236315]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: An independent study (by SKM Energy Consultants) commissioned in support of the Renewable Energy Strategy Consultation estimates that meeting the 2020 renewables target will require around £10 billion of new investment in our electricity network, by transmission companies including National Grid. This figure is based on a 35 per cent. renewable electricity scenario, with around 70-80 per cent. being the cost of connecting offshore wind farms.
The study also estimated that the cost of ancillary services needed to meet system balancing requirements under a 35 per cent. renewables scenario would be around £2.3 billion per annum.
A vision for the electricity network needed for 2020, including likely scenarios and associated investment to deliver necessary network capacity, is currently being
developed by National Grid and the Scottish Transmission Companies under the auspices of the Electricity Networks Strategy Group www.ensg.gov.uk/ (a senior industry group chaired by DECC and Ofgem) and a report is expected early next year.
The regulatory framework for offshore electricity transmission is currently under development. The intention is for new investment in offshore networks to be made under a competitive tender approach.
Note:
All costs are expressed in 2008 prices and undiscounted.
River Severn: Tidal Power
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what account the Severn tidal power feasibility study has taken of the Government’s carbon dioxide emission reduction targets. [237597]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 20 November 2008]: The feasibility study will set the potential carbon savings of the long list of options for tidal power in the Severn estuary in the context of the UK’s commitments under the forthcoming EU Renewable Energy Directive, the 2020 and 2050 targets for emissions reduction under the Climate Change Bill, and the carbon budgets to be set in the light of the advice of the Committee of Climate Change to be published soon.
Strategic Siting Assessment
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 231W, on applying the proposed strategic siting assessment criteria, how the stakeholders invited to the engagement events were chosen; and what publicity his Department's predecessor gave to public participation in each event. [234427]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: As part of the consultation on the strategic siting assessment the Department held three stakeholder events in London, Bristol and Manchester. These events were designed to inform key stakeholder groups of the consultation and to seek their views. We tried to ensure we captured a broad range of views and invited local authorities, unions, environmental groups, business representatives, companies involved in the nuclear industry, law firms and other organisations. In addition we also invited those people who had responded to previous consultations and who had asked to be kept informed of events.
Uranium: Prices
Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the price of uranium during the whole lifetime of any new nuclear power station built in the UK. [237796]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The price of uranium is subject, as with other commodities, to market variances. We have therefore not made any assumptions about the future price of uranium.
The Government's White Paper on nuclear energy, published in January 2008, acknowledged that since the price of nuclear fuel represents a much smaller part of the cost of electricity than for other technologies, even significant price increases would have only a limited effect on overall generating costs.
Warm Front Scheme
Joan Ryan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many homes in Enfield
North constituency have received home insulation through the Warm Front scheme. [235413]
Joan Ruddock: 1,076 households received an insulation measure through the Warm Front scheme between 1 June 2000 and 28 July 2008.
Eaga plc continue to provide regular updates of Warm Front installation figures to every MP in England delivered through individual constituency websites.
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