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26 Nov 2008 : Column 2136W—continued
South Ayrshire Council
Dundee City Council, Architectural Services
47 Scotland-based projects are currently being considered for funding.
£405,000 has been allocated to Scotland-based projects to April 2008. £519,000 has been allocated to Scotland-based projects from April 2008.
The ETF is funding one Carbon Abatement Technologies project based in Scotland. This is a demonstration of a 40 MW Oxyfuel combustion system at Doosan Babcock’s Renfrew facility. Work on project started in September 2007 and is expected to run till 2012.
No other projects are currently being considered.
The ETF is funding two ongoing Offshore Wind projects based in Scotland. These are wind farms Robin Rigg (OERL) and Robin Rigg (SOL).
The following projects are based in Scotland: Novel Protection Methods for Active Distribution Networks with High Penetrations of Distributed Generation; Characterisation of Wind Power Output; Demand Side Participation; and UK Generic Distribution System and Planning and Operation of Active Distribution Networks. Devolved Activities
For areas of ETF activity where responsibility is devolved, which includes bio-energy, anaerobic digestion, and Energy Saving Trust and Carbon Trust activities, schemes are restricted to activities in England. Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust have separate funding arrangements with Devolved Administrations.
Carbon Emissions: Standards
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of emissions reductions in the EU power sector from a 1990 baseline he estimates will arise (a) as a result of reductions in EU domestic emissions from this sector and (b) as a result of the purchase of clean development mechanism or joint implementation credits. [238729]
Joan Ruddock:
It is not possible to estimate the exact levels of EU emissions reductions that have been made against a 1990 baseline in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). This is because data from 1990 on emissions from the power sector do not correlate exactly to the emissions which have been included in the EU ETS power sector from 2005. To determine this would
require a detailed breakdown of 1990 emissions data in all member states, which we do not have access to. Moreover, there is no sector specific cap for the power sector in Phase III of the EU ETS so again it would not be possible to calculate effort specifically attributable to that sector.
For the same reasons we cannot determine the precise level of reductions attributed to the power sector since 1990 that have been achieved through the Clean Development Mechanism.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the percentage of total effort required under (a) EU effort sharing arrangements and (b) the EU Emissions Trading Scheme between 2013 and 2020 which could be delivered through the purchase of clean development mechanism or joint implementation credits. [238730]
Joan Ruddock: For a 20 per cent. EU reduction target, 35 per cent. of the absolute emissions reductions required from the UK non-traded sector over the period 2013-20 (against 2005) could be met through project credits under the proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) Effort Sharing Decision. However, this does not mean that the UK would necessarily make use of this facility. For a 30 per cent. target, the Commission’s proposal allows for half the additional reduction to be met through project credits.
In the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) it is not possible to accurately predict what absolute emissions reductions will be required over the period 2013-20. This is because installations in the EU ETS can “bank” access to project credits from Phase II (2008-12) into Phase III (2013-20). Looking across the whole period (2008-20), for a 20 per cent. EU target, 45 per cent. of the absolute emissions reductions required from all EU sectors in the EU ETS over the period 2008-20 (against 2005) can be met through project credits. For a 30 per cent. target, the Commission’s proposal allows for half the additional reduction to be met through project credits in the EU ETS.
Carbon Sequestration
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the carbon price which will enable commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage technology to take place in the UK. [234111]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The carbon price which will enable commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage technology in the UK depends on several variables, including (a) how much demonstration projects succeeded in confirming the technical performance of the technology, (b) the scale of cost reductions gained from economies of scale and learning, and (c) the cost of fossil fuels.
Modelling undertaken by DECC suggests that CCS deployment at £40-£60/tCO2, however the early stage of development of the technology and the variables outlined above that will affect this figure mean that there is significant uncertainty surrounding this range.
Christmas
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) lamb, (b) beef, (c) chicken, (d) pork, (e) turkey, (f) other meats, (g) vegetables and (h) fruits to be served by his Department at Christmas functions which will be sourced from British producers. [239727]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Climate Change
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what additional (a) personal and (b) financial resources his Department has allocated to addressing climate change in accordance with the undertaking given in the Written Ministerial Statement on 23 January 2008, Official Report, column 52 WS, on the new Strategic Framework. [237449]
David Miliband: In accordance with the new Strategic Framework for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), I have substantially increased the resources devoted to addressing climate change at the FCO. The Climate Change and Energy programme budget in the FCO’s Strategic Programme Fund has been increased from £4.7 million in financial year 2007/08 to £10 million for financial year 2008/09, £16 million for financial year 2009/10 and £21 million for financial year 2010/11. Additionally, the FCO has increased the number of staff working to deliver climate change and energy objectives. A new financial resource of £0.8 million has been provided to create 19 new positions in London. An extra £5.7 million for diplomatic missions in priority countries has created 32.5 new positions for British diplomats on postings, and 73 positions for locally engaged members of staff.
I have personally invested more time in this priority issue, stepping up the frequency of my discussions on climate change with counterparts and wider stakeholders and will continue to do so, in co-ordination with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, in advance of the critical Framework Convention on Climate Change of Parties at Copenhagen in December 2009
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the oral statement of 20 October 2008, Official Report, column 23, on the European Council, what the evidential basis is for his statement that the United Kingdom cannot fulfil its climate change aspirations without nuclear power. [232157]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Nuclear will be an important part of an affordable climate change policy for the UK. In the face of climate change and our 80 per cent. target, we need all low carbon energy technologies available in the mix. Not having nuclear as an option would increase the costs of delivering our energy goals and increase the risks of failing to meet our targets for reducing emissions. In the absence of nuclear power, and if carbon capture
and storage is not a viable or technical option, the costs of generating the UK’s electricity could increase by up to 40 per cent.
Both the consultation document, “The Future of Nuclear Power” and the Nuclear White Paper are evidence bases for the Government’s decision that it is in the public interest to give energy companies the option of investing in nuclear power stations. The Department published a cost-benefit analysis of nuclear power(1) at the time of the 2006 Energy Review. The recently published DECC energy and emissions projections(2) provide further support for these assumptions.
Coal Authority
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much surplus land the Coal Authority owns, expressed in (a) area and (b) estimated monetary value. [238693]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Coal Authority owns 5.59 hectares of surplus land with an estimated book value of £334,786 as at 31 March 2008.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans there are for each of the sites owned by the Coal Authority which are registered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land; what construction projects are planned for each site; and when he expects each site to be returned to use. [238694]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Although the Coal Authority has no immediate plans for those sites in its ownership which appear on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land, it does ultimately have a statutory duty to make such sites available for acquisition by others and, in doing so, to secure the best terms reasonably available.
Coal: Imports
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average cost per tonne of imported coal was in 2007. [239273]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: In 2007, the value of coal (and other solid fuels) imports was provisionally £2,072.3 million, while the volume of coal (and other solid fuels) imports was 43.9 million tonnes. This gives an average cost of £47.20 per tonne of imported coal (and other solid fuels).
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the effect on the balance of payments of coal imports and exports was in 2007. [239274]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: In 2007, the value of coal (and other solid fuel) imports was provisionally £2,072.3 million. The value of exports was provisionally £65.3 million. This gives a net effect of-£2,007 million on the balance of payments.
Value of imports figures are only available for coal and other solid fuels combined.
Departmental Absenteeism
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the rate of staff (a) absence and (b) sickness absence in (i) his Department and (ii) each of its non-departmental public bodies has been since its inception; what the target rates set for his Department are in each case; and if he will make a statement. [239134]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which was formed on 3 October 2008, will consist of posts taken from the existing Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA). Information for this question is covered by the BERR and DEFRA responses. There are on-going negotiations to determine the overall functions of and staff numbers for the Department and which additional regulators, inspectorates, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) might become the responsibility of the Department. It is not possible to identify what the rate of absence and sickness absence is in DECC and its NDPBs until these negotiations are complete. The Department has not at this stage set target rates for absences or sick absences.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have spent on (i) publicity and (ii) advertising since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [239136]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department for Energy and Climate Change was formed on 3 October 2008, before which its expenditure and that of its non-departmental public bodies was the responsibility of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Discussions to determine the functions transferring to the Department, including which non-departmental public bodies become its responsibility, are progressing well but are not yet complete.
Departmental Catering
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether food and drink on sale to staff of (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies at official premises is subsidised from public funds. [237415]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was formed on 3 October 2008. Negotiations with BERR and DEFRA on the machinery of government changes are ongoing. Catering arrangements for DECC premises will be determined once negotiations are complete. DECC staff in 3-8 Whitehall Place, Atholl House and temporary accommodation in 1 Victoria Street and Ergon House at present make use of the BERR and DEFRA catering services in these premises, the arrangements for which will be covered in BERR’s and DEFRA’s answers to this question.
Departmental Civil Servants
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many civil servants have been employed by each of his Department's non-departmental bodies since his Department's inception; and if he will make a statement. [239137]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: With a couple of exceptions, executive NDPBs are non-Crown bodies and employees are not civil servants—although civil servants can be seconded or loaned to NDPBs. Information on the number of employees in executive NDPBs is published in the annual Cabinet Office "Public Bodies" publication. Copies are available from the Libraries of the House.
Advisory NDPBs do not usually employ staff. They are typically supported by civil servants from the sponsoring Department.
Departmental Consultants
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies has spent on external consultancy since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [239135]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department for Energy and Climate Change was formed on 3 October 2008, before which its expenditure and that of its non-departmental public bodies was the responsibility of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Discussions to determine the functions transferring to the Department, including which non-departmental public bodies become its responsibility, are progressing well but are not yet complete.
Departmental Early Retirement
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many employees in his Department have taken early retirement since its inception; and at what total cost. [238958]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which was formed on 3 October 2008, will consist of posts transferred from the existing Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA). The detail is still being worked on, but staff will come to DECC from Energy Group in BERR and Climate Change Group in DEFRA. No DECC staff have taken early retirement since the formation of the Department.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on (a) flat screen televisions, (b) DVD players and (c) stereo equipment since its creation. [237432]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was formed on 3 October 2008. Since its formation, the Department has spent
£1,039.90 on flat screen televisions and DVD players. Please note that this expenditure was also included in DEFRA’s response to this question.
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