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3 Feb 2009 : Column 992W—continued
“Since I last wrote to you, my colleagues and I have continued our work on the report, but I regret to say that it is now clear that the indication that I then gave of the time that was likely to be required for its completion was a substantial underestimate. As you know, we have always found it difficult, given the scale and complexity of the material with which we are dealing, to predict accurately how long it will take us to complete our task. We are however most anxious to ensure that any further estimate is realistic, and with that in mind we now think it right to say that we expect to deliver the completed report to you in the autumn of next year.”
Copies of this letter were placed in the Libraries of both Houses last year.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the Answer of 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 261W, on the Saville Inquiry, what the basis is for the estimate that the final cost of the inquiry will be £191 million. [243444]
Mr. Woodward: The estimate provided in my answer of 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 261W, that the final cost of the inquiry would be approximately £191 million was based on the inquiry’s own estimate of the remaining costs (including an estimate provided by the Ministry of Defence for the remaining costs falling to that Department). That estimate has now been reduced to approximately £190 million.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 261W, on the Saville Inquiry, what the reasons are for the differences between the estimated final cost of the Inquiry and the original estimated cost. [243445]
Mr. Woodward: In a statement to this House on 29 January 1998, the then Prime Minister set out his intention to establish the inquiry into Bloody Sunday and said:
“It is not possible to say now exactly how long the Inquiry will take but it should be allowed the time necessary to cover all the evidence now available thoroughly and completely.”
At this early stage, there was limited information on which to base projections of the likely total cost. The inquiry initially anticipated that its work would last about two years and £11 million was allocated for this in the Government spending review. However the unprecedented scale of the inquiry was not predicted, in terms of number of witnesses identified and available to give oral evidence, the number of legal challenges, and the ensuing increase in legal costs.
At this late stage in the inquiry’s lifespan, future spend is for the most part limited to running costs and the final total is therefore easier to predict with more certainty.
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answers of 17 November 2008, Official Report, column 3W and 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 261W, on the Saville Inquiry, what the evidential basis is for the statements that (a) the final cost of the Inquiry will not exceed £191 million and (b) the Inquiry’s final report will be delivered by autumn 2009. [244058]
Mr. Woodward: The estimate of £191 million provided in my answer of 18 November 2008, Official Report, column 261W, for final cost of the inquiry was based on the inquiry’s own estimate of its remaining costs and an estimate provided by the Ministry of Defence for the remaining costs falling to that Department. That estimate has now reduced to approximately £190 million.
Lord Saville notified me in a letter dated 4 November 2008 that he expected to deliver the report in autumn 2009.
Scotland
Banks
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the future of the banking industry in Scotland. [253173]
Ann McKechin: My right hon. Friend is in regular contact with the Chancellor and discusses a variety of issues. The Scottish banking sector has benefited from the significant intervention by this Government to stabilise the market.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department were disciplined for (a) bullying and (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years. [254076]
Ann McKechin: There have been no complaints of bullying or harassment in the Scotland Office during the period requested.
Prime Minister
Departmental Data Protection
Paul Holmes: To ask the Prime Minister how many civil servants in his Office have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since 1997. [242913]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) on 15 January 2009, Official Report, columns 867-68W.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iran
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many young people in Iran the British Council have helped to learn (a) English or (b) about the UK. [249292]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 22 January 2009]: The British Council does not work directly with young people in Iran. However, by working with leaders in the field of education, the British Council has helped young Iranians develop both a more international outlook and connections with the UK that lead to better understanding of our country and culture.
In 2007- 0 8:
8824 people participated in a range of British Council educational and cultural programmes;
2000 students from Iran studied in further and higher education in the UK;
17,406 educational enquiries were answered by the British Council in Tehran;
78,000 people visited the British Council website www.britishcouncil.org/iran.
Rashid Rauf
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any official in his Department was given notice by any representative of (a) the Pakistan government and (b) the US administration of the US air strike on the village of Ali Khel on or before 22 November 2008. [245651]
Bill Rammell: It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on operational intelligence matters.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was first informed of the suspected death of Mr. Rashid Rauf following the US air strike on the village of Ali Khel on 22 November 2008. [245658]
Bill Rammell: We first learned of his suspected death from media reporting coming out of Pakistan.
Ukraine: Anti-Semitism
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the government of Ukraine on (a) levels of anti-Semitism and (b) anti-Semitic (i) organisations and (ii) publications in Ukraine since July 2008; and if he will make a statement. [247759]
Caroline Flint: Our embassy in Kiev regularly raise issues relating to anti-Semitism with the Ukrainian authorities and remains in close contact with local human rights organisations and representatives of the Jewish community. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the International Commission Combating Anti-Semitism are co-hosting a high level meeting in the UK on the 16 and 17 February 2009 to which we are inviting a broad range of countries, including Ukraine. We continue to work with our EU partners to keep these issues under close review.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions: Aviation
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the cumulative effect on UK carbon dioxide emissions of returning to 2005 levels of emissions from aviation between now and 2050, as a proportion of total UK carbon dioxide emissions. [250713]
Joan Ruddock: The Government have asked the Committee on Climate Change to advise by December 2009 on the basis for measurement of the Government’s target to reduce UK aviation emissions in 2050 below 2005 levels.
Once aviation joins the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) in 2012, carbon dioxide emissions from all flights departing and arriving at airports in the EU will be capped at 97 per cent. of average 2004-06 levels, with the cap tightening to 95 per cent. of average 2004-06
levels from 2013 onwards. Any aviation emissions above this cap will need to be matched by airlines securing reductions from other sectors within the EU ETS. 95 per cent. of UK aviation emissions in the 2004-06 period is estimated to be 35.6 million tonnes.
At present there is no clear relationship between international aviation emissions and the UK’s greenhouse gas inventory, as there is no internationally-agreed methodology for assigning emissions from international aviation to individual countries. The UK continues to press internationally for agreement on measures to address aviation emissions.
Carbon Emissions: Subsidies
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what each of the offsetting projects is that EEA Fund Management subsidises as part of the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund; and what the location of each project is. [250507]
Joan Ruddock: The following projects are currently part of the approved pool of projects from which EEA Fund Management will deliver Certified Emission Reduction credits to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund:
Horizonte Wind Power Generation Project
Average annual emission reductions: 6,227 t CO2e
Location: Brazil
The Horizonte project became operational and started generating electricity in 2004. The wind farm consists of eight turbines of 600 kW each for a total generation capacity of 4.8 MW. The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by substitution of energy from fossil fuel power plants as it generates electricity with clean wind energy. Energy from the plant is sold to the Brazilian South-Southeast-Midwest Grid.
Sri Balaji 6 MW Non-Conventional Renewable Sources Biomass Power Project
Average annual emission reductions: 28,590 t CO2e
Location: India
The project installed a 6 MW biomass-fired power plant that utilises surplus biomass waste residues usually burnt in the local area. The electricity generated by the project is sold to the grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuel power generation as well as creating benefits and job opportunities to the local community. The project reduces local pollution by avoiding uncontrolled burning of waste in the fields.
Cucaú Bagasse Cogeneration Project (CBCP)
Average annual emission reductions: 2,082 t CO2e
Location: Brazil
This project increases the energy efficiency of bagasse cogeneration at Cucaú sugar mill through the installation of more efficient boilers. The project also allows the mill to increase the steam efficiency in the sugar and alcohol production processes. Cucaú is thus able to generate surplus steam and use it exclusively for electricity production. This electricity is then sold into the national grid, avoiding the dispatch of the same amount of energy generated from fossil fuel-fired thermal plants.
6 MW renewable energy project for a grid system by Gayatri Agro Industrial Power Ltd., India
Average annual emission reductions: 23,738 t CO2e
Location: India
The project activity will utilise surplus biomass residues such as rice husk, paddy straw, castor stems, pulse stalks and other renewable woody biomass (Juliflora) materials to generate electricity for a grid system owned by the state owned power utility, Central Power Distribution Company Ltd.
6 MW renewable energy project for a grid system by Sri Indra Power Energies Ltd., India
Average annual emission reductions: 29,100t CO2e
Location: India
The project activity utilises surplus biomass residues to generate electricity for a grid system owned by the state power utility, Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd.
Gansu Zhouqu Shimenping 15 MW Hydropower Station Project
Average annual emission reductions: 66,8171 CO2e
Location: China
The Gansu Zhouqu Shimenping Project is a small hydropower plant using water from the Bailong River in Zhouqu County in China. This project generates clean electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuel power generation as well as creating job opportunities to the local community.
Further details of these projects can be found on the website of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which 100 firms of solicitors his Department and its predecessors has paid the most in costs in respect of the coal health compensation scheme. [252851]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 29 January 2009]: The following table shows the top 100 claimants' representatives who have earned the most under the Coal Health Compensation Schemes.
| Claimants' representatives | Total costs (£) |
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