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3 Feb 2009 : Column 992W—continued

Copies of this letter were placed in the Libraries of both Houses last year.


3 Feb 2009 : Column 993W

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:

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.


3 Feb 2009 : Column 994W

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.


3 Feb 2009 : Column 995W

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
3 Feb 2009 : Column 996W
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

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

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)

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.


3 Feb 2009 : Column 997W

6 MW renewable energy project for a grid system by Gayatri Agro Industrial Power Ltd., 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

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

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.


3 Feb 2009 : Column 998W

3 Feb 2009 : Column 999W
Claimants' representatives Total costs (£)

Beresfords Solicitors

130,055,137

Thompsons Solicitors

119,912,048

Hugh James

100,259,520

Raleys Solicitors

77,949,197

Mark Gilbert Morse

57,593,099

Browell Smith and Co

54,998,663

Avalon Solicitors

40,244,425

Watson Burton LLP

26,336,328

Graysons Solicitors

25,106,393

Barber and Co

23,538,872

Union of Democratic Mineworkers

23,121,615

Randell Lloyd Jenkins and Martin

18,199,775

TLW Solicitors

15,911,685

Ingrams Solicitors

13,875,567

Ashton Morton Slack LLP

13,228,092

Delta Legal

13,026,272

Towells Solicitors

12,642,096

Moss Solicitors

12,541,779

Irwin Mitchell Solicitors

11,872,714

Corries Solicitors

10,771,536

Kidd and Spoor Harper Solicitors

10,013,285

BRM Solicitors

9,543,665

Birchall Blackburn

9,266,868

Gorman Hamilton Solicitors

9,135,712

Wake Smith and Tofields Solicitors

8,571,250

Corries York

8,085,834

Atteys

7,751,534

O H Parsons and Partners Solicitors

6,639,240

Hilary Meredith Solicitors

5,652,110

Shaw and Co Solicitors

5,182,627

Furley Page

4,377,089

Ryan Carlisle Thomas Lawyers

4,263,565

Simpson Millar Solicitors

4,219,485

Mortons Solicitors

3,668,028

Thompson and Co Solicitors

3,618,008

Marrons Solicitors

3,580,330

T S Edwards and Son Solicitors

3,462,860

Onyems and Partners

3,414,000

Morisons Solicitors

3,358,130

1 Legal Solicitors

3,335,346

Meloy Whittle Robinson

3,037,416

Latham and Co Solicitors

3,012,486

Proddow and Mackay Solicitors

3,007,600

Hopkins

2,955,018

Bailey Bravo Jobling

2,792,226

Kingslegal

2,777,928

Hickmotts Solicitors

2,481,773

Cordner Lewis Solicitors

2,371,372

Recompense Limited

2,291,948

Keeble Hawson Moorhouse

2,158,034

McConville O'Neill Solicitors

2,143,472

Saffmans Solicitors

2,112,594

BHPLAW

2,077,369

Oxley and Coward Solicitors

2,072,521

Hindle Campbell Solicitors

2,055,823

Gorvin Smith Fort Solicitors

1,889,313

Morgan Cole

1,836,341

Pannone and Partners Solicitors

1,831,419

J M Skinner Solicitors

1,705,843

Wheelers Solicitors

1,470,108

Gabb and Co

1,379,845

Emsleys Solicitors

1,300,966

MLM Solicitors

1,206,965

McLeish Carswell

1,194,862

Canter Levin and Berg Solicitors

1,149,222

J Keith Park and Co Solicitors

1,135,502

DMH Stallard

1,120,278

Farleys Solicitors

1,113,987

SIS Law

917,862

Colemans Solicitors

903,171

Campbell Smith W.S.

890,268

Lopian Wagner Solicitors

855,162

Keeble Hawson

842,308

Ben Hoare Bell and Co Solicitors

788,029

Elliot Mather Solicitors

784,560

Stripes Solicitors

632,696

Pinto Potts Solicitors

605,268

Mincoffs Solicitors

543,040

Foys Solicitors

537,242

Mills Donkin and Co

533,391

Morrish and Co Solicitors

530,065

Russell Jones and Walker Solicitors

529,492

Oakley and Davies

506,434

MK Legal LLP Solicitors

499,297

Branton Bridge

477,943

Holmes and Hills Solicitors

466,209

Houseman and Hails Solicitors

450,849

Endlars Solicitors

438,747

Lloyd Green Solicitors

389,320

Stuart Bell and Associates

387,839

BBH Solicitors

385,834

St Davids Solicitors

377,498

Hayward Baker

344,701

Ibbotson Brady Solicitors

324,578

Peace Revitt Solicitors

319,899

Robinson King Solicitors—ceased trading

303,378

Richard J. Knaggs and Co

265,050

DMH

254,855

Treanors Solicitors

246,740

Chappell Pascoe Solicitors

235,880


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