| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
12 Feb 2009 : Column 2153W—continued
Afghanistan: Reconstruction
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which organisation has managed each project funded by his Department in Helmand province since 2005; what the budget of each was; how much has been spent in each case; what monitoring, impact assessments and evaluations have been undertaken; and if he will make a statement. [245775]
Mr. Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave on 4 February 2009, Official Report; column 1202W.
Military Aircraft: Training
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much training Royal Air Force (a) navigators and (b) flight engineers receive for their performance of those roles each year. [254921]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Aircrew are monitored for competency levels throughout their flying career and training continues for front-line aircrew after the initial award of Combat Ready status. The majority of flying training is achieved during routine flying hours and all flying tasks include an element of aircrew training; therefore it is not possible to show average flying training hours separately. All aircrew undertake regular periodic assessment by an appropriate examining body.
Multi-engine aircraft, Hercules C130K, VC10, Sentry, Sentinel R1, Nimrod R1, Nimrod MR2, have both Weapons System Officers (Navigator) (WSO(Nav)) and Flight Engineers as part of their crew. Tristar aircraft have only Flight Engineers. Figures for the average hours of flying for crews of the Sentinel R1 aircraft are not provided as the aircraft came into service only in November 2008. All figures in the table have been rounded to the nearest five.
| Type of aircraft | Average hours of flying for crews in financial year 2007-08 |
| (1) Not available. | |
Fast jet aircraft in the RAF fleet which have Navigators are shown in the following table. The allocated number of flying hours per crew flown in financial year 2007-08 is shown in the following table.
| Type of aircraft | Allocated hours of flying for crews in financial year 2007-08 |
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training sorties for the (a) Hercules C-130, (b) Tristar, (c) VC-10 and (d) C-17 Globemaster were cancelled in each of the last two years. [255627]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Nuclear Weapons
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Orion laser is capable of (a) developing the nuclear warheads for the new generation of nuclear submarines and (b) producing warheads compatible with future US-designed missiles. [256194]
Mr. Quentin Davies: In the nuclear test ban era, laser physics is one of the principal areas of research essential to underwrite the safety and reliability of the UK's nuclear warhead stockpile. High-powered lasers enable the replication in the laboratory of the physical conditions present in a nuclear detonation on a minute scale, over a tiny fraction of a second.
The Atomic Weapons Establishment's HELEN laser has been operating for over 25 years and is now reaching the end of its technically useful working life. Its replacement, Orion, will enable us to continue to underwrite the safety and reliability of the Trident stockpile through the remainder of its service life.
There is currently no programme to develop a new UK warhead, although decisions are likely to be necessary in the next Parliament.
Whilst not specifically designed for the purpose, the Orion laser could have utility in any research employing laser physics in support of any possible future warhead design.
Warships
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1407W, on warships, what assessment the Royal Navy made of the merits of (a) compiling a shortlist of tenderers for the contract entitled Vessel Requirement S&MO CB/3193 and (b) inviting tenderers to visit the Falkland Islands to enable clear visibility of the requirement before being given the opportunity to revise or confirm any bid. [256667]
Mr. Quentin Davies: 13 companies submitted tenders for the provision of harbour support and coastal re-supply services to the Falkland Islands. In accordance with MOD and EU commercial regulations, as well as best practice, all tenders were evaluated against declared technical and commercial evaluation criteria. The three best tenders were subsequently short listed and these companies were offered the opportunity to visit the Falkland Islands but all three declined.
Jo Swinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1407W, on warships, what steps the Royal Navy took to assess tenderers for the contract entitled Vessel Requirement S&MO CB/3193 according to their understanding of the project requirement; what visits were made to the site for this purpose; and on
what dates the requirement was discussed with the officer responsible for this operation. [256668]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Tenderers for the provision of harbour support and coastal re-supply services to the Falkland Islands were assessed against pre-determined technical and commercial evaluation criteria that were supplied to the companies when they were invited to bid for the requirement.
The tender evaluation panel included personnel who have visited the Falkland Islands on a number of occasions and who have therefore built up a good working knowledge of the requirement. The views of MOD personnel based on the Islands, who are responsible for the day to day operation of the service, were also obtained.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1407W, on warships, what plans the Royal Navy have to proceed with the award of the contract entitled Vessel Requirement S&MO CB/3193 to Van Wijingaarden Marine Services B.V.; and what account the Royal Navy has taken of the expert opinion on the suitability of the interim vessel delivered on 2 February. [256669]
Mr. Quentin Davies:
The contract for the provision of harbour support and coastal re-supply services to the Falkland Islands was awarded to Van Wijingaarden
Marine Services B.V. on 23 January 2009 and the service is due to commence on 1 April 2009. Under the contract, the company will provide a temporary vessel which will result in an acceptable provision of an interim service until the arrival of new permanent vessels which are in the process of being built. As was made clear to all bidders in clarification advice that was provided to them during the tendering process, MOD recognised that complete solutions may not be in place before the contract was awarded and that interim solutions would therefore be acceptable.
A number of expert opinions, including from MOD personnel who are responsible for the day to day operation of the service, were sought about Van Wijingaarden’s proposals for fulfilling the contract.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1407W, on warships, for what reason the requirements of the Royal Navy contract entitled Specialist Vessel Requirement S&MO CB/3193 were changed to a tugging contract after the tender had been awarded. [256670]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The tugging elements of the requirement for the provision of harbour support and coastal re-supply services to the Falkland Islands have not changed since they were specified in the invitations to tender that were issued in October 2008.
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 12 February 2009
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proposals for capture of carbon dioxide emissions the Government has approved in each of the last five years; what recent assessment he has made of the commercial viability of carbon capture technology; and if he will make a statement. [253698]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 2 February 2009]: The Government fund projects on CO2 capture via the DIUS funded Research Council’s Energy Programme and the Technology Strategy Board. In addition, DECC provides support via the Environmental Transformation Programme.
The Research Councils support wide-ranging underpinning research and training in carbon capture and storage (CCS) through the Research Councils’ Energy Programme and through their individual programmes. In the last five years 25 projects covering CCS totalling over £23 million have been funded, of which around 18 include C02 capture technologies. In addition CCS research is carried out at institutes and centres supported by the Research Councils, in particular NERC’s British Geological Survey and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Fundamental research is also supported by the councils which may feed in over the longer term to CCS technologies.
The TSB has identified carbon abatement technologies as a priority for funding and currently supports 11 projects with grant funding of £6.4 million, of which eight projects are specifically on capture technologies.
DECC’s ETF supports one oxy-fuel combustion project under the Carbon Abatement Technologies demonstration programme with grant funding of £2.2 million.
There are three options for capturing carbon dioxide emissions; post-combustion, pre-combustion and oxy-fuel combustion. The Government have not undertaken a comparative assessment of the commercial viability of these options, although other organisations such McKinsey and Company have done some analysis
The Government support the demonstration of all these technology options globally to meet our objective for carbon capture and storage technology to become commercially viable by 2020.
Carbon Emissions: Standards
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans the Government has to meet the EU’s 20 per cent. carbon dioxide emissions reduction target by 2020; and if he will make a statement. [255391]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 9 February 2009]: The Climate Change Act 2008 puts in place a system of five-year carbon budgets that will set a legally binding limit on UK greenhouse gas emissions. Following advice from the Committee on Climate Change received in December 2008, the Government will set the levels of the first three carbon budgets, covering the period 2008 to 2022, by 1 June 2009. These must set with a view to complying with our European obligations, including the 2020 targets.
As the Act requires, the Government will lay a report before Parliament setting out their proposals and policies for meeting the first three carbon budgets in mid-2009. A key instrument to reduce emissions will be the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The combination of a more ambitious, EU-wide cap on emissions with an annually declining trajectory to 2020 and beyond will ensure that emissions reductions from the EU ETS will correspond to approximately two thirds of the effort the EU will need to make to reach the 20 per cent. target by 2020.
Coal: Imports
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Castle Point of 27 January 2009, Official Report, column 419W, on coal: imports, what estimate he has made of (a) the amount of energy consumed and (b) the volume of carbon dioxide emissions produced in transporting the coal imported into the UK in 2007. [254048]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 5 February 2009]: These estimates are not available. This is because we do not know all the details of the transport or other operations in the countries of origin, which will affect the energy consumed and hence the emissions.
Departmental Cost Effectiveness
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what efficiency savings have been made by his Department since its creation. [255198]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: As for all Departments, the Department of Energy and Climate Change will be required by HM Treasury under the terms of its comprehensive spending review 2007 settlement to deliver 5 per cent. per annum real efficiency savings in 2009-10 and 2010-11 compared to the baseline budget set for 2008-09. The administration budget for 2008-09 will be set in the upcoming spring supplementary estimate.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much capital expenditure has been brought forward in response to the economic downturn by his Department, agencies and non-departmental bodies to (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11; from which years such expenditure has been brought forward; and if he will make a statement. [251485]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change brought forward £50 million of capital expenditure on the Warm Front programme from 2010-11 into 2009-10 and received additional funding of £50 million for 2008-09 and £50 million for 2009-10, also on the Warm Front programme, to support the economy, as announced in the 2008 pre-Budget report.
Departmental Standards
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department will establish a performance and efficiency programme. [255161]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Establishing a performance and efficiency programme is a key priority for DECC for 2009-10. This will follow on from the completion of the business planning exercise currently being conducted following the agreement of DECC’s budgets for the remainder of the comprehensive spending review (CSR) period.
Departmental Travel
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what expenditure his Department has incurred in providing transport for Ministers between Parliament and departmental premises since his Department was established. [251879]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 26 January 2009, Official Report, column 6W. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the “Ministerial Code”.
Departmental Working Hours
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the policy of his Department is on granting staff time off in lieu for working (a) in lunch breaks, (b) in evenings and (c) at other times outside contracted working hours; and if he will make a statement. [252033]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has been formed by bringing together work previously covered by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The final details of staff transferring from these Departments are yet to be confirmed.
However, it has not been the policy of these Departments to manage and monitor time off in lieu centrally. Authority is delegated to local line managers. The Department would incur a disproportionate cost if it were to manage this process centrally.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |