| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
17 Mar 2009 : Column 998W—continued
Carbon Emissions
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding he has allocated for the purposes of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and degradation. [260023]
Joan Ruddock: In advance of internationally agreed mechanisms, it is necessary to test approaches and build capacity in developing countries. At the climate change negotiations in Poznan last December the UK announced up to £100 million from the International Window of the Environmental Transformation Fund to support such work.
This is in addition to a £15 million contribution to the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility which assists developing countries in working out how they can participate in and benefit from evolving incentive mechanisms for avoided deforestation. The UK has also committed £60 million to help reduce deforestation and poverty in the Congo Basin. The Congo Basin Forest Fund, launched in June 2008, will support transformative and innovative proposals from the countries of the Congo Basin and civil society to slow the rate of deforestation.
In addition, smaller sums of money have been committed from the budgets of DECC, DEFRA, DFID and the FCO.
Departmental Buildings
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) display energy certificates and (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies. [256047]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have today placed in the Library a copy of the display energy certificate and advisory report for the Department's London headquarters in 3 Whitehall Place. The DECC offices in Atholl House are not covered by the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspection) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 since they are in Scotland, and therefore do not have a display energy certificate or advisory report. DECC has no executive agencies.
Departmental Databases
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what databases are (a) held and (b) maintained by his Department. [255965]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is not possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate costs. DECC owns and maintains a wide range of databases reflecting its diverse policy and regulatory functions. Some of these databases contain large numbers of individual datasets. A detailed list could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
Departmental Information Officers
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many press officers are employed by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies. [256061]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information requested is as follows:
(a) Six.
(b) None.
Departmental Public Consultation
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what public consultations his Department (a) is planning to undertake and (b) is undertaking; and when each such consultation is expected to end. [262139]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 11 March 2009]: DECC is currently undertaking the following consultations:
DECC is planning to undertake the following consultations:
A pre-consultation on nuclear waste and decommissioning fixed unit price. This is likely to start in the next few weeks. There will be a formal consultation on this point later in the spring.
A final consultation on the offshore transmission licensing regime. This is likely to start by end of this month
Consultation on a strategy for Low Level Radioactive Waste from the non-nuclear industry (e.g. hospitals, educational establishments etc). This is likely to start in late April or in May and end 12 weeks later.
Consultation on Revised Exemption Orders under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. This likely to start in June and end in September.
Consultations for the Renewables Obligation, Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed-in Tariffs are planned for this summer.
Consultation on energy National Policy Statements to be produced under the Planning Act 2008. Expected to end in second half of 2009.
Consultation on desirability of allowing local authorities to sell electricity generated otherwise than in association with heat and possible consequent legislative changes. Likely end date autumn 2009.
Consultation on changes to the electricity licence exemption order. Likely end date autumn 2009.
A further public consultation on Severn tidal power. Likely to be in 2010.
Consultation on a new framework for coal fired power stations, timing unknown.
Consultation on the term 'carbon neutral': its definition and recommendations for good practice. 26 February to 21 May 2009.
Consultation on first stage Transposition of EU Directive (EC/2008/101) to include Aviation in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). A joint consultation with the Department for Transport. End date 14 May 2009.
Second stage Transposition of EU Directive (EC/2008/101) to include Aviation in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). A joint consultation with the Department for Transport. Likely to end in autumn 2009.
Transposition of revisions to the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for post-2012. Likely to end in summer 2009.
Consultation on the Form and Content of New Climate Change Agreements. 12 March-4 June 2009.
Consultation on the Draft Order to implement the Carbon Reduction Commitment. 12 March - 4 June 2009.
Dates have not been finalised for some of these consultations, therefore end dates have not yet been set in these cases.
Energy Saving Trust: Public Relations
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what payments the Energy Saving Trust has made to (a) Positif Politics Ltd., (b) Strategem, (c) Weber Shandwick Public Affairs and (d) Consolidated Communications in each of the last five years; and on what date and for what purpose the payment was made in each case. [255940]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Energy Saving Trust is a private company limited by guarantee, and details of payments made are therefore a matter for the trust’s board.
The Department has been informed that the Energy Saving Trust has made payments to each of the companies listed within the last five years for public relations activities such as energy efficiency campaigns and public affairs.
Energy: Supply
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking with his EU counterparts to ensure energy interconnection between countries. [255202]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The EU’s third energy package, which is expected to be adopted mid-year, should improve the regulatory, legal and technical framework needed to promote interconnection. It includes a duty on national regulators to support the development of cross-border transmission capacity to enhance the integration of national markets and an obligation on the European Transmission System Operators to develop an EU-wide network development plan identifying the need for further interconnection. The UK is also actively engaged with the European Commission and other member states on action arising from the second EU Strategic Energy Review (SEER2) and its related Green Paper on energy networks of November 2008. SEER2 highlights the need for improved interconnection both within the EU, especially for member states on the EU’s periphery, and into the EU from third countries. The UK will provide a formal response to the Commission on the Paper before the end of March 2009.
Environment Protection: Technology
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of economic recovery stimulus packages are being utilised for environmentally-friendly technologies in (a) the UK, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley district and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. [262988]
Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
At the pre-Budget report (PBR), the Government announced £3 billion of capital spending stimulus, including a £535 million green stimulus to support low carbon growth and jobs, while still meeting ambitious long-term goals. This green stimulus supports programmes such as Warm Front and Decent Homes that include the installation of thermal insulation and efficient heating technologies, to save energy and cut CO2 emissions.
PBR’s green stimulus included £100 million of new funding for Warm Front, on top of £50 million brought forward to support the economy. This will reduce CO2 emissions and help around 60,000 low-income households cut their energy use through insulation and improved heating systems. For 2008-09, £50 million of the new stimulus funding was added to existing Warm Front funding for the year of £345 million. From 1 April 2008 to 25 January 2009, over £346 million had been spent on Warm Front, with 6 per cent. of households assisted located in the North East region.
In PBR the Government also announced additional brought forward expenditure to sustain and accelerate the Decent Homes programme in 2009-10. Significant elements of this will support expenditure above existing
national budgets provided to schemes previously identified by partners in the ALMO and transfer programmes. Additional brought forward capital, up to a maximum total value of £100 million, will be available to ALMOs in 2009-10 and the HCA has written to ALMO chief executives on the process for accessing this. A proportion of this spending will go towards energy efficiency and heating technologies, although we are unable to identify funding for this separately.
International Renewable Energy Agency
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009, Official Report, column 1001W, on the International Renewable Energy Agency, for what reason the Government have not joined the International Renewable Energy Agency. [257796]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have fully supported the proposal for an International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). During 2008, we participated in the process for establishing the IRENA and we have also participated at the Founding Conference on 26 January and the first session of the Preparatory Commission of IRENA on 27 January 2009.
We have been very keen on joining and have been in close contact with the German Government on the details of the new organisation. For example, we have been talking to Germany about how IRENA can contribute to the roll-out and deployment of renewables and how we can help to get other countries such as Canada, China, Japan, India and the US to join. We are also talking about how we can make sure that IRENA works closely with, and avoids overlap and duplication with, other international bodies and organisations, such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the renewable energy and energy efficiency partnership (REEEP). The IEA has a good understanding of the potential for renewable energy and its technology roadmaps published in its Energy Technologies Perspectives 2008 set out what needs to be done. The policy and analytical expertise of the IEA needs to be used by IRENA to accelerate deployment of renewable sources of energy.
These are the main issues that we have under consideration, but we have not finalised a timetable by which we intend to join.
Lord Truscott
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what dates (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met Lord Truscott since the creation of his Department. [256944]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 23 February 2009]: Ministers in this Department have not met with Lord Truscott.
Warm Front Scheme
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many boilers installed under the Warm Front scheme in (a) Birkenhead constituency and (b) nationally have required repair on (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three and (iv) four or more occasions. [258574]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 25 February 2009]: The Warm Front scheme offers a comprehensive aftercare provision with cover for parts and labour under all installed gas central heating systems for two years. September 2007 is the earliest date for which this information is available. In the time period 1 September 2007 to January 31 2009, the following data show system repairs (including although not exclusively pertaining to boiler repairs) in Birkenhead and England respectively:
| (a) Birkenhead—1,948 properties were covered by the aftercare provision in the period, of which 656 properties required one or more visits | |
| Number | |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |