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31 Mar 2009 : Column 1164W—continued
Electricity: Government Departments
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of electricity supplied to the Government Estate was drawn from combined heat and power sources classified as being of good quality in each of the last five years. [267010]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) monitors progress towards the target of Government Departments sourcing at least 15 per cent. of electricity from Combined Heat and Power (CHP) by 31 March 2010. Data available on the SDC website cover only the two years 2006-07 and 2007-08. These show that the proportion increased from 5.8 per cent. in 2006-07 to 8.7 per cent. in 2007-08. These percentages cover all CHP and not just that proportion certified as good quality.
Energy
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many meetings he and his officials had with representatives of (a) the nuclear energy and nuclear waste industry, (b) the combined heat and power industry and (c) the renewable energy industry between January 2007 and October 2008. [264517]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Ministers and officials have regular meetings in the course of business with representatives of the nuclear energy and nuclear waste industry, the combined heat and power industry, and the renewable energy industry.
The Government are committed to the development of low carbon energy which will reduce our carbon emissions, improve our energy security, and improve our efficiency in the use of fossil fuels. We are now the second most attractive market in the world for investment in nuclear power and we are committed to sourcing 15 per cent. of our energy—up to a third of our electricity and significant percentages of our heating and transportation—from renewable fuels by 2020.
Energy Supply
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of UK energy demand was met by energy generated within the UK in each year for which figures are available. [263098]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The following table shows electricity generated by UK generators, total UK demand for electricity and total UK demand for energy for each year since 1998 as well as the percentages of energy and electricity demand.
| GWh | Percentage | ||||
| Electricity generated | UK electricity demand | UK energy consumption | Electricity generation as a proportion of electricity demand | Electricity generation as a proportion of energy demand | |
| Note: Energy consumption in this table is final consumption plus energy industry use plus losses. Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2008, Tables 1.1 and 5.2. | |||||
Energy: Prices
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) which energy suppliers have adopted Ofgem’s voluntary guidelines to offer a social tariff as favourable as their lowest priced tariff offered to customers in that area; [262529]
(2) how many households are on each of the (a) discounted tariffs and (b) social tariffs recognised by Ofgem offered by each supplier; and what proportion of each supplier’s customers each figure represents; [262530]
(3) what percentage of turnover each energy supplier is contributing to (a) social assistance programmes and (b) social tariffs recognised by Ofgem. [262531]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 16 March 2009]: The big six major energy suppliers all offer social tariffs. Ofgem monitors the suppliers’ social programmes on behalf of Government. In its latest report published in December 2008 for the period 2007-08, Ofgem confirmed that SSE, ScottishPower and E.ON had social tariffs in place that were consistent with the revised definition of a social tariff and that the rest of the suppliers were considering their position. A copy of the report can be found at:
Ofgem will report formally on the suppliers’ social programmes in the summer. The report will include information on whether existing social tariffs and any other new versions that have been introduced by the suppliers since its last report are or continue to be consistent with the revised definition of a social tariff.
In the same report, Ofgem gave the latest data on discounted and social tariffs for 2007-08. The number of customer accounts on social tariffs per supplier, using Ofgem’s definition at that time, that a social tariff had to be as good as the supplier’s standard direct debit tariff, was:
| Supplier | Tariff name | Total customers accounts |
| (1) Social tariff launched on 1 April 2008. | ||
The latest available data on the total number of domestic customer accounts was reported by Ofgem in their Domestic Retail Market Report published in June 2007:
It reported that there were 21,567,261 gas and 26,917,561 electricity customer accounts, as at March 2006. Information on the number of each supplier’s customer accounts is commercially sensitive and remains confidential between the Department and each energy supplier. Therefore information on what proportion of each supplier’s customers' benefit from a social tariff cannot be made available.
Ofgem also reported that during 2007-08, British Gas and SSE were the only companies offering other discounted tariffs at a cost of £2.19 million and £138,000 respectively. Information on the number of customer accounts benefiting from these tariffs is not available.
Expenditure on social programmes and social tariffs during the same period was:
| £ million | ||
| Supplier | Total spend on social programmes | Spend on social tariffs |
| (1) Social tariff launched on 1 April 2008. | ||
Information on what percentage of each supplier’s turnover is spent on social programmes and social tariffs is not held by this Department or Ofgem.
Kingsnorth Power Station
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2009, Official Report, column 1805W, on Kingsnorth power station, what timetable has been set for (a) publication of the consultation document and (b) completion of the consultation process in respect of a new framework for coal-fired power stations. [267004]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The timetable for publication of a planned new consultation on a new framework for coal fired power stations has not yet been set.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the Minister of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 4 November 2008 and re-faxed to the Minister’s office on 5 February 2009, on Flogas. [264877]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 20 March 2009]: I responded to the hon. Member on 26 March 2009.
Natural Gas
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received on the potential costs and benefits of a public service obligation on utilities in respect of gas storage. [266865]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 26 March 2009]: DECC has received a number of representations in recent months regarding the need for additional gas storage in the UK, however we are not aware of any specific representations regarding public service obligations.
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