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23 Apr 2009 : Column 863W—continued
(d) The Government have not set Departments’ Capital DEL budgets for years beyond 2010-11. Capital budgets for 2011-12 and beyond are a matter for the next spending review.
Energy and Climate Change
Household Energy Efficiency
17. Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to improve energy efficiency in domestic properties by 2020; and if he will make a statement. [270315]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have a comprehensive energy efficiency strategy for households which includes measures to improve the performance of energy using products and appliances, to raise the energy and carbon standards of new dwellings to zero carbon from 2016, to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes, and to provide information and advice to householders. We are currently consulting on policy options for the next decade through our Heat and Energy Saving Strategy.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent steps he has taken to meet his Department's 2020 target on household energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement. [270296]
Edward Miliband:
The Department has set out ambitious plans to offer 7 million homes whole house energy refurbishment by 2020, building on insulation of over 5 million homes since 2002. This morning, we are also announcing an increase in the level of the Warm Front
grant from £2,700 to £3,500, alongside value for money improvements, a signal that we on this side are determined not just to improve energy efficiency but to provide most help to the poorest people in our society.
Nuclear Power
8. Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on Government policy on nuclear power; and if he will make a statement. [270305]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Ministers and officials regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders including industry, environmental groups and the unions. Nuclear has a role to play in the energy mix and the Government are committed to working with industry to enable new nuclear power stations to be built.
Marine Renewables Deployment Fund
11. Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the marine renewables deployment fund; and if he will make a statement. [270309]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Renewables Advisory Board’s recent review of the MRDF endorsed the scheme, stating it was appropriately designed and acted as a positive signal to the sector.
Global Warming
12. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent scientific evidence his Department has evaluated on global warming. [270310]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last reported in 2007. Since then my Department has evaluated evidence from numerous peer-reviewed papers, conference proceedings and research by the Met Office Hadley Centre. It is clear that some climate change impacts associated with human activities are happening even more quickly than previously expected, for example in the Arctic, and that, while natural temperate variations caused some temporary cooling in 2007 and 2008, the overall trend remains upward.
Fuel-poor Households
13. Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the change in the number of fuel-poor households between 2006 and 2009. [270311]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The latest official fuel poverty numbers show there were around 2.4 million fuel poor households in England and 3.5 million in the UK in 2006.
Official projections made last year for England estimated that fuel poverty could rise to around 3.1 million households in 2007 and 3.6 million in 2008.
Projections for 2009 will be published later this year, when more information on energy prices is available, together with the actual data for 2007.
Low-carbon Strategy
14. Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on the Government’s low-carbon industrial strategy; and if he will make a statement. [270312]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have had many constructive discussions and representations from industry and others—some of which were directly through our low carbon industrial strategy summit of 6 March 2009. Others were via the interactive website, launched on the same day as the summit, which has had over 5,000 unique visitors; as well as other discussions. We welcome these discussions and representations which will inform our further policy development.
Copenhagen Conference
15. Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of prospects for progress towards a global climate change agreement at the forthcoming Copenhagen conference. [270313]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK remains committed to reaching a global climate change agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. The recent UN Climate Change talks in Bonn made progress towards this and negotiations remain on track.
Carbon Budgets
16. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what mechanisms are used to set the UK's carbon budgets. [270314]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Committee on Climate Change is required to advise the Government on the emissions reduction pathway to 2050 and the appropriate level of the carbon budgets to be set in legislation. In addition to the Committee’s advice, Government are required to take into account any representations made by the devolved Administrations and further matters specified under the Climate Change Act 2008 in setting carbon budgets.
Kingsnorth Power Station
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Hurd) of 5 March 2009, Official Report, column 1805W, on Kingsnorth power station, what the timetable is for the planned new consultation on a new framework for coal-fired power stations; and if he will make a statement. [270306]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are planning to publish a consultation on a new framework for clean coal in the summer. I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
Wholesale Gas Prices
Miss Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on trends in wholesale gas prices; and if he will make a statement. [270307]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have had regular discussions with the industry and users on gas prices, including through the Business Energy Forum and bilateral meetings with companies. Wholesale gas prices, especially forward prices, peaked last summer in line with high oil prices, and have since fallen considerably.
Carbon Emissions
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage people to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide emissions attributable to them. [270308]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: ACT ON CO2 is a major Government-led campaign which aims to engage citizens on climate change issues. It addresses the confusion and powerlessness which can impede people from taking action. It also encourages sustained behaviour change to help reduce carbon emissions and meet UK Government emissions targets. Marketing communication activity cannot change behaviour on its own; but together with policy and delivery body interventions, the campaign aims to secure the necessary behaviour changes.
Climate Change: International Cooperation
Mrs. Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the likelihood of reaching an international agreement on climate change in the current economic conditions. [270297]
Edward Miliband: The global economic downturn does not justify postponing action on climate change: the case for strong and early action remains robust. At the London Summit world leaders underlined their commitment to reach agreement at the UN climate change talks in Copenhagen this December. A global challenge demands a global solution and leaders recognised the importance of a low carbon recovery.
Heating: Carbon Emissions
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which circulator pumps sold in the UK have an A rated energy label. [268149]
Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
In general, to achieve an ‘A' rating on the voluntary energy label developed by industry, circulators should offer full variable speed capability. We estimate that currently approximately 7 per cent. of circulators sold in the UK achieve an A rating.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departmental Consultants
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what expenditure the Cabinet Office incurred on management consultancy in the last year for which figures are available. [269952]
Kevin Brennan: The most recent year for which audited figures are available on consultancy is 2007-08. Details are contained in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2007-08, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Redundancy: West Sussex
Mr. Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many people have been made redundant in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex in the last six months; [270700]
(2) how many people under the age of 19 years were identified as unemployed in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex in each of the last five years; [270701]
(3) how many people identified as unemployed in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex had been out of work for 12 months or more in each of the last five months. [270702]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
As National Statistician, 1 have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people have been made redundant in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex in the last six months; how many people under the age of 19 years were identified as unemployed in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex in each of the last five years; and how many people identified as unemployed in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex had been out of work for 12 months or more in each of the last five months. (270700, 270701 & 270702)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles labour market statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LPS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. However, this source does not support analysis of redundancies at these geographic levels and no alternate source is available.
It is also not possible to produce analysis of unemployed by small age groups, or for specific durations, for small geographic areas from this source. As an alternative, analysis of the count of claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) for small geographic areas has been provided.
Table 1 shows the number of persons under the age of 19 claiming JSA, resident in Mid Sussex and West Sussex.
Table 2 shows the number of persons claiming JSA for more than 12 months resident in Mid Sussex and West Sussex has been provided as estimates for 12 months or more are not available.
As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available from the NOMIS website at
| Table 1 . Number of persons aged under 19 claiming jobseeker’s allowance resident in Mid Sussex and West Sussex | ||
| As at February each year | Mid Sussex | West Sussex |
| Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system | ||
| Table 2. Number of persons claiming jobseeker’s allowance for more than 12 months resident in Mid Sussex and West Sussex | ||
| Mid Sussex | West Sussex | |
| Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system | ||
Unemployment
Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the unemployment rate in (a) Wales and (b) the UK was at the beginning of the economic downturn; and what such rates were at the latest date for which figures are available. [265513]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the unemployment rate in (a) Wales and (b) the UK was at the beginning of the economic downturn; and what such rates were at the latest date for which figures are available. [265513]
The Pre-Budget Report issued by H.M. Treasury in November 2008 concluded that growth in the UK economy remained above trend during 2007 and then began to head back towards trend in the first half of 2008. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted in the third and fourth quarters of 2008. Unemployment rates for the three-month period November 2008 to January 2009, the latest available, are provided in the enclosed table, along with those for November 2007 to January 2008.
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