| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 July 2009 : Column 594W—continued
Energy Supply
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2009, Official Report, column 122W, on energy supply, on what dates since October 2008 Ministers in his Department have met representatives of (a) Ofgem, (b) energy suppliers and (c) energy consumer groups. [286186]
Mr. Kidney: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not the normal practice of Government to make public details of such meetings.
Energy: Conservation
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department plans to take to encourage use of energy-efficient circulator pumps in (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic properties. [285064]
Joan Ruddock: Two energy-efficient circulator models are supported through the Government's flagship household energy efficiency policy, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target.
Energy efficiency measures for households are also supported by a reduced rate of VAT for the professional installation of certain energy saving products, including "hot water system controls" and "central heating system controls". Where circulator pumps fall within this description they will be eligible for the reduced rate.
Energy: Meters
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what further steps he plans to take to ensure that households with pre-payment meters are not charged more for energy than households without such meters. [286757]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 14 July 2009]: The Government believe that differences in charges relating to the method of payment should reflect the costs of servicing that method, and should not discriminate unfairly against any group of customers. Therefore, we strongly support the regulator Ofgem's work putting in place rules to ensure that prices paid by consumers are cost reflective.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the communication data from smart meters. [286861]
Mr. Kidney: My officials have had discussions with Ofcom officials about the roll out of smart meters in Great Britain and will continue to do so during the preparation for roll out.
Energy: Prices
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many representations he has received on the clarity of information on energy bills and tariffs since the Ofgem Energy Supply Probe was launched in February 2008. [283276]
Mr. Kidney: To provide an exact count of all items of correspondence or other communications received by Ministers in the last 17 months referring to information for energy consumers and/or tariffs could be provided only at disproportionate cost, since that information is not held centrally.
DECC believes that it is vital that consumers have access to the best possible information on bills and tariffs. The detailed provisions relating to energy bills and tariffs are a matter for the independent regulator Ofgem who has consulted widely on new measures to improve the clarity and nature of billing and tariff information available to consumers. Ofgem is currently considering consultation responses and working with consumer bodies including Which and Consumer Focus and with other organisations to develop new rules.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will discuss with energy supply companies the development of green energy tariffs designed to meet the needs of older people. [284125]
Mr. Kidney: Ministers discuss with energy suppliers various measures to support renewable energy and energy efficiency. Ministers are open to representations about how best to meet the needs of different groups of consumers.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of trends in domestic energy prices; and if he will make a statement. [285570]
Mr. Kidney: Global energy demand and wholesale prices have fallen since peaks last year. It is essential that falls in wholesale costs reach consumers. This is why we asked Ofgem to provide quarterly reports on price movements.
Ofgem's most recent report found that margins are around historic levels, and falls in costs appear to be being passed on to consumers. We expect suppliers to continue to pass on any sustained falls in wholesale costs.
EU Laws
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the statutory obligations upon it provided for in legislation introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available. [283477]
Mr. Kidney: It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union.
The administrative burdens measurement exercise carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately one-third of the total administrative burden.
The important issue is not the origins of legislation, which could of course be a devolved Administration or a local authority, as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective
of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives while also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.
Garages and Petrol Stations
Mr. Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how many petrol stations in each parliamentary constituency in England have closed down in each of the last five years; [286571]
(2) how many petrol stations there are in each parliamentary constituency in England. [286572]
Mr. Kidney: The Department does not hold statistics on petrol stations by parliamentary constituency.
Industrial Diseases
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many legal actions have been initiated against his Department in respect of claims for (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in each of the last two years. [286845]
Mr. Kidney: There have been 20 vibration white finger and three chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims litigated against the Department in the last two years.
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many payments in respect of claims for industrial deafness benefits were made to former mineworkers by his Department in (a) 2008 and (b) 2009. [286876]
Mr. Kidney: The Department does not manage any industrial deafness benefits.
However, the following table shows the total number of personal injury claims settled by payment and the total damages awarded for Noise Induced Hearing Loss scheme (NIHL) during 2008 and 2009 as at 30 June 2009.
| Total claims settled | Total damages paid (£) | |
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many claims made by UDM-Vendside for compensation for (a) vibration white finger, (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (c) hearing loss have not been settled (i) in full and (ii) in part. [286902]
Mr. Kidney
[holding answer 14 July 2009]: The number of claims made by UDM-Vendside under the vibration white finger (VWF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) schemes and noise induced hearing
loss (NIHL) that have not been settled in full and final payment and those where no interim payment has been made as at 5 July 2009 is shown in the following table.
| Scheme | Total claims outstanding | Total claims-number of interim payment made |
Influenza: Contingency Planning
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department at each payband are working on contingency arrangements in the energy industry for pandemic flu. [286863]
Mr. Kidney: Currently there are 14 officials working in part on contingency arrangements for pandemic flu broken down as follows:
1 x SCS
1 x Grade 6
4 x Grade 7s
4 x SEOs
1 x HEO
3 x EOs.
Our response arrangements are kept under review.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with (a) National Grid, (b) energy supply companies and (c) electricity generators on contingency planning for pandemic flu since 1 January 2009. [286864]
Mr. Kidney: DECC officials have been working closely with National Grid, energy companies and electricity generators through the Energy Emergencies Executive Committee (E3C) on contingency arrangements for a pandemic influenza. Ministers are updated regularly and work is continuing to ensure the energy sector is well prepared should there be any impact on energy supplies. DECC Ministers have been advised by National Grid that robust contingency arrangements are in place to maintain energy supplies during a flu pandemic.
Currently, energy supplies are being delivered normally.
Along with other Government Departments, DECC Ministers and officials have also been in attendance at the weekly meetings of the Civil Contingencies Committee, held at COBR, which decides the overall Government response strategy to the pandemic.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether Ministers in his Department plan to meet (a) the National Grid, (b) energy supply companies and (c) electricity generators to discuss contingency arrangements for pandemic influenza in the next three months. [286865]
Mr. Kidney:
Ministers meet regularly with National Grid, energy companies, and electricity generators to discuss a wide range of factors that could impact on energy supplies, including the risks to energy supplies of
pandemic flu. I plan to meet shortly with National Grid and one of the issues for discussion will be contingency arrangements for pandemic flu. Regular updates on the pandemic flu outbreak are provided to the energy sector by DECC officials, and through Business Link, Directgov, Department of Health and NHS websites.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to acquire stocks of (a) influenza vaccine and (b) anti-viral medicine; and if he will make a statement. [286866]
Joan Ruddock: The Department has taken no steps to acquire stocks of anti-viral medicine or influenza vaccines.
International Renewable Energy Agency: Location
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether a decision has been made on the location of the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); for which location the UK voted in the Preparatory Commission for IRENA; and how much funding his Department has allocated for UK participation in IRENA. [286849]
Mr. Kidney: The Second Preparatory Commission meeting in Egypt on 29-30 June decided by consensus, rather than a vote, that the interim headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) would be based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was fully supported by the UK. The final budget for IRENA remains to be decided but the indicative allocation for the UK for 2010 is $1.39 million.
Lighting
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the number of (a) households, (b) businesses and (c) hospitals which use energy-efficient light bulbs. [285385]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 9 July 2009]: The information is as follows:
(a) Under the Government's household carbon saving obligation on energy suppliers since 2002, currently known as the carbon emissions reduction target, energy suppliers have distributed or sold with subsidy via retail outlets some 290 million high efficiency bulbs to GB households. In principle this would allow all GB households to benefit.
(b) The Department does not hold information on the number of businesses using energy-efficient light bulbs.
(c) Neither my Department nor the Department of Health holds information on the number of hospitals using energy-efficient light bulbs.
Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the funding provided for phases one and two of the low carbon buildings programme in advance of receipts from (a) feed-in tariffs and (b) a renewable heat incentive under the provisions of the Energy Act 2008. [286729]
Mr. Kidney: To ensure adequacy of funding for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in advance of the introduction of feed-in tariffs and a renewable heat incentive, the Government recently committed a further £45 million bringing total support to over £130 million. Of the £45 million additional funding £10 million has been allocated to Phase 1 and £35 million to Phase 2.
To date, Phase 1 has committed £9.2 million. Phase 2 has committed £49.8 million. The Low Carbon Buildings Programme will be superseded by feed-in tariffs in 2010 and renewable heat incentives in 2011.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |