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12 Nov 2009 : Column 671W—continued
Experience of claims handling, particularly on a large scale;
Ability to manage ongoing process in an efficient cost effective manner;
Ability to deploy wider claims handling, technical and management resources;
Experience of scheme closure issue particularly in relation to people, property and IT;
Ability to meet service specification.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 23 June 2009, transferred from his Department on 14 October, ref 292906, PQ 3048 08/09, on carbon emissions and climate change. [299910]
Joan Ruddock: I replied to the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on 6 August.
National Nuclear Policy Statement
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what criteria will be used to appoint commissioners to the Infrastructure Planning Commission's review of proposals contained in the National Nuclear Policy Statement issued on 9 November 2009. [299621]
Mr. Kidney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Natural Gas
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the respective roles of the (a) Health and Safety Executive, (b) Marine and Coastguard Agency and (c) Environment Agency in respect of liquefied natural gas terminal operations in the UK. [299963]
Mr. Kidney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Natural Gas: Risk Assessment
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on risk assessments of liquefied natural gas operations. [299962]
Mr. Kidney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Natural Gas: Shipping
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on the safety of liquefied natural gas shipping in UK waters. [299867]
Mr. Kidney: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Nuclear Power Stations: Security
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what criteria were used to determine the appropriate land area to be designated at nominated nuclear sites to provide defence-in-depth in respect of security. [299681]
Mr. Kidney: As set out in the Government Response to Consultation on the SSA Criteria and Process, as part of the Strategic Siting Assessment the Government considered whether it was reasonable to conclude that there was enough land within the boundary nominated to safely and securely operate at least one new nuclear power station.
Operators are required to adopt the concept of "defence-in-depth" in protecting nuclear power stations. Defence-in-depth is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "a concept used to design security systems that require an adversary to overcome or circumvent multiple obstacles, either similar or diverse, in order to achieve his objective". This requires the nominators to make adequate land available to install multiple barriers, with sufficient spacing between them, in order to provide the delay that allows an effective response by the security force.
The relevant SSA criterion which considered the practicality of providing for adequate defence-in-depth for a new nuclear station, was criterion D9, which examined the size of site for operations. In providing advice on this criterion, the Office for Civil Nuclear Security confirmed that a rectangular area of adequate width (giving an enclosed area of approximately 30 hectares) would be required to provide the effective defence in depth necessary for the reactor building, spent fuel and intermediate level waste stores.
For each nominated site, OCNS's advice involved consideration of both the size and the shape of the nominated area, given that shape is particularly relevant in considering whether there is sufficient room for these defence in depth measures at any nuclear site.
The results of the assessment are available at
Nuclear Power Stations: Sellafield
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether land north of Sellafield earmarked for a nuclear power station has been sold by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. [299764]
Mr. Kidney: A consortium of GDF SUEZ SA, Iberdrola SA and Scottish and Southern Energy plc has secured an option to purchase land to the north of the existing Sellafield facility for the development of a new nuclear power station. Following the sale run by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), the consortium set out plans to build up to 3.6 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity in the UK, with work beginning in 2015. The site, purchased for £70 million, follows previous sales of NDA land at Wylfa, Oldbury and Bradwell. Any new nuclear power station development will be subject to the regulatory and other consenting processes.
Palm Oil
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department was represented at the most recent Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil meeting; and if he will make a statement. [298531]
Joan Ruddock: The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil annual meeting (2 to 4 November) was attended by a Government official from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office posted to the South East Asia region. FCO officials work closely with counterparts in the UK to represent wider Government interests and to keep policy makers informed of relevant developments abroad.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he last discussed the use of sustainable palm oil with (a) Ministerial colleagues, (b) representatives of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, (c) representatives of the palm oil industry, (d) representatives of environmental non governmental organisations and (e) officials of other Government departments; and if he will make a statement. [298532]
Joan Ruddock: This month I held discussions with UK-based businesses who are members of the RSPO and with international NGOs on forestry and palm oil. From 14 to 19 November I will be visiting Indonesia during which I am scheduled to meet palm oil producers, environmental NGOs, civil society groups and ministers and officials from the Indonesian Government. Engagement with these groups and other governments will continue as the UK Government work to support sustainable production and consumption of palm oil.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent assessment is of the effect on climate change and carbon emissions of the palm oil industry; what his Department's policy is on the use of sustainable palm oil; what representations he expects to make on the contribution of the palm oil industry to the level of carbon emissions and climate change at the forthcoming Copenhagen climate change conference; and if he will make a statement. [298534]
Joan Ruddock: There is an increasing body of research on the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of palm oil production and consumption. Emissions can be produced at the production stage, transport, processing and end use. The largest direct climate change impact occurs when areas of peat-land forest are converted to plantations. A recent study estimated that one ha of peat swamp forest drained and converted to oil palm plantation may emit to the atmosphere up to 3,300 tonnes of CO(2) over its expected 30-year lifespan. Oil palm plantations on mineral soils which do not entail deforestation can remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Our policy is to advance the sustainable production and consumption of palm oil, domestically and internationally. This includes through development of standards and engagement with businesses, NGOs, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and other governments. Specifically in Copenhagen we seek an agreement which
includes ambitious targets to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, encourages sustainable management of forests, contains strong safeguards on the conversion of natural forests and to protect biodiversity and ensures free consultation with indigenous peoples and local communities.
Renewable Energy
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 21 October 2009, Official Report, column 988, what proportion of the 40 per cent. of electricity which is expected to come from renewables by 2020 will be provided by each form of generating technology. [297877]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 5 November 2009]: The Low Carbon Transition plan states that by 2020 around 40 per cent. electricity will come from low carbon sources: renewables, nuclear and clean coal.
The Renewable Energy Strategy, published in July 2009 at:
presents an illustrative mix of technologies to meet the UK's share of the EU renewable energy target (Chart 2). This lead scenario suggests that around 30 per cent. electricity will come from renewable sources by 2020, 12 per cent. heat and 10 per cent. transport. This analysis is based on research by independent consultants Redpoint/Trilemma (2009), Nera (2009), and internal work by the Department of Transport.
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons his Department has reduced the rate of return achievable through feed-in tariffs for photovoltaic power generation; and if he will make a statement. [299016]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 10 November 2009]: The tariffs outlined in the Consultation on Renewable Electricity Financial Incentives 2009 have yet to be finalised as we are currently analysing the responses we received. The tariffs were proposed to provide a rate of return of approximately 5-8 per cent. for a well sited installation.
As stated in the consultation document our reasoning behind the rates of return reflects the risks associated with deploying the different technologies and the likely effect those risks would have on investors' willingness to invest. For technologies that may involve complex design and approvals, then the return on investment may have to be higher than where these issues are reduced, for example with solar PV.
For some technologies, e.g. PV and wind, actual rates of return will be dependent on local conditions. Rates of return for all technologies will also depend on installed costs.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to publish his proposals to encourage the installation of renewable heat technologies in respect of (a) domestic and (b) commercial properties. [299170]
Joan Ruddock: We are hoping to publish our proposals for a Renewable Heat Incentive, which will encourage the uptake of renewable heat through a financial support mechanism, shortly.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in which geographical areas the community energy savings programme is to operate; what the allocation and timescale of funding to each area is; what recent assessment he has made of progress in the implementation of the programme; and if he will make a statement. [299175]
Joan Ruddock: The Community Energy Savings Programme aims to provide around £350 million of energy efficiency measures to the most vulnerable homes. Projects can take place in areas falling in the lowest income decile of the Income Domain of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation in England, and the lowest 15 per cent. of Income in Scotland and Wales. My Department has published a list of all the eligible areas (of which there are around 4,500) which is available on the DECC website.
There is no allocation of funding to each area, but we expect around 100 projects around GB to help approximately 90,000 of the most vulnerable households. We are also about to tender a project to undertake a detailed evaluation of the programme as a whole, and are pleased by the recent announcement by British Gas who have agreed in principle to work with 10 local authorities across the country: Glasgow, Dundee, Swansea, Preston, Knowsley, Birmingham, Walsall, Blacon in Cheshire, Southwark and Haringey.
Renewable Energy: Developing Countries
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Government have spent on the transfer of technology to harness renewable energy in developing countries in the latest year for which figures are available; and how much it plans to spend in the next 12 months. [297917]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 5 November 2009]: The UK funds the promotion of renewable energy in developing countries through multilateral funds and international organisations. It is not possible to quantify how much the UK has spent on the transfer of technology to harness renewable energy in developing countries distinct from other clean technologies. It is currently difficult to quantify expenditure in technology as the primary purpose as the objectives of these funds and organisations include other issues, such as adaptation to climate change or capacity building, and we need to avoid double counting. However, with increased international climate finance in the future, it will become important to develop a system which can track this level of detail.
Multilateral funds supported by the UK include the Clean Technology Fund (within the Climate Investment Funds), to which the UK is contributing £385 million in this CSR and the Global Environment Facility, to which we are providing £140 million over four years. They cover a range of technologies and activities, including renewables. The UK has also committed to funding the Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program, which is also part of the Climate Investment Funds, which will focus
solely on renewable energy programmes in a small number of low income countries once it reaches its target capitalisation of $250 million.
The UK directly supports a number of organisations operating in developing countries, including the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), to which the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) contributes £2.5 million per annum, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), to which DECC has contributed £l million in 2009-10 (the first year of IRENA's existence), and plans to contribute £2.2 million in 2010-11 and GVEP International (an international non-profit organisation seeking to reduce poverty through accelerated access to modern energy services), to which the Department for International Development (DFID) is providing £4 million over four years, running to 2011.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Bangladesh, (b) Ethiopia, (c) India, (d) Kenya and (e) Nepal on technology transfer to enable those countries to harness renewable energy and combat climate change. [297918]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 5 November 2009]: It has not proved possible to reply to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Warm Front Scheme
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of those eligible to receive Warm Front grants his Department estimates will receive such grants in 2009. [297971]
Mr. Kidney: The number of people eligible for assistance under Warm Front at any given time cannot be accurately estimated. This is a result of the direct link between qualification and the constant flux in the number of households receiving the relevant passport benefits for the scheme.
All households that apply to Warm Front and are confirmed as eligible then go on to receive grant-funded assistance from the Scheme. The level of assistance a qualifying household receives will vary according to the specific energy efficiency needs of the household.
In 2008-09 the scheme assisted 233,594 households.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the evidential basis is for the estimates made of average carbon dioxide emissions reductions under the Warm Front scheme; whether arrangements are made for the external audit of such estimates; and what the (a) estimated and (b) actual reductions were in each of the last five years. [298604]
Mr. Kidney: The carbon reductions reported for the Warm Front Scheme are based on figures calculated by an external energy analysis company, the Energy Audit Company. The calculations are based on property data collected and supplied by eaga plc, the Scheme Manager, which are processed through specialist National Home Energy Rating (NHER) software issued by National Energy Services.
There is no charge for this work to DECC.
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