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7 Jan 2010 : Column 628W—continued
Energy and Climate Change
Fuel Poverty
14. Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households were in fuel poverty in (a) the UK and (b) Billericay constituency in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2009. [308904]
Mr. Kidney: The estimated number of households in fuel poverty in the UK was around 2 million in 2003. The latest year for which figures are available is for 2007 and this shows that there were around 4 million fuel- poor households in the UK.
The most recently available sub-regional split of fuel poverty relates to 2006, and shows that there were around 2,600 fuel-poor households in the Billericay constituency. In 2003 there were around 2,400 fuel-poor households in the Billericay constituency.
Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to reduce the level of fuel poverty among households not on the gas main. [308909]
Mr. Kidney: We are aware of the challenges that exist for households off the gas main. To help address this:
Ofgem has incentivised large gas networks to provide connections to deprived households off the network;
CERT provides incentives for energy suppliers to promote heat pumps in off-gas-grid vulnerable properties;
Warm Front in England is piloting air source heat pumps, and
The forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive has the potential to benefit off-gas-grid consumers.
Fuel Poverty: Older People
15. Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to reduce fuel poverty among older people. [308905]
Mr. Kidney: The Government have a strong package of measures to help reduce fuel poverty among vulnerable households which includes the elderly. This is centred on tackling the three root causes of fuel poverty:
Reducing the demand for energy by improving home energy efficiency through schemes such as Warm Front and equivalents in the devolved Administrations, CERT, CESP and Decent Homes;
Ensuring competitive energy prices through a robust system of regulation aimed to protect all consumers; and
Raising real incomes, including winter fuel and cold weather payments alongside the wider tax and benefit system and through benefit entitlement checks. We have introduced legislation to implement mandated social price support schemes once the current voluntary agreement with suppliers comes to an end and have said that we are minded to focus the majority of the additional resources on older pensioner households on the lowest incomes.
Climate Change: Scientific Evidence
16. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the scientific evidence relating to climate change. [308907]
Joan Ruddock: DECC includes a dedicated team of climate specialists who keep the scientific evidence under review. The AVOID research programme on avoiding dangerous climate change recently assessed the scientific research published since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report. The findings informed the UK delegation ahead of Copenhagen. Expert advice is also obtained from the UK and wider academic research community and through the Integrated Climate Programme at the Met Office Hadley Centre.
Climate Change: Copenhagen
17. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the outcome of the Copenhagen climate change conference; and if he will make a statement. [308908]
Joan Ruddock:
The Accord agreed in Copenhagen marks the start of a new phase in tackling climate change. Major developed and developing countries committed to further action, including reaching agreement on the need to limit global warming to 2 degrees. The
UK will now work to convert the measures agreed at Copenhagen into a comprehensive legally binding agreement.
Biofuels
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made in defining its biomass sustainability criteria. [308252]
Mr. Kidney [holding answer 6 January 2010]: The Government's approach to defining sustainability criteria for biomass is set out in the UK Renewable Energy Strategy, launched in July.
We are awaiting the European Commission's report on the requirement for a sustainability scheme for solid and gaseous biomass used for heat and electricity, which was due by 31 December 2009. This report will be accompanied, where appropriate, with proposals to the European Parliament and Council.
We will then consider this report and its implications for introducing sustainability criteria for the biomass used for heat and electricity in the UK.
Boilers
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the boiler scrappage scheme applies to boilers operating on liquefied petroleum gas. [308251]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 6 January 2010]: Liquefied petroleum gas boilers are eligible for this scheme if they meet the criteria on age and efficiency.
BP: Canvey Island
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects on the use of the local road network of BP's contract to lease the Oikos terminal on Canvey Island; and if he will make a statement. [306318]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has made no assessment of the effects on the use of the local road network of BP Oil UK Ltd.'s contract to lease storage facilities at Oikos Storage Ltd.'s site on Canvey Island.
Oikos will remain the operator of this site for the purposes of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) and will have overall responsibility for safety throughout the duration of the BP contract. HSE's role is to monitor safety at the site. HSE will continue to do this and will assess any significant changes that Oikos make to the site and to the site's COMAH safety report as a result of the implementation of the BP contract. As part of their responsibilities under COMAH, Oikos are expected to identify and assess hazards and risks associated with the transport of hazardous substances that could lead to major accidents at the site.
HSE understands that hazardous materials will be transferred to and from the Oikos site though underground pipelines throughout the duration of the BP contract. The safety of any hazardous materials transported by
road in, for example, road tankers, would be covered by the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Regulations 2009 enforced by the police and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).
Carbon Sequestration
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage the further development of carbon capture and storage technology; and if he will make a statement. [308902]
Joan Ruddock: We have announced support for what is expected to be one of the world's first commercial-scale demonstrations of CCS on a coal-fired power station, and recently confirmed our intention to support a total of four demonstration projects.
We have supported extensive research to help understand the potential of CCS internationally and domestically. We have created one of the world's first legal frameworks to allow the safe storage of carbon dioxide and address the problem of long-term liability associated with storage sites.
Climate Change: British Overseas Territories
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make an assessment of the effects on the British Overseas Territories of decisions reached at the Copenhagen climate change conference. [309088]
Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change regarding the Copenhagen climate summit outcomes on 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 42. As the statement suggested, we are continuing to reflect on the implications of the outcome of COP15 for the UK and for the Overseas Territories and are liaising with them directly over that.
Climate Change: International Cooperation
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of each document he presented to the recent United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen; and if he will make a statement. [308184]
Joan Ruddock: The UK negotiates as part of the EU and therefore all formal submissions we have made to the UNFCCC have been as part of the EU. The EU made one submission during the Copenhagen climate change conference-the EU presented its fifth national communication under the UNFCCC on 7 December. A copy is available in the Library of the House. I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State's statement of 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 42, on the outcomes of the Copenhagen climate change conference.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department attended the Copenhagen climate change conference; and at what cost to the public purse. [309178]
Joan Ruddock: Two Ministers and 36 officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change attended the Copenhagen climate change conference as part of the UK delegation. The total cost to the UK taxpayer is not yet known, but current estimates suggest a rough costing of £350,000. This includes expenses for non-DECC members of the UK delegation which are covered from DECC's budgets, such as office space and land transportation.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the Copenhagen climate change conference. [309314]
Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 42, regarding the Copenhagen climate conference outcomes.
Departmental Disclosure of Information
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many allegations of victimisation for whistleblowing have been made to his Department by its staff since 6 June 2006. [301498]
Joan Ruddock: There have been no known allegations of victimisation for whistleblowing reported by departmental staff since the inception of DECC on 3 October 2008.
Departmental Legislation
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by secondary legislation sponsored by his Department since 1 October 2008. [307801]
Joan Ruddock: The offences we have identified include:
The Transfrontier shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel regulations 2008 (SI 2008/3087)
The Transfrontier shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel regulations 2008 (SI 2008/3087) continue to implement council directive 96/29/Euratom laying down basic standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation, and implement directive 2006/117/Euratom on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel. The regulations create several offences relating to the transfrontier shipment of radioactive waste or spent fuel without an authorisation granted by the Environment Agency (in England and Wales), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (in Scotland) or the chief inspector appointed under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (in Northern Ireland).
Regulation 4(1) creates an offence of shipping radioactive waste or spent fuel to a destination outside the United Kingdom, or into the United Kingdom from a third country (except by way of transit), except in accordance with an authorisation. Regulation 4(2) creates an offence of shipping radioactive waste or spent fuel into the
United Kingdom from another European member state except under the authority of an authorisation granted by that member state.
Regulation 5(1) creates an offence of shipping radioactive waste or spent fuel into the United Kingdom from a third country by way of transit to another member state except in accordance with an authorisation granted by the member state of destination.
Regulation 5(2) creates an offence of shipping radioactive waste or spent fuel into the United Kingdom from a third country for transit to another third country except in accordance with an authorisation by the UK authorities, or where relevant by the other member state.
Regulation 8(2) creates an offence of failing to notify the authorities within 15 days that a consignment of radioactive waste or spent fuel from outside the UK has been received.
Regulation 9(4) creates an offence of failing to notify the authorities that radioactive waste or spent fuel consigned from the UK to a different country has arrived, within 15 days of that arrival.
Regulation 10(2) creates an offence of failing to ensure that a shipment of radioactive waste or spent fuel is accompanied by the correct documents.
Regulation 11(2) creates an offence of making a false or misleading statement in an application under the regulations for authorisation in relation to shipping radioactive waste or spent fuel.
Regulation 14(3) creates an offence of failure to comply with an instruction of the authorities to return a consignment of radioactive waste or spent fuel to the country of origin, or to otherwise dispose of it.
Regulation 14(4)(b) creates an offence of failing to comply with a notice requiring the holder of an authorisation to take back any radioactive waste or spent fuel that has been sent out of the United Kingdom.
Regulation 15(2) creates an offence of failing to comply with a notice sent by the authorities requiring that information is sent or that actions are taken or are not taken in relation to the shipment of radioactive waste or spent fuel.
The regulations also revoke the "Transfrontier Shipment of Radioactive Waste Regulations 1993 (SI 1993/3031)" which contained in regulation 18 a set of offences which were similar in nature to the above new offences (although they did not apply to spent fuel).
Criminal Jurisdiction (Application to Offshore Energy Installation etc) Order 2009
Although not creating any new criminal offences, this order extends the existing criminal law regime in England and Wales and Scotland for acts or omissions that take place on and around a renewable energy installation in the UK's renewable energy zone.
Departmental Pay
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department in 2009. [306429]
Joan Ruddock:
An element of the Department of Energy and Climate Change's overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to
performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives.
Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs.
The total amount of non-consolidated variable pay paid to civil servants in DECC from January to August 2009 inclusive (the latest figures available) is £484,000.
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