Violent Crimes: Convictions
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for violent offences there were in (a) England, (b) the north-west, (c) Cumbria and (d) South Lakeland district in each of the last 10 years. [61636]
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Mr Blunt: The total number of defendants found guilty at all courts for violent offences in England, North West and Cumbria, 2000 to 2010 can be viewed in the following table.
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Information on convictions is not collated below police force area centrally by the Ministry of Justice.
| Convictions for violent offences (1) at all courts by region, 2000-10 (2,3) | ||||||||||||
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2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 (4) | 2010 |
| (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes convictions data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (4) Revisions have been made to 2009 figures to account for the late receipt of a small number of court records. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice | ||||||||||||
Youth Justice Board: Office of the Chief Coroner
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Tooting of 9 June 2011, Official Report, column 474W, on the Youth Justice Board: Office of the Chief Coroner, how much he expects to save from the transition of some of the functions of the Youth Justice Board into his Department in each year to 2014-15; and which measures leading to savings require the abolition of the Board as a non-departmental public body. [61700]
Mr Blunt: It is estimated that the Youth Justice Board will save £6 million operating costs by 2014-15. We estimate these savings to be £l million in 2011-12, £2 million in 2012-13 and £4 million in 2013-14.
There will be some small direct savings attributable to the abolition although the transition process itself will incur some costs which will reduce any planned savings in the initial year of transition. These savings are in respect of the costs of board members who will no longer be required post abolition. We estimate these costs to be approximately £250,000 per annum.
The key benefit from the decision to abolish the Youth Justice Board will be direct ministerial accountability for youth justice which the Government believes will help to secure better outcomes for young people.
Youth Justice Board: Public Finance
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate his Department has made of the likely cost to the public purse of abolishing the Youth Justice Board. [61698]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice and the Youth Justice Board are working together to identify the extent of the costs involved in the transition process. We will publish a full Impact Assessment over the summer, alongside the MOJ's consultation on the Public Bodies Bill.
Energy and Climate Change
Employment Law
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with (a) officials in his Department, (b) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (c) outside organisations on the potential effects of changes arising from the review of employment law on matters within his Department's responsibilities. [60708]
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Gregory Barker: The Department for Energy and Climate Change keeps the impact of employment law and on the Department's responsibilities under review at all times.
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), has many meetings with outside organisations and colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), on a range of topics.
Departmental Buildings
Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the address is of each office property occupied by his Department outside Greater London which it (a) owns and (b) rents; what the level of utilisation is of each such property; what the capital value is of each such property it owns; and what the (i) annual rental cost and (ii) length of lease agreement is of each rented property. [61176]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) does not own any properties. The only space occupied by the Department outside Greater London is in Aberdeen. The address of these offices is:
Atholl House
86-88 Guild Street
Aberdeen
AB116AR
DECC occupies two floors of Atholl House under a MOTO (Memorandum of Terms of Occupation) agreement with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) who holds the lease for the whole building. MOTO agreements do not have a lease term attached to them. The space rented is fully utilised. Under the agreement with BIS, DECC is recharged a single amount which includes, but is not limited to, rent net of sub-rental income, rates, service charges, depreciation of building improvements and BIS service charges for staff. For 2010-11 the Department paid BIS £717,432. BIS maintains responsibility for the overall management of the building, including lease and sub-lease arrangements.
Energy: Industry
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he last met representatives from UK energy intensive industries; and how many meetings he has held with such representatives since May 2010. [61217]
Charles Hendry: Ministers and officials at DECC and across Government are in regular contact with representatives from UK energy intensive industries on a range of issues. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), last met representatives from UK energy intensive industries at the Green Economy Council meeting on 7 June 2011, which he co-chairs. Both Ineos Chlor and Tata Steel are represented on this group. Dates and details of all of the meetings the DECC ministerial team have with external organisations are available through the website via the following link:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/registers/ministermtgs/ministermtgs.aspx
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Energy: Prices
Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects on the living standards of consumers living in fuel poverty of recent trends in energy costs; what steps he is taking to limit energy price rises; and if he will make a statement. [61139]
Gregory Barker: No formal assessments of the effects of recent changes in domestic energy prices on fuel poverty levels have yet been undertaken. However, an assessment of the likely impact of all changes for England will be made on 14 July 2011 when DECC will publish 2011 projections of fuel poverty for England.
Effective competition is key to ensuring consumers get the best deal. Government are cutting red tape for smaller suppliers to boost competition in retail markets, while Ofgem is tackling other barriers to effective competition (such as tariff complexity and low wholesale market liquidity) in its Retail Market Review.
In addition the new Warm Home Discount scheme will require energy companies by law to give a discount on energy bills to more of their most low income and vulnerable customers. The new mandatory scheme will replace the previous voluntary agreement with energy suppliers to provide better focused help to tackle fuel poverty. Over the four years to 2015, the Warm Home Discount scheme will be worth up to £1.1 billion and will help around 2 million households per year.
Fuel Poverty: Pensioners
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many pensioners in Sunderland were living in fuel poverty in each of the last five years. [61992]
Gregory Barker: Sub-regional fuel poverty data is available only at an “all household” level and no splits of demographics are available. Sub-regional data has only been produced for 2006 and 2008 out of the last five years; in 2006 there were estimated to be 18,300 households in fuel poverty in Sunderland, and 24,400 in 2008.
The following table shows the national data for pensioners for the last five years.
| Households in England in fuel poverty containing at least one person over 60 | |
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Number (rounded thousand) |
| (1 )Not yet available. | |
National data for 2009 is scheduled to be released on 14 July.
Green Deal Scheme
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made an assessment of the likely carbon reductions arising from implementation of the Green Deal scheme. [60214]
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Gregory Barker: An assessment of the likely reduction in UK carbon emissions resulting from the implementation of the Green Deal and energy company obligation (ECO) policies was included in the impact assessment that was published alongside the Energy Bill in December 2010. The impact assessment can be found at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/legislation/energybill/1002-energy-bill-2011-ia-green-deal.pdf
The analysis indicates that implementation of the Green Deal and ECO policies would result in a total non-traded sector carbon saving of between 3.3 and 4.9 MtCO2e in 2020. Further analysis of the impact of the Green Deal and ECO policies on UK carbon emissions will be published in autumn 2011.
Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received from community groups on his decision to implement new solar photovaltaic feed-in tariffs for installations with a generating capacity over 50 kilowatts. [61244]
Gregory Barker: Many community groups responded to the fast track consultation on the feed in tariff, and their views were considered by Ministers when making their decision. Officials are also in regular contact with a range of community groups.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2011, Official Report, column 383W, on solar power: feed-in tariffs, what representations he has received on his Department's target rate of a five per cent. return on solar photovoltaic installations. [61245]
Gregory Barker: As part of the fast track consultation we received a range of views on level of internal rate of return required for PV installations. Some considered 5% IRR to be too low to be viable but many others consider this level to be appropriate.
Solar Power: Industry
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many meetings he had with representatives of the solar industry between 7 February 2011 and 22 March 2011; and if he will publish the minutes of each such meeting. [61241]
Gregory Barker: Ministers from DECC have met with a number of different groups representing the solar industry during the fast track consultation, however there were no meeting between those specific dates. Officials are also in regular contact with industry representatives.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with representatives of the solar photovoltaic industry since (a) the publication of the proposed tariff changes in March 2011 and (b) his confirmation on 9 June 2011 of the tariff changes to take effect from 1 August 2011. [61242]
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Gregory Barker: Ministers from DECC have met with a number of different groups representing the solar industry during the fast track consultation. Officials are also in regular contact with industry representatives.
Technical Advisory Panel
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2011, Official Report, columns 116-7W, on the technical advisory panel, what reasons were given by the nominee to TAP by non-governmental organisations for not taking up the appointment. [60544]
Charles Hendry: Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, Dr Mike Weightman, set up the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) to assist him with technical advice on the emergent findings for his interim report on the lessons to be learnt for the UK from the incident at the Fukushima nuclear plant. The individual nominated to represent non-governmental organisations on the TAP felt unable to participate because the position was not remunerated in the way he wished.
Wind Power
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the effect of grid connection costs on expansion in the small wind systems sector. [60924]
Charles Hendry: The Government do not hold precise information on the grid connection costs for micro wind turbines. Costs for connecting to the distribution network are a matter for Ofgem and the Distribution Network Operators. Ofgem is currently seeking stakeholder views on connecting to the distribution network, including costs, with the aim of improving the connections experience for distributed generation.
In addition, a recent study conducted by Arup for DECC on generation costs and deployment potential of renewable electricity technologies concluded that grid connection for onshore wind developments accounted for approximately 5% of capital costs. The study examined costs for technologies generating up to 5MW. Due to limited data, Arup applied a uniform cost of 5% across all generation levels. Further information on the Arup study, which was undertaken to inform the 2013-17 Renewables Obligation banding review, is available at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pnll_47/pnll_47.aspx
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely cost per MWh of electricity generation from generating plants on standby to cover for the intermittency of generation from wind power. [61147]
Charles Hendry:
Additional electricity generation required as a result of low wind output or any other reason could be provided by a number of technologies. Our estimates are that the likely short run marginal cost(1) per MWh of standby generation ranges from £60 to £80 for gas and coal generation without CCS. Non-generation approaches can also be used to balance supply and demand, such as demand response, interconnection and storage. As we
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decarbonise the electricity system further, these non-generation approaches are expected to play proportionately more of a role as they can often facilitate integration of intermittent generation more effectively than back-up generation.
(1)The short run marginal cost is the cost of an existing plant generating electricity (therefore includes variable operating costs, fuel costs, carbon costs but not construction costs or fixed operating costs).
Alun Cairns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what forms of power generation are available to provide standby back-up in the event of
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the unavailability of energy generated through wind power. [61303]
Charles Hendry: Back-up electricity generation, which may be required as a result of low wind output, as well as for several other reasons, is provided by other generation, which includes coal, gas and hydro. Non-generation approaches (demand response, interconnection and storage) also provide back-up. As we decarbonise the electricity system further, these non-generation approaches are expected to play proportionately more of a role as they can often facilitate integration of intermittent generation more effectively than back-up generation.