Land
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance he has provided to local authorities on the procedures for disposing of surplus land. [69452]
Robert Neill: Guidance on the disposal of local authority land under the Local Government Act 1972 is given in ODPM Circular 06/2003, the “General Disposal Consent (England) 2003, disposal of land for less than best consideration that can reasonably be obtained”:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/circularlocalgovernment
Guidance on the disposal of local authority land held under Housing Acts is given in the “General Housing Consents 2005”, (for section 32 of the Housing Act 1985):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/generalhousing?view=Standard
and in the “General Consents 20l0”, (for section 25 of the Local Government Act 1988):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/consentsprivatelets?view=Standard
The following consultation was launched on 25 August seeking views on simplifying the legislation that governs the disposal of council housing assets and how the receipts should be used:
http://www.info4local.gov.uk/documents/consultations/1972625
Local Government Finance
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the oral statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 662-64, on local government finance, what modelling his Department has carried out on the likely change to each local authority budget that will occur in each of the next five years under his proposed scheme for localisation of business rates. [69001]
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Robert Neill: The impact of the Government's proposals to allow local retention of business rates will depend on a range of factors, including future business rates growth at the local level, the behavioural response to the changes, and the design of the scheme that is introduced. The Government have sought views on their proposals and, on 19 August, published an interactive calculator that enables councils to make estimates of the main variables for their area, and to see the comparative impact of different approaches to scheme design. This will help to inform their responses to the consultation, as well as future decisions by the Government.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) pursuant to his contribution following the oral statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 666W, on local government finance, what the evidential basis is for his statement that Doncaster would do better under his proposed scheme for localisation of business rates than it had under the existing funding system for the last five years; [69002]
(2) pursuant to his contribution following the oral statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 670W, on local government finance, what the evidential basis is for the statement that Liverpool would benefit the most under his proposed scheme for localisation of business rates. [69003]
Robert Neill: The average growth in business rates per billing authority in England between 2005-06 and 2009-10 was 5%. For Liverpool, average growth over that period was 8.2%. In the same period, growth in Doncaster was 6%. Subsequent to the oral statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 662-677, further information on the outturn amount of national non-domestic rates collected by local authorities and the associated amount of relief they granted has been published and is available at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/nondomesticrates/outturn/
Local Government: Debts
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information he holds on the annual debt interest paid by each local authority in England in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [69562]
Robert Neill: I have today placed in the Library of the House a table that gives information on interest payable and similar charges for each local authority in England for 2009-10 (final outturn), 2010-11 (provisional outturn) and 2011-12 (budget estimates).
Mass Media
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to the public purse was of his Department's national media coverage evaluations in each month between June 2007 and May 2010. [68365]
Robert Neill: The Department did not conduct, or commit funds to, any formal ongoing analysis or evaluation of national media coverage during this period.
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The Department did have a contract throughout this period with an external supplier to provide a daily national press cuttings service.
Costs for this service totalled £312,759.66 for the period from April 2008 to May 2010, broken down as:
|
|
£ |
Data for the preceding period could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 7 December 2010, Official Report , column 178W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Robert Halfon) on the steps the new administration have taken to reduce spending in this area.
Metal: Theft
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information he holds on the cost of metal theft to local authorities in each of the last six years. [69810]
Robert Neill: The information requested is not held centrally.
Minister for Cities
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what ministerial responsibilities the Minister for Cities has in relation to London. [69536]
Greg Clark: As Minister for Cities I will champion the economic, social and environmental role of cities including London and support them in seizing the opportunities to create growth and prosperity across the country. London is clearly our largest city in terms of its population and its economy—but it also has different issues and a very different governance settlement from other cities. Therefore I will initially focus on the core cities and their surrounding areas. The core cities represent the eight largest cities outside of London (based on the population of the Primary Urban Area): Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield.
Non-domestic Rates
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) if he will estimate the likely difference in business rates revenues between local authorities with the (a) highest and (b) lowest funding growth one year after the implementation of his proposed changes to local business rates; [68050]
(2) what estimate he has made of the likely change in the level of revenue for (a) Surrey county council, (b) Bury council and (c) Barnsley council as a result of his proposed changes to local business rates. [68051]
Robert Neill:
The Secretary of State set out proposals to allow local retention of business rates in his oral statement to the House on 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 662-677. The Government's proposals will ensure
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a stable starting point, so that no local authority will be worse off as a result of its business rates base at the outset of the new system.
The impact of the Government's proposals will depend on a range of factors, including future business rates growth at the local level, the behavioural response to the changes, and the final design of the scheme following consultation. The Government have sought views on their proposals and, on 19 August, published eight technical papers which provide further details on the proposals, together with an interactive calculator. The calculator enables users to explore the possible effects of certain scheme design options based upon their own assumptions about local circumstances.
The proposals incorporate a range of protections to ensure councils can meet local needs, including a safety net for places in need of additional support, funded by a levy recovering a share of disproportionate gain.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effects of his proposed changes to local business rates on equality of financial resources between local authorities. [68053]
Robert Neill: The Government published their proposals for business rate retention in “Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention” on 18 July 2011. This paper was supplemented by the publication on 19 August 2011 of a set of technical papers which provide more detail on the proposals.
The proposed system of tariffs and top ups will ensure a stable starting point, so that no council is worse off as a result of its business rates base at the outset of the scheme. From that point on, councils will keep a share of business rates increases, providing a strong incentive for them to promote growth. The consultation paper proposes a range of protections to ensure that councils can meet local needs, including a safety net for places in need of additional support, funded by a levy recovering a share of disproportionate gain.
At the same time as publishing the technical papers, the Government also made available an interactive calculator which enables users to explore the principal features of the proposed business rates retention scheme by entering their own inputs and varying components.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has consulted poorer local authorities on his proposed changes to local business rates; and what the outcome was of any such consultation. [68054]
Robert Neill: In developing proposals for changes to business rates, the Local Government Resource Review engaged with a number of key partners, including local government representative bodies such as the Local Government Association, the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA), and London councils.
The proposals are set out in the consultation document “Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention” which was published on 18 July 2011, and in eight technical papers published, along
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with an interactive calculator, on 19 August 2011. The consultation seeks views from across local government and the business community by 24 October.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the time which will be required to implement his proposed changes to local business rates in order to ensure that the model delivered is sustainable. [68055]
Robert Neill: The Government published proposals for business rate retention in: “Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention” on 18 July 2011. Subject to the responses to that consultation, the Government intend to bring forward legislation later in this Session with a view to introducing business rates retention from April 2013.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (a) how many and what types of local businesses and (b) which local authorities he has consulted on his proposed changes to local business rates. [68056]
Robert Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Luciana Berger) on 12 May 2011, Official Report, column 1322W.
The Government published their proposals for business rate retention in: “Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention” on 18 July, seeking views by 24 October. We are keen to encourage responses from all interested parties, including local government and the business community.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how he plans to maintain the ability of poorer local authorities to deliver services according to needs when implementing his proposed changes to business rates. [68058]
Robert Neill: The Government published proposals for business rate retention: “Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention” on 18 July 2011, seeking responses by 24 October 2011.
The proposed system of tariffs and top ups will ensure a stable starting point, so that no council is worse off as a result of its business rates base at the outset of the scheme. From that point on, councils will keep a share of business rates increases, providing a strong incentive for them to promote growth. The consultation paper proposes a range of protections to ensure that councils can meet local needs, including a safety net for places in need of additional support, funded by a levy recovering a share of disproportionate gain.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential change in the total resources available to local authorities resulting from his proposed changes to local business rates. [68239]
Robert Neill:
The total resource available to local authorities was set out in the spending review 2011-12 and is set for four years until 2014-15. The Government
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do not propose any change to these resources during the remainder of the spending review period. If, following the introduction of the scheme, business rate growth is achieved above forecast levels, the benefit of this will sit with local authorities.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) with reference to his Department's consultation on proposals for business rates retention, July 2011, paragraph 3.25, what share of disproportionate financial gains would be recouped by his Department under his proposals; [69342]
(2) with reference to his Department's consultation on proposals for business rates retention, July 2011, paragraph 3.25, what definition his Department plans to use of disproportionate financial gains. [69343]
Robert Neill: As set out in the consultation paper “Local Government Resource Review: Proposals for Business Rates Retention”, published on 18 July, the Government propose to collect a levy recouping a share of disproportionate benefit and use the proceeds to fund a safety net to help manage large, unforeseen negative volatility in individual authorities' budgets.
The main consultation paper seeks views on a number of options for setting the levy, which are discussed in further detail in “Technical Paper 5: Tariffs, Top-up and Levy Options”, published on 19 August and can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localgovernmentfinance/lgresourcereview/
The Government are seeking responses by 24 October.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's consultation on proposals for business rates retention, July 2011, paragraphs 4.8 to 4.10, how business rates revenues collected through the central list will be distributed. [69344]
Robert Neill: Business rates revenues from the central list will form part of the forecast national business rates. The Government set out details of their proposals, including how they propose to derive individual authorities' business rates baselines from the forecast national business rates, in a series of Technical Papers published on 19 August 2011.
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has considered changing the non-domestic rating legislation to ensure that large retrospective rate demands cannot be levied on newly-rated companies. [69454]
Robert Neill: The Government published a consultation paper on business rates retention on 18 July 2011 and a further eight technical papers, which provide more details of the Government's proposals, on 19 August.
“Technical Paper 6: Volatility”, seeks views on the issue of backdated rating assessments in the context of the Government's proposals for change. The papers can be found at:
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http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/resourcereviewbusinessrates
and the consultation remains open until 24 October 2011.
Non-domestic Rates: Sunderland
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Sunderland has (a) contributed to and (b) drawn from the national non-domestic rating pool in the last five financial years. [67104]
Robert Neill: The following table gives details of how much Sunderland city council has (a) contributed to and (b) received from the national non-domestic rating pool in the period 2006-07 to 2010-11.
| £ million | ||
|
|
Non-domestic rates paid into the pool | Redistributed non-domestic rates received |
The data in respect of non-domestic rates paid into the pool are taken from the annual audited national non-domestic rates (NNDR3) returns submitted by Sunderland city council.
The data in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates received by Sunderland city council are taken from the annual local government finance settlement.
On 18 July, the Government published proposals to allow the local retention of business rates. The Government's proposals will ensure a stable starting point, so that no local authority will be worse off as a result of its business rates base at the outset of the new system. The consultation paper proposes a range of protections to ensure that councils can meet local needs, including a safety net for places in need of additional support, funded by a levy recovering a share of disproportionate gain.
There is no basis for the suggestion made by the hon. Member in her local media that Sunderland city council “will lose up to £58 million”. That is simply wrong.
Office of Government Commerce
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities requiring them to implement the Office of Government Commerce Procurement Policy Note - Information Note 09/09. [69338]
Robert Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government has not issued guidance to local authorities requiring them to implement the Office of Government Commerce Procurement Policy Note - Information Note 09/09.
Such Policy Procurement Notices are sent out widely throughout the public sector by Cabinet Office, including to local authorities.
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National Gas Grid
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress he has made in reforming the planning system to support the injection of biomethane into the national gas grid. [69236]
Robert Neill: The Government are reforming the planning system to ensure that the sustainable development needed to support economic growth is able to proceed as easily as possible. This embraces a range of measures which should make it easier to obtain planning permission for appropriately sited anaerobic digestion plants.
Anaerobic digestion plants are a maximum 8 MW, so these are all local planning decisions governed by the planning framework and guidance. We consider that local authorities are best placed to manage the waste management needs for their area; and to best deliver workable renewable energy. Through our proposals for reforming the planning system we are creating the right framework to facilitate a significant increase in the amount of energy from waste through anaerobic digestion. Our reforms sit alongside the Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan, published by DEFRA in June 2011, where the Government are making £10 million available to promote use of anaerobic digestion (food waste).
DCLG facilitate a forum/hold regular meetings to discuss and understand planning reform as they affect anaerobic digestion. Following the recent publication of the draft National Planning Policy Framework, work is ongoing to consider links between the planning system and its support for injection of biomethane into the national gas grid.
Private Rented Housing
Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to stimulate investment by third-party insurance and pension funds in the private rented housing sector; and if he will make a statement. [69731]
Andrew Stunell: The changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax on bulk purchases which the Government announced in the 2011 Budget should help larger-scale investors, including landlords and property management companies, to take on larger portfolios. The commitment to look again at the rules on Real Estate Investment Trusts in time for next year’s Budget should also offer encouragement to investors in the sector.
More broadly, the Government are committed to supporting homeownership but we also recognise that a strong private rental sector is required to provide a flexible alternative. We want to ensure the housing market is stable and responds to demand.
Achieving this depends above all on the return to economic and financial stability which the Government are seeking to achieve through debt reduction and their commitment to abolish the structural deficit. This will help to keep interest rates low, improve credit availability and free up lending.
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Travellers: Caravan Sites
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2011, Official Report, column 1235W, on Travellers: caravan sites, what consideration his Department gave to including a reference to the proposed duty to co-operate in the main body of the Planning for Traveller Sites consultation document of 13 April 2011. [67983]
Robert Neill [holding answer 5 September 2011]: The consultation on the Government's draft planning policy for traveller sites ended on 3 August. The Government are considering the responses and intend to publish their new policy as soon as possible.
The Government are consulting on their draft ‘National Planning Policy Framework’ until 17 October. Planning policy on traveller sites will eventually be incorporated into the framework.
We are introducing a duty to cooperate through the Localism Bill. This will require local councils, county councils and other public bodies to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis in the planning process. As part of the Government's consultation on the draft Framework, we welcome views from Members on whether the policies for planning strategically across local boundaries, including the duty to co-operate, provide a clear framework and enough flexibility for councils and other bodies to work together effectively.
Warwickshire County Council
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding his Department provided to Warwickshire county council in each year since 2005. [69498]
Robert Neill: The total grant funding allocated by the Department of Communities and Local Government to Warwickshire county council is as follows:
| Warwickshire | |
|
|
£000 |
The definition of central Government grant used here is the sum of:
formula grant (revenue support grant and redistributed non-domestic rates)
specific grants inside Aggregate External Finance (i.e. revenue grants paid for council's core services) (only includes grants from this Department)
specific grants outside Aggregate External Finance (only includes grants from this Department)
Area Based Grant (from 2008-09), and
‘other grants’ provided by all Government Departments.
These figures are taken from revenue outturn forms provided by authorities after the end of a financial year. Figures for formula grant, Area Based Grant and other grants are aggregated grants for all Government
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Departments. The 2010-11 figures are currently provisional and could be subject to change. Finalised 2010-11 figures will be released in November 2011.
Comparison across years may not be valid owing to changing local authority responsibilities and changes to funding methodology (in particular, the 2005-06 figure includes education funding, which was removed from formula grant in later years).
Written Questions: Government Responses
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to respond to the Questions 67689 and 67706, on the Planning Inspectorate, tabled on 14 July 2011 for answer on 19 July 2011. [68796]
Robert Neill: Question 67706 was answered on 20 July 2011. Question 67689 was answered on 5 September 2011.
Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress he has made in reforming the regulatory framework to support the injection of biomethane into the national gas grid. [69244]
Charles Hendry: In March this year we announced details of the Renewable Heat Incentive, including long term tariff support for bio-methane connecting to the gas network. In the same month Ofgem published its decision on the strategy for the next transmission and gas distribution price controls RIIO (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs).
This contained a number of measures to support biomethane injection into the gas grid:
1. incentives in the financial framework for gas network companies to ensure that they do not incur additional costs for connecting biomethane to the grid, this will ensure network companies do not have a disincentive to connecting biomethane;
2. obligations on the network companies to develop information provisions for connectees on how biomethane producers can connect to the grid. This is in the process of being drafted into the Gas Transporter licence;
3. a requirement that gas networks companies need to introduce voluntary standards of service for biomethane customers connecting to the grid;
4. £140 million under the Network Innovation Competition to trial new technologies like biomethane on the grid, plus a further 0.5 to 1% of each GDN's allowed revenue is allocated to innovation funding.
Further information can be found in Ofgem's 27 July factsheet on biomethane:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/FactSheets/Documents1/biomethanearenewablegassourceFS.pdf
My officials are working with National Grid (NG) and Ofgem to determine whether propane should be added to biomethane before injection into the grid, with a view to finding the most supportive solution for biomethane producers consistent with maintaining necessary gas quality standards.
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Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the merits of a gas licence exemption for onshore gas production for the purposes of making it easier to inject biomethane from an anaerobic digestion plant into the gas grid. [69245]
Charles Hendry: The Government are working with range of delivery partners to consider whether it is appropriate to amend regulations which currently apply to biogas injection from anaerobic digestion plant, with the purpose of making injection easier.
In addition the Health and Safety Executive is working with network companies to assess whether the maximum permissible levels of oxygen and contaminant matter in grid gas can be safely increased to reduce the costs of cleaning biogas for injection.
DECC is considering the case for further reducing potential regulatory burdens by providing a gas licence exemption for those, including AD plants, who produce gas onshore and expects to publish a consultation in due course.
British Coal Utilisation Research Association
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which public authority holds the company, operational and insurance records of the British Coal Utilisation Research Association, a subsidiary of the British Coal Corporation; and where these records are now located. [69041]
Charles Hendry: The British Coal Utilisation Research Association (BCURA) became a wholly owned subsidiary of British Coal in 1969. British Coal was a very large company with records spread over numerous sites. Over the course of time many of those records were lost or destroyed. Those that remain that are under the Department's control, including the remaining BCURA records relating to the period while it was in British Coal ownership, are held by the Departments records management contractor, Iron Mountain, at their facility in Stafford.
As for the period after BCURA left the ownership of British Coal, BCURA are responsible for those records and the question should be directed to BCURA for that period and for any documents transferred to them at that time. However we are also aware that the Coal Research Establishment (CRE) deposited a number of records outside the British Coal archive system. We do not know the nature and extent of those deposits. One potential source of further enquiries is with the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. A review of that Institute's annual report for 2008-09 indicates that at least some CRE/BCURA records/libraries are held by them. The National Archives also hold some documents related to BCURA.
Carbon Emissions
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to receive notification of whether his plans for an Emissions Performance Standard comply with EU law. [69850]
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Gregory Barker: We will consider the compatibility of the EPS with EU law as we develop the proposals and will discuss them with the Commission as appropriate. There is no requirement to obtain clearance from the Commission before proceeding with the EPS.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the level at which the Emissions Performance Standard will be set will vary across different parts of the UK. [69877]
Gregory Barker: The Government's position is that the framework of the Emissions Performance Standard regime should, as far as possible, cover the whole of the UK and is working closely with the Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to achieve this in a way which takes appropriate account of their policy preferences, existing market arrangements and respective devolution settlements.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish details of the Emissions Performance Standards specific exemptions for plant (a) forming part of the UK's Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Demonstration Programme and (b) benefiting from European funding for commercial-scale CCS projects. [69883]
Charles Hendry: The Government confirmed in the Electricity Market Reform White Paper published on 12 July 2011 that exemptions to the EPS will apply to plant forming part of the UK Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Demonstration Programme, or benefiting from European funding for commercial scale CCS. We are considering the options on how to implement an exemption and will be discussing the detailed design with stakeholders over the coming months to help us prepare for legislation.
Climate Change: Finance
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the disbursement of climate finance due to be complete by April 2015 has been disbursed to date; and how much such funding has been disbursed. [68744]
Gregory Barker: As of November 2010, the UK Government have approved a total of £568 million in 2010-11 towards their commitment of £1.5 billion in Fast Start finance over 2010-12. This is over one third of our total and we are on track to meet our commitment.
An updated figure will be provided on the Fast Start finance website at:
http://www.faststartfinance.org/content/contributing-countries
The Government have £2.9 billion to spend on international climate finance over the spending review period 2011-12 to 2014-15.
Combined Heat and Power: Carbon Emissions
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to bring forward proposals to prevent the Emissions Performance Standard from creating disincentives to investment in combined heat and power. [69867]
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Gregory Barker: The Government remain committed to supporting the development of good quality combined heat and power. We will therefore give careful consideration to the treatment of CHP under the Emissions Performance Standard. We will be discussing the detailed design of the instrument with stakeholders over the coming months to help us prepare for legislation to ensure we avoid structuring it in a way which could act as a disincentive to investment in CHP.
Energy Efficiency
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what staffing he plans to provide for his Department's new office to promote national energy efficiency. [69864]
Gregory Barker: Under current plans, the Energy Efficiency Deployment Office will comprise up to 50 civil servant posts in 2011-12.
Procurement
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what methodology (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible used to estimate savings to the public purse made in respect of its procurement and purchasing since May 2010. [69278]
Gregory Barker:
On 15 November 2010, Official Report, columns 615-16W, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said in response to PQ16752 that the Government had
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announced a more specific and innovative approach to efficiency and reform across the public sector, including:
a reduction in administration budgets of 34% across the whole of Whitehall and its arm's length bodies saving £5.9 billion a year by 2014-15;
radically reducing the number of arm's length bodies across Government; and
the Efficiency and Reform Group's tough new efficiency regime which will drive savings in procurement, major projects and estate management;
and that, in result, Departments would no longer be required to report against the previous Government's failed efficiency target.
In August 2011, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General announced that the Efficiency and Reform Group's new measures had saved £3.75 billion over 2010-11.
This impact was assessed using methodologies shown at Annex A. The assessment has been independently verified by Government auditors who found the benefits assertions to be fairly calculated and presented.
These savings are borne out in Department accounts. Note 12 of the Department of Energy and Climate Change's (DECC's) Report and Accounts 2010-11 (HC 1009) reports that non-pay Gross Admin Costs for DECC, excluding non-cash costs, reduced from £40.9 million in 2009-10 to £29.3 million in 2010-11. Figures in this report are prepared in accordance with HM Treasury's Financial Reporting Manual for central Government Departments and associated Treasury resource accounting and budgeting guidance.
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Telephone Services
Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding he has allocated to each telephone helpline operated by his Department in 2011-12; and what the purpose is of each such helpline. [68554]
Gregory Barker: The Department is operating the following helplines in 2011-12:
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Internships
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) persons undertaking unpaid work experience, (b) unpaid interns and (c) other persons in unpaid positions were working in his Department as of 1 July 2011. [69509]
Gregory Barker: As of 1 July 2011, there was (a) nobody undertaking unpaid work experience; (b) one paid intern and no unpaid interns; and (c) nobody in unpaid positions working in the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Devolution
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he last met representatives of the devolved Administrations; and what matters were discussed. [69818]
Gregory Barker:
All DECC Ministers have regular discussions with Ministers in the devolved Administrations on a range of climate and energy related issues. As has
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been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Electricity
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what meetings he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (b) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (c) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on his Department's White Paper on electricity market reform; [69816]
(2) what representations he has received from ministerial colleagues on his Department's White Paper on electricity market reform; [69817]
(3) if he will publish the (a) dates and (b) minutes of meetings he has held with representatives of each of the devolved Administrations on electricity market reform. [69871]
Charles Hendry: In keeping with good practice for any area of policy development, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change discussed his proposals on electricity market reform with Ministers in other Government Departments prior to seeking Cabinet clearance for the White Paper.
DECC Ministers have regular discussions with Ministers in the devolved Administrations on a range of climate and energy related issues. As has been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many expressions of interests he has received from electricity sector companies that will be willing to provide additional generating capacity under a capacity mechanism. [69859]
Charles Hendry: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has neither received nor sought any firm expressions of interest from electricity sector companies that might provide additional capacity under a capacity mechanism.
We are currently consulting on the type of capacity mechanism to be introduced and intend to take a decision around the turn of the year. Ensuring a mechanism provides incentives to ensure sufficient capacity (including both generation and non-generation capacity such as demand side response) is in place to provide security of supply is a key criterion for that decision.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change by what date he expects to receive state aid clearance for his proposed electricity market reform mechanisms. [69873]
Charles Hendry: We will engage closely with the European Commission to ensure our policies on electricity market reform are consistent with the appropriate rules on state aid. Where state aid clearance is required, and as per all other state aid cases, the time it takes will depend on the specific policies in question and/or discussions with the Commission.
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Electricity Generation
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of barriers to entry and growth in electricity generation and supply markets for independent generators and suppliers. [69878]
Charles Hendry: The Electricity Market Reform White Paper set out the Government's assessment of barriers to entry in particular the problems caused by low levels of liquidity in the electricity wholesale market. Ofgem are consulting on proposals to address market liquidity. Market participants have also raised concerns about other potential barriers to entry including limited routes to market. To the extent that such concerns are substantiated and have not been addressed by Ofgem's the Government will take appropriate steps to address them.
In addition, we 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.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the implementation of those policies outlined in Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low carbon electricity. [69880]
Gregory Barker: Policies set out in the White Paper will be implemented by:
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discussing the detailed design of Electricity Market Reform (EMR) instruments with stakeholders, including Devolved Administrations and the European Commission
publishing a technical update at the turn of the year setting out further detail on the Capacity Mechanism and institutional arrangements for delivering EMR
aiming to introduce primary legislation for EMR in the second session of Parliament, which starts in May 2012
making the necessary administrative arrangements to prepare the chosen delivery organisation(s) to deliver EMR
ensuring a smooth transition to the new market arrangements supporting the principle of no retrospective changes for low carbon investments, and
working with relevant parties to enable early investment decisions to progress to timetable wherever possible.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount of existing electricity generating capacity that will be decommissioned in each of the next 10 years. [69888]
Charles Hendry: For most power plants, the decommissioning date is a matter for the owners of the plant and is not estimated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
However, some power plants have regulated decommissioning dates, such as those covered by the large plant combustion directive (LCPD) as well as the current fleet of nuclear power stations. These dates are set out in the following table:
| Station name | Fuel | Installed capacity (MW) | Location | Date of regulated retirement |
| Notes: 1. All plant closing under the LCPD, i.e. the coal and oil plant in the above list must close on or before 31 December 2015. 2. The lifetime of nuclear plant can be extended, but only with the approval of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. | ||||
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish his estimate of the electricity sector capacity margin for each year between 2011 and 2020. [69895]
Charles Hendry: DECC does not currently publish an estimate of the expected capacity margin.
The Electricity Market Reform (EMR) White Paper published in July 2011:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/policy-legislation/EMR/2176-emr-white-paper.pdf
includes a scenario for the capacity margin between 2011 and 2030, including the estimated impact of current policies as well as the low carbon measures being introduced as part of EMR. This is based on outputs of the Redpoint Energy Model and does not constitute a formal estimate of the expected capacity margin.
Clause 79 in the Energy Bill currently before Parliament will require the Secretary of State to make an assessment of the capacity needed to meet electricity demand in Great Britain. This will be published in 2012 and in each subsequent year. The assessment will cover the
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four years following the year of its publication or any other periods that the Secretary of State specifies by order.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the level of electricity storage capacity in the UK between (a) 2011 and 2015, (b) 2016 and 2020, (c) 2021 and 2025 and (d) 2026 and 2030. [69896]
Charles Hendry: In DECC's latest Energy and Emission projections (published June 2010), UK electricity storage capacity was assumed to remain constant at 2.8GW. The assumption is the same in each scenario examined.
However, analysis conducted using the 2050 Calculator suggests that there remains uncertainty around the exact extent to which electricity storage plays a role in the system in the long-term. Electricity storage features in many successful pathways that meet the 80% greenhouse gas emissions reduction target while maintaining security of supply, and is likely to be an important technology for the future.
Part 1 of the “2050 Pathways Analysis—response to the call for evidence, March 2011”:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/2050/1343-2050-pathways-analysis-response-pt1.pdf
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to (a) consult and (b) reach a decision on his plans for a capacity mechanism. [69897]
Charles Hendry: On 12 July, DECC published a White Paper on electricity market reform, “Planning Our Electric Future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon energy”
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/legislation/white_papers/emr_wp_2011/emr_wp_2011.aspx
The White Paper includes a consultation on possible models for a capacity mechanism. The consultation closes on 4 October, and we intend to publish a decision on the type of mechanism to be introduced around the turn of the year.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to develop his policy on electricity systems. [69898]
Charles Hendry: As set out in chapter 6 of the Electricity Market Reform White Paper, further work will take place over the next year to develop policy on electricity systems, with the aim of publishing an electricity systems policy document in summer 2012. This will consider how electricity supply and demand is balanced in future given the challenges expected from more intermittent and inflexible generation and increasing demand. It will look at what changes might be required to the system framework and the incentives within it to ensure secure and efficient system balancing. This will include the future role we expect different sources of flexibility to play including storage, demand side response, interconnection to other electricity markets and flexible generation plant.
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Electricity: Competition
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps Ofgem is taking to (a) increase the ability of new entrants to the electricity market and (b) improve liquidity in the electricity market. [69893]
Charles Hendry: Following the Retail Market Review in March 2011, Ofgem put forward a range of proposals to improve competition in the electricity supply market. For example, tariff simplification proposals are designed to make it easier for consumers to identify who is offering the cheapest tariff and therefore to engage in the market.
Ofgem's work on electricity wholesale market liquidity is also intended to support new entrants in supply and generation markets. Ofgem has consulted on two possible interventions (the Mandatory Auction and Mandatory Market Maker) and expect to publish an impact assessment at the end of this year. Ofgem's proposals have been developed in order to make sure that independent supply and generation companies have access to the wholesale products they need to operate effectively.
Electricity Industry: Theft
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 851W, on electricity industry theft, how many recorded security incidents took place between 1 February 2011 and 1 August 2011; and what information he holds on such incidents by (a) regional and (b) local authority area. [69813]
Charles Hendry: Pursuant to my answer to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 851W, I can confirm that the Department does not collect information concerning security incidents relating to metal theft. The Energy Networks Association, (ENA) on behalf of the energy sector, manage a Security Incident Reporting System (SIRS) database that collects data on security incidents experienced by electricity network operators. The SIRS database recorded 3797 security incidents over the period 1 February 2011 to 1 August 2011.
Energy
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the (a) total and (b) domestic level of UK energy consumption in 2015. [69740]
Charles Hendry: Future UK energy consumption will depend on a number of variables, including fossil fuel prices and the carbon price. Different assumptions about these variables lead to different projections of consumption. The results for the central scenario, published in DECC's latest Energy and Emission projections (June 2010):
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/ec_social_res/analytic_projs/en_emis_projs/en_emis_projs.aspx
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| Central scenario | 2015 (ktoe) |
‘Total energy demand’ includes use of all energy products within the UK, including those used for electricity generation, transformation and non-energy uses. DECC will publish new energy and emission projections in the autumn.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will list the meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of independent energy generators since May 2010. [69861]
Gregory Barker: All our meetings with external stakeholders are published on the Cabinet Office website in line with our transparency commitments.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to undertake a review of UK energy usage in each decade up to 2050. [69889]
Charles Hendry: Maintaining a strong understanding of energy supply and demand is central to DECC's work. As well as doing this effectively on an ongoing basis, DECC formally reviews energy usage and reports to Parliament as part of its statutory reporting framework under, among others, the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Energy Act 2004.
DECC also produces regular publications on UK energy usage on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. The latest annual publication, the “Digest of UK Energy Statistics” was published in July and is available in the House of Commons Library.
Energy Performance Certificates
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Committee on Climate Change report, Meeting Carbon Budgets - 3rd Progress Report to Parliament, June 2011, when he plans to respond to the recommendation for the mandatory roll-out of display energy certificates to non-residential buildings. [69226]
Gregory Barker: We recognise that there are potential benefits in rolling out Display Energy Certificates (DECs) to commercial properties, and we continue to explore the options, while developing the evidence base for achieving this without placing undue burdens on business.
In relation to the 3rd Progress Report to Parliament of the Committee on Climate Change, the Climate Change Act 2008 requires the Government to lay a response to the annual progress reports of the Committee on Climate Change before Parliament no later than 15 October every year.
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Energy Supply
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will provide an update on recent progress with the (a) Offshore Transmission Coordination Project, (b) North Seas Countries' Offshore Grid Initiative, (c) All Islands Approach and (d) French-UK-Ireland region regulators forum. [69869]
Charles Hendry: The Offshore Transmission Coordination Project is running through 2011 to consider whether any additional measures will be required to deliver coordinated networks through the competitive offshore transmission regime. Eight stakeholder meetings and workshops have been held to date, details of which are published on the Ofgem website. DECC and Ofgem aim to publish a joint conclusions report in the winter.
In the first six months of the North Seas Countries' Offshore Grid Initiative data were collected on the regulatory regimes, planning procedures and projected offshore generation and demand scenarios of the member countries as the first step in identifying barriers to co-ordinated European offshore grid development and elaborating plausible configurations.
Ministers and Heads of Administration from the British Isles, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man agreed to co-operate in an All Islands Approach to energy, including the potential for renewable energy trading, in the June 2011 British Irish Council held in London. Officials are putting together delivery plans for the workstreams involved.
The France-UK-Ireland region regulators' forum has agreed priorities and timed deliverables for the period 2011-2014 including the steps needed to implement the EU target model for capacity allocation and congestion management on interconnectors in the region and the framework for interconnector investment.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects new rules to be brought forward on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency. [69874]
Charles Hendry: On 8 December 2010 the European Commission published a proposal for a regulation on energy market integrity and transparency (REMIT). This set out a regime for the regulation of electricity and gas wholesale markets, including mechanisms for national energy regulators to detect and deter market abuse, in co-operation with the Agency for the Co-operation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and, where appropriate, national financial regulators. Following negotiations in Council working groups, an agreed text will be voted on by the European Parliament on 12 September. The regulation will also need to obtain political agreement by the Council of Ministers before coming into force.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to provide further clarification on the future role of (a) demand side response, storage and interconnection and (b) the development of a smarter grid. [69875]
Charles Hendry:
As set out in chapter 6 of the Electricity Market Reform White Paper further work will take place over the next year to develop policy on electricity
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systems, with the aim of publishing a document in summer 2012. This will consider the contribution demand side response, storage and interconnection can make to the efficient functioning of the electricity system. Work is also under way through the joint DECC and Ofgem led Smart Grid Forum (SGF) to evaluate the likely new electricity demands distribution networks will face from now to 2030, the contribution that smart technologies can make to manage these, and the develop an evaluation framework to assess the costs and benefits of such approaches. Outputs from the SGF will be published in the first quarter of 2012 and will help to inform the investments made in the next distributed price control review (RIIO-ED1) as well as the Government's electricity systems policy document.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the need for changes to the offshore transmission regime. [69886]
Charles Hendry: DECC and Ofgem are currently making an assessment of whether any additional measures will be required to deliver coordinated networks through the competitive offshore transmission regime. This is being progressed, in dialogue with industry, through the Offshore Transmission Coordination Project. DECC and Ofgem aim to publish a joint conclusions report containing such an assessment in the winter. Further details of the project and industry working groups are available on the Ofgem website.
Energy Supply: Fees and Charges
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects Ofgem to complete Project TransmiT; and when he expects proposals to be brought forward in respect of the project. [69868]
Charles Hendry: Ofgem published an open letter on 7 July 2011 which set out their planned timetable for the next stages of Project TransmiT. The letter can be found at:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Networks/Trans/PT/Documents1/110707_Final%20launch%20SCR%20statement.pdf
The letter states that Ofgem's aim is to publish a consultation of options in October and final recommendations in December, with any reforms to be implemented by April 2012. The letter explicitly recognises that this timetable will only be achievable with constructive industry involvement in the process.
Energy: Billing
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward legislative proposals for energy suppliers to provide customers with information on their energy bills on (a) comparative consumption and (b) their supplier's lowest tariff. [69240]
Charles Hendry: The Energy Bill includes powers to legislate to give customers greater control over their energy costs by requiring energy suppliers to inform consumers about the cheapest available tariff.
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We are seeking to implement this proposal as well as the provision of comparative consumption information through a voluntary agreement with energy suppliers, but we will legislate if a suitable voluntary agreement cannot be reached.
Energy: Competition
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of consumers that will receive energy from one of the six largest energy companies in (a) 2015, (b) 2020, (c) 2025 and (d) 2030. [69855]
Charles Hendry: The Department does not estimate the future market shares of competitors in the energy supply market.
Government are cutting red tape for smaller suppliers to boost competition in retail energy markets, while Ofgem is tackling other barriers to effective competition, such as tariff complexity and low wholesale market liquidity, in its Retail Market Review.
Energy: Conservation
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish an assessment of (a) whether there are sufficient measures to encourage efficiency improvements in electricity usage and (b) whether there is a need for appropriate additional measures to encourage energy efficiency. [69894]
Charles Hendry: Initial analysis suggests there is cost-effective energy efficiency potential across the economy which is unlikely to be realised through the current mix of policy measures. A key role for DECCs new Energy Efficiency Deployment Office will be to develop this analysis and assess those areas where it might be appropriate to tighten existing policy or introduce appropriate additional measures, to encourage greater energy efficiency. I would expect to make public the results of this assessment when it is sufficient developed.
As part of this work DECC is keen to ensure that electricity consumers contribute an appropriate share of the UK's overall improvement in energy efficiency and will undertake an assessment over the coming year to determine whether further steps are needed to improve the support and incentives for the efficient use of electricity. The results of this assessment will be made public over the course of next year.
Energy: EU Internal Trade
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the potential contribution to UK economic growth of the completion of an EU single market in energy. [69307]
Charles Hendry:
The impact assessment on implementation of the third package of legislation on the single market in energy concluded that significant benefits could derive to the UK from full compliance with the package across the EU. The package should have an overall positive effect on economic growth by promoting cross-border trade and increasing competition. Increased trade and greater market integration should
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reduce our vulnerability to supply and price shocks and provide opportunities for exports. Increased competition should put downward pressure on consumer prices through reducing market power and providing incentives for suppliers to keep costs down. It should also encourage innovation with its positive effects on productivity and economic growth. Consumers should also benefit from greater choice and improved service. However, further action under the package to agree cross-border technical codes, which is already underway, will be required to complete the single energy market and this should lead to greater benefits for the UK. The aim is to achieve this by 2014.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the Third Internal Energy Market Package has been transposed into UK law. [69872]
Charles Hendry: The draft Electricity and Gas (Internal Markets) Regulations 2011, which transpose the Third Internal Energy Market Package, were laid before Parliament on 18 July 2011.
They will be made after Parliament has approved the regulations by affirmative resolution. Further regulations will be laid shortly to make certain changes to gas transporter licences in order to transpose outstanding aspects of the Third Internal Energy Market Package.
Energy: Finance
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what estimate he has made of the expected level of investment in the UK energy generation sector between (a) 2011 and 2015, (b) 2016 and 2020, (c) 2021 and 2025 and (d) 2026 and 2030; [69890]
(2) what estimate he has made of the required level of investment in electricity generation to ensure a decarbonised electricity generation sector by 2030 between (a) 2011 and 2015, (b) 2016 and 2020, (c) 2021 and 2025 and (d) 2026 and 2030. [69891]
Charles Hendry: The Government are committed to transforming the UK's electricity system to ensure that our future electricity supply is secure, low-carbon and affordable.
There is a need for substantial investment in the UK's electricity generation sector in order to ensure future security of supply and build a more diverse and sustainable energy mix. Estimates in the Electricity Market Reform Consultation Document Impact Assessment are that £70-75 billion of investment in new electricity generation plant would be required for the period to 2020 to meet illustrative decarbonisation and renewables targets(1). These targets will be reviewed in the Government response to the Committee on Climate Change's recommendations in the autumn.
Government projections for future business investment across the whole economy are contained within the Office of Budget Responsibility's forecasts(2). The outturn level of investment in the electricity generation sector will depend on commercial decisions and is affected by a large number of additional economic, fiscal, and regulatory factors. Nevertheless, the package of policies
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set out in the EMR White Paper
(3)and the following legislation will play a key role in supporting the necessary private sector investment.
(1 )http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/emr/1042-ia-electricity-market-reform.pdf
(2) http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/wordpress/docs/economic_and_fiscal_outlook_23032011.pdf
(3 )http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/policy-legislation/EMR/2176-emr-white-paper.pdf
Energy: International Co-operation
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the European Supergrid to become operational. [69870]
Charles Hendry: The term “supergrid” is used in a variety of different contexts ranging from a more integrated offshore grid in the seas around the UK, to a network of large interconnectors linking low carbon generation with centres of demand across the EU. The Government are engaged in a number of processes, including the North Seas Countries' Offshore Grid Initiative and the All Islands Approach agreed at the British Irish Council summit in June, that are considering the costs, benefits and technical challenges of a more integrated offshore grid in the North and Irish seas and how it could be developed. Later this year, the Commission are expected to publish proposals for facilitating investment in energy infrastructure across the EU, including major electricity links. Any developments are likely to take place in an incremental manner over a period of years.
Energy: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has met (a) Welsh Ministers and (b) the Secretary of State for Wales regarding the devolution of decision-making on consents for energy projects with a generating capacity of 50 to 100 megawatts. [69394]
Gregory Barker: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has had discussions with both Welsh Ministers and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on the devolution of decision-making on consents for energy projects with a generating capacity of 50 MW to 100 MW.
The Government have indicated that they do not currently intend to devolve this matter to Welsh Ministers.
Environment Protection: Business
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress he has made in developing a voluntary Green Responsibility Deal with business and other organisations. [69241]
Gregory Barker: Officials in DECC and the Cabinet Office have had discussions with stakeholder groups and businesses about encouraging voluntary action on energy use and emissions reduction.
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In the recent publication on Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy we highlighted a number of areas of action that leading businesses are already undertaking and that we encourage others to consider.
We will set out further details of work to encourage voluntary action, in line with the Government's responsibility deal approach, in the autumn.
Gas-fired Power Stations
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the average commercial lifespan of a new gas-fired power plant. [69866]
Charles Hendry: The expected commercial lifespan of a new gas plant is a matter for the owners of the plant and is not estimated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
The Department has recently published a reported by PB Power on the average expected technical lifetime, the number of years a plant might be expected to be able to operate, for a range of non-renewable plant. For Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant this was estimated to be 30 years. The full report can be found on DECC's website at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/about-us/economics-social-research/2127-electricity-generation-cost-model-2011.pdf
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many new gas plants he expects to enter operation in the UK in each of the next five years. [69885]
Charles Hendry: The Department for Energy and Climate Change does not make estimates of the number of new gas plants expected to enter operation each year.
However, National Grid do provide an estimate through their transmission entry capacity (TEC) database. This database includes expected future new gas plant, and an expected completion date. The completion date represents the developer's estimate of when the plant will obtain transmission entry capacity. The following table shows the number of gas plants with a completion date over the next five years from this database which was last updated on 23 August 2011.
| Completion date | Number of gas plants |
A link is provided to the database as follows:
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/GettingConnected/ContractedGenerationInformation/TransmissionEntryCapacityRegister/
Green Deal Scheme
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to co-ordinate the introduction of the Green Deal with roll-out of the Renewable Heat Incentive. [69242]
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Gregory Barker: Phase One of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) should be open for applications from the end of September, subject to state aid clearance.
We are aiming to introduce Phase Two of the RHI, which will include support for households, in autumn 2012 alongside the Green Deal. In addition we have already publicly stated that any measure that pays through savings will be supported in the Green Deal, including microgeneration measures where relevant. We are still developing the details on how we will co-ordinate the launch of the two policies but will aim to publish the details as soon as possible.
Local Energy Partnerships
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to create local energy partnerships. [69376]
Gregory Barker: We are designing the Green Deal framework, including the new Energy Company Obligation (ECO), in a way which should offer natural encouragement for local authorities and other local interest groups on the one hand, and energy companies, Green Deal providers and other private sector organisations on the other, to work in partnership to deliver practical measures and benefits at local level.
Nuclear Power
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the nuclear industry to ensure (a) confidence in the sector and (b) preparations for new nuclear build. [69854]
Charles Hendry: Ministers and officials meet on a regular basis with representatives from the nuclear industry with regard to the safe and secure operation of existing nuclear facilities and progress on the UK new build programme. All ministerial meetings are published on the DECC website at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/registers/ministermtgs/ministerititgs.aspx
In particular, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change chairs the Nuclear Development Forum, (NDF), which meets three times a year. Its members are senior representatives from the nuclear industry, including vendors, operators, key suppliers, contractors and unions—as well as the Government. The Forum ensures there is regular and high-level contact on the issues that matter the most to potential investors and operators regarding the UK new build programme.
The next NDF is due to meet in the autumn. The minutes from meetings are available on the nuclear pages of the DECC website.
Offshore Transmission Co-ordination Group
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the functions are of the Offshore Transmission Coordination Group. [69887]
Charles Hendry:
The terms of reference for the Offshore Transmission Coordination Group are on the Ofgem website. The Group, through the expertise, experience
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and knowledge of its members, provides support to Government and Ofgem's development and consideration of policy options for maximising the opportunity of the development of co-ordinated offshore transmission infrastructure. The Group has met four times to date, details of which are also on the Ofgem website.
Power Stations
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the potential for a new mixed-oxide plant. [69851]
Charles Hendry: The potential for a new mixed oxide (MOX) plant is part of our considerations on the policy options for dealing with the UK's plutonium stockpile, which the Government have been consulting on. While we have not formally announced the outcome of the consultation, our preliminary view, as set out in our paper, was that our plutonium should be reused as mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in reactors. Should we proceed with our preliminary view about reusing plutonium, implementation of this policy would require a new MOX plant.
Renewable Energy
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is undertaking with its EU counterparts to promote renewable deployment. [69865]
Gregory Barker: The UK is working with its EU counterparts as a member of a Concerted Action Network on the Renewable Energy Directive (CA-RES). The CA-RES supports the achievement of national renewable energy targets required by 2020 under the directive. It will focus on topics that require a common approach or which would benefit from the exchange of best practice between member states.
The main objectives of the CA-RES are:
The exchange of experience and best practice between member states on the implementation of the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive
Encouraging dialogue between member states on common approaches to the effective implementation of the directive
Facilitating the process of cross-learning at the EU level and providing support for effective implementation of the directive.
Renewable Energy: Electricity
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of electricity generation he estimates will come from renewable sources in 2020. [69862]
Gregory Barker: DECC estimates that around 30% of electricity generation will need to come from renewable sources by 2020 as part of the effort to meet the 2020 renewable energy target.
We are committed to meeting our renewable energy target and our modelling shows that this is challenging but achievable(1).
(1) Source—UK Renewable Energy Roadmap
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http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/renewable-energy/2167-uk-renewable-energy-roadmap.pdf
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of electricity generation he expects to come from (a) onshore wind, (b) offshore wind and (c) biomass in 2020. [69863]
Gregory Barker: The UK Renewable Energy Roadmap, published in July 2011, provides illustrative ‘central ranges' for deployment for a number of renewable technologies—including onshore wind, offshore wind and biomass electricity—based upon modelling of variables such as technology cost, build rates, and the policy framework.
Using these central ranges, the potential contribution to electricity generation from the following technologies in 2020 is as follows:
(a) onshore wind could contribute between 24-32 TWh, 6-9% of overall electricity generation;
(b) offshore wind could contribute between 33-58 TWh, 9-15% of overall electricity generation;
(c) biomass (including dedicated feedstock, energy from waste, landfill and sewage gas, conversion and co-firing) could contribute between 32-50 TWh, 9-13% of overall electricity generation.
The central ranges do not represent technology specific targets or the level of our ambition. They are based on our current understanding of deployment, costs and non-financial barriers and could change significantly as the market evolves to 2020.
For further information, the Roadmap can be downloaded here:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/renewable-energy/2167-uk-renewable-energy-roadmap.pdf
Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to allow microgenerators to set the sale price of the energy they generate at the same rate as is charged for the energy that they use. [69361]
Charles Hendry: Microgenerators are free to sell their electricity on the open market and can chose to opt out of the export tariff which, since April 2010, has been available to eligible generators as part of the support provided under the feed-in tariffs (FITs) scheme. The export tariff is a guaranteed payment for the amount of electricity exported to the grid and is additional to a payment for the amount of electricity generated and the bill savings associated with using electricity generated on site. Both the export tariff and the generation tariff are linked to the retail prices index and update annually.
The first comprehensive review of FITs is currently underway and is considering all aspects of the scheme, including tariffs and arrangements for exports. We will be consulting on proposals as part of the comprehensive review later this year.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) whether the feed-in tariff contracts for difference payment will be paid for intermittent energy generation in (a) advance or (b) arrears; [69856]
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(2) whether the feed-in tariff contracts for difference payment will be paid for baseload energy generation in (a) advance or (b) arrears. [69857]
Gregory Barker: My officials are currently working on details regarding the implementation of the Feed-in Tariff with Contracts for Difference. A technical update will be published at the turn of the year setting out further detail on the institutional arrangements for delivering the electricity market reforms.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to determine whether a greater certainty of payment in the feed-in tariff contracts for difference will form part of the support package for carbon capture and storage demonstration projects. [69858]
Gregory Barker: The Department is considering several options for providing support to carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects, including through the Feed-In Tariffs with Contracts for Difference in concert with other measures. We intend to set out the broad approach to providing support when we launch the call for the additional CCS projects.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish further details on (a) how and (b) by whom feed-in tariff contracts for difference will be delivered. [69892]
Gregory Barker: My officials are currently working on the detail regarding implementation of the feed-in tariff with Contracts for Difference, and are continuing to discuss aspects with a variety of industry stakeholders. A technical update will be published at the turn of the year setting out further detail on the institutional arrangements for delivering the electricity market reforms.
Renewable Energy: Finance
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the finance and investment community on the provision of finance for anaerobic digestion. [69227]
Gregory Barker: Although I have not had any recent discussions on the provision of finance for anaerobic digestion, DECC has worked in partnership with DEFRA to address the financing challenge for the sector through the Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan which was published in June. The strategy sets out a programme of work for Government and industry to tackle the barriers to deployment of anaerobic digestion. A number of finance and investment companies participated in the discussions of the DECC-led regulation and Finance Working Group which fed into the overarching strategy and put forward actions to help the industry obtain finance. The strategy is available in the Libraries of the House and at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/business/anaerobic-digestion/
Huw Irranca-Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much of the £200 million his Department has allocated to support new
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low-carbon technologies has been spent so far on
(a)
offshore wind manufacturing infrastructure at ports,
(b)
innovation in offshore wind component manufacture and
(c)
the development of marine technologies. [69884]
Charles Hendry: The spending review allocated over £200 million to support low carbon technologies, of which up to £60 million was included to support the establishment of offshore wind manufacturing at port sites in assisted areas in England. Bids for support for this fund, made under the Grant for Business Investment (GBI) scheme are made on a confidential basis. We are working with a number of companies on a commercially confidential basis to take forward this spend. Information on grant offers for sums greater than £75,000 is normally published following the payment of the first instalment of the grant. Publicity of a GBI project before this stage can only take place with the agreement of the applicant company.
The process of allocating the remaining funding to projects over the four year period of the spending review is ongoing but no funds have yet been spent. In June DECC announced, subject to value for money assessments, up to £20 million to support the pre-commercial demonstration of two marine array devices in years three and four of the spending review period; and in July DECC announced, subject to value for money assessments, up to £30 million, for offshore wind technology development. Further information on both these innovation programmes as well as funding allocations for other technologies will be available later this year.
The Carbon Trust receives funding from DECC for offshore wind technology innovation through the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA). DECC has committed in the region of £4 million to the OWA in financial year 2011-12; of which so far £902,000 of work has been completed and £138,000 has been invoiced and paid.
Renewable Energy: Government Assistance
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons his Department did not secure state aid approval in time to implement an increase in the level of financial support available to anaerobic digestion plants on 1 August 2011, as outlined in the consultation on the fast-track review for small-scale low-carbon electricity. [69852]
Gregory Barker: The consultation on the fast-track review of feed-in tariffs for small-scale low carbon electricity (published March 2011) made clear that the proposed increases in tariffs for anaerobic digestion were subject to any necessary state aid approval from the European Commission.
Similarly, the decision document (published June 2011) confirming the outcome of that consultation noted that:
“the increase to the AD tariff requires a more detailed level of scrutiny by the European Commission under State Aid regulations. This may lead to a delay to the introduction of the increased AD tariff which will be introduced on 1 August or the date of state aids approval, whichever is later.”
The process of requesting state aid approval started immediately following the publication of this document. We are currently awaiting the European Commission's decision and have ensured that the new tariffs for AD will apply as soon as state aid clearance is received.
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Renewables Obligation
Mr Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will retain a band within the renewables obligation for biomass combined heat and power generation and grandfather this to the end of the scheme. [69493]
Gregory Barker: A banding review of renewable obligation support for all technologies began in October last year and any change in support for biomass combined heat and power generation will be considered as part of this process.
We intend to launch a consultation on the proposed new bands shortly. Any changes in support levels will be come into effect on 1 April 2013 (1 April 2014 for offshore wind).
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to announce the length of periods of grace that will be offered to new energy generation after the closure of the renewables obligation. [69860]
Gregory Barker: The Government recognise that there is a significant existing renewable electricity investor community, and we aim to prevent a hiatus in renewables deployment while the new Electricity Market Reforms are implemented. Having sought industry views on the best means to transition to a new scheme, Annex D of the Electricity Market Reform White Paper sets out in full the transition arrangements for renewables.
This includes our intention to offer limited grace periods to generation which was due to accredit on or before 31 March 2017, but which was delayed through no fault of its own, by either a change in grid connection date instigated by the transmission or distribution operator or a delay in the agreed installation of radar. We intend that these generators may accredit under the RO and will remain subject to the 2037 end date for the RO. Further details, including the evidence requirements for exercise of the grace period, are still being considered.
We intend to consult on the provision of Banding Review grace periods as part of the forthcoming consultation on the Renewables Obligation Banding Review, where stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on our proposals. Following the Banding Review consultation, our intention is to mirror the Banding Review grace period proposals in the RO Transition.
Solar Power: China
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the introduction by the Chinese Government of a nationwide feed-in tariff incentive scheme for photovoltaic solar installations on the global solar photovoltaic market. [69853]
Gregory Barker:
Like many other countries, China has recently announced a feed-in tariffs scheme. The Chinese scheme has some key differences to the Great Britain feed-in tariffs (FITs) scheme; for example, the Chinese scheme is based on a single tariff level for all installations, with degression over time, whereas the GB
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scheme is differentiated according to technology and installed capacity. Given the size of the potential internal Chinese market for renewable energy development, this announcement could have significant impacts, especially for the global PV industry. DECC officials will continue to follow the progress of the scheme as it is implemented.