MRSA
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to protect public health from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. [83126]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government continue to encourage the national health service to operate a zero tolerance approach to all avoidable methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections.
The NHS Operating Framework 2012-13 (published 24 November 2011) includes a MRSA objective which will require those organisations who have the highest rates of MRSA bloodstream infections to make the largest reductions.
In this way we will continue to build on the significant progress already made by the NHS and move the performance of all organisations towards the level of the best and, consequently reduce infection rates further.
NHS: Expenditure
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely level of (a) over-spending and (b) under-spending for each acute service trust in England in 2011-12. [82931]
Mr Simon Burns: At quarter 1 of 2011-12, there were 66 acute service national health service trusts forecasting an aggregate surplus between them, of £159 million.
At quarter 1 of 2011-12, there were six acute service NHS trusts forecasting an aggregate operating deficit of £170 million. These were South London Healthcare NHS Trust (£65 million), Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust (£40 million), Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (£30 million), Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (£19 million), North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (£10 million) and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (£6 million).
This means that acute service NHS trusts were forecasting a net aggregate operating deficit of £11 million.
The Department is ensuring that the organisations forecasting a deficit have plans in place for financial recovery, while continuing to improve the quality of services to patients.
The breakdown of the forecast surplus for all the acute service NHS trusts is shown in the following table:
29 Nov 2011 : Column 879W
| Acute Service NHS Trust | 2011-12 Quarter 1 Forecast Surplus/(Operating Deficit) (£000) |
|
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust |
|
29 Nov 2011 : Column 880W
|
University Hospital Of North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust |
|
NHS: Innovation
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS Chief Executive expects to publish his report on innovation; and whether the report will consider the uptake of medical technology. [81442]
Mr Simon Burns: The NHS chief executive will publish his report alongside the Autumn Life Science Package shortly on how the adoption and diffusion of innovations can be accelerated across the national health service. The scope of the review covers the spread of innovative technologies, medicines, devices, diagnostics and care pathways. The review will inform the strategic approach to innovation in the modernised NHS. This could include actions for Government, the Department of Health, industry, the National Commissioning Board, the NHS and other sectors.
29 Nov 2011 : Column 881W
NHS: Management Consultants
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of contracts between shadow clinical commissioning groups and private consultancy firms in the next financial year. [83547]
Mr Simon Burns: Emerging clinical commissioning groups do not yet have a legal status and cannot award contracts in their own right. Where they are involved in decisions, they will typically do so as a sub-committee of a primary care trust (PCT). PCTs will remain statutorily responsible and accountable for commissioning NHS services in 2012-13.
NHS: Manpower
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of primary care trust staff he expects to be employed by clinical commissioning groups by April 2013. [83546]
Mr Simon Burns: The impact assessment, published alongside the Health and Social Care Bill, estimated that 57% of primary care trust staff who were in post at the beginning of April 2011 will transfer to the new organisations. This may be in clinical commissioning groups, the NHS Commissioning Board or local authorities.
The impact assessment is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583
A copy has already been placed in the Library.
NHS: Redundancy
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of redundancies of primary care trust and strategic health authority staff in the next financial year. [83545]
Mr Simon Burns: The impact assessment, published alongside the Health and Social Care Bill, estimated that the redundancies resulting from the modernisation will cost £810 million. The estimate for total redundancy costs in primary care trusts is £634 million, and the estimate for strategic health authorities is £84 million.
This upfront cost will result in a £1.5 billion saving per year by 2014-15, which is a one-third reduction in the administrative spending across the system. The upfront costs of the modernisation will be more than recouped from the cost-savings by the end of 2012-13.
The impact assessment is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583
A copy has been placed in the Library.
NHS: Training
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of medical staff working in the NHS in each of the last 10 years were trained outside the UK. [83041]
29 Nov 2011 : Column 882W
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally. The Information Centre for health and social care collects data on the number of medical staff broken down by country of primary medical qualification. The following table shows the percentage of medical staff qualified outside the United Kingdom.
| Hospital and Community Health Services: All medical staff and the percentage of medical staff qualified outside the UK, England as at 30 September each year | ||
|
|
AH medical staff (Number) | Qualified outside the UK (Percentage) |
| (1 )This is a percentage of the total medical staff whose country of primary medical qualification is known. Note: The new headcount methodology for 2010 data is not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census | ||
Pancreatic Cancer
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Study for Survival report, published by Pancreatic Cancer UK in September 2011. [83609]
Paul Burstow: We are committed to improving outcomes for all cancer patients, including those with pancreatic cancer. On 12 January, we published “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer” which sets out how we intend to tackle preventable cancer incidence, improve the quality and efficiency of cancer services and deliver outcomes that are comparable with the best in Europe. The strategy sets out an ambition to save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through earlier diagnosis of cancer and improved access to screening and radiotherapy.
Departmental officials have had informal discussions with Pancreatic Cancer UK about the Study for Survival report.
Patient Choice Schemes
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the choose and book system. [83385]
Mr Simon Burns: Choose and book is in use in every primary care trust and national health service provider organisation across England as well as many independent sector provider organisations who deliver services commissioned by the NHS. 94% of all general practitioner (GP) practices made bookings through choose and book in the last reporting month.
Since 2004, over 32 million patient referrals have been booked via choose and book and there is an average of over 30,000 patients a day whose appointments are
29 Nov 2011 : Column 883W
booked using the system. This includes 50% of GP referrals to first outpatient services and an increasing number of referrals to other services, including those to allied health professionals, diagnostic and community services and GPs with specialist interests.
The following benefits have been reported by users of choose and book:
greater choice of providers as the services listed not only include those that are provided in hospitals but also those that are provided in other settings;
a reduction in referral to treatment time for patients which may lead to shorter care pathways;
increased security of referral information and reliability of booking processes;
increased appropriateness of referrals;
efficiency savings compared to a paper-based process as technology replaces manual booking processes; and
a reduction in did not attend (missed) appointments.
A survey of patient views about choose and book was carried out by the Department in April 2010. The findings were as follows:
89% of patients stated that choose and book was ‘Good' or ‘Excellent';
95% of patients thought it was ‘Easy' or ‘Very Easy' to obtain an appointment through choose and book;
56% of patients agreed or strongly agreed that choose and book had improved the management of their referral;
77% ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed' that choose and book had reduced the time to receive an appointment;
59% of patients were able to get an appointment for their chosen date and time (note, out-patient clinics are normally held on specific days and times); and
89% of patients reported being able to go to the hospital of their own choice.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sir Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of (a) cervical cancer and (b) genital warts have been recorded in each year since 1981. [83556]
Paul Burstow: Information concerning the number of new cases of cervical cancer and new and recurrent cases of genital warts diagnosed in each year since 1981 up to the year of latest data availability has been set out in the following tables:
| Cervical cancer registrations | |
|
|
Incidence |
29 Nov 2011 : Column 884W
| Notes: 1. Cervical cancer is coded as 180 in the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and C53 in the Tenth Revision (ICD-10). 2. Figures exclude non-residents. 3. Newly-diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. 4. Latest data available are for 2009. 5. This information has been provided by the Office for National Statistics. | |
| Genital warts (first and recurrent episodes) | ||
| Country | Year | Total |
29 Nov 2011 : Column 885W
| Notes: 1. Data on unknown gender are included in the 'Total' column. 2. The data available from the KC60 (2008 and earlier) and GUMCAD (2009 onwards) returns are for diagnoses made in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics only. A recent study of genital warts cases (first and recurrence) seen in GUM clinics and in general practice in 2008 has found most cases seen in general practice were referred on to GUM clinics and estimated that around only 5% of cases were seen in general practice only, i.e. figures in the table may represent up to 95% of cases. 3. The data available from the KC60 and GUMCAD returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. 4. The information provided is based on reported data from GUM clinics in England (1981-2010) and Wales (1981-89) that have been adjusted for missing clinic data. 5. England only data are not available before 1990. 6. Data are not available for 2011. | ||
Sexually Transmitted Infections: Vaccination
Sir Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to (a) make and (b) announce a decision on whether to proceed with a new vaccination programme for protection against cervical cancer; and what consideration he has given in making that decision in respect of the need for protection against genital warts. [83554]
Anne Milton:
On 24 November 2011, the Department announced that following a procurement exercise conducted through competitive tendering for the further supply of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, a three-year contract has been awarded to Sanofi Pasteur MSD for supply of Gardasil®. Vaccine from this contract will be used from September 2012. The award criteria used in the evaluation
29 Nov 2011 : Column 886W
took into account protection against cervical cancer, non-cervical cancers, and genital warts.
A copy of the award criteria has been placed in the Library.
Sir Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of females aged over 15 years who have received protection by vaccination against (a) cervical cancer and (b) genital warts. [83555]
Anne Milton: By 31 August 2011, we estimate 1.1 million females aged 16 or older in England had received the full course of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (Cervarix®) that provides protection against cervical cancer. This is the vaccine offered in the routine HPV immunisation programme.
Data on the number of females that have received the HPV vaccine (Gardasil®), that also provides protection against genital warts, are not held centrally.
Wales
Departmental Publications
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) leaflets, (b) posters and (c) reports her Department has published since May 2010; how much each cost; and which company (i) published and (ii) designed each. [83011]
Mr David Jones: The information requested is shown in the following table:
|
|
Number |
|
Cost (£) | Designed and published |
Copies are in the Library of the House.
Women and Equalities
Remploy
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what estimate she has made of the cost of maintaining the Remploy factory networks and keeping employment services in the public sector for the next 18 years; and what estimate she has made of the cost of closing the Remploy pension scheme. [80422]
Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply.
The Government consultation on the recommendations of the Sayce report closed on 17 October 2011, and nearly 1400 responses were received. It will take time to analyse the consultation responses in detail and carefully consider the implications for future policy. We will publish a summary of responses received and a statement on future policy as soon as practicably possible.
Importantly, the Government have not made any decisions on these points and sought views through the consultation, by encouraging the widest possible range of people and organisations to respond, including people who work for Remploy or on behalf of its employees in particular.
The future costs of Remploy are dependent on the future policy decisions. Therefore it is not possible to estimate running costs over an 18-month period. The Government funding to Remploy in 2009-10 was £129.95 million. The Remploy accounts for 2010-11 will be published shortly.
Transport
A14: Cambridgeshire
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with stakeholders on upgrading the A14 in Cambridgeshire; and if she will make a statement. [83534]
29 Nov 2011 : Column 887W
Mike Penning: Over the last several months my Department's officials have been engaging with local stakeholders, working together to set up the A14 Study. The study seeks to identify cost effective and practical proposals that bring benefits and relieve congestion, looking across modes to ensure we develop sustainable proposals. This approach will also provide an opportunity for the private sector to play its part in developing schemes to tackle existing problems in the corridor. The study steering group met in July, and agreed first steps for the study. The study is now under way.
Air Passenger Duty
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with Ministers in HM Treasury on changes to air passenger duty following the extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to the aviation sector. [82935]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has regular discussions with HM Treasury on a range of aviation issues. Decisions on matters concerning taxation are taken by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Government remains committed to the inclusion of aviation in the EU emissions trading system from 1 January 2012.
Aviation: Economic Growth
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the report from the British Chambers of Commerce on aviation policy's effect on economic growth. [82938]
Mrs Villiers: The Government issued an aviation policy scoping document in March 2011, calling for evidence on a range of strategic issues. The British Chambers of Commerce produced the report ‘Flying in the Face of Jobs and Growth’ in response to the scoping document. We are reviewing the findings of this report alongside the many contributions to the debate about our future aviation policy. We will issue a Sustainable Framework for UK Aviation for public consultation in spring 2012.
Aviation: Regulation
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in reducing the burden of regulation in the aviation sector. [82937]
Mrs Villiers: The Government are currently undertaking a review of the existing stock of regulation with a view to removing over burdensome regulatory legislation.
As part of this process, in May next year the public and businesses will be invited to submit ideas for regulations in the aviation sector that might be amended or revoked so as to reduce their burden on the industry or on the public as a whole.
Carbon Emissions: Greater London
Mr Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received supporting a delay to the application of the Euro4 emission standards in the London low emission zones from January 2012. [80749]
29 Nov 2011 : Column 888W
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport is aware of the strong views of some operators about the new phase of the London low emission zone; however, this scheme is the responsibility of the Mayor of London. Therefore applications to delay introduction of the standards should be made to the Mayor.
Mr Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate she has made of the cost to the haulage industry of complying with the Euro4 emission standards in the London low emission zones to be introduced in January 2012; [80750]
(2) what estimate she has made of the cost to the haulage industry of complying with the Euro5 emission standards in the London Low Emission Zones. [80751]
Mrs Villiers: The London Low Emission Zone is the responsibility of the Mayor of London. Therefore, it would be for the Mayor and Transport for London to assess the compliance costs of the scheme on the haulage industry.
Cycling
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to encourage more people to ride bicycles to their place of work since 2010. [83435]
Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 737W.
Cycling: Highway Code
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on steps to stop cyclists breaking the Highway Code. [82961]
Mike Penning: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on this issue. The enforcement of cycling offences is, however, an operational matter for individual chief officers of police.
Cycling: Safety
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps her Department has taken to increase the safety of cyclists on roads. [82962]
Mike Penning: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 15 November 2011, Official Report, column 770W.
Official Cars
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles have been purchased for the use of Government Ministers since June 2010; and where each such vehicle was manufactured. [82722]
Mike Penning: The Government Car Service has purchased four cars for ministerial use since June 2010. All of these were manufactured in the United Kingdom.
29 Nov 2011 : Column 889W
Fuels: EU Action
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings her Department has had with (a) representatives of the Canadian Government and (b) businesses on the proposed EU directive on fuel quality. [82326]
Norman Baker: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has not held any meetings with the representatives of the Canadian Government or oil companies regarding the Fuel Quality Directive since joining the Department in October.
Department for Transport Ministers and officials have had numerous meetings with various stakeholders including representatives of oil companies, biofuel producers, trade associations representing the transport fuels industry, UK and international non-governmental organisations (including those representing environmental and social issues), the European Commission, European member states and the Canadian Government to discuss all aspects of the Fuel Quality Directive and will continue to do so as necessary.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether an environmental impact assessment for High Speed 2 will include further detailed analysis on the estimate contained in the HS2 Appraisal of Sustainability on the level of carbon emissions produced by the project; and if she will make a statement. [83561]
Justine Greening: Should I make a decision to proceed with the high speed rail scheme, the environmental impact assessment and accompanying environmental statement that would inform the hybrid Bill process would include a detailed assessment of carbon.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the environmental impact assessment for High Speed 2 will include detailed analysis of the potential effect of the project on sites of special scientific interest; and if she will make a statement. [83562]
Justine Greening: Should I make a decision to proceed with the high speed rail scheme, the environmental impact assessment and accompanying environmental statement that would inform the hybrid Bill process would include a detailed analysis of potential impacts on sites of special scientific interest.
Identification: Photographs
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to ensure a competitive market for the provision of ID photographs for driving licences and passports. [82898]
Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 22 November 2011, Official Report, columns 257-8W, with regard to the provision of photographs for driving licences and passports. Customers wishing to obtain a driving licence have three channels that they can use to provide a photograph. There is effective competition between the three channels driven by customer choice.
29 Nov 2011 : Column 890W
Motorways: Speed Limits
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations her Department has received on its consultation on increasing motorway speed limits to 80 mph. [79693]
Mike Penning [holding answer 10 November 2011]: The Department has not issued a consultation about increasing motorway speed limits to 80 mph. The Department has received many representations both for and against increasing the motorway speed limit, since the announcement was made on 3 October of an intention to consult about this soon.
Ports: Economic Growth
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the importance of sea port capacity for economic growth potential. [82375]
Mike Penning: The Government consider sea port capacity to be vitally important in facilitating growth in an island economy which has limited alternatives available to the use of sea transport for the movement of freight and bulk commodities. This is reflected in the National Policy Statement for Ports, which is currently before Parliament.
Ports: Radioactive Materials
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times radioactive monitors deployed at UK ports or airports have identified radioactively contaminated foodstuffs from Japan on ships or aircrafts on arrival since 11 March 2011; and what was done with the foodstuffs on each such occasion. [83054]
Damian Green: I have been asked to reply.
Since 11 March 2011 no radioactively contaminated foodstuffs from Japan were detected by UK Border Agency monitors deployed at UK ports and airports.
Rail Value for Money Review
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external consultants were contracted to work on the McNulty Review on rail value for money; what regular checks were made for potential conflicts of interests; and whether any conflicts of interests were declared. [R] [83169]
Mrs Villiers: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 708-9W, to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood (Maria Eagle), which sets out the details of consultants contracted to work on the McNulty review of Rail Value for Money.
Consultants, by the terms of the contract, were required to declare existing or potential conflicts of interest prior to, and through the life of, the contract.
The McNulty Review was an independent study and as such the Department does not hold records of the ongoing scrutiny undertaken by the study team.
29 Nov 2011 : Column 891W
Railways: Accidents
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents with runaway trolleys there have been on the rail network since 15 February 2004; and if she will make a statement. [82347]
Mrs Villiers: The Department is aware of five incidents of runaway trolleys that have been reported to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) since RAIB became operational in October 2005. All five of these have been subject to a RAIB investigation.
Issues of operational rail safety, and the reporting and recording of these, are primarily a matter for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), as well as the relevant rail industry duty holders. The hon. Member may wish to contact the ORR for further information at the following address:
Office of Rail Regulation
1 Kemble street
London
WC2B 4AN
Railways: Overcrowding
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will encourage train companies to allow standard class ticket holders to sit in first class seats during periods of overcrowding. [83436]
Mrs Villiers: It is an operational matter for train operators to decide whether and, if so, in what circumstances to allow holders of standard class passengers to use first class accommodation (where available). This is permitted under Condition 39 of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.
Railways: Private Sector
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate her Department has made of the amount of private sector investment in the railway industry in each of the last 10 years; [R] [83164]
(2) what estimate her Department has made of the amount of investment train operating companies have made in the railway industry in each of the last 10 years; [R] [83165]
(3) what estimate her Department has made of the amount of public subsidy in the railway industry in each of the last 10 years; [R] [83167]
Mrs Villiers: Details of private investment in the rail industry, including that made by train operating companies, along with Government support to the rail industry, is published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in National Rail Trends. This is available on the ORR's website at:
www.rail-reg.gov.uk
Railways: Safety
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to prevent children from playing on or near railway tracks. [83433]
29 Nov 2011 : Column 892W
Mrs Villiers: Initiatives to prevent children from playing on or near the railway are for Network Rail to develop in the first instance. The company deploys a range of national and local initiatives to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of the railway.
Roads: Accidents
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatal vehicle accidents have occurred where a visitor to the UK driving on the wrong side of the road was a contributory factor in the last 10 years. [83535]
Mike Penning: Table 1 shows the number of reported fatal road accidents which had “inexperience of driving on the left” as a contributory factor, in Great Britain for the period 2005-10. However, it is not known how many drivers involved in such accidents were visitors to Great Britain, or if they were driving on the wrong side of the road at the time of the accident.
Information on contributory factors to road accidents has been collected since 1 January 2005. Please note that contributory factors are reported only for injury road accidents where a police officer attended the scene and reported at least one contributory factor. These factors are largely subjective, reflecting the attending officer's opinion at the time of reporting. It is recognised that subsequent enquires could lead to the reporting officer changing his/her opinion.
| Table 1: N umber of fatal road accidents (1) with “inexperience of driving on the left” reported as a contributory factor, GB, 2005-10 | |
| Year of accident | Number of fatal road accidents |
| (1) Includes only road accidents where a police officer attended the scene and in which a contributory factor was reported. | |
Roads: Fees and Charges
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have received funding from the Transport Innovation Fund for work on road-pricing in each year since the scheme was created. [82940]
Norman Baker: The Transport Innovation Fund was aimed at measures that incorporated demand management and which formed a coherent anti-congestion strategy. The guidance published in January 2006 stated that the Department would be most likely to fund packages that involved road pricing, but might, by exception, be prepared to consider bids involving a workplace parking levy.
The Department's records indicate the following authorities received Transport Innovation Fund Pump Priming monies:
| £000 | |||
| Authorities | 2005-06 to 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
29 Nov 2011 : Column 893W
| (1) Bristol City, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset councils (2) Nottingham, Derby, Leicester city councils, and Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire county councils (3) The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Therefore, totals may not be the sum of their components due to rounding. | |||
Roads: Lighting
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to encourage local councils to improve street lighting. [83432]
Norman Baker: It is for each local highway authority to decide what level of service they wish their street lighting network to deliver. Local highway authorities have a duty, under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, to maintain the public highways in their charge. The duty to maintain the highway includes street lighting. Authorities do not have a duty to light any particular parts of their networks but, where lighting has been provided, the authority has a duty to maintain it.
The Department for Transport is providing £3 billion over the four years from 2011-12 to local highway authorities in England (excluding London) for highways maintenance which can be used for. the street lighting assets. In addition, the Department has approved long-term funding for 32 local authority street lighting projects (including London) with total annuity value for these projects of £2.5 billion.
The Department for Transport is also a member of the UK Lighting Board, a sector led group that meets quarterly to develop and share best practice on the improvement of street lighting. We also endorse the UK Lighting Board's code of practice for highway lighting management, well-lit highways, available at:
http://ukroadsboard.org/en/UKRLG-and-boards/uk-lighting-board/welllit-highways.cfm
This code sets out a framework of recommended guidance and standards for authorities to follow.
Shipping: Inspections
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many safety inspections were carried out on ships using UK ports in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the country of registration was of each ship inspected; what the result was of the inspection was in each case; and whether any penalties were imposed. [83345]
29 Nov 2011 : Column 894W
Mike Penning: During this period the total number of inspections of ships visiting UK ports was 1,852.
In view of the quantity of data involved the detailed information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Imposition of penalties in relation to ship inspections is normally by detaining a ship found to be unfit to be at sea until the deficiency has been rectified. Ship detentions have been included in the report provided.
Shipping: Rescue Services
Dr Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans her Department has put in place for a maritime emergency in the South West that requires an emergency towing vehicle with a 200 ton bullard pull capability. [82406]
Mike Penning: HM Coastguard Coordination Centres actively monitor shipping using the automatic identification system (AIS) and will proactively contact ships that are observed to be stopped at sea or behaving erratically. Arrangements have been put in place to monitor tug availability in the waters around the UK and the Coastguard will encourage ship masters, owners and their insurers to take early action to summon tug assistance should ships get into difficulty or become disabled. Coastguards will also advise the principal salvage and towage brokers about the existence of disabled vessels so that they can match market capabilities with demand.
Additionally, HM Coastguard has long-standing arrangements with ports, harbours and tug brokers for the supply of tugs in an emergency situation, and the coastguard agreement on salvage and towage (CAST) provides a further option for the provision of emergency towing.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial model her Department used to estimate the savings that would be made by the removal of emergency towing vessels; and what provision she has made for funding the potential costs of any future major pollution incident. [80629]
Mike Penning: The decision to withdraw the emergency towing vessels (ETVs) was part of the comprehensive spending review package announced in October 2010, and reflected the Government’s judgment about the balance of risk of pollution around the UK coast in the event of a maritime accident. This decision was based on the then current running costs of the ETV contract, and the determination that the costs of any future pollution incident will be borne by the polluter on a cost recovery basis.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is for her policy that the coastguard agreement on salvage and towage is a suitable alternative to the provision of emergency towing vessels; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that the safety standards provided by the emergency towing vessels are maintained. [80632]
29 Nov 2011 : Column 895W
Mike Penning: The Government have taken the view that it is the responsibility of shipowners and operators to protect their interests by engaging commercial tugs and salvors when their ships get into difficulty.
The relevant coastguard co-ordination centres are actively monitoring shipping using the automatic identification system (AIS), and will be proactive in contacting ships that are observed to be stopped at sea or behaving erratically.
The coastguard agreement on salvage and towage (CAST) was not developed to be a like-for-like alternative to the provision of emergency towing vessels (ETVs). The CAST provides tug assistance of last resort, with the cost potentially being borne by Government. It facilitates the prompt hire of tugs on pre-agreed terms, where towage assistance is not immediately available or forthcoming. This also provides the Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSREP) with a means to exercise his powers of direction and intervention on maritime salvage and pollution prevention.
SS Richard Montgomery
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment her Department has made of the safety of the wreck of SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames estuary; and if she will make a statement. [82781]
Mike Penning: The latest information on the SS Richard Montgomery was published on 5 September 2011 giving a summary report of the 2008 and 2009 SS Richard Montgomery surveys. A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House. More recent surveys have been done and the results are still being assessed.
Thameslink: Rolling Stock
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2011, Official Report, column 610W, on Thameslink railway line: rolling stock, what the value was of Interfleet's contract with Siemens in each case where there was a potential conflict of interest. [R] [81314]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 22 November 2011]:The detail of these contracts is a matter between Siemens and Interfleet rather than the Department.
Transport Sector Transparency Board
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she will publish the minutes of the (a) September and (b) November 2011 meetings of the Transport Sector Transparency Board. [83338]
Mrs Villiers: I have agreed to the publication of the minutes of the Transport Sector Transparency Board. The minutes of the September and November meetings will be published on the Department for Transport website within the next two weeks. All subsequent board meeting minutes will also be published on the website.
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Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information he has on the annual average number of lorry movements associated with a biomass generating plant of (a) 10MW, (b) 20MW and (c) 100MW capacity. [83032]
Gregory Barker: The Department does not hold this information.
Lorry movements and other potential impacts associated with new biomass generating plant are considered within the planning process. For proposed plants of 50 MW or below the application is considered by the local planning authority in the normal planning regime. Above that threshold, the Department continues to process legacy applications under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. However, with effect from 1 March 2010 any new applications for nationally significant energy infrastructure projects (50 MW and above onshore) are handled under the Planning Act 2008 regime. Information on recent and current Section 36 applications is available from the DECC Energy Infrastructure online portal(1); applications under the Planning Act 2008 regime are available on the Infrastructure Planning Commission's website(2).
(1) Note:
https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/EIP/pages/overview.htm
(2) Note:
http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/
In April we introduced sustainability criteria to the Renewables Obligation that includes a requirement for power plant operators to report annually on the greenhouse gas emissions lifecycle of their biomass electricity. The lifecycle includes consideration of the emissions associated with the transport of the biomass feedstocks as well as cultivation and processing. This requirement applies to existing as well as new biomass generating plant.
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the average proportion of stemwood combusted in biomass generating plants in the UK in each of the last five years. [83646]
Gregory Barker: The sustainability reporting requirements under the renewables obligation (RO) do not require operators to provide this level of detail.
The types of wood reported to Ofgem as combusted in biomass generating stations include brash, recycled wood, wood from tree surgery, forestry and timber processing rejects, forest stumps, sawmill co-products and offcuts, forestry waste wood, wood pellets, recycled fibre, small roundwood, sawdust and sawmill chip. Of these, only brash and forest stumps would be considered as sources that specifically exclude stemwood content. Other sources except roundwood may contain a mix of stemwood and non-stemwood.
Wood provided around 36% of the five million tonnes of solid biomass and energy crop reported as feedstocks in the renewables obligation (RO) returns for 2010-11.
The returns submitted to Ofgem give a total of 1.82 million tonnes of wood as combusted from April 2010 to March 2011. 16,088 tonnes, around 0.9% of the total wood, was reported as sourced from brash and/or forest stumps.
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Wood provided around 53% of the 4.1 million tonnes of solid biomass and energy crop reported as feedstocks in the renewables obligation returns for 2009-10.
The returns submitted to Ofgem give a total of 2.14 million tonnes of wood combusted from April 2009 to March 2010. 21,330 tonnes, equivalent to around 1% of the total wood, was reported as sourced from brash and/or forest stumps.
Biomass sustainability reporting was introduced under the renewables obligation in April 2009.
We do not hold data prior to this date.
Boilers
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of domestic properties without a condensing boiler. [82698]
Gregory Barker: There are around 26 million dwellings in Great Britain. 2009, the last year for which official figures have been published, shows that there are approximately 22 million gas and oil boilers, an estimated six million condensing boilers, and 16 million non-condensing boilers. Over 1.5 million new condensing gas boilers are installed each year. The remaining four million dwellings use a mix of electric, solid fuel or district heating to heat their homes.
Carbon Reduction Commitment
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the recently published carbon reduction commitment energy efficiency league tables; and if he will make a statement. [83495]
Gregory Barker: The first CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme performance league table clearly shows organisations who have taken clear action on energy management prior to the start of the scheme. The level of interest and coverage around the publication of the league table shows that organisations, trade press, consumers and investors have a real interest in comparing the energy efficiency performance of competing organisations. It is therefore anticipated that this annual publication will act as a reputational driver for many organisations to give energy efficiency higher priority.
Carbon Sequestration: Contracts
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) when he plans to start the tender process for the UK carbon capture and storage demonstration project; [82184]
(2) whether the UK tender process and associated funding for the carbon capture and storage programme will be completed in time to meet the deadline for the European Union ER300 programme. [82185]
Charles Hendry:
The Government remains firmly committed to carbon capture and storage (CCS) and there are a number of promising projects proposed in the UK. We will launch a streamlined selection process for future CCS projects as soon as possible and my Department will expand on our plans later this year. I
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can confirm that the £1 billion remains available for this. We recognise the benefit of aligning the UK selection process with the NER300 programme and are making every effort to achieve this.
Climate Change: International Co-operation
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his priorities will be for the forthcoming Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; and if he will make a statement. [83533]
Gregory Barker: The Government are committed to making further progress at the Conference of the Parties in Durban on implementing what we achieved at Cancun last year by continuing to put in place the global climate architecture (including for climate finance, adaptation, forests, technology and measuring and reporting emissions). We also want to make progress towards a single legally binding instrument which commits all major economies to binding targets to lower their emissions and, recognising that the emissions reduction pledges on the table so far are collectively not ambitious enough to be consistent with keeping the increase in global temperatures below 2°, we need to make progress in reaching, a common understanding on the size of this gap and how we can close it.
Food Procurement
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that the same standards of animal welfare for whole eggs apply to imported liquefied eggs procured by (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible. [83784]
Gregory Barker: The Government Buying Standards mandatory criteria in respect of eggs currently apply to fresh, in-shell eggs. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will be making necessary changes to the Government Buying Standards mandatory criteria to ensure eggs produced in conventional cages, an illegal production system across the EU after 2012, should not be used in any form whether this is fresh, powdered or liquid.
DECC receives its catering services through a contract procured by DEFRA, and so through this contract will comply with this mandatory criteria. DECC will also ensure that its NDPBs are alerted to this forthcoming mandatory criteria.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of food sourced by (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible was procured from UK food producers in the latest period for which figures are available. [83785]
Gregory Barker: DECC receives its catering services through a contract procured by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). DEFRA is working with the caterer to ensure that Government Buying Standards are met in full.
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The percentage of food under the contract between May and September 2011 that was sourced from the UK was:
Meat: 43.5%
Poultry: 67.1%
Fruit and vegetable: 23.3% of total, 38.5% of indigenous.
In relation to those DECC non-departmental public bodies who have contracts covering catering:
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's (NDA) facilities management provider is responsible for the provision of catering through a contract with an external catering company. The NDA do not hold figures on the proportion of food sourced from UK producers.
The Coal Authority currently procure 95% of food from UK producers.
Press Releases
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that significant policy announcements from his Department are made in the House prior to their release to the media. [83441]
Gregory Barker: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 23 November 2011, Official Report, column 313, during the Annual Energy Statement debate.
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral statement of 23 November 2011 on the Annual Energy Statement, if he will publish the media strategy in relation to his announcement listing all media interviews (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department carried out prior to the oral statement in the House. [83442]
Gregory Barker: No such interviews were given prior to the oral statement.
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral statement of 23 November 2011 on the Annual Energy Statement, with which third parties his Department discussed the Annual Energy Statement prior to his oral statement to the House. [83443]
Gregory Barker: Neither the Annual Energy Statement, nor any of the documents published alongside it, were shared with any third parties prior to the oral statement.
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral statement of 23 November 2011 on the annual energy statement, if he will publish the media grid his Department used in relation to that statement, including the (a) journalists and (b) media outlets that received briefings; and when such briefings took place. [83444]
Gregory Barker: No journalists or media outlets were given briefings on the content of the oral statement of 23 November 2011, Official Report, columns 299-302, until after it had taken place.
Mr Bone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral statement of 23 November 2011 on the annual energy statement, if
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he will instigate an inquiry on disclosure by the media of the annual energy statement prior to it being made to the House. [83445]
Gregory Barker: Neither the annual energy statement, nor any of the documents published alongside it, were shared with the media prior to the oral statement of 23 November 2011, Official Report, columns 299-302.
Diesel Fuel: Refineries
Dr Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps the Government is taking to increase the UK’s diesel refining capacity. [83854]
Charles Hendry: The Department recognises that petroleum products will remain a major component of the UK’s primary energy mix for at least the next 20 years. We are working with other Government Departments and the UK refining industry to develop a strategic policy framework for the UK refining sector. Part of this work will consider a number of future development scenarios for UK refining, including enhanced diesel and jet fuel manufacturing capacity, in terms of their potential security of supply and wider economic implications, and will examine the range of EU and UK policies that impact upon the sector.
Electricity Generation
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many gallons of water are required to produce one megawatt hour of energy in the UK from (a) solar PV, (b) solar thermal, (c) wind, (d) coal, (e) oil, (f) biofuel, (g) nuclear and (h) geothermal. [83030]
Gregory Barker: We do not have figures for the amount of water used to produce one megawatt hour of energy in the UK from different primary energy sources.
Water is used at three main stages in the production of energy: when extracting resources such as coal, oil and uranium; while processing fuels; and during energy conversion, such as in a thermal power station. There have been many studies trying to estimate the “water footprint” of producing energy, but most only look at one or more of these stages and so do not give a complete picture.
Energy: Conservation
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change by what percentage he expects the (a) Green Deal and (b) Energy Companies Obligation to reduce the UK's energy consumption; what his policy is regarding the proposed EU Energy Efficiency Directive; and if he will make a statement. [83563]
Gregory Barker:
An impact assessment of the Green Deal and ECO was published alongside the draft statutory instruments on 23 November 2011. This stated that, under the Government's preferred option, the policy would deliver 21 TWh of energy savings in 2020. This is
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approximately 1.3% of the UK's projected final energy consumption in 2020. The impact assessment can be found here:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/green_deal/green_deal.aspx
There is a considerable level of uncertainty around both the estimates of energy savings and final energy consumption. The actual levels of take-up of energy efficiency measures will be influenced by a wide range of factors including energy prices and consumer attitudes towards the Green Deal.
The Government support the aims and objectives of the proposed EU energy efficiency directive but believe that many of the proposed requirements are over-prescriptive with the potential to cut across the policy framework in the UK. We will therefore be seeking much greater flexibility for member states while at the same time securing directive that delivers energy savings across the EU.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made any assessment of the (a) costs and (b) benefits of (i) consumption targets and (ii) intensity targets for energy efficiency; and if he will make a statement. [83565]
Gregory Barker: The UK already has an indicative target for energy savings by 2016 under the EU energy end use efficiency and services directive. The UK is expected to exceed this target and, compared to the baseline, UK policy measures will lead to more than 200TWh energy savings by 2016.(1)
The European Commission has also proposed, in the draft energy efficiency directive, that member states set themselves an indicative primary energy consumption target for 2020, and that member states establish energy efficiency obligation schemes requiring all energy suppliers (or distributors) to meet an annual energy-saving target based on energy sales in the previous year. However, as negotiations are still in process, it is unclear what form these targets might ultimately take and what, if any, target the UK might subsequently adopt. Therefore, we are not currently able to assess any associated costs and benefits.
(1 )DECC, UK report on articles 4 and 14 of the EU end-use efficiency and energy services directive, July 2011
Energy: EU Action
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with their EU counterparts on (i) the Green Deal and (ii) the Green Investment Bank; and if he will make a statement. [83566]
Gregory Barker:
I discussed the Green Deal specifically with Katherina Reiche, from the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) during my visit to Berlin earlier this year. Energy efficiency issues and the Green Investment Bank have come up in the course of my more general discussions with a range of EU counterparts. Officials have discussed the Green Deal and GIB with counterparts in several EU institutions and EU member states including the Netherlands,
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Germany and Ireland. Green Deal officials have also had discussions with the European Investment Bank over the last year.
Energy: Housing
Mr Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will issue guidance to local authorities pursuant to the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 on the installation in residential accommodation of (a) micro combined heat and power boilers and (b) passive flue gas heat recovery systems; and if he will make a statement. [82856]
Gregory Barker: The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) requires local authorities (LAs) to report on action to improve the energy efficiency in their residential accommodation. The Government's proposals for the Green Deal will fundamentally alter the landscape against which LAs will fulfil this requirement.
The Green Deal consultation document was published on 23 November and Annex A sets out the eligible measures. Both micro combined heat and power boilers and passive flue gas heat recovery systems are included.
LAs will need to time to consider the Green Deal proposals and what this means for their local energy efficiency plans. We therefore propose to issue new HECA guidance in spring 2012.
Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) whether he proposes to issue guidance to local authorities regarding the excuse of their responsibilities under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; and whether such guidance will include (a) targets for local authorities regarding increases in home energy efficiency, (b) targets for local authorities to reduce the number of households in fuel poverty and (c) ways in which community groups, local businesses and other local people may be involved in helping to deliver reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases, greater energy efficiency and local green energy; [83557]
(2) pursuant to the contribution by the Minister of State in his Department, the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle, of 10 May 2011, Official Report, column 1103, on Second Reading of the Energy Bill [Lords], what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to breathe new life into the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; [83558]
(3) if, in exercise of the power conferred on him by section 4(2) of the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995, he will issue guidance to local authorities as to what levels of improvements in energy efficiency are to be regarded as significant. [83560]
Gregory Barker: The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) requires local authorities (LAs) with housing responsibilities to report on action to improve the energy efficiency in their residential accommodation. The Government's proposals for the Green Deal will fundamentally alter the landscape against which LAs will fulfil this requirement.
The Green Deal consultation document was published on 23 November and we aim to have final proposals available early next year. LAs will need to time to consider the Green Deal proposals and what this means
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for their plans for energy efficiency locally. With this in mind we therefore propose to issue new HECA guidance in spring 2012.
We are currently considering the future scope of guidance under HECA and will develop proposals in partnership with local government in the context of DECC's Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Government Association.
Energy: Meters
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to ensure smart meters are provided to all residential gas and electricity customers. [82634]
Charles Hendry: The Government will place regulatory obligations on energy suppliers that will require them to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters for all their domestic and smaller non-domestic customers by the completion date in 2019.
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether households will be able to choose not to have a smart meter installed if they have concerns about the health effects of exposure to radio frequency, such as non-thermal health effects. [82918]
Charles Hendry: We expect the benefits of smart meters, such as providing consumers with control over their energy usage and an end to estimated bills, will lead to demand for them from consumers.
To ensure that all customers are able to benefit from smart meters, we will require suppliers to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters. However, we recognise that there may be some circumstances where it would not be practical to install a smart meter.
We have made it clear that we do not expect suppliers to seek an entry warrant simply to fit a smart meter and it will not be an offence for householders to refuse to accept a smart meter.
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2011, Official Report, column 491W, on meters: radio frequencies, what recent steps he has taken to alleviate concerns of people who experience non-thermal health effects of exposure to electromagnetic microwave radiation. [82920]
Charles Hendry: We have continued to engage with a wide range of stakeholders in the development of the smart meters programme. For example, the consultation on the technical specification of smart meters was sent to a wide variety of stakeholders for their consideration, including those that have an interest in health issues. The draft technical specification includes reference to the fact that, to be compliant, a smart meter must comply with the internationally agreed guidelines set out by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
We also continue to respond to letters and inquiries as they come through to us, including those from members of the public or stakeholder bodies who have questions about electromagnetic sensitivity and smart meters.
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Energy: Prices
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made an estimate of the number of energy customers who switched suppliers (a) once and (b) twice or more in each of the last five years. [82159]
Charles Hendry: The following table shows the number of customers who have switched from one supplier to another during the last five years.
| Million | ||
|
|
Electricity | Gas |
The data are collected by Ofgem and do not show how many times a customer may have switched.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to ensure that all customers can access the best energy deals regardless of their financial situation. [82878]
Charles Hendry: Ofgem is responsible for regulating gas and electricity supply, including the rules that govern a supplier's right to block a customer from accessing other gas or electricity deals if an amount remains outstanding on their energy account 28 days after it has been formally demanded. If a customer wishes to switch, their supplier will issue a blocking notice which requires the customer to repay the debt within 30 working days in order for the switch to proceed.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps (a) he and (b) Ofgem plan to take to monitor the pricing practices of energy companies in respect of (i) doorstep selling and (ii) pre-payment meters. [82879]
Charles Hendry: Ofgem is responsible for regulating gas and electricity supply, including the marketing activities used by supply companies and energy tariffs. In 2009, Ofgem brought in new rules on (i) doorstep selling, that require any information used during the sales process to be complete, accurate and not misleading and (ii) pricing, including rules to prevent unfair price differentials, such as those between different payment methods. It is for Ofgem to investigate any allegations of the rules being breached and to take any necessary action.
Ofgem are currently investigating a number of suppliers regarding their compliance with their doorstep selling rules and Ofgem have also reported on the effectiveness of their rules on cost reflective pricing. They have found that prepayment meter (PPM) customers now pay, on average, £20 less than standard credit customers for their gas and electricity. They have also found that direct debit customers now pay, on average, £70 less than PPM for gas and electricity, which is within the £88 indicative cost difference between providing and servicing a PPM compared to a direct debit account,
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identified by Ofgem. A copy of the full Ofgem Retail Market Report is available online at:
www.ofgem.gov.uk/Markets/RetMkts/rmr/Documents1/RMR_FINAL.pdf
We support Ofgem's actions in tackling unjustified tariff premiums to ensure consumers do not lose out and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has also announced that the Government are considering giving Ofgem additional powers to secure redress for consumers where they have lost out as a result of a licence or energy regulation breach.
Feed-in Tariffs
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on (a) his proposed reforms to feed-in tariffs and (b) the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and the Association in 2010; and if he will make a statement. [82692]
Gregory Barker: The Local Government Association (LGA) have been actively involved in discussions on the review of the feed-in tariffs (FITs) scheme.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and councillor Richard Kemp of the LGA in March 2011, and was discussed at a meeting on 28 November between the Secretary of State and the LGA.
Fuel Poverty: Cancer
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has considered providing support to cancer patients in fuel poverty to find the most appropriate tariff for their energy supplies. [83476]
Gregory Barker: The eligibility criteria and type of support provided within the Warm Home Discount scheme were considered in the Warm Home Discount consultation and accompanying impact assessment. These documents, together with the Government's response are available via:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/warmhome/warmhome.aspx
This year I am aware that a number of energy suppliers are working with Macmillan Cancer Support under the industry initiatives section of the Warm Home Discount scheme to provide support to cancer patients in fuel poverty and I fully support these initiatives.
Fuel Poverty: Preston
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in Preston constituency living in fuel poverty. [83929]
Gregory Barker: Estimates for the numbers of pensioners in fuel poverty are not made on a sub-regional basis. The number of households in the Preston constituency in fuel poverty in 2009 was 9,500 (25% of households in the Preston constituency).
In England in 2009, 2,045,000 households containing someone aged 60 or over were in fuel poverty (27%).
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Green Deal Scheme: Solar Power
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 the uptake of solar photovoltaics in residential buildings. [83324]
Gregory Barker: The proposed energy efficiency requirement set out in the 31 October consultation on the feed-in tariffs scheme is intended to provide an additional incentive for the uptake of the Green Deal, as households improving their energy efficiency will have access to higher tariffs for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations.
The legal framework and supporting guidance that is needed for the Green Deal will be in place by October 2012. In the consultation we are proposing as a transitional measure that solar PV installations between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013 would have 12 months from their eligibility date to meet the energy efficiency requirement.
Nuclear Installations: Safety
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to receive the Office for Nuclear Regulation's first report on the state of security in the civil nuclear industry and the effectiveness of security regulation; and what plans he has to distribute the report. [82309]
Charles Hendry: The latest report was published on 21 November 2011 and is available in the House Library and on the Health and Safety Executive's website. The report states that, for the period it covers, the civil nuclear industry applied the relevant security regulations in accordance with the standards required of it and that those regulations achieved the purpose for which they were designed.
Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the feed-in tariff scheme has been taken up by (a) investors and (b) individual home and business owners. [81367]
Gregory Barker: The Ofgem Central Feed-in Tariffs Register does not make a specific distinction between FITs payments received by investors and those received by individual home/business owners. However, the register (as at 23 November 2011) does show that of the 109,810 installations in total, 97.7% are domestic, 1.7% are commercial, 0.1% are industrial and 0.6% are community installations.
The most recent available figures also show that for 19.6% of solar photovoltaic installations, the generator or nominated recipient was in receipt of FITs payments for more than one PV installations.
Renewable Energy: Heating
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will meet representatives from the oil-fired heating industry to discuss the inclusion of bioliquids in the renewable heat incentive. [81452]
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Gregory Barker: As stated in the renewable heat incentive policy document (published in March), we are considering whether to support bioliquids as part of developing the second phase of the scheme.
I have asked my officials to engage with Oftec (Oil Firing Technical Association) who represent members of the oil-fired heating industry. They have provided useful evidence which we are considering. I therefore do not propose to meet members of the oil-fired heating industry at this time.
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will meet representatives from the oil-fired heating industry to discuss the inclusion of bioliquids in the Renewable Heat Incentive. [82068]
Gregory Barker: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today to question 81452.
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to decide whether to include bioliquids in the renewable heat incentive; and when he plans to announce his decision. [83526]
Gregory Barker: As stated in the renewable heat incentive policy document (published in March), we are considering whether to support bioliquids as part of developing the second phase of the scheme. In the light of the later than expected launch of phase 1 of the renewable heat incentive and of the changes required by the European Commission, we are reviewing the timetable for the introduction of phase 2 and will confirm the timetable early next year.
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will meet representatives from the Oil Firing Technical Association to discuss the inclusion of bioliquids in the renewable heat incentive. [83528]
Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter) today to question 81452.
Social Rented Housing: Energy
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what recent assessment he has made of the effect of rising energy prices on housing revenue account tenanted properties; [83647]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the effect of rising energy prices on the cost of communal heating in housing revenue account tenanted properties. [83648]
Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
No such assessment has been made for housing revenue account tenanted properties.