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Cabinet Office
Arts and Sports: Public Participation
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess effects of long-term trends in attendance at (a) rock and pop concerts, (b) shows, (c) theatre, (d) football matches, (e) rugby matches and (f) cricket matches on social cohesion; and if he will make a statement. [39008]
John Penrose: I have been asked to reply.
While there are several small-scale studies suggesting a positive benefit on social cohesion of attendance at cultural and sporting events, there is little robust evidence demonstrating the scale of impact or how sport and culture can be best used to promote it. The DCMS-led Culture and Sporting Evidence programme (CASE), run jointly with our main arm's length bodies, aims to provide better evidence on the benefits of engagement in culture and sport. So far we have identified and quantified health and learning impacts, but are collecting data on behaviour change over time to assess a wider range of outcomes including social cohesion.
Sports: Community Development
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the role played by team sports in developing community cohesion and civic society. [39007]
Hugh Robertson: I have been asked to reply.
While there are several small-scale studies suggesting positive benefits of team sports in developing community cohesion and civic society, there is little robust evidence demonstrating the scale of impact. The DCMS-led Culture and Sporting Evidence programme (CASE), run jointly with our main arm’s length bodies, aims to provide better evidence on the benefits of engagement in culture and sport. So far we have identified and quantified health and learning impacts, but are collecting data on behaviour change over time to assess a wider range of outcomes including social cohesion.
Energy and Climate Change
Feed-in Tariff
21. Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress he has made on the feed-in tariff review; and if he will make a statement. [39430]
Gregory Barker: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (David T. C. Davies) today.
Winter Weather
22. Mr Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what advice he has received from the Met Office about likely weather conditions in the winter of 2010-11. [39431]
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Gregory Barker: Near the end of each month (October to January) the Met Office provided forecasts for three months ahead to Cabinet Office. These were shared with the Department.
In each of these forecasts, the most likely scenario for northern Europe was that the following three months would be colder and drier than normal. The October forecast indicated an increased risk of a cold, wintry start.
Low-carbon Technologies
23. Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to stimulate the development of low-carbon technologies; and if he will make a statement. [39432]
Gregory Barker: In addition to supporting the renewables obligation, DECC has secured over £200 million from the spending review to support innovation in low-carbon technologies. This includes offshore wind technology and manufacturing infrastructure at port sites.
However, the total science budget, which includes other low carbon investment is £4.6 billion.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he last met (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss operational models for attracting private sector investment into low-carbon technologies. [39426]
Gregory Barker: Ministers in DECC have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on new ways in which Government can attract private sector investment into low carbon technologies. This includes discussions on the potential form and functions of Europe’s first Green Investment Bank as part of the coalition Government’s commitment towards a green growth agenda.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much Barnett consequential funding his Department has provided to each devolved Administration in (a) 2010-11 to date and (b) each of the last three years; and with which programmes such funding was associated. [39397]
Gregory Barker: In the 2010 Spending Review changes in the budgets of the devolved Administrations were determined by the Barnett formula in the normal way. The settlements for the year 2011-12 to 2014-15 were published in table 2.22 of the 2010 Spending Review document (Cm 7942).
Barnett consequentials relating to each of the devolved Administrations for the year 2008-09 to 2010-11 are published as part of the public expenditure statistical analyses (PESA) supplementary material on the Treasury’s website.
Updated tables taking account of adjustments since the publication of the 2010 edition of PESA will be published alongside the next edition of PESA later this year.
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Information on the block grants paid by the territorial offices to the devolved Administrations is published alongside the main and supplementary estimates.
Departmental Responsibilities
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to abolish his Department. [39709]
Energy: EU Action
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to support the development of a European supergrid. [38769]
Charles Hendry: Through the North Seas Offshore Grid Initiative the Government are working with nine other countries to explore how we might better co-ordinate offshore grid development in the North, Irish and Baltic seas so that we can make the most of our renewable energy resources. The aim is to address the planning, market, regulatory and technical challenges presented by such offshore grid development and create the right framework for industry to invest in future projects. This initiative will not only pave the way for delivery of the North Seas Offshore Grid, but could also help remove the barriers to the other large-scale cross-border infrastructure projects across the EU which together will form the EU supergrid of the future. The Government are also discussing with fellow members of the British- Irish Council the possibility of an ‘All Islands Approach’ to maximising the renewable energy potential around the British Isles, which could involve working together to assess the opportunity for joint renewables projects, better co-ordinating network development and tackling any barriers to greater co-operation.
Energy: Prices
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the change in the number of people who will be classified as fuel poor as a result of increase in energy prices arising from the Renewables Obligation in each of the next five years. [39650]
Gregory Barker: There have been no recent estimates made as to the effect on the increase in the level of energy generated from renewable sources will have on the number of people in fuel poverty.
Government are mindful of the need to strike a balance between increasing costs on customers’ bills and providing measures to tackle fuel poverty.
Fuel Poverty
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2011, Official Report, column 524W, on fuel poverty, what the (a) number and (b) proportion of households in fuel poverty in each Government office region was in each year from 2000 to 2007. [39921]
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Gregory Barker: The following table shows the number of households in fuel poverty in each Government office region in England and Wales for each of the years between 2003 and 2007. This information is only available from 2003 onwards.
| Thousand | |||||
| Government office region | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| n/a = not available | |||||
The equivalent figures for Scotland are shown in the following table. These data are available for 2002 onwards.
| Thousand | |||||
|
|
2002 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2007 |
The following tables show the proportion of households in fuel poverty in each Government office region.
| Percentage | |||||
| Government office region | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| n/a = Not available | |||||
| Percentage | |||||
|
|
2002 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2007 |
Fuel Poverty: Natural Gas
Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of households in fuel poverty which do not have a mains gas connection. [39507]
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Gregory Barker: In England in 2008, the latest year for which these figures are available, around 22% of households in fuel poverty did not have a mains gas connection.
Natural Gas: Safety
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 18 January 2011, Official Report, column 742W, on natural gas: escapes, if he will assess the effect of the practice of (a) Ofgem and (b) the Health and Safety Executive on gathering data on (i) the number of gas escapes awaiting repair and (ii) the monthly number of reported gas escapes on the likely effectiveness of their joint review of the gas main replacement programme. [39367]
Charles Hendry: The Government welcome the review of the gas mains replacement programme by Ofgem and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and expect all relevant data to be taken into account (including records of gas escapes, repairs, costs, etc.). The Government look forward to Ofgem and the HSE reporting in due course.
Nuclear Power: Finance
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that new nuclear power stations do not receive public subsidy; and if he will make a statement. [39417]
Charles Hendry: It is the Government’s policy to enable energy companies to invest in new nuclear power without public subsidy. Government set out what they mean by no public subsidy in a written statement on 18 October.
Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2010, Official Report, column 981W, on Sheffield Forgemasters: finance, whether any formal discussions were held prior to the decision to withdraw the loan to Sheffield Forgemasters. [38273]
Mr Prisk: I have been asked to reply.
No formal discussions were held between the Department and Sheffield Forgemasters prior to the decision not to proceed with the loan.
Solar Power
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will discuss with ministerial colleagues steps to restrict the construction of solar parks on brownfield sites. [37470]
Gregory Barker: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne), regularly discusses all aspects of his portfolio with ministerial colleagues.
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Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether solar photovoltaics installed in social housing will be covered by the first review of the feed-in tariffs scheme. [39759]
Gregory Barker: The comprehensive review of Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) announced on 7 February 2011 will consider all aspects of the FITs scheme, including photovoltaics for all bands and applications, including social housing. It will report before the end of this year for implementation in April 2012. The review will also include specific fast-track consideration of large-scale solar photovoltaic installations of more than 50 kW and fast-track consideration of farm based anaerobic digestion.
The starting point for determining whether an installation would fall above or below the 50 kW threshold is the existing FITs legislation. On this basis, the review of tariffs for installations below 50 kW would not be
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fast-tracked. This is regardless of whether they are installed on private housing or social housing.
The Government fully supports “rent roof” models (third party ownership financial packages), especially in the context of opening up the benefits of FITs to those living in social housing. However, the effectiveness and costs of all elements of the FITs scheme will be considered as part of the comprehensive review which will be tasked with improving the scheme to deliver both greater long term certainty to industry and investors and also value for money to consumers.
Wind Power: Planning Permission
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many decisions on offshore wind farms are pending under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. [38657]
Charles Hendry: There are four section 36 consent applications for offshore wind farms that have yet to be determined by DECC Ministers.