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Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, the Minister's predecessor, the noble Baroness, Lady Ashton of Upholland, stated in a letter addressed to me, dated 28 April 2004, that,
Does the Minister stand by that statement, and will he assure the House that further education establishments will not be penalised if they do not meet quotas for admissions that OFFA may decide to set in future?
Lord Adonis: My Lords, admissions are entirely a matter for universities as independent entities, and the Government are not changing that position.
Electricity Generation
2.44 pm
Lord Dubs asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of the United Kingdom's future electricity needs they expect to be generated in the longer term by (a) land-based and (b) sea-based wind farms.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): My Lords, the Government have a target of 10 per cent renewable electricity to be generated by 2010 and an aspiration to double that by 2020. There are no targets for individual technologies, and the Government's main mechanism for developing renewable generation—the renewable obligation—is technology neutral. However, current assessment suggests that around 7 per cent of electricity could be generated from on-shore and off-shore wind by 2010. Our best estimate at the moment is that 4 per cent of that will be from on-shore wind and 3 per cent from off-shore wind. After 2010, we expect an increasing contribution from off-shore wind and other renewable technologies such as wave and tidal.
Lord Dubs: My Lords, what my noble friend has said is welcome news. Given the resistance from some quarters to the siting of wind farms, would my noble friend consider putting more emphasis on sea-based wind farms than on land-based wind farms? Secondly, if they are to be on land, what about abutting motorways with wind farms? There could surely be no environmental objections to having them along the motorways—or, at least, those stretches where there is plenty of wind to operate.
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, we cannot rely solely on off-shore wind, as that presents a more complex technical challenge and is twice the cost of on-shore wind. To achieve our targets we need both
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on-shore and off-shore wind. Putting wind farms along motorways sounds an interesting idea, but it is for developers to decide what are the best opportunities from a commercial and environmental point of view.
Lord Ezra: My Lords, in view of the fact that wind power is intermittent and requires back-up, are the Government contemplating other ways in which electricity could be generated with reduced emissions?
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, there is obviously an issue with the intermittency of wind power, but it does not become a major consideration until one reaches about 20 per cent of electricity generated from wind. Of course, we are looking at all the other possible technologies and supporting them financially. We are spending just over £500 million between 2002 and 2008 on emerging renewable and low carbon technologies. As noble Lords know, that includes a £50 million marine deployment fund. So we are looking at other sources as well.
Lord Jenkin of Roding: My Lords, in the Energy Act of last year, Parliament gave the Government power to pay an additional subsidy for the transmission of electricity from remote renewable sites. When is that work going to begin?
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, one of the important issues with achieving our target for wind power and renewables is that we do not have problems with the upgrade of the transmission lines, particularly from Scotland. Those are now going ahead, but there is obviously the question of where the costs fall, which is still being determined. That is clearly one of the issues that is important if we are to achieve that target.
Lord Tanlaw: My Lords, because wind power is intermittent, what work is being done on using it to create hydrogen, which could be stored much more effectively than electricity? Does the Minister agree with me that, while there is a literary precedent for windmills being mistaken for giants, there is no military precedent—as far as I am aware—of them being mistaken for hostile enemy aircraft? Will he say when the Ministry of Defence is going to reduce its blanket objection to planning permission in south-west Scotland for all applications for wind farms, regardless of where they are and for how many?
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, obviously, energy storage is one of the issues on which there is a considerable amount of research. I do not believe that it is fair to say that the MoD has a blanket approach to the question of wind turbines. We have established a working group to bring together all the stakeholders on this issue, which is making good progress. No planning inquiries are being held up due to objections from the MoD.
The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, do the Government have a policy relating to the size of on-shore
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wind farms, and the maximum or minimum number of turbines, as they are very intrusive? Is there some government-based policy in that regard, as the use of wind farms becomes more frequent?
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, I do not believe that there is any policy on that. It is obviously a question for those responsible for planning permission to consider.
Lord Mackie of Benshie: My Lords, the main objection, in Scotland at any rate, is to large groups of wind farms. How much progress is being made on individual farms, to which the objections are obviously very much less and where it can be quite profitable for the farmer? How many individual competent windmills of some size have been put up on individual farms and estates?
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, I cannot give those figures. I shall write to the noble Lord with a figure, if we have one, regarding where only single wind turbines have been raised.
Lord Dixon-Smith: My Lords, has the Minister given any consideration to the siting of wind farms in urban areas, where there is no countryside left to despoil?
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, that is perhaps one of the least practical suggestions that has been made in this House. I am sure that this matter is given serious consideration by developers looking to obtain planning permission for wind farms.
Kent and Sussex: Water Shortages
2.51 pm
Baroness Trumpington asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have taken account of possible water shortages arising from current and planned housing programmes in Kent and Sussex; and, if so, what action they propose to take.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Baroness Andrews): My Lords, before I answer the Question, perhaps I may say how delighted we are at the great honour that the noble Baroness has received at the hands of Her Majesty this weekend. As Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, we will hold her in even greater awe and affection.
In looking at house-building programmes in Kent and Sussex, we are determined to achieve sustainable development. To that end, we are advised by the Environment Agency, which has been working alongside all the local water supply companies on operational needs and future plans. Evidence suggests a requirement for both improved demand management and new
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investment in capital projects, but that these together will enable sufficient water supplies for the necessary growth in housing.
Baroness Trumpington: My Lords, I very much thank the Minister for her kind remarks and wonder whether she would agree that this is a moment to quote "Hello, Dolly!", namely:
Having said that, is the Minister aware that a hosepipe ban was imposed yesterday on the area that I have in mind, and that it must have been known well before any plans were made for increased housing that there has been a constant water shortage in that area? There have been more water shortages in that area than anywhere else in England and long before they occurred in other parts of England. That has been so well known that I find it incredible that the building is continuing.
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