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7 Jan 2008 : Column WA151
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which department or organisation should investigate the apparent discrepancies in numbers of eggs used for research that were brought to the attention of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) on 18 September 2006, given that a letter from the head of research regulation (dated August 2007) states that the HFEA “cannot give a definitive explanation” and also given that the HFEA has yet to describe steps that had already been taken in following a peer reviewer's recommendation to monitor the number of embryos used at the centre concerned. [HL867]
Lord Darzi of Denham: We do not believe that any investigation, of the type indicated in the noble Lord's Question, is required. We are satisfied that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is discharging its duties effectively with regard to the regulation of the use of human eggs donated for research purposes, where the research requires a licence from the HFEA under the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 28 June (WA 160), whether any data on human embryos created using cell nuclear replacement has been made available to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority by research centres; and, if so, how many embryos have been created by those centres. [HL868]
Lord Darzi of Denham: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given on 28 June, (Official Report, col. WA160). The information is not routinely collected by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA publishes inspection reports on licensed research centres that contain statistical information on embryo usage. This would include information on embryos created by cell nuclear replacement for research purposes.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the reply by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 10 December (Official Report, col. 20) relating to whether there is an error in paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill regarding the use of the term “child donor” instead of “patient”, whether they intend to change the wording of this paragraph to be consistent with that for adults in the following new paragraph 10, and to reflect the intention that the stored gametes of the child are to be for their own subsequent fertility treatment, rather than for donation either for research or someone else's fertility treatment. [HL904]
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Lord Darzi of Denham: The Government will consider the noble Lord's comments on the appropriateness of the term “child donor” in the context of the proposed new paragraph 9 of Schedule 3 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, inserted by paragraph 12, Schedule 3 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Energy: Renewables
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
To which companies the revenue raised from buyouts under the renewables obligation has been distributed and in what quantities. [HL871]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Jones of Birmingham): In 2006-07 the buyout fund was £234,439,084. This was distributed between 28 licensed electricity suppliers. Details of the amount of buyout payments recycled and the names of the companies to which these payments have been made are published by Ofgem each year in the renewables obligation annual report. Copies of these reports can be found at: http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Pages/Morelnformation.aspx?docid=73&;refer= Sustainability/Environmnt/RenewablObl. The report for 2006-07 will not be published until early 2008 but details of buyout payments can be found in the Ofgem press release on this matter at http://www.ofgem. gov.uk/Media/PressRel/Documents1/ofgem42.pdf.
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
In light of the positive appraisal of feed-in tariffs in the 2005 Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology report commissioned by the Department for Trade and Industry, why they have not been introduced instead of or in tandem with the renewables obligation. [HL872]
Lord Jones of Birmingham: BERR is not aware of such a report produced in 2005. However, the 2003 Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology report noted that countries with a mix of investment subsidies, fiscal incentive and feed-in laws were generally doing well in terms of encouraging renewable generation. However, the report also noted that quota systems such as the renewables obligation (RO) were in their infancy and might in time prove to be a successful driver for deployment.
Since its introduction in 2002 we have seen renewable generation under the RO more than double from 1.8 per cent in 2002 to 4.4 per cent in 2006. It is a 25-year mechanism and bringing in an alternative so soon after its introduction would undermine investor confidence, potentially resulting in delays to the commissioning of existing and planned projects due to uncertainty over the regulatory regime.
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Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether fiscal incentives to encourage the purchase of electricity from renewable sources are not feasible because of the lack of supply of electricity from renewable sources. [HL873]
Lord Jones of Birmingham: There are a number of fiscal incentives to encourage renewable generation. Renewable generators are exempt from the Climate Change Levy; there is a reduced rate of VAT on microgeneration technologies; microgenerators are also exempt from income tax on any renewable obligation certificates (ROCs) which they sell and electricity which they export; and homes meeting the zero-carbon criteria are exempt from stamp duty up to £500,000.
The renewables obligation is the Government's key mechanism for encouraging new renewable generating capacity. While this is not a fiscal incentive, electricity suppliers are required to purchase electricity from renewable sources and then sell this on to their customers or pay a penalty.
Energy: Severn Barrage
Lord De Mauley asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the feasibility study into the Severn Barrage, promised by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 25 September, will commence; what the process of consultation will be; and whether they will ensure that the study is broad enough to consider all the sustainable options sufficiently thoroughly to establish the optimum solution on both cost and sustainability grounds. [HL788]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Jones of Birmingham): I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my honourable friend the Minister for Energy in the other place on 3 December 2007, Official Report col. 908W, to the honourable Member for Tewkesbury.
Energy: Wood Chips
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the proposed new power station at Port Talbot will use imported wood chips as opposed to home-grown alternatives. [HL534]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Jones of Birmingham): The sourcing of fuel generally is a commercial matter for the company concerned. The Port Talbot plant, however, is subject to sustainability conditions to ensure that any wood for generation comes from an “approved
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Euro: Exchange Rate Intervention
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the Bank of England last intervened in support of the exchange rate of the euro; what was the cost of this intervention; and how much of this amount has since been refunded. [HL1023]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Intervention was last undertaken on 22 September 2000 when the Bank of England, acting as the Government's agent, purchased €85 million against £50 million. This action was taken as part of a concerted intervention by the G7 monetary authorities because of the shared concern about the potential implications of movements in the euro for the world economy. This is explained in the UK official holdings of international reserves publication 4 October 20011.
The Government do not comment on the cost of individual transactions.
Families: Contact Arrangements
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the undertakings given by Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 14 November 2005 (Official Report, cols. 861—3), what progress has been made in commissioning and carrying out research into decisions made by the family court on contact arrangements between a child and his or her non-resident parent. [HL1072]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Following the undertaking given during the passage of the (then) Children and Adoption Bill, the Government commissioned a research project “Making orders for contact between children and parents with whom they do not share a household”. This research is currently underway. The research centres on an analysis of data from just over 300 court files across 11 family courts in England and Wales. This will be supplemented by an analysis of hearing transcripts for a percentage of the files involved, which will provide more detail in respect of the evidence and argument used to inform the court's decision. Short interviews with members of the judiciary, lawyers and CAFCASS officers have also been conducted. The work is progressing well and it is expected that the final report will be completed in the early part of 2008.
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Families: Parents
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there are any definitions in English law of the responsibilities of a parent other than that in the Children Act 1989; and, if so, in which statutes they are to be found. [HL967]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Lord Adonis): The meaning of “parental responsibility” is set out in the Children Act 1989. However, other legislation places responsibilities on parents, such as the requirement of the Education Act 1996 to ensure that parents enable their children to receive education. A full search of all statutes would be a substantial undertaking and can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Fire and Rescue Service: FiReControl
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
What they estimate to be the anticipated total and annual cost savings of the FiReControl project; and how this figure differs from the earliest made estimate. [HL846]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The annual savings on running costs, once the RCCs are up and running, have been estimated at £23 million in both the outline and 2007 versions of the business case. When calculating total project savings, these annual savings need to be set against the Government's total investment in FiReControl—currently estimated at £350 million.
The FiReControl outline business case published in 2005 estimated total overall savings of £42 million (net present value over 15 years). The current business case published in 2007, which follows the award of the IT contract and signing of the buildings lease agreements, provides much greater levels of certainty, and estimates an overall cost of £32 million (net present value over 17 years).
Flooding
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have received concerning the willingness of the Environment Agency to ensure that relevant data on flood risk are made available to those with an interest. [HL572]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Environment Agency makes its flood mapping available on the internet and works with the Association of British Insurers to make data on flood likelihood, and other
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The Environment Agency also makes relevant flood mapping available to other organisations including local authorities and regional government, for use at all levels of spatial and development planning, and for emergency planning; internal drainage boards; emergency services; and utilities, for resilience planning. The data are also available under licence for use for commercial purposes.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to increase the number of flood defences that are in target condition. [HL573]
Lord Rooker: The Government fund a programme of investment through operating authorities (the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards) to increase the proportion of assets in target condition. The programme comprises maintenance, repair and improvements, and is prioritised on the basis of the assets’ contribution to flood risk. The condition of 95 per cent of the Environment Agency flood defence assets is fair or better, as evidenced this summer when 99.8 per cent of the assets tested by the 2007 summer floods performed as expected.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the contribution to flooding made by problems with (a) urban drainage; (b) sewers; (c) gullies; and (d) spillways. [HL678]
Lord Rooker: The Environment Agency estimates that around 60 per cent of property flooding in the summer was due to surface water, which would have been caused by a combination of these issues. No further breakdown is available.
Flooding: Insurance
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions they have had with the insurance industry on the future of flood insurance cover in the United Kingdom. [HL503]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Association of British Insurers (ABI)'s statement of principles sets out the commitments made by ABI members towards the continued availability of flood insurance cover, together with associated commitments by the Government on effective flood risk management. We have a continuing dialogue with the insurance industry at both ministerial and official level and have agreed to work with the ABI to review the statement over the coming months.
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Food: Saturated Fat
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider additional measures to focus public attention on the measurement of saturated fat contents in foodstuffs for sale in British shops; and, if so, what specific steps could be included. [HL884]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The Government have a number of initiatives in place to help consumers be aware of and reduce their intake of saturated fats, including the use of traffic light colour-coded front of pack labels.
Consumer awareness about saturated fat is a key element of the Food Standards Agency's draft saturated fat and energy intake programme, which is being developed for publication early next year. In support of the programme, the FSA has commissioned research into the style of consumer messages that will help to raise awareness about saturated fat in the diet and help consumers to reduce their intakes. This research will be published early next year.
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