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Energy: Severn Barrage
Lord Moran asked Her Majesty's Government:
Who are the members of the consortium to manage an environmental assessment of the proposed Severn barrage. [HL3792]
Lord Bach: The members and roles of the consortium to manage the strategic environmental assessment of proposals for tidal power development in the Severn estuary are listed below:
Lord Moran asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the likely cost of the two-year environmental assessment of the proposed Severn barrage. [HL3793]
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Lord Bach: The total cost of the contract to manage the two-year strategic environmental assessment of proposals for tidal power development in the Severn estuary is £3.634 million, though there may be some additional costs if the scoping phase identifies a need for further work, such as extra environmental research studies and field surveys.
EU: Small Business
Lord Willoughby de Broke asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to exempt businesses employing fewer than 20 people from the forthcoming European Small Business Act. [HL3641]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Baroness Vadera): The Small Business Act has been welcomed by UK Government. It will not be a legislative measure—its aim will be to set principles and outline measures to improve the framework conditions for European small businesses, while taking full account of their diversity. It will cover a range of policy areas; for example, the impact on small business of EU regulations, facilitating access to finance and helping them enter new markets, including the single market.
Small businesses regularly say that their key concern is the disproportionate burden of regulation on them and so our priority is to see a bold set of measures within the Small Business Act to reduce regulatory burdens coming from the EU. It is as part of this “better regulation” element that we are pressing the European Commission systematically to consider, where possible, exempting small businesses with fewer than 20 employees from EU regulation, as we plan to do for domestic regulations. Where exemption is not possible, either for legal or policy reasons, we suggest the Commission should work with small firms to design specific approaches for them, including simplified enforcement and effective guidance.
We continue to work with the Commission and other member states in developing a Small Business Act that will support Europe's small businesses and encourage their growth.
Flooding: Recovery Funding
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by Baroness Andrews on 6 May (WS 16—17), what is the balance of the extra funding for flood recovery from the European Union to be allocated to the Northern Irish and Welsh devolved Administrations; and whether, if it is over £0.4 million, the sum of £30.6 million for England is all new money.[HL3822]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The net benefit to the United Kingdom from the successful application to the EU Solidarity Fund, after taking account of the abatement and EU budgetary increases, is £31 million. Of this, the Welsh Assembly Government and the
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Glass
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the response by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 13 May (Official Report, col. 992) concerning the use of safety glass in pubs, whether there is a British Standard which a local authority could specify; and, if not, whether they have any proposals to introduce such a standard. [HL3755]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: There is a British Standard for multi-trip glass bottles for beer and cider (glass bottles used more than once). This is BS6118:1981. At present, there are no British Standards for the use of safety glass in pubs. Home Office officials are working with academic experts in materials to explore the scope to produce a safer alternative to glass which could be used in pubs and clubs as outlined in Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy, published in June 2007.
Gulf War Veterans
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 12 December 2007 (WA 54—5) about the handling of the case of Gulf War veteran the late Mr T E Walker, what information they have on the holding of an inquest into his death and its outcome. [HL3712]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Newcastle-upon-Tyne coroner is conducting the inquest into Mr Walker's death. He adjourned the inquest in December at the request of Mr Walker's parents, so that he could receive and consider representations about its scope. The coroner will set a date for the inquest to be resumed.
Heritage Lottery Fund: Archive Collections
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund to fund the purchase of archive collections were successful in each of the financial years 1994—95 to 2006—07. [HL3582]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has provided the following information about the percentage of applications to fund the purchase of archive collections which were successful in the financial years from 1994-95 to 2006-07:
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