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All renewable energy is included within the renewable category, whereas by normal statistical convention, primary renewable energy sources (eg wind, wave) would be included within "primary electricity". Figures shown in the "electricity" category represent net electricity imports.



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Environment: Areas of Outstanding Beauty

Questions

Asked by Lord Greaves

The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): In deciding upon the location and design of required transmission infrastructure a balance has to be struck between a number of concerns including delivering new transmission network to meet our climate change objectives and security of supply needs, protecting the local environment, and the cost to consumers. The planning system enables all stakeholders to have their views considered when decisions are made.

Any assessments on undergrounding existing transmission lines are a matter for Ofgem and the network operators and would be carried out as part of the price control review mechanism through which the transmission network companies are regulated.

Asked by Lord Greaves

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It is for the planning system to decide upon the location of required transmission infrastructure and the framework is in place to allow all relevant concerns, including environmental impacts, to be fully considered when making such decisions.

Environment: Uplands

Question

Asked by Lord Greaves

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Davies of Oldham): Natural England's report on the vision for the upland environment in 2060 is a helpful contribution to the debate on the future of the

14 Jan 2010 : Column WA173

English uplands. The English uplands are some of our most iconic areas, providing vital environmental benefits in the form of biodiversity, natural resource protection and valued historic landscapes. The Government remain committed to supporting upland farmers in England for their crucial role in maintaining the upland landscape and environment. This is why we will shortly be launching our new upland entry level stewardship scheme to reward farmers for environmentally beneficial land management practices, with the first agreements starting from July 2010.

EU: UK Resident Citizens

Question

Asked by Lord Wallace of Saltaire

Lord Brett: The last time the FCO gathered these figures was for the period April 2006 to March 2007.

The results for the EU states are provided below:

Country-Estimated Size of the British National Community

Austria

7,369

Belgium

39,867

Bulgaria

1,700

Cyprus

60,000

Czech Republic

3,183

Denmark

13,183

Estonia

220

Finland

4,350

France

381,000

Germany

115,554

Greece

31,470

Hungary

2,640

Ireland

112,548

Italy

71,990

Latvia

400

Lithuania

250

Luxembourg

4,480

Malta

6,000

Netherlands

73,600

Poland

2,531

Portugal

34,624

Romania

6,000

Slovakia

1,000

Slovenia

157

Spain

840,989

Sweden

15,000

Food: Breast Milk

Questions

Asked by Lord Avebury



14 Jan 2010 : Column WA174

Baroness Thornton: In 2007, the Government asked an expert group to look at the effectiveness of new provisions in the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007. These set tighter controls on the marketing and advertising of these products in line with the principles and aims of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

The expert group has engaged with a wide range of relevant interests, including United Kingdom companies providing breast milk substitutes. We expect the expert group to report shortly on its findings.

Asked by Lord Avebury

Baroness Thornton: In 2007, the Government introduced new provisions in the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007. These set tighter controls on the marketing and advertising of these products, implementing European Commission Directive 2006/141/EC which revised existing measures on the marketing of breast milk substitutes, giving effect to the principles and aims of World Health Organization (WHO) Code of Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes.

At the same time, the Government asked an expert group to assess the effectiveness of these measures on the way breast milk substitutes (know as infant formula and follow-on formula) are advertised and presented. We expect the expert group to report shortly on its findings.

Asked by Lord Avebury

Baroness Thornton: In 2007, the Government put in place the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (England) Regulations 2007, which sets tighter controls on the marketing and advertising of these products and implements European Commission Directive 2006/141/EC. This directive gives effect to the principles and aims of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

The Government also set up an independent review of the effectiveness of the revised measures on the way infant formula and follow-on formula are advertised and presented. We are awaiting the final report of this review.

Food: Imports

Question

Asked by Lord Tebbit



14 Jan 2010 : Column WA175

Baroness Thornton: The use of sewage sludge in animal feed has been specifically prohibited in European feed legislation since 1991.

Government Departments: Bonuses

Questions

Asked by Lord Newby

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): An element of the Communities and Local

14 Jan 2010 : Column WA176

Government overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives.

Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards for the SCS is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.

The table below details how many people were eligible for and received a non-consolidated variable pay awards and the average and the maximum payment for a non-consolidated variable pay award, by civil service band, awarded under the Communities and Local Government standard pay and performance management process for the three most recent financial years.

Financial Year 2007-08Financial Year 2008-09Financial year 2009/2010
SCSNon-SCSSCSNon-SCSSCSNon-SCS

Number of staff eligible for non-consolidated performance payment

121

2188

132

2015

134

1940

Number of staff who received a non- consolidated performance payment

102

391

100

570

99

Information not yet available

Average value of non-consolidated performance payment

6,513

850

8,200

752

7,262

Information not yet available

The value of maximum non- consolidated payment

16,270

850

20,500

850

12,500

Information not yet available

Percentage of SCS paybill set aside for non-consolidated performance payments

6.5

N/A

7.6

N/A

8.6

N/A

In addition, two individuals employed on a SCS non-standard form contract, which links a higher than normal percentage of their pay to delivery-based objectives, received a non-consolidated award of £12,500 for their performance in 2009-10, and one individual in 2008-09 received a non-consolidated award of £16,270 in 2007-08.


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