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24 Oct 2007 : Column WA109
24 Oct 2007 : Column WA109
24 Oct 2007 : Column WA109
Wednesday 24 October 2007
Advice
Baroness Thomas of Winchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the extent of the unmet need for independent advice in the United Kingdom; and whether they anticipate that this need will grow over the next five years. [HL5491]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Our understanding of people's need for independent advice draws on several areas of research. In 2006, the Legal Services Research Centre, the independent research arm of the Legal Services Commission (LSC), published the second edition of Causes of Action: Civil Law and Social Justice, which was the most in-depth study ever made of client experiences of civil law, including of the availability and value of advice. The study was funded by the LSC and the then Department for Constitutional Affairs, and followed on from earlier studies. A copy is available in the House Library.
The Government believe that although the successful application of their policies has acted to address the need for some types of advice, substantial need remains. Causes of Action demonstrates that people experiencing a cluster of inter-related problems are at particular risk of social exclusion, and the LSC and other public bodies are developing their strategies for advice provision to tackle this issue.
The Public Legal Education and Support Task Force also considered how to help people recognise when they may need support, what sort of advice is available, and how to go about getting it. The task force published its report Developing Capable Citizens: the Role of Public Legal Education in July 2007. A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Airports: Heathrow
Baroness Tonge asked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions the Department for Transport has had with BAA since September 2006 in connection with its work on the project for the sustainable development of Heathrow; and whether the Government and the authority have met for this purpose; and [HL5562]
Whether they will include BAA in the list of consultees in the forthcoming consultation on the project for the sustainable development of Heathrow. [HL5563]
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Lord Bassam of Brighton: Our programme of work since the 2003 air transport White Paper to assess the prospects for further development at Heathrow has been carried out with the involvement of BAA and other key parties, as was explicitly proposed at the time of the White Paper. The Department for Transport has led this work and has continued to draw on the airport operator's technical and operational expertise in regular meetings over the period.
As interested parties BAA will be included in the list of consultees and have the opportunity to respond to the consultation. That the consultation could not have been prepared without appropriate input from BAA should not deprive it of the opportunity to comment on the Government's findings.
Broadcasting: Allocation of Spectrum
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will take steps to ensure that charities, educational bodies and other socially valuable organisations will be able to secure spectrum in the auction proposed by Ofcom to allocate spectrum released under the Digital Dividend Review. [HL5520]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Spectrum management is a matter for Ofcom, subject to power of direction from Ministers. The Government have a clear policy of using market mechanisms to allocate spectrum as this is the best way of identifying the most valuable use to which it can be put, and Ofcom's proposal to auction the Digital Dividend spectrum accords with this. If a use of spectrum is deemed to have particularly high social value, it is in principle a matter for relevant stakeholders and their funding bodies to raise the necessary funds in order to access spectrum, if this is what they believe to be the best use of their resources.
The threshold for government intervention in order to secure spectrum for any potential use is extremely high, as it would preclude other, potentially more valuable users from gaining access to valuable capacity.
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that proper parliamentary consideration is given before spectrum is sold or allocated by Ofcom as part of the Digital Dividend Review. [HL5521]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The allocation of the spectrum released by digital switchover is a matter for Ofcom, subject to the power of direction from Ministers. There are no current plans for a parliamentary debate on this issue. However, the Government welcome Ofcom's engagement with all interested parties, including honourable Members, throughout the consultation process for the Digital Dividend Review, and expect that this will continue until the publication of Ofcom's statement on this consultation.
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Broadcasting: Social Value
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to ensure that socially valuable broadcasting content remains freely available across a wide range of channels after the transition to digital broadcasting. [HL5522]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government recognise the social value of diverse high-quality broadcasting as is delivered through the public service broadcasting system. Sustaining plurality of public service broadcasting provision will be a key consideration of the Government's review of funding for PSB beyond the BBC, which will commence once the conclusions of Ofcom's current PSB review are available.
Buses
Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any mechanism exists which could oblige property developers to provide compensation for the physical inconvenience caused to bus travellers when bus stops are suspended for extended periods in order to facilitate commercial redevelopment. [HL5611]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): There is no mechanism within the planning system through which compensation could be provided to bus travellers inconvenienced by the suspension of bus stops. However, we would expect the highway authority and bus operator to liaise with each other over the suspension of any bus stop. Some local authorities operate voluntary considerate contractor schemes to encourage building contractors to carry out their activities with due regard to pedestrians and other road users.
Elections: Registration
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, by asking the Electoral Commission to consider the matter or otherwise, they are considering changes to the arrangements for electoral registration in order to avoid potential problems of disenfranchisement of electors in parliamentary elections that may be called in autumn and winter before the coming into operation of the new electoral registers following the annual canvass. [HL5480]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): In July 2007, the Electoral Commission issued guidance to electoral registration officers about the 2007 annual canvass in which they recommended procedures to be followed should any type of election be called during this period, to ensure that all eligible electors are registered to vote. This guidance combined with the fact that eligible electors can now personally choose to register up to 11 days before polling day provides
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Energy: Renewables
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the 20 per cent renewables target agreed with the Council of Europe in March should be taken as the target for domestic energy supply by 2020 as well as an overall European Union target. [HL5553]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Jones of Birmingham): No. EU Heads of Government agreed unanimously in March that differentiated national overall targets should be derived with member states' full involvement, with due regard to a fair and adequate allocation taking account of different national starting points and potentials, including the existing levels of renewable energies and energy mix.
Energy: Sewage
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What new steps they will take to promote the use of new technologies for producing energy and fuel from sewage treatment separation and processing, including sludge conversion, hydrogen output and microbial fuel cells in inorganic residues. [HL5413]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Jones of Birmingham): The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is supporting three principal research activities within UK universities on the production of energy from human sewage treatment.
The Biological Fuel Cells consortium is directly investigating the use of sewage sludge for electricity generation. The project is studying the use of bacteria found in waste and the optimisation of the system through new synthetic enzymes and novel electrode technology.
The UK Sustainable Hydrogen Economy Consortium is investigating the development and optimisation of the biological generation of sustainable hydrogen by dark fermentation of biomass. This work is concerned with sewage as one of a range of waste materials as a hydrogen source.
The Intensified Integrated Bio-Refinery project is a consortium of five universities funded as part of the EPSRC Green Chemistry initiative. In this project,
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Electricity generation from sewage is also eligible for support under the renewables obligation (RO). The Government have consulted on proposals to reform the RO and are considering how best to allocate support to different technologies in light of consultation with all interested groups, including those planning to produce energy from sewage. Details of the obligation and the recent consultation can be found at www.berr.gov.uk/consultations/page13960.html.
Energy: Thermal Cells
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
What evaluation they have made of the use of thermal-energy cells in power generation for domestic use. [HL5586]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Jones of Birmingham): We are aware of one company (Ecowatts) which works on “thermal-energy cells”. However, it is not the role of government to validate claims from individuals or companies. At the request of the company Ecowatts, officials from the then DTI's energy group met them to discuss potential sources of funding for the device developed by the company. It was explained that two government-funded programmes were potentially available:
the DTI's technology programme which offered support for pre-commercial, collaborative research and development projects; andthe DTI's hydrogen, fuel cell, carbon abatement technology programme (HFCCAT) which offered support for technology demonstrations.Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
What contact they have had with Ecowatts of Lancing, West Sussex, on the development of thermal-energy cells. [HL5587]
Lord Jones of Birmingham: At the request of the company, officials from the then DTI’s energy group met company representatives last year.
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
What contact they have had with the University of York on their research into the technology used in thermal-energy cell power generation. [HL5588]
Lord Jones of Birmingham: None.
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EU: Regional Funding
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the European Commission is considering fining the United Kingdom or reclaiming or withdrawing grant in relation to schemes in the North West of England; if so, from which budgets such penalties will be provided; and which schemes will not be funded as a result. [HL5665]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Commission has indicated that it may impose a financial correction on the north-west Objective 2 programme. We are carrying out further work to reassure the Commission as a matter of urgency and to minimise any potential correction before a final decision is taken.
Any potential correction is likely to be deducted from claims already made to the EC and as such would ultimately come from CLG resources. Her Majesty's Government have a contingent liability in place for £62 million in the current year. We will continue to reimburse projects for all eligible expenditure.
Families
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have considered or will consider encouraging a limit to the size of families by the use of incentives. [HL5629]
Lord Davies of Oldham: No. The Government's support for families is based on help for all families, recognising the costs of bringing up children, with more for those who need it most. Financial support for families with children is delivered primarily through child benefit and child tax credits, and is paid in respect of each child.
Government: Regional Assemblies
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): I refer the noble Lord to the Statement made by my honourable friend the Minister for Local Government on 17 July, (Official Report, col. 161-162) announcing the publication of the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration. The review sets out the Government's proposals for the future of regional institutions including regional assemblies. The Government will consult further later this year on how to implement these reforms.
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Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much each regional assembly spends annually on internal administration; and what is this figure expressed as a total of the annual budget of each assembly. [HL5707]
Baroness Andrews: Information on regional assemblies' administration budgets is not held centrally.
Total Communities and Local Government grant to regional assemblies in 2007-08 is tabled below.
| Regional Chambers Fund 2007-08 | |
| Regional Assembly | Total CLG funding—£'s |
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