Hansard - United Kingdom Parliament

123W
Written Answers
20 JUNE 2011
Written Answers
124W
Mr Prisk [holding answer 16 June 2011]: The UK
Trade & Investment Inquiry Service received 24,476
trade and investment inquiries by telephone and e-mail
in 2010-11. The Inquiry Service do not record where an
inquiry originates.
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Change
David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change what estimate of average
global temperature his Department and its predecessors
used when considering policies on climate change in
each of the last 15 years. [61059]
Gregory Barker: During the past 15 years, DECC
and its predecessors have taken note of the annual
global average surface temperature estimates made by
the UK Met Office and Climatic Research Unit, and
NASA and NOAA in the United States. These have
been published in various journals and assessed by the
IPCC and other scientific bodies.
During this period all these analyses show yearly and
short term temperature fluctuations, which are due to
natural variations in the climate system, and a continuing
underlying upward trend in global temperatures. It is
the long-term upward trend in the temperature record
that is the main reason for concern over climate change.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State
for Energy and Climate Change whether his
Department has plans to generate low-carbon energy
from its estate. [61218]
Gregory Barker: The Department has a very small
estate and has authority over only two buildings, 3
Whitehall Place and 55 Whitehall in London. As part of
our strategy for reducing the carbon emissions from our
estate and operations, we have plans to explore the
feasibility of generating low carbon energy at these
buildings.
Departmental Procurement
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change what progress his
Department has made in encouraging small businesses
to bid for Government contracts. [60186]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and
Climate Change (DECC) has introduced the following
policies to encourage small and medium sized entities
(SMEs) to bid for its contracts:
Disclosure of more information about public procurement
opportunities, including information about major projects in the
pipeline for small businesses and social enterprises to view. The
Department’s contracts with a value of over £10,000 are now
published in full online and free of charge through the procurement
web-portal “Contracts Finder”.
For all procurements under the EU threshold, the Department
has eliminated pre- qualification questionnaires which may previously
have deterred or ruled out SMEs from bidding.
The Department is now recording separately business transacted
with SMEs. This will help target actions to increase the level of
contracts awarded to SMEs and monitor the effectiveness of
those actions .
The Department encourages early supplier involvement, where
possible through bidders’ conferences, in order to promote wider
market engagement at the pre- procurement stage.
The Department encourages innovation in contract specifications
and, where appropriate, innovation is included as part of the
evaluation criteria of tender exercises. This helps encourage the
smaller enterprises that tend to operate in the energy innovation
field.
Electric Cables
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy
and Climate Change what discussions he has had with
Ofgem on provisions to minimise the visual impact of
overhead power lines on landscapes. [60088]
Charles Hendry: To date, engagement by the Department
of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) with Ofgem on
the visual impact of overhead power lines has been at
official level as part of Ofgem’s next transmission price
control review (RIIO-T1). This has involved bilateral
discussions, correspondence and participation at stakeholder
events such as the Price Control Review Forum and
RIIO Working Groups. Where new and replacement
pylons are required, DECC is keen to support the
development of the most visually acceptable overhead
solutions. The Royal Institute of British Architects is
therefore running a competition on behalf of DECC
and National Grid that calls for designs for a new
generation of pylon. A key element to the competition
will be a public consultation exercise in September
which will provide members of the public with a chance
to comment on the best designs. Further details are
available from:
http://www.ribapylondesign.com/
Energy
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change if he will establish a public
inquiry into transparency in the energy market and the
merits of introducing an enforceable requirement for
clarity at each stage. [60138]
Charles Hendry: I refer the hon. Member to the
answer I gave on 16 June 2011, Official Report, column
892W.
Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act 2009
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy
and Climate Change when he expects to implement the
provisions on general permitted development rights of
the Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Act
2009. [60923]
Gregory Barker: A statutory instrument will be laid
before Parliament shortly to prepare the way for new
permitted development rights for the domestic installations
of micro wind turbines and air source heat pumps as
the Green Energy (Definition and Promotions) Act
2009 requires. I will continue to work with colleagues at
the Department for Communities and Local Government
on this.