HC Deb 18 January 2001 vol 361 c312W
24. Fiona Mactaggart

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what future role he plans for small generators in the electricity market. [144552]

Mrs. Liddell

Small generators form an integral part of the Government's energy policy and are set to make an increasingly important contribution to the provision of secure, diverse, competitive and sustainable energy supplies.

The Government are committed to a target of at least 10,000 MWe of installed CHP capacity by 2010 and have established a range of measures to support this target. Renewable sources of energy are an essential part of the Government's climate change programme. They are expected to provide 5 per cent. of our electricity supplies by 2003 and, subject to the cost to consumers being acceptable, 10 per cent. by 2010.