§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role her Department intends to play in increasing the percentage of energy supplied from renewables in the United Kingdom by(a) 2010 and (b) 2040; and if she will make a statement. [3998]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 13 July 2001]: The Department works closely with the Department of Trade and Industry on delivering renewable energy generation objectives. The Government have set a target of 10 per cent. renewables electricity by 2010, subject to the cost being acceptable to the consumer. DEFRA promotes renewables through a variety of initiatives, including the Energy Crops Scheme to provide establishment grants for growers of energy crops and the Community Renewables initiative that will build community-based partnerships to develop renewable energy in their localities.
Longer-term policy will be considered in the light of the current Performance and Innovation Unit review. This will set out the objectives of energy policy and develop a strategy to ensure current policy commitments are consistent with longer-term goals. Targets for future decades will need to be developed in the light of this analysis.