HC Deb 12 May 2003 vol 405 cc15-7W
Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times a case has(a) been progressed and (b) approved under the ECGDs sensitive cases mechanism. [111418]

Ms Hewitt

The information is as follows:

(a) Of the high potential impact cases considered so far, six have been, or are being, progressed under the sensitive case mechanism

(b) Two of these cases have so far been approved.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in how many high potential impact cases the Export Credits Guarantee Department has required (a) an environmental impact assessment, (b) a social impact assessment, (c) a resettlement action plan and (d) independent external advice or report. [111419]

Ms Hewitt

(a) Environmental Impact Assessments have been required and received for nine high potential impact projects.

(b) Social Impact Assessments have been required and received for three high potential impact projects.

(c) Resettlement Action Plans have been required and received for three high potential impact projects.

(d) Independent external advice has been engaged for four high potential impact projects.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in how many cases covenants and other conditions relating to post issue implementation have been included in an ECGD contract, project or investment; how many times relevant monitoring reports have indicated that remedial action is required; and if she will make a statement. [111420]

Ms Hewitt

Covenants and conditions are regularly included in ECGD loan agreements and usually relate to financial or legal undertakings. Since the introduction of ECGD business principles in December 2000 covenants and conditions related to environmental or social impacts have been included in three issued guarantees. These guarantees have only been recently issued and no monitoring reports are due yet.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications identified as having high potential impact have been(a) submitted to the ECGDs Underwriting Committee and (b) approved by the ECGD. [111421]

Ms Hewitt

Since the introduction of ECGDs Business Principles in December 2000, Underwriting Committee has considered nine high potential impact cases. For most of these cases either ECGDs assessment is still on-going or the case did not proceed (e.g. because the UK company did not win the contract).

Two high potential impact cases have received final approval from the Underwriting Committee.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the renewable energy initiative of the ECGD has been allocated to projects and if she will make a statement. [111422]

Ms Hewitt

None of the support available under the renewable energy initiative has so far been allocated but three applications are currently outstanding.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 27 February 2003,Official Report, column 654W, on the renewable energy initiative of the ECGD, if she will make a statement on the initiatives minimum risk standards. [111556]

Ms Hewitt

ECGDs minimum financial risk standards for renewable energy cases are the same as for the rest of the energy sector.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 27 February 2003,Official Report, column 654W, on the renewable energy initiative of the ECGD, which of the listed renewable energy technologies had applications which were considered to have (a) low potential impact, (b) medium potential impact and (c) high potential impact; and which applications were successful. [111557]

Ms Hewitt

All of the cases referred to in the answer of 27 February have been classified as medium potential impact and all three are still outstanding.

In addition to the technology being proposed, the potential impact classification depends on the projects location, scale and social and other impacts.