Renewable Energy (Hansard, 20 October 2003)

HC Deb 20 October 2003 vol 411 c368W 368W

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the value of support from his Department to projects overseas for(a) the extraction and transportation of fossil fuels and (b) the development of renewable energy. [132458]

§ Hilary Benn
DFID has not been involved in the direct funding of fossil fuel extraction and transportation (pipeline) projects over the past three years, although we are occasionally asked to comment on the proposals of lending institutions. While recognising that countries are entitled to exploit their own natural resources, either for export purposes or to meet domestic energy requirements, full account should be taken of possible social and environmental impacts, including climate change. Our policy is to ensure that institutions providing loans or guarantees take such factors fully into account.
On the renewable energy issue, DFID has funded about £3.6 million of research projects over the past 10 years, about half of this over the past three years. We have about £500,000 of project work still in progress.

§ David Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for International Department for International Development what the total value of support from his Department to overseas projects is for(a) the extraction and transport of fossil fuels and (b) the development of renewable energy. [132481]

§ Hilary Benn
DFID has not been involved in the direct funding of fossil fuel extraction and transportation (pipeline) projects over the past three years, although we are occasionally asked to comment on the proposals of lending institutions. While recognising that countries are entitled to exploit their own natural resources, either for export purposes or to meet domestic energy requirements, full account should be taken of possible social and environmental impacts, including climate change. Our policy is to ensure that institutions providing loans or guarantees take such factors fully into account.
On the renewable energy issue, DFID has funded about £3.6 million of research projects over the past 10 years, about half of this over the past three years. We have about £500,000 of project work still in progress.