§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the steps taken to engage UK industry in the development of fuel cell technologies; and if she will make a statement. [171280]
§ Mr. TimmsThe Energy White Paper contained a number of commitments on fuel cells. These involved the development of institutional support for the emerging UK fuel cell industry. We have made good progress in taking these forward. Fuel Cells UK was established in May 2003 with pump-priming support from DTI. Fuel Cells UK played the leading role in developing a UK Fuel Cell Vision, which was launched at the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium in September 2003. Also launched at that event was the Fuel Cells Forum, an IT based knowledge transfer network, informing UK stakeholder of worldwide activity and allowing the opportunity to easily engage business, academia and the Regions.
DTI has supported industrial fuel cell R&D under the DTI Advanced Fuel Programme since 1992. Funding for Collaborative Research and Development in Fuel Cells is now available as part of the Technology Programme, launched on 26 April. The DTI will continue to engage with industry to identify and address the technical and non-technical barriers to the deployment of fuel cell technologies in order to support UK Business.
§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support will be given to those UK companies involved in the development of fuel cell technologies. [171281]
§ Mr. TimmsThe DTI has supported industrial R and D on fuel cells since 1992, under the DTI New and Renewable Energy Programme, with a value of approximately £2 million per year. DTI has recently reviewed and simplified its business support products. In future, fuel cell proposals may be eligible for funding under the DTI Collaborative Research and Development product, part of the DTI Technology Programme. A call for proposals (which includes fuel cells) is currently open. Details are available on the DTI website.
Basic research in universities on both fuel cells and hydrogen is supported by the Engineering and Physical 83W Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), most recently under its SUPERGEN initiative. The Carbon Trust is also able to support fuel cell and hydrogen projects, including taking strategic investments.
VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.