HC Deb 12 March 1999 vol 327 cc408-9W
Mr. Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to encourage non-fossil fuel energy production in the North-West of England. [76357]

Mr. Battle

The Government have a Manifesto commitment toa new and strong drive to develop renewable sources of energy".

As part of that commitment, the Government will be issuing a consultation document shortly on the status and prospects for renewable energy in the UK as a whole and inviting views to help the Government frame future policy.

Under the fifth Non-Fossil Fuel Order (NFFO)—the largest round so far—which I announced last autumn, we have awarded 31 contracts for projects to be sited in the North-West of England. These contracts for landfill gas and small and large scale wind projects would provide additional generating capacity of 70MW DNC if they were all implemented.