§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will(a) list the consents he has refused for gas-fired power stations and (b) estimate the proposed investments in each station by those applying for consents. [78012]
§ Mr. DewarI recently announced my decision to refuse consent to PowerGen's application for a new natural gas-fired power station at Gartcosh, North
£ million 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 1. Cash Agriculture 514 535 525 486 470 524 557 Fisheries 31 30 39 31 30 29 30 Roads and Transport 319 252 304 312 364 361 367 2. 1998–99 prices Agriculture 557 562 538 486 459 499 517 Fisheries 34 32 40 31 29 28 28 Roads and Transport 345 265 312 312 355 344 341 Agriculture figures are for spending by my Department only and do not include spending in Scotland under schemes operated, on a UK basis, by the Intervention Board Executive Agency.
By far the main component of Agriculture spending by my Department is in relation to CAP on-farm payments. Support under such measures is determined by the EU and the value of payments in Member States is sensitive to currency movements. Planned Agriculture spending figures for the three years beginning 1999–2000 reflect assumptions at the end of the Comprehensive Spending Review on the likely Sterling value of CAP on-farm payments. The actual level of spending on such schemes will be determined largely by changes flowing from the EU Agenda 2000 discussions. CAP provision is classed as Annually Managed expenditure and future spending needs will be decided on an annual basis.
The figures for Roads and Transport include the external finance limits for Caledonian MacBrayne and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd., but exclude provision for local authority capital expenditure which since 1996–97 has been included in the single allocation for local authority non-housing capital expenditure. From 1997–98, the Roads and Transport programme includes provision for the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority transferred from the Department of Transport to The Scottish Office. From 1998–99, it also includes provision for Bus Fuel Duty Rebate in Scotland.
From 1 July, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
398WLanarkshire. My decision followed the recommendation by the Reporter to the public inquiry into the application that consent be refused. I have not refused consent to any other gas-fired power stations.
The level of investment Gartcosh would have involved is a commercial matter for the company.