HC Deb 12 May 1999 vol 331 cc145-6W
Ms Kelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his estimate is of the numbers and percentages of(a) mothers and (b) fathers who will choose to take their parental leave entitlement. [83808]

Mr. Ian McCartney

[holding answer 10 May 19991]: We are committed to fostering a workplace culture which recognises the importance of family friendly employment policies, including parental leave, for both men and women in reconciling their work and family commitments. For the purposes of the regulatory impact assessment published with the Employment Relations Bill, we assumed that about 82,000 people would take parental leave each year,

Table 1
Percentage of electricity supplied in the UK GWh generated
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1997
Onshore wind 0.07 0.11 0.12 0.15 0.20 665
Small scale hydro1 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.03 0.05 159
Large scale hydro2 1.37 1.62 1.49 1.00 1.22 3,969
Landfill gas 0.15 0.17 0.18 0.22 0.27 880
Sewage sludge digestion 0.13 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.12 400
Municipal solid waste combustion3 0.13 0.23 0.24 0.24 0.29 934
Other4 0.05 0.09 0.11 0.10 0.10 335
Total renewable sources 1.95 2.39 2.30 1.85 2.25 7,341
1Electricity generation scheme belonging to companies with an aggregate hydro capacity below 5 MWe are classified as 'small'.
2Excluding pumped storage stations.
3Includes combustion of refuse derived fuel pellets and hence some waste of fossil fuel origin.
4Includes farm waste digestion, waste tyre combustion and poultry litter combustion.

SourceDigest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1998

In addition, renewable sources generated heat equal to 0.92 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 1997. Thus, in total, renewables accounted for 1.0 per cent. of the UK's total primary energy requirement in that year.

Table 2
Percentage change on previous year
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Onshore wind +538.2 +57.6 +14.3 +24.3 +36.8
Small scale hydro1 +6.7 +4.4 -48.2 +84.9
Large scale hydro2 -21.6 +19.1 +5.3 +29.9 +21.2
Landfill gas +18.6 +15.7 +9.5 +24.6 +24.8
Sewage sludge digestion +15.2 -4.5 +1.7 +9.0
Municipal solid waste combustion3 +42.0 +78.5 +4.9 +4.2 +20.1
Other4 +169.2 +100.0 +19.3 -2.4 +2.8
Total renewable sources -9.6 +24.2 -0.9 -16.4 +21.2
1Electricity generation scheme belonging to companies with an aggregate hydro capacity below 5 MWe are classified as 'small'.
2 Excluding pumped storage stations.
3Includes combustion of refuse derived fuel pellets and hence some waste of fossil fuel origin.
4Includes farm waste digestion, waste tyre combustion and poultry litter combustion.

SourceDigest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1998

consisting of 6,000 men and 76,000 women. Over a five year period, this is equivalent to about 2 per cent. of eligible fathers and about 35 per cent. of eligible mothers.