§ Linda PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the need for Government subsidy of the energy industry. [22296]
§ Mr. WilsonAn assessment of the need for Government support in the energy sector is one aspect of the current Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) review of energy policy which is due to report by the end of the year. However, creating the right framework for competitive markets will remain a central part of Government policy.
§ Mr. GroganTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made that the projections in Energy Paper 68 remain credible; and what plans she has to produce new projections. [22344]
§ Mr. WilsonThe projections made in Energy Paper 68, published in November 2000, are long-term projections. At this stage there is no reason to believe that the projections are anything other than soundly based for longer-term assessments. There are no plans to update the projections in the immediate future.
§ Mr. GroganTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions during the last 24 months the monthly average price of(a) oil, (b) gas and (c) coal has been within the range of the medium/long-term high and low fuel price projections contained in Energy Paper 68; and on how many occasions prices of each of the fuels have been (i) above and (ii) below these ranges. [22343]
§ Mr. WilsonThe table shows, by number of months, how crude oil prices during the last 24 months have compared with the EP68 assumptions for the years 2005 and 2010.
2005 2010 Within range 2 2 Above range 22 22 Below range 0 0 The table shows, by number of months, how gas prices during the last 24 months have compared with the EP68 assumptions for the years 2005 and 2010.
2005 2010 Within range 17 20 Above range 7 4 Below range 0 0 International coal prices have remained within the medium and long-term range assumed in EP68 in every month during the last 24 months.
Results may differ according to the exact comparator used.The potential for prices to move outside the assumed long-term ranges was acknowledged in EP68.
108W