HC Deb 20 March 2001 vol 365 cc183-4W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the impact of the Government's new funds for green energy on Thurrock. [152935]

Mr. Hain

The additional £100 million announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 6 March 2001 will be used to encourage a range of renewable energy technologies: photovoltaics (PV), offshore wind, energy crops and other new generation technologies. Allocation of this funding to different renewable technologies will

take account of the Performance and Innovation Unit's Report on Resource Productivity and Renewable Energy later this year.

The new funds are additional to previously announced support of £89 million in the form of capital grants for the generation of energy from offshore wind and energy crops.

Companies in Thurrock will be eligible to apply for all the support available and also to apply for support under the Department's New and Renewable Energy Programme that supports R and D on renewables.