§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the prospects for achieving the 2010 renewables energy target. [185545]
§ Mr. TimmsThe target is challenging but we believe it remains achievable We have worked hard to put an attractive system for new investment in place and the industry is responding.
There are many areas where there is still a great deal of work to be done such as the planning system both onshore and offshore and the development of the grid network. However, we are working closely with all the relevant interests, for example, via mechanisms such as the Wind Energy and Civil and Military Aviation Working Group, to ensure that any outstanding issues are resolved in a timely fashion.
The review of our primary support mechanism, the Renewables Obligation, will enable us to assess progress towards the target and consider in detail the points on incentives made by the final report of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, on the practicalities of renewables.