Wind Turbines (Hansard, 20 May 2004)

§ Mr. Timms

Over the years, there have been a large number of studies carried out in the UK of the impact of wind farms on wildlife and in particular birds. Those studies suggest that there is a small risk of bird strikes from the operation of wind turbines, as long as they are properly sited.

Work related to the study of birds is continuing, with DTI funded studies being carried out by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) to look at the distribution and main flight paths of seabirds including migratory, feeding/roosting patterns and their behavioural response to wind farms.

£000
	1 Project or Sector Aid	2 Programme Aid	3 Technical Cooperation	4 Aid and Trade Provision	5 Grants Other Aid in Kind	6 Humanitarian Assistance	7 DFID Debt Relief	8 Total DFID Programme
(i) Africa
1987–98	36,134	74,934	130,816	7,648	60,866	24,195	10,419	345,013
1998–99	49,565	125,234	144,272	9,195	63,430	46,251	8,019	445,966
1999–2000	90,617	132,140	163,345	2,652	66,325	32,001	7,513	494,593
2000–01	104,141	245,857	165,340	626	64,308	63,425	6,992	650,690
2001–02	147,860	161,948	177,567	519	48,971	42,755	6,390	586,010
2002–03	135,330	151,208	213,177	-1,052	92,160	153,980	5,414	750,218
(ii) Central Africa (Great Lakes)
1997–98	20	—	2,111	—	9,095	4,984	—	16,211
1998–99	20	—	991	—	2,184	4,473	—	7,669
1999–2000	19	—	1,307	—	1,463	5,736	—	8,527

1120W

Business start-ups
2000	356,400
2001	324,800
2002	390,700
2003	465,100

Source:

Barclays Small Business Survey.

The stock of businesses registered for VAT in the UK, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England at the start of each year 1996–2003, are as follows:

In addition, no wind farm development can be undertaken without securing the necessary permissions and consents under the normal planning regime or Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. This process places a requirement on developers to consider all environmental aspects of a project, including any effects a particular development may have on the bird life in that location, and produce an Environmental Impact Assessment. These assessments are available to the public.