Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether he has made an estimate of the public expenditure which has been incurred by (a) the Government, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, (b) local authorities, (c) local enterprise companies and (d) charities to support the development and consenting of offshore wind projects which will not now be supported under the contracts for difference regime.

National Grid, as the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Body, are currently running the first Contract for Difference allocation round. Under the strictures of the process my Department does not know, at this point of time, information about individual applications, numbers of applications or numbers that have qualified. As a result the Department is unaware of any offshore wind projects that will not be supported by contracts for difference under our Electricity Market Reform project. In addition, any unsuccessful applicant, should there be any, would have the opportunity to apply for support in future rounds.

Furthermore, the Department has not made an estimate of the public expenditure which has been incurred by (a) the Government, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, (b) local authorities, (c) local enterprise companies and (d) charities to support the development and consenting of offshore wind projects.