To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support is being given by the Government to companies interested in generating energy from tidal lagoons. (76542)

This type of scheme is the application of conventional technology therefore the primary mechanism for Government support is the Renewables Obligation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on tidal lagoon electricity generation; and what contribution he expects this method of generation to make to the Government’s targets for the use of renewables. (76543)

The Department has received a number of representations from two organisations regarding a single tidal lagoon project in the U.K.

The Government have set a target of 10 per cent. of electricity in the UK to come from renewables by 2010. However, we have not specified what level of contribution should come from individual technologies. That is left to industry, being consistent with the Government’s policy of an open and competitive energy market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much public subsidy was given to the renewable energy industry in each of the last nine years. (80044)

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Leominster (Bill Wiggin) on 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2262W.