To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change against what criteria he expects his Department to decide on the location of the 15 test hubs as identified in the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan; and when he expects that decision to be taken. (290893)

[holding answer 9 September 2009]: The criteria against which we will be short-listing the 20 test hubs were published on 28 September and we have invited local authorities in England, Wales and N Ireland to participate.

The criteria can be found at

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/consumers/lc_communities/lc_communities.aspx

We expect to announce the location of these short-listed test hubs by the end of this year or early next year.