Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in the low-carbon and environmental foods and services sector which will be created as a result of expenditure on renewable energy technology.

Mark Prisk MP; Minister of State (Business and Enterprise) [holding answer 18 January 2011]: In 2008/09 renewable energy in the UK was estimated to employ 266,000, generating a turnover of £33,000 million, equating to approximately 30% of employment and turnover in the low-carbon and environmental goods and services sector. The definition of renewable energy used includes; biomass, geothermal, hydro, photovoltaic, renewable consulting, wave, tidal and wind. This sub-sector is forecasted to grow annually at around 5% to 2015/16.