First of all, how can we assess the conflicting messages we get about different kinds of renewable electricity?

The feed-in tariffs help to provide the answer. They give a simple yardstick of present performance. Their purpose is to encourage the take-up of all the different technologies, as this will stimulate their development and improvement. They are added to the user's income to make the payback time for the original cost about the same whatever the technology. The most cost effective technologies need the least subsidy, and so receive the lowest feed-in tariffs. These are, equally, hydro power schemes between 2 and 5 MW and wind power schemes between 1.5 and 5 MW.

There are very few, if any, undeveloped hydro sites of this size in Northumberland. There are many potential wind sites of this scale. One could even imagine each village having a single 1.5 MW turbine of its own.

But there are 2 substantial barriers to land based wind turbines. One is the unfairness in sharing the benefits. The second is the variability and unpredictability of wind. I want to consider ways that these can be addressed.

This document has been posted by the Department for Transport in response to letters about the Thameslink contract - and the decision to give preferred bidder status to Siemens rather than Bombardier.

The Department has received a large number of queries regarding the announcement on 16 June 2011 confirming that Siemens Plc and XL Trains is the preferred bidder for the supply of the new rolling stock for the Thameslink Programme.

The procurement competition was initiated in April 2008 when a notice was placed in the EU Journal; an Invitation to Tender (ITT) was released in November 2008. The ITT was placed on DfT's website which included the criteria by which bids would be evaluated. Subsequently bids were received from three suppliers. In October 2009 a decision was made to deselect one bidder. The two remaining bidders were consortiums led by Bombardier and Siemens.

Just out of interest, I thought readers might be interested to know that the list of meetings that Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has had with media proprieters, editors and senior media executives between 11 May 2010 and 25 July 2011 contains the name of News Corporation and Murdoch.

In June 2010, the Lib Dem attended a News Corporation reception which was described as a "social" event. Last October, he met James Murdoch and others (News Corporation) for a general discussion.

In March 2011, there is an event listed as: Global Energy Initiative Summit, a News Corp event - James Murdoch, Speech. Click for the full list here. 

I've been watching a video of this event, where Mr Huhne shoke hands with James Murdoch and praised his work on cutting carbon emissions - helping make News Corp carbon neutral.

These are the Environment Secretary's words: "I'd first of all really like to pay tribute to News Corp on this achievement. To actually become the first carbon neutral media corporation is a great achievement.

"I think James' leadership on this has been outstanding and I just wish we could bottle you and export you to some of the other corporations. That would be absolutely great."

People might be interested to watch a video of James Murdoch and Mr Huhne at this - from 19.20 minutes onwards. Click to find the video (scroll down on the page) here.

If so, in what way?

For me the more scary thing than the meltdown of the fuel rods was the evaporation of water from the ponds holding spent fuel rods, exposing those rods to the atmosphere. Those rods contain plutonium and, when not constantly cooled, overheat and release plutonium dust particles into the atmosphere - not a nice thing to breathe in - and no-one was publicly talking about that, although they were desperately trying to fill those ponds as well as the cooling water to the reactors themselves.

Suddenly the whole problem of high level nuclear waste became much more immediate. I had explained in my blog on nuclear power about how you make plutonium. The trouble is that in a nuclear power station you cannot avoid creating plutonium with its half life of 24,000 years and you can't get rid of it.

Shortly before this event I had been thinking about the long term costs of cooling high level nuclear waste for thousands of years and sent a freedom of information request to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the annual cost of cooling our present high level nuclear waste. Back came the result: We do not keep those figures!

The British Government is still proposing to continue its love affair with nuclear power. Why?

Given the fresh warnings over the future of the Euro, I thought it might be worth blogging a few excerpts from a column I wrote recently for The Journal on the issue. Make no mistake, this could have serious implications for the UK.

How hard would the North East be hit if Greece's economic crisis proves too much even for another bailout to deal with?

Of course, we can never fully predict the future or we'd all very rich. But the North East, and indeed the UK, could suffer a grievous hit if Greece drowns in its debt crisis and defaulted on its loans.

Here is the key lines on the PM's statement and Andy Coulson:

I want to address my own responsibilities very directly - and that brings me to my decision to employ Andy Coulson.

I have said very clearly that if it turns out Andy Coulson knew about the hacking at the News of the World he will not only have lied to me but he will have lied to the police, to a select committee, to the Press Complaints Commission and, of course, perjured himself in a court of law.

More to the point, if that comes to pass, he could also expect to face severe criminal charges.

I have an old fashioned view about 'innocent until proven guilty'.

But if it turns out I have been lied to, that would be a moment for a profound apology.

And, in that event, I can tell you I will not fall short.

My responsibilities are for hiring him - and for the work he did in Downing Street.

On the work he did, I will repeat, perhaps not for the last time, that his work at Downing Street has not been the subject of any serious complaint.

And, of course, he left months ago.

On the decision to hire him, I believe I have answered every question about this.

It was my decision. I take responsibility.

People will, of course, make judgements about it.

Of course I regret and I am extremely sorry about the furore it has caused.

With 20:20 hindsight - and all that has followed - I would not have offered him the job and I expect that he wouldn't have taken it.

But you don't make decisions in hindsight; you make them in the present.

You live and you learn - and believe you me, I have learnt.

Email exchange between John Yates and the PM's Chief of Staff Ed Llewellyn, as referred to by John Yates in his Select Committee appearance this afternoon.

Ed Llewellyn's reply was discussed and agreed with the Permanent Secretary at No10.

10 September 2010: John Yates to Ed Llewellyn

Ed,
Hope all well.
I am coming over to see the PM at 12.30 today regarding [redacted: national security] matters. I am very happy to have a conversation in the margins around the other matters that have caught my attention this week if you thought it would be useful.
Best wishes,
John

A small aside may be, but interesting perhaps in the current climate. I've been going through a register of hospitality enjoyed by minister's special advisers (Spads) from outside organisations.

It runs from last May to December.

Spads from six departments were registered as having lunch and dinner courtesy specifically of News International or News Corporation.

David Cameron's chief of staff Ed Llewellyn and his "gatekeeper" Catherine Fall each registered concert ticket on 17 December 2010 courtesy of News International.

It has already been reported how the PM press officer Gabby Bertin Cameron had lunch with News International at Wimbledon last year by The Guardian

UPDATE: Commons home affairs committee member Bridget Phillipson suggests senior Met police officer John Yates future could be in doubt after his boss Sir Paul Stephenson quit.

"It does beg the question about why Yates hasn't followed suit," said the Labour MP.

This is a key section of the resignation statement by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson - does it put pressure on David Cameron over Neil Wallis - arrested in connection with the phone hacking crisis. He was also employed by the Met having worked for News of the World. Of course, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

"Now let me turn to the reported displeasure of the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary of the relationship with Mr Wallis.

"The reasons for not having told them are two fold. Firstly, I repeat my earlier comments of having at the time no reason for considering the contractual relationship to be a matter of concern. Unlike Mr Coulson, Mr Wallis had not resigned from News of the World or, to the best of my knowledge been in any way associated with the original phone hacking investigation.

"Secondly, once Mr Wallis's name did become associated with Operation Weeting, I did not want to compromise the Prime Minister in any way by revealing or discussing a potential suspect who clearly had a close relationship with Mr Coulson. I am aware of the many political exchanges in relation to Mr Coulson's previous employment - I believe it would have been extraordinarily clumsy of me to have exposed the Prime Minister, or by association the Home Secretary, to any accusation, however unfair, as a consequence of them being in possession of operational information in this regard. Similarly, the Mayor. Because of the individuals involved, their positions and relationships, these were I believe unique circumstances.

"Consequently, we informed the Chair of the MPA, Mr Malthouse, of the Met's contractual arrangements with Mr Wallis on the morning of the latter's arrest. It is our practice not to release the names of suspects under arrest, making it difficult to make public details of the arrangements prior to Mr Wallis's release the same day. The timing of the MPA Committee that I appeared before at 2pm that day was most unfortunate."

PRIME MINISTER

Guests to Chequers from May 2010 to present

Government guests and senior media guests

Danny Alexander MP and Rebecca Alexander

Lord Ashdown

Tony Baldry MP

Greg Barker MP and George Prassus

Lord Terry Burns and Lady Ann Elizabeth Burns

Rebekah Brooks (June 2010 and August 2010)

Brigadier Ed Butler and Sophie Butler

Ian Cheshire and Kate Cheshire

Ken Clarke MP and Gillian Clarke

Nick Clegg MP