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  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to create a new independent system operator to remove any potential conflict of interest between National Grid and its electricity balancing and management responsibilities.

    Jesse Norman

    There is a case for greater independence for the system operator to promote more competition and flexibility in our electricity system. We are working alongside National Grid and Ofgem to this end, so that the electricity system continues to be operated in the best interest of consumers.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate any advantage which fossil fuel generated electricity imported via interconnector has over domestic electricity generation on which carbon price floor rates are applied.

    Jesse Norman

    Whatever the source, and wherever it is from, we import electricity when the cost is lower than here in the UK, driving down consumer bills. Ofgem’s analysis of proposed interconnector projects shows that the carbon price floor is not the determinate of whether the projects are in the interests of UK consumers.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made on the status of the proposed Trafford combined cycle gas turbine plant.

    Jesse Norman

    Following representations from the developer, as provided for under the Capacity Market legislation, an extension of 60 working days to 19 December has been granted for them to achieve the requirements of the Capacity Market progress milestone. The Secretary of State’s discretionary powers to extend a compliance period are designed to recognise situations where a little additional time can help a provider achieve a milestone, to the benefit of our security of supply.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to remove any potential conflict of interest between National Grid and its electricity balancing and management responsibilities.

    Jesse Norman

    There is a case for greater independence for the system operator to promote more competition and flexibility in our electricity system. We are working alongside National Grid and Ofgem to this end, so that the electricity system continues to be operated in the best interest of consumers.

  • Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the insurance industry on the development of a Flood Re scheme for businesses.

    Rory Stewart

    I am aware that some small businesses exposed to high flood risk may be experiencing challenges in finding affordable insurance. My predecessor has met with representatives from the Association of British Insurers, Federation of Small Businesses and the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) among others to discuss the extent of this problem.

    BIBA is developing a commercial insurance product that is intended to help businesses in flood risk areas access appropriate cover. Government officials are in regular contact with BIBA to monitor how that product is developing.

  • Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Rachael Maskell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachael Maskell on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that government offices and departments procure local food.

    George Eustice

    The Government is committed to do all it can to ensure that UK suppliers are able to compete effectively for public sector contracts in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

    In 2014 the Government introduced the Plan for the Public Procurement of Food and Catering Services and from 2017 central government will commit to buying fresh, locally sourced, seasonal food, so that all food that can be bought locally will be bought locally. This will include use of a Balanced Scorecard approach to sourcing food which recognises factors such as health and nutrition, resource efficiency, and local and cultural engagement. As contracts are renewed central Departments will adopt this approach.

    These arrangements will simplify the public procurement process, and should help open up the opportunity to compete to more small and medium sized businesses and local producers.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2016 to Question 42035, how many projects her Department jointly funded to look into the ecological value of ash dieback; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Defra funded a number of research projects in response to ash dieback, including two research projects to assess the ecological impacts of the disease on woodlands and other species. These have now been published and are available on the Defra science website:

    http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=18994&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=ash%20dieback&SortString=ProjectCode&SortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#Description

    http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=19187

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the UK representatives appointed to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

    Alok Sharma

    The list of the members of the UK delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is available on the country pages of the IHRA website. The current UK delegation is:

    Sir Eric Pickles (UK Envoy for Post Holocaust Issues) – Head of Delegation
    Sue Breeze (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) – Deputy Head of Delegation
    Karen Hamling (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) – Deputy Head of Delegation
    Samantha Abrahams (Holocaust Educational Trust) – Communication Working Group
    Paula Cowan (University of the West of Scotland – Faculty of Education, Health and Social Sciences, School of Education) – Academic Working Group
    Alan Fell (JW3 – Jewish Community Centre London) – Education Working Group
    Trudy Gold (JW3 – Jewish Community Centre London)
    Jerold Gotel (JW3 – Jewish Community Centre London) – Education Working Group
    Ben Helfgott (’45 Aid Society of Holocaust Survivors) – Museums and Memorials Working Group
    Olivia Marks-Woldman (Holocaust Memorial Day Trust) – Museums and Memorials Working Group
    Alex Maws (Holocaust Educational Trust) – Education Working Group
    Michael Newman (Association of Jewish Refugees) – Communication Working Group
    Alice Pettigrew (Institute of Education, University of London) – Education Working Group
    Karen Pollock (Holocaust Educational Trust) – Education Working Group
    Paul Salmons (Institute of Education, University of London) – Education Working Group

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the UK’s representatives on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance were appointed and to whom they report.

    Alok Sharma

    The UK delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is currently led by Sir Eric Pickles, the UK Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues, appointed in September 2015, who reports to the Minister for Human Rights in the Foreign Office and also to the Prime Minister. There is no formal process for appointing members of the UK delegation. Representatives are drawn from a range of UK non-government organisations and academic institutions, covering Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Delegates are expected to play an active part in the IHRA’s various working groups and committees, including taking part in discussions between formal meetings, and fund their own travel costs. We always welcome expressions of interest from organisations interested in being represented.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Angola on the yellow fever epidemic and shortages of medical supplies.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    FCO officials have been in direct contact with the Angolan Government and Angolan Embassy in London on yellow fever. Although we are unable to provide direct assistance given the UK regulations around yellow fever supplies, the Department for International Development are directly funding Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and as its largest donor is providing £1.44 billion for 2016-2020. Gavi is supporting Angola’s response through the International Coordination Group’s (ICG) Revolving Fund. Angola has already received 7 million doses from the ICG to respond to the outbreak. We also provide central funding to the WHO, who have been running a vaccination campaign in Luanda province.