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  • Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Greg Knight – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require road safety and information on the dangers of the highway to be taught to all children in all schools as part of the national curriculum.

    Edward Timpson

    Schools can choose to teach about road safety in their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons and the non-statutory programme of study for PSHE education includes road safety, cycle safety and safety in the community.

    The government expects all schools to teach PSHE and made this expectation clear in the introduction to the national curriculum. It is for schools to tailor their PSHE programme to reflect the needs of their pupils.

    Schools may wish to use the resources provided by organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), which offer a range of materials to help schools and teachers incorporate road safety education into lessons and school activities. ROSPA’s resources are available free on their website: http://www.rospa.com/road-safety/resources/free/teachers/

    “

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Griffiths – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils who attended schools assessed as outstanding at their most recent inspection (a) achieved and (b) did not achieve five A* to C grades including English and mathematics, broken down by eligibility for (i) free school meals, (ii) ethnicity, (iii) children in need and (iv) children in care in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Nick Gibb

    The requested information is not held in the correct format.

  • Andrew Griffiths – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Griffiths – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Griffiths on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils who were (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals in each ranked category of school at its most recent inspection (i) achieved and (ii) did not achieve five A* to C grades including English and mathematics in the most recent year for which figures are available.

    Nick Gibb

    The requested information is not held in the correct format.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2015 to Question 4551, if she will request that Ofgem consider whether, given that SSE’s cost of generating hydro power is comparatively lower than the cost of a gas-fired plant the additional charges being levied by SSE to maintain supply in the Highlands and Islands is appropriate.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Electricity supplied to consumers in the Highlands and Islands region is produced by a range of generation types traded in a competitive market across GB. The electricity retail price paid by consumers in the Highlands and Islands, or any other given region, is not therefore determined by the predominant generation type in that region.

    The particular challenges of electricity supply in the Highlands and Islands – primarily related to the relatively large and sparsely populated terrain – mean that it costs more to distribute electricity here than elsewhere. There are two UK Government schemes which ensure consumers in this region do not bear an unreasonable burden of these costs. The Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme is providing an assistance amount of £57m in 2015/16 to all consumers in the North of Scotland, which is funded through charges on all licensed electricity suppliers across GB. The Common Tariff Obligation ensures electricity suppliers in the North of Scotland are not able to charge comparable domestic consumers different prices solely on the basis of their location within the region and protects consumers in remote rural areas from the relatively high costs of supplying electricity in these areas.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will make it its policy to eliminate all indirect and direct fossil fuel subsidies within the present Parliament.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK does not have any fossil fuel subsidies. The Government sees clear benefits from climate, domestic energy security and budgetary stability perspectives, of phasing out such subsidies internationally. Therefore, where helpful, we will continue to aid the global effort to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. The UK remains a strong supporter of the G20 commitment to rationalise and phase out, over the medium term, inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption. You may also be aware that my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced that the UK will support the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communique – which is to be presented at the Climate Change negotiations in Paris later this year – calling for more action on this matter.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will allocate infrastructure funding to support grid upgrades and enable a low-carbon future.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government recognises the vital role that networks play in meeting our low-carbon ambitions. It is for Ofgem, as the independent regulator, to allocate funding to network companies for grid upgrades. In the latest 8-year regulatory price controls Ofgem has allowed funding of up to £21.5bn [1] for electricity transmission and £24.6bn [2] for electricity distribution to expand, replace and maintain the networks.

    [1] 2009-10 prices

    [2] 2012-13 prices

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will bring forward proposals to change Ofgem regulations to allow distribution network operator companies to upgrade grid infrastructure speculatively, in order that they may plan ahead for new renewable energy.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Ofgem, as the independent regulator, has consulted on allowing greater anticipatory investment in electricity distribution networks. It expects to publish its views and next steps by the end of September. The consultation and responses are available at:

    https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/quicker-and-more-efficient-distribution-connections.

    “

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when the negotiations for a Contract for Difference for the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project will be concluded.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We hope to conclude initial due diligence of the project, including a value for money assessment, by the end of the financial year. We will take a decision on progressing to the next phase of the project at this point.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if her Department will consult openly on what scheme will succeed ECO and the Green Deal, and in that consultation address the issues of (a) accessibility of funding for community groups, (b) fuel bill levies and (c) quality assurance.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government is committed to working closely with industry and consumer groups on a new value for money approach to the future policy framework for energy efficiency, learning lessons from past approaches. The Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. The longer-term future of ECO will be part of these discussions around a new, better-integrated policy and we will formally consult on changes to ECO regulations at the appropriate moment. In the meantime we have been and will continue to engage with stakeholders about all aspects of a new policy framework including accessibility of funding for community groups. The Government has also commissioned an independent review led by Peter Bonfield to investigate consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement of energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes and to ensure that the system properly supports and protects consumers.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if the Government will make it its policy to set energy efficiency targets higher than those set out in the 2015 Conservative election manifesto.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Alongside its specific manifesto commitment of insulating a million more homes over the next five years, supporting our commitment to tackle fuel poverty, this Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. We are also guided by our legally binding objectives on tackling fuel poverty and carbon, which require us to cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the period 2023-2027, which we will do as cost effectively as possible, and to enable as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable to reach energy efficiency Band C by 2030.