The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what impact assessment her Department has conducted of the proposed increase in the rate of VAT for solar and other renewables to 20 per cent.
Andrea Leadsom
This is a measure led by HMRC and currently only a proposal being consulted on. If following consultation this change is introduced, we will carefully consider its impact.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to implement the Paris climate change agreement.
Andrea Leadsom
The Paris Agreement marks a significant step forward towards reducing, on a global scale, the emissions that cause climate change. The agreed long-term goal of net zero emissions in the second half of the century shows that the world is committed to decarbonisation and the agreement drives us forward on our path to limiting the average global temperature rise to well below 2°C, and to pursue efforts to 1.5 °C. We must now work hard to continue the global momentum created by the Paris deal by supporting countries to implement their emission reduction commitments; ensuring we meet our own commitments; and continuing to build the conditions for the transition to a low carbon economy to enable further ambition in the future.
The UK’s contribution to the Paris Agreement will be determined by our commitments to meeting EU climate and energy targets, and by the UK’s own domestic framework, comprising a 2050 emissions reduction target of at least 80% on 1990 base year levels and a series of five-year carbon budgets, as established by the Climate Change Act 2008.We will also set the level of the Fifth Carbon Budget, covering the period 2028-2032, in law by the end of June this year. This will be followed by our new emission reduction plan, which is due to be published towards the end of the year.
Governments alone cannot deliver the scale of action required, businesses, investors and civil society all have a role to play. Many are already acting and Paris saw an unprecedented level of engagement and commitment to reduce emissions and drive forward low carbon growth and markets. This action will help unlock the transition to a low carbon economy and support the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress has been made on the White Rose Carbon Capture and Storage Project; and if she will make a statement.
Andrea Leadsom
The Government confirmed as part of the 2015 Spending Review that the £1 billion ring-fenced capital budget for the CCS Competition was no longer available.
Following confirmation from both bidders that they will not proceed with their respective projects in the absence of Government capital funding support, Government has taken the decision to close the CCS Competition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been budgeted for compensation payments to residential and business properties affected by the construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel.
Rory Stewart
Compensation payments for owners of residential or business properties which are acquired pursuant to the development consent order for the Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT) are a matter for either Thames Water Utilities Limited or Bazalgette Tunnel Limited (trading as Tideway and being the licensed infrastructure provider that will finance, own, build and operate the tunnel). Provision for such compensation payments is included in the overall budget for the construction of the TTT. In the case of Thames Water Utilities Limited, these costs are included within their price control for the period 2015-2020 as determined by Ofwat. In the case of Bazalgette Tunnel Limited, the cost is within the overall budget included within the project licence granted to Tideway by Ofwat. The amount set aside for these compensation payments are commercially sensitive so cannot be disclosed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) length and (b) number of public byways open to all traffic in the UK; and if she will make a statement.
Rory Stewart
The Department does not hold centrally any information on the length and number of byways open to all traffic in the United Kingdom. In 2005 it was estimated that there was over 4,000 km of byways open to all traffic in England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the implications of the proposed extension of the Business Impact Target as set out in the Enterprise Bill for the work of (a) the Environment Agency, (b) the Forestry Commission, (c) the Marine Management Organisation, (d) Natural England, (e) the Water Services Regulation Authority and (f) the Farriers Registration Council; and what such discussions she has had on (i) the Food Standards Agency, (ii) the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority and (iii) the Groceries Code Adjudicator insofar as those bodies relate to her Department’s responsibilities.
George Eustice
My Rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, will shortly issue a public consultation seeking views on the statutory regulators proposed to be brought within scope of the Business Impact Target, with a view to introducing the necessary secondary legislation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effects of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 on the (a) Animal and Plant Health Agency, (b) Drinking Water Inspectorate, (c) Fish Health Inspectorate, Cefas, (d) Rural Payments Agency and (e) Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
George Eustice
The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 creates a legal obligation on the Government of the day to publish a business impact target, covering the economic impact of new regulation on business and civil society organisations.
The Business Impact Target currently applies to legislation and regulatory activity undertaken by UK Ministers, including the activities of non-statutory regulators who exercise regulatory functions for or on behalf of UK Ministers. The Act also sets out reporting requirements to Parliament in relation to any qualifying regulatory provisions introduced by these bodies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to comply with the order of the Supreme Court in April 2015 on the need to tackle air pollution.
Rory Stewart
In April 2015, the Supreme Court ordered that the Government must submit new air quality plans for nitrogen dioxide to the European Commission by no later than 31 December last year, having held a public consultation on those plans for a minimum of 40 working days.
The public consultation took place between 12 September and 6 November. Defra submitted new plans setting out how the UK Government intends to improve air quality and meet the requirements of the ambient air quality directive to the European Commission on 17 December last year, meeting the requirements of the order.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) abattoirs processing sheep use the standardised carcase classification or EUROP grid and (b) mandatory deadweight price reporting for such carcases is introduced.
George Eustice
Defra and the devolved administrations (DA) are contributing to the Commission’s ongoing review of regulations on carcase classification and price reporting as part of the EU Commission’s legislation simplification programme. We aim to ensure that UK farmers are not disadvantaged and that no unnecessary burdens are placed on the industry.
In addition, the Commissioner has established a series of workshops on the future of the sheep industry in the European Union. This forum provides an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues relevant to the industry, including carcase classification and price reporting. Defra and the DAs are fully engaged in these discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what projection her Department has made of use of the Thames Barrier in each of the next five years.
Rory Stewart
The Thames Barrier will be required to close more frequently due to sea level rise but it is projected to protect London from tidal flooding to its designed standard until 2070.
The Environment Agency monitors a number of indicators to ensure that this projection remains valid but does not develop projections of the number of closures on a year on year basis.