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  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding on renewable energy trade agreed between the UK and Ireland in January 2013, what progress has been made on reaching an intergovernmental agreement with Ireland.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We recognise the benefits of cooperation mechanisms and of opening our renewable support schemes to foreign generation in principle. This is why we signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Ireland. Whilst we have yet to agree with Ireland on any particular project, we remain open to new proposals.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2016 to Question 28603, how many cleaners working in her Department are paid at the rate of (a) £7.85 and (b) £9.15.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The number of cleaners in the Department paid at an hourly rate of a) £7.85 is five and b) £9.15 is fourteen.

    From 1 April 2016, the rate of pay will be increased to the 2016 Living Wage Foundation rates.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support her Department plans to provide to communities that will be affected by closure of coal-fired power stations.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government will work with local partners to ensure support is available to help all those affected move quickly into new jobs, including through Jobcentre Plus’ Rapid Response Service. In Scotland, Jobcentre Plus will be an active partner in PACE (Partnership Action for Continued Employment), the Scottish Government’s redundancy support initiative.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much funding the Government allocated to incentivising installation of (a) solar panels and (b) home insulation in each year since 2010.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Solar panels have primarily been incentivised to date through two schemes: the Renewables Obligation, which typically supports larger installations, and the Feed-in Tariff, which supports smaller projects.

    The value of the Renewables Obligation for solar PV in each year since 2010 is show in the following table:

    Financial Year

    Renewables Obligation PV scheme value, £m (nominal)

    2010-11

    £0.2

    2011-12

    £0.1

    2012-13

    £0.9

    2013-14

    £34.9

    2014-15

    £133.9

    A proxy for the total spend each year on all eligible technologies is given by the size of the Levelisation fund. The size of this fund and solar PV’s share of total FiTs capacity is shown in the following table:

    Financial Year

    Levelisation fund (nominal)

    % solar PV share of total FIT capacity

    2010-11

    £14,435,325

    69.7

    2011-12

    £150,756,064

    90.0

    2012-13

    £506,328,139

    86.4

    2013-14

    £690,991,283

    84.3

    2014-15

    £865,553,975

    81.6

    It should be noted that the percentage share of capacity does not necessarily equate to the percentage share of total spend under the scheme.

    No payments have yet been made to solar PV generating stations under Contracts for Difference (CfDs), although three solar PV projects signed CfDs following the first allocation round.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent progress has been made on the Government’s application to the EU Solidarity Fund to help flood affected areas.

    James Wharton

    The Government submitted an initial UK application to the EU Solidarity Fund on Friday 26 February and we continue to refine our cost estimations.

    At the date the application was made, the Government had not been approached on this matter by the Northern Ireland Executive.

  • Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tom Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Government’s recent application to the EU Solidarity Fund to help flood affected areas.

    James Wharton

    The Government submitted an initial UK application to the EU Solidarity Fund on Friday 26 February and we continue to refine our cost estimations.

    At the date the application was made, the Government had not been approached on this matter by the Northern Ireland Executive.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve the speed with which payments are made to small farmers under the Basic Payment Scheme.

    George Eustice

    As of 10 March the Rural Payments Agency has paid in the region of 83% of all eligible claims received. Of these some 81% of small farm businesses had received their payments. The Rural Payments agency is working to pay the remainder of claims as promptly as possible with between 800 and 1,000 staff working on processing claims.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote the export of Scotch whisky.

    George Eustice

    We are committed to increasing and promoting sales of our excellent food and drink here and overseas. This is why we have launched the Great British Food Campaign, created a new Great British Food Unit and designated 2016 “The year of Great British Food.”

    Scotch whisky is a phenomenal global success. In 2014 exports were worth £3.95 billion* representing 21% of total UK food and drink exports. We are working with the industry to boost exports by developing a new Exports Action Plan, taking every opportunity to promote our products overseas and working hard to secure a global liberalised market for all our spirit drinks.

    *Source: Scotch Whisky Association

  • James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to improve the protection of areas of outstanding natural beauty in marine areas.

    George Eustice

    Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty do not cover marine areas. However, this Government has made a commitment to complete a ‘Blue Belt’ of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around our coasts. These sites will also contribute to an ecologically-coherent network of MPAs in the North East Atlantic.

    Over 17% of UK waters and almost a third of English inshore waters are now within MPAs. This includes 50 Marine Conservation Zones created since 2013. We are continuing to work towards designating further MPAs to complete the ‘Blue Belt’.

  • James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    James Cartlidge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made in setting out and implementing a national strategy for areas of outstanding natural beauty; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) partnerships and conservation boards, along with National Park Authorities, are a vital part of the fabric of the nation. Whilst there are no current plans to either set out or implement a specific national strategy for AONBs, I recognise that they make a significant contribution to realising Defra’s wider ambitions for the natural environment, and they are engaged in our ongoing development of a 25 Year Plan for the Environment.