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  • Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to extend the Farming Recovery Fund to provide support for farmers in all areas affected by the recent flooding.

    George Eustice

    We have extended the Farming Recovery Fund to allow eligible farmers in Lancashire and Yorkshire impacted by storm Eva, which hit over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, to be able to apply for support.

    The deadline for applications has been extended from 18 March 2016 to 1 April 2016 to provide further time for affected farmers to apply.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the humaneness of hunting with dogs.

    Rory Stewart

    The Government has no plans to make an assessment of the humaneness of hunting with dogs. However, in 1999 a Government Committee (the Burns Inquiry) was set up to examine the facts in the debate about hunting with dogs, including whether hunting with dogs is cruel. The findings of the inquiry were published on 9 June 2000 (www.huntinginquiry.gov.uk/mainsections/huntingframe.htm).

    On 12 March 2001 Lord Burns stated: “… There was not sufficient verifiable evidence or data safely to reach views about cruelty. It is a complex area …". [Hansard 12 March 2001; col. 533

    http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/2001/mar/12/hunting-bill].

    “

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what initial assessment she has made of the implications of the incident at Porter Ranch, California, for safety and engineering procedures and standards in the UK onshore unconventional gas extraction sector.

    Andrea Leadsom

    In the UK, we have an entirely different regulatory system to the US.

    We have over 50 years of experience in safely conducting surface activities and constructing onshore gas wells, regulated by the Health & Safety Executive and Environment Agency.

    Our tough regulations ensure on-site safety, prevent water contamination, mitigate seismic activity and air pollution. To reinforce our already robust regulations, the Infrastructure Act 2015 introduced a range of further requirements that must be met before an operator can carry out hydraulic fracturing in a responsible, sustainable and safe manner. These include the assessment of environmental impacts, groundwater monitoring, community benefits and prohibiting hydraulic fracturing in specified protected areas.

    The UK has one of the best track records in the world when it comes to protecting our environment while also developing our industries – and we’ve brought that experience to bear on the shale gas protections.

  • Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with the oil and gas industry on the relationship between maintaining safety standards and reducing the cost of production.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The regulation of the safety of offshore oil and gas installations in external waters is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), working as part of the Offshore Safety Directive Regulator partnership. DECC and the Oil and Gas Authority are in regular contact with the industry and HSE regarding a range of offshore infrastructure issues, including the relationship between maintaining safety standards and reducing the cost of production. Together, we aim to ensure that industry resources are directed to maximising safe, sustainable production.

  • Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions her Department has had with the operators of the Brae Alpha platform following the gas leak on 26 December 2015 that resulted in the shutdown of that platform.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The incident on 26 December 2015 was a safety-related incident at an offshore oil and gas installation, the regulation of which falls within the Health and Safety Executive’s statutory remit under the Offshore Safety Directive.

  • Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Callum McCaig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will investigate the circumstances surrounding the leak of natural gas at the Brae Alpha platform of 26 December 2015; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that a similar incident does not occur on that platform or any other offshore installation.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating the circumstances of the leak of natural gas from the Brae Alpha platform on 26th December 2015. It will ensure any lessons to be learnt to prevent a recurrence are shared with the operators of this and other platforms in the sector. If necessary it can use its formal enforcement powers to address significant shortcomings in systems and arrangements to manage risks.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2015 to Question 19268, what financial penalties and other mechanisms are available to ensure that all private rented sector landlords improve their properties to a minimum energy efficiency rating of E from April 2018.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The requirement on private rented sector landlords to improve their properties to a minimum energy efficiency rating of E from April 2018, subject to certain exemptions, will be enforced by individual local authorities. The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 empower local authorities to enforce the provisions, including the power to impose compliance and penalty notices. Authorities will be able fine landlords up to £5,000 per property if they fail to comply with a compliance notice relating to a breach.

    Landlords who qualify for an exemption to meeting the minimum standard will be required to provide details to a centrally held register. Exemptions will be valid for a period of five years, after which time the landlord will once again need to try to improve the energy efficiency rating of the property. The register will be accessible to Local Authorities (and the general public) and will be audited by Local Authorities or DECC.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Poulter on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2015 to Question 19268, what (a) financial penalties and (b) other mechanisms are available to ensure that all private rented properties have an energy efficiency certificate.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is the duty of every local weights and measures authority to enforce the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, as amended.

    The attached table summarises the penalties that may be imposed by the enforcement authority or its authorised officer for breaches of the regulations regarding Energy Performance Certificates through serving a penalty charge notice. These are the financial penalties that are available to ensure that all private rented properties, both domestic and non-domestic, have an energy efficiency certificate.

    Private sector landlords cannot serve a section 21 eviction notice on their tenant in respect of a property that was rented out since 1 October 2015 if they failed to provide their tenant with an Energy Performance Certificate at the start of the tenancy.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many jobs in (a) her Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Neither the Department, nor any of its accountable statutory bodies, have had jobs abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent in the specified time period.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding has been given to Local Safeguarding Children Boards in each year since 2010; and whether her Department plans to institute a nationally-defined funding formula for such boards.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are funded through contributions from their partners as agreed locally, including local authorities, health services and the police. LSCBs publish details of these contributions in their annual reports, but these figures are not collated centrally. The Government does not provide ring-fenced funding for LSCBs.

    On 14 December 2015, the Prime Minister announced that there would be a review of LSCBs. This review has now commenced and will report by the end of March 2016.