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  • Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) the efficacy of the third badger pilot cull in Somerset and (b) the humaneness of the badger pilot culls to date.

    George Eustice

    The UK Chief Veterinary Officer has advised that (a) the outcome of this year’s culls indicates that industry-led culling can deliver the level of effectiveness required to be confident of achieving disease control benefits; and (b) that the humaneness of controlled shooting is comparable with the range of outcomes reported when other culling activities, currently accepted by society, have been assessed, such as deer shooting.

  • John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans the Government has to (a) provide financial support and (b) conclude and sign long-term contracts prior to construction in order to achieve the capital investment in energy storage technology necessary to reach the 27.4 gigawatts identified in the Technology Innovation Needs Assessment.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Technology Innovation Needs Assessment Summary Report on Electricity Networks and Storage, published by the Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group in 2012, included an estimated range of 7 – 59GW for the potential level of energy storage which might be deployed in the UK by 2050.

    The Government recognises the potential for storage to help use energy more flexibly and to decarbonise the UK energy system cost effectively, alongside other flexible solutions such as interconnection and demand-side response (DSR). In light of this, more than £80m public sector controlled support has been committed to energy storage research, development and demonstration activities since 2012. Innovation is expected to help drive storage costs down further.

    DECC is investigating the potential barriers to deployment of energy storage and possible mitigating actions, focussing in the first instance on removing regulatory barriers but also considering whether more needs to be done to stimulate investment in energy storage. DECC will be publishing a call for evidence on this area shortly.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has assessed the potential use of gas-driven heat pumps as part of its review of the Renewable Heat Incentive.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We intend to reform the RHI to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and explore the best way to support less able to pay households. Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider the reform of the scheme. Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes early in 2016.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department intends to expand the range of technologies available under the Renewable Heat Incentive as part of its process of reviewing the scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We intend to reform the RHI to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and explore the best way to support less able to pay households. Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider the reform of the scheme. Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes early in 2016.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stringer on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the total UK financial commitment to the Green Climate Fund until 2030.

    Andrea Leadsom

    To date, over $10.2 billion has been pledged to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) from 38 developed and developing countries. The funds are used to help developing countries to deal with the impact of climate change, and it is strongly in our national economic interest to contribute to it. As part of this initial resource mobilisation period, the UK has committed £720 million to the GCF. We will consider further UK contributions to the GCF in subsequent resource mobilisation periods.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what electricity consumption in England was in (a) 2005, (b) 2010 and (c) 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Electricity consumption in England was 293 TWh in 2005, 276 TWh in 2010, and 255 TWh in 2014. Figures for 2015 will be published in due course.

    Data from “Electricity generation and supply figures for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, 2004 to 2014”, Energy Trends, December 2015, available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-trends-december-2015-special-feature-article-electricity-generation-and-supply-figures-for-scotland-wales-northern-ireland-and-england-2.

    “

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many press or public relations officers are employed by (a) Ofgem, (b) the Oil and Gas Authority, (c) the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, (d) the Coal Authority, (e) the Committee on Climate Change and (f) the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; how many of those staff earn more that (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total cost is of running the press office in each of those organisations in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The most recent information for each of the bodies is:

    a) Ofgem

    Ofgem employs a small team of six press officers. The total cost of running the press office including pay, pensions and all other costswas £642,000 in the financial year April 2014 to Mar 2015.

    b) Oil and Gas Authority

    The Oil and Gas Authority has a small communications and external affairs team, currently consisting of four staff. There is no dedicated press officer.

    For 2015/16 costs for this team (including IT, staff costs & necessary subscriptions) are projected to be c£203,000.

    c) Civil Nuclear Police Authority

    The Civil Nuclear Constabularly/Civil Nuclear Police Authority employs a total of two members of staff: a Head of Engagement and Communications and one Communications Manager. It has no press or public relations officers. The only costs of running this small communications team are salary costs.

    d) Coal Authority

    There are two members of staff (one of which is part-time) working on press and public relations in the Coal Authority. The only costs of running this team is salary cost plus £7,300 establishment costs for the year.

    e) Committee on Climate Change

    There are two members of staff in the Committee on Climate Change Communications Team. The running costs of the team are salary costs plus other running costs (e.g. IT, website) of £18,934.

    f) Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

    The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority does not have a press office. Two members of staff have responsibility for media relations as a substantive part of their role: the Head of Stakeholder Communications and Corporate Communications Manager.

    Given the small size of these teams, providing the information requested on salaries would enable individual members of staff to be identified. This information has not, therefore, been provided.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she intends to answer the letter to her from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 5 November 2015 with regard to Ms J Batsleer.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I replied to the rt. hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 23 December 2015, and I apologise for the delay in doing so.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she expects to be able to announce how carbon capture and storage research and deployment will be funded in future; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Decisions on which technologies to support with research, development and demonstration funding will be made in due course, in the context of our agreed policy objectives, with a clear focus on targeting investment in areas of demonstrable market failure. A generating station connected to a complete CCS system is an eligible technology for Contracts for Difference under the Contract for Difference Regulations. Contracts for Difference for CCS are awarded on direction of my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State. Whether or not the Secretary of State would consider awarding a CfDs to a specific project would be subject to the circumstances at the time, including factors such as the value for money and affordability of a project and competing demands on available budgets.

  • Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sarah Wollaston – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendations that PSHE education be made a routine part of children’s education.

    Edward Timpson

    We want all children to lead healthy and active lives. Schools have a key role to play in supporting this; the new national curriculum sets the expectation that pupils are taught, across a variety of subjects, about the importance of leading healthy and active lives.

    Schools and teachers already recognise the importance of good PSHE education and know that healthy, resilient, confident pupils are better placed to achieve academically and to be stretched further. In the introduction to the national curriculum, we have made clear that all schools should make provision for PSHE, drawing on examples of good practice.

    The Secretary of State for Education has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Health about children’s health and the role schools can play in tackling childhood obesity.