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  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of UK energy production that takes the form of non-renewable energy production outputs in each of the next five years; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We estimate that the proportion of electricity produced in the UK (gross total electricity supplied) which will be generated by non-renewable means over the next five years is as follows:

    2016 75%

    2017 71%

    2018 68%

    2019 66%

    2020 62%

    This excludes electricity supplied from other countries via interconnectors.

    The above data is taken from the reference scenario in Annex J of DECC’s 2015 Energy and Emissions Projections. This and other scenarios with differing economic growth and fossil fuel prices are available online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-projections-2015

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  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the implications for her policies on support for community-based renewable generation projects are of the proposed changes to the feed-in tariff scheme and HM Treasury’s decision to remove such projects from tax relief.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Part of the purpose of the feed-in tariff (FIT) review consultation was to gather views on the broader economic impact of the proposed changes. We also sought views on whether the scheme should be focussed towards specific groups or sectors which might, for example, include households or communities. We had a strong response from community energy groups via the consultation and workshops.

    The actual impact on the community sector will depend on the options taken forward after all responses to the consultation have been considered. We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the consultation and intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.

    The purpose of the tax-advantaged venture capital schemes is to provide funding to smaller higher-risk companies that would otherwise struggle to access finance to develop and grow. To ensure that the schemes are well targeted and deliver value for money, the government announced at the Autumn Statement the exclusion of all remaining energy generation activities from the schemes. This follows the exclusion of certain types of energy generation in 2012, 2014 and 2015, including most recently the announcement that the provision of reserve energy generating capacity and the generation of renewable energy benefiting from other government support by community energy organisations would be excluded from the schemes with effect from 30th November 2015, as well as from Social Investment Tax Relief when that scheme is expanded. These changes help to ensure that higher risk investments are not crowded out by lower risk investments.

    We will continue to work with the community energy sector over the coming months to develop a joint approach that addresses the priorities of the sector and satisfies our overarching objective of cost-effective emissions reductions.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the amount in the Levy Control Framework increased when the Carbon Price Floor was frozen in the 2014 Budget.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Levy Control Framework cap was not adjusted in response to the freezing the Carbon Price Floor in 2014 Budget. The Carbon Price Floor is a policy led by HM Treasury. In the 2014 Budget, the Carbon Price Support, the mechanism by which the carbon price floor is delivered, was capped at £18/tCO2 until 2019/20. DECC analysis on projected levy expenditure under the Levy Control Framework to 2020/21 reflects these rates.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her objectives are for the UN Climate Change Summit in Paris relating to (a) emissions and (b) monitoring emissions performance against targets set.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK Government is committed to securing an ambitious, legally binding, global deal on climate change at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) 21 in Paris.

    The UK is working with other countries to secure a deal with ambitious mitigation commitments from all parties that together keep the global goal of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees within reach. We also want an agreement that includes a regular review of targets to increase ambition over time, a global long term goal that sets out a tangible pathway towards our 2 degrees objective and a robust, legally binding rules framework to ensure transparency and accountability of commitments to help the world track progress, improve competitiveness and provide business certainty.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans for the next contracts for difference auction to take place; and whether she plans to make any amendments to how that auction operates from previous such auctions.

    Andrea Leadsom

    As my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on the 18th November 2015, the current intention is to hold the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round for ‘less established’ technologies in late 2016.

    We will announce further plans in relation to the next allocation round in due course.

    The auction design for the next round will not change materially. It will be a pay-as-clear auction with ‘less established’ technologies competing for a set budget. Further information will be announced in due course.

    Government has also responded to recommendations made by the Energy and Climate Change Committee, and in the recent EMR Evaluation and Competition Market Authority reports. Published responses can be found on the following links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-market-reform-evaluation

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/444530/50105_Cm_9090_Accessible.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deccs-response-to-the-cma-updated-issues-statement-uis-of-their-investigation-of-the-energy-market.

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  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the (a) level of provision of spaces in SEN schools and (b) rising number of children with SEN statements in mainstream schools on the educational rights and attainment of children with SEN.

    Edward Timpson

    Our vision for children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND) is the same as for all children and young people – that they thrive in their early years, at school and in college, and lead happy and fulfilled lives. We have made extensive changes to the SEND system to improve prospects for these students.

    The Children and Families Act 2014 secures the general presumption in law of mainstream education in relation to decisions about where children and young people with SEN should be educated and the Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination for disabled people. The presumption of mainstream education is supported by provisions which safeguard the interests of all children and young people and ensure that the school preferences of the young person or their parents are met wherever possible.

    Local authorities must review the educational provision for children and young people with SEN and disabilities in their areas and whether this meets the needs of those concerned. The Department produces national projections for the number of pupils in England, which help inform local authority decision-making over school capacity. Local authorities have the freedom to choose to use some of their capital funding on new places in special schools where that is a local priority and we continue to welcome applications for new special free schools where there is a particular need or demand for new provision.

    The proportion of pupils with a statement of SEN or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan has remained at 2.8% since 2007. There are 236,165 children with statements or EHC plans. Of those children with statements, 57% were in mainstream places in state-funded schools in January 2015. The proportion in special schools was 43% in January 2015.

    The educational attainment of pupils with SEND has generally been improving, but a significant gap remains between their attainment and that of those with no identified SEND. At Key Stage 2 for example, in National Curriculum assessments in 2014 38% of all pupils with SEN achieved the expected level in the combined reading, writing and mathematics measure in 2014, compared with 90% of pupils with no identified SEN, resulting in an attainment gap of 51 percentage points. This represented an improvement of 2 percentage points since 2013 (when the equivalent figures were 34% of pupils with SEN and 88% of those with no identified SEN). We will continue to support schools and local authorities in their efforts to support improvement of the attainment of those with SEND.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to extend the entitlement to their late spouse’s teacher’s pension to the surviving spouses of teachers who retired or died prior to January 2007 and lost their entitlement to their late spouse’s pension on remarrying.

    Nick Gibb

    It has been the policy of successive governments that changes or improvements to all public service pension schemes should not normally be applied retrospectively. This policy protects the current membership from having to meet the cost of potentially very expensive improvements. There are therefore no plans to extend the entitlement for those whose spouse was a member of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and who died or retired before January 2007.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the Government’s proposed reductions in tax credits on the pupil premium.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    As my Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor announced on 25 November, the government is not proceeding with the changes to the tax credit threshold and taper announced at the Summer Budget 2015.

    We are determined to deliver educational excellence everywhere so that every child, regardless of background, reaches their potential. That is why we are delivering on our commitment to continue providing the pupil premium, protected at current rates, so schools receive additional money for pupils from the poorest backgrounds.

  • Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Farron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on how many occasions emergency services have attended schools because of snow or ice related incidents in each of the last three years.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department does not collect information on the number of occassions on which emergency services have attended schools because of snow or ice related incidents.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to educate children at schools about the health implications of excessive alcohol consumption.

    Edward Timpson

    Effective drug and alcohol education is essential in tackling the problem of drug and alcohol misuse.In the science curriculum, pupils should be taught to recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function at Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 3 pupils should be taught about the effects of recreational drugs (including substance misuse) on behaviour, health and life processes.

    In addition, schools have the autonomy to tailor their local Personal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) education programme to reflect the needs of their pupils, including teaching about alcohol consumption. Schools can draw on the resources and evidence provided by experts and use tools such as ADEPIS (Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service). In March 2013 the department launched a new drug and alcohol information and advice service for practitioners. This provides practitioners and commissioners with accurate, up-to-date information and resources on what works and can be found at: http://mentor-adepis.org/

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