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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2 November (HL3058), whether the measures taken to counter the loss of generating capacity resulting from the closure of coal fired power stations will include (1) the use of small diesel generators, and (2) the closure or interruption of industrial production by industry to maintain security of supply during the coming winter; and what is their estimate of the extra costs of those measures to energy consumers and taxpayers.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The operators of Ferrybridge and Longannet power plants have announced plans to cease generation in 2016 while the operator of Eggborough plant is currently consulting staff on possible closure. These announcements relate to closures from March 2016 and do not affect security of supply this winter.

Our priority is to ensure that British families and business have access to secure and affordable energy supplies that they can rely on. Since 2014 National Grid have had the ability to procure a Contingency Balancing Reserve (CBR), which consists of the Supplemental Balancing Reserve (SBR), where existing power stations stand by ready to generate additional electricity and the Demand Side Balancing Reserve (DSBR) where companies bid for contracts with National Grid to receive payments in return for reducing their electricity usage times of peak demand should National Grid so require. National Grid and Ofgem agree that we should retain the ability to procure CBR for the next two winters. Government supports this position and we expect confirmation later this month following an Ofgem consultation.

Organisations contracted under DSBR can reduce their use of grid electricity in many ways while still remaining in operation. For example, an industrial customer could switch to a back-up generator or a supermarket chain might raise the temperature slightly on its refrigerators for a short time, using less energy but maintaining safe refrigeration levels.

National Grid’s CBR is tendered competitively keeping procurement at the lowest possible cost to consumers, whilst ensuring electricity security. The additional reserve capacity that National Grid has purchased for 2015/16 represents less than 50p a year on the average annual consumer bill.

From winter 2018/19, the Capacity Market will take over as the long term solution for security of supply. The Capacity Market is a key part of our reform of the electricity market and it will drive new investment in gas and demand side capacity to help keep the lights on, as well as getting the best out of our existing power stations as we transition to a low carbon electricity future. Small-scale flexible generation such as diesel can also bid into the Capacity Market – generation that can turn on quickly has a small but important role to play in securing our electricity system. It is typically run for short periods to meet peaks of demand or local system constraints, so emission impacts can be relatively limited.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when work will commence to convert the M4 to a smart motorway from junction 3 to Theale; what the estimated time of completion is; what the estimated final cost of the project is; and what level of traffic disruption is expected during construction.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

From Highways England’s latest information, the M4 junction 3 to 12 scheme is scheduled to start works in 2016/17 and to complete in 2021/22. The latest cost estimate for the scheme is in a range of £614m to £862m with a central estimate of £715m.

The improvements to the M4 are being designed to minimize traffic disruption. The work will be phased but ensure that sections will provide three narrow lanes open to traffic during the daytime and at times of peak flows. Lane closures will take place at night, when traffic flows are lower, for specific tasks such as re-surfacing and gantry and bridge erection. Some complete closures of the M4 will also be required to allow for the demolition of eleven overbridges that are to be replaced as part of this scheme. These will be arranged for periods when flows on the motorway are at their lowest, usually at weekends.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 28 October (HL Deb, col 1176) concerning the review by Lord Strathclyde of the House of Lords powers, whether it is intended that the opinion of peers will be invited.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of (1) the recent report by former UK ambassadors to the EU that, if the UK left the EU, access to free-trade deals would be lost with 51 states; (2) whether those states would, as a consequence, lose free access to the UK market; and (3) the overall effect on the UK’s trading balance of those assessments.

Lord Maude of Horsham

The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the deficit in trade with the EU in 2014 in (1) goods, and (2) overall in goods and services; and how that deficit is financed.

Lord Maude of Horsham

The UK’s trade in goods deficit with the EU was £78.9bn in 2014. The overall trade in goods and services deficit with the EU was £61.7bn.

The UK’s total trade deficit is financed by a net inflow of investment in the financial account, for which data is not available on a geographical basis. The UK’s financial account surplus was £89.4bn in 2014.

Source: ONS Pink Book 2015