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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on responding to correspondence from hon. Members by email rather than by letter.

Justin Tomlinson

We have received representations from a small number of hon. Members and where appropriate the Department obliges with email replies. Where there is sensitive personal information in a reply, it will be posted for security reasons.

The cost differential between sending postal replies and email replies is minimal.

The exact information requested on the method of dispatch is not available other than at a disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many replies to constituent correspondence from hon. Members his Department sent by (a) email and (b) letter in each of the last three years; and what the cost breakdown of each method was in each such year.

Justin Tomlinson

We have received representations from a small number of hon. Members and where appropriate the Department obliges with email replies. Where there is sensitive personal information in a reply, it will be posted for security reasons.

The cost differential between sending postal replies and email replies is minimal.

The exact information requested on the method of dispatch is not available other than at a disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many replies to constituent correspondence from hon. Members her Department sent by (a) email and (b) letter in each of the last three years; and what the cost of using each method was in each such year.

Karen Bradley

The systems used to manage correspondence received from hon. Members do not record whether the response has been sent by email or letter; we are therefore unable to provide the requested breakdown or associated costs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on responding to correspondence from hon. Members by email rather than by letter.

James Brokenshire

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) can confirm that it corresponds with hon. Members through informal channels such as email and telephone wherever possible as opposed to formal written correspondence.

A recent MP satisfaction survey conducted by UKVI revealed that over 87% of respondents prefer informal channels of communication such as email or telephone rather than a formal letter response. This effective channel shift has improved the level of service that the department has provided to MPs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to support the creation of jobs through low carbon growth (a) within and (b) outside the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

The ONS will publish estimates of the number of people directly employed in the low carbon economy in December 2015. Notwithstanding this, the Government’s commitment to low carbon infrastructure helps support many thousands of highly skilled jobs across the economy. For example, the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C is estimated to support around 25,000 jobs, of which 7,000 are local. Similarly, the two Siemens offshore wind facilities in Hull announced in 2014 are estimated to support 1,000 direct jobs and 300 construction jobs. Internationally, low carbon strategies and potential jobs that arise from them will be guided by countries’ delivery of their intended contributions to a global climate change agreement. The UKis committed to supporting the world’s poorest to become more resilient to the effects of a changing climate and to take the clean energy path to growth and prosperity. Its international climate finance has helped support the creation of 39,000 jobs in developing countries up to April this year in relation to low carbon climate resilience.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will take steps in support of the African Group’s agreement on a Global Goal for Adaptation at the Paris Climate Conference in December.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government supports the view that the Paris Agreement should set out a long term direction for all countries and the international community on adaptation, which should encourage all countries to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and strengthen resilience, in order to enable climate resilient sustainable development.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to support the sustainable management of forests outside the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

Protecting forests delivers substantial climate, development, biodiversity and ecosystem outcomes. Stopping deforestation offers the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a globally significant scale, while protecting the vital services, such as regulating rainfall patterns, on which the world economy depends for agricultural productivity and sustainable economic growth.

Addressing deforestation and supporting the sustainable management of forests is a priority for the UK’s £3.87 billion International Climate Fund (ICF), and the Prime Minister announced in September that this will rise to £5.8bn over the next Spending review period. To date, over £700m has been programmed, including initiatives that: incentivise action to reduce deforestation and forest degradation; support forest management, governance and market reforms; curb illegal and unsustainable use of forest resources; and promote investments in sustainable forestry, agriculture and land management.

The UK also plays an active leadership role in international fora, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biodiversity, and the United Nations Forum on Forests. Last year, we played a key role in the negotiation of the New York Declaration on Forests, which set ambitious targets for halving (by 2020) and halting (by 2030) the loss of natural forests, eliminating deforestation from the production of key agricultural commodities by 2020, and accelerating restoration efforts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to prevent carbon emissions outside the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

The 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, in December.

My Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Climate and Energy, is taking every opportunity to press for an agreement that secures ambitious mitigation commitments from all Parties that together keep the 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 and a robust, legally binding framework to ensure transparency and accountability of commitments to help the world track progress.