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  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the value of UK imports of (a) coal, (b) gas and (c) oil from Russia was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Michael Fallon

    The value of UK imports of coal, primary oil and petroleum products from Russia between 2008 and 2012 are shown in the following table:

    £ Million

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    Coal

    1,570

    1,130

    533

    945

    1,092

    Primary oil

    2,184

    1,156

    1,278

    2,316

    3,321

    Petroleum products

    1,091

    770

    1,186

    1,805

    1,819

    There was no gas imported directly from Russia by the UK.

  • John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the effects on the community energy sector of removing eligibility for Enterprise Investment Scheme awards from business qualifying for renewable obligation certificates.

    Michael Fallon

    Eligibility for the Enterprise Investment Scheme is a matter for HM Treasury who will be consulting stakeholders on the proposals in due course.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of the UK’s (a) coal, (b) gas and (c) oil requirements were met by imports from Russia in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Michael Fallon

    The amounts of coal and oil imported from Russia by the UK for each year between 2008 and 2012 compared to total UK demand for those fuels are shown in the following tables.

    Coal

    (thousand tonnes)

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    Import

    21,249

    17,726

    8,322

    12,126

    16,933

    Proportion of demand

    33%

    34%

    15%

    22%

    25%

    Primary Oil

    (thousand tonnes)

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    Import

    8,295

    5,065

    5,000

    6,058

    7,491

    Proportion of demand

    10%

    7%

    7%

    8%

    11%

    Petroleum Products

    (thousand tonnes)

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012

    Import

    1,435

    2,066

    2,306

    2,407

    2,630

    Proportion of demand

    2%

    3%

    3%

    4%

    4%

    There was no gas imported directly from Russia by the UK.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which companies manufacture (a) generator step-up transformers and (b) transmission transformers in the UK.

    Michael Fallon

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold comprehensive data on generator step-up and transmission connected transformer manufacturers in the U.K. The transformers used in the privatised electricity industry are sourced from manufacturers such as Alstom Grid based in Staffordshire, among others in the UK and globally.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many spare (a) generator step-up transformers and (b) transmission transformers are held in the UK.

    Michael Fallon

    Electricity generation in the U.K. is privatised and the decisions on spare step-up transformers are for the individual generator businesses. Electricity transmission operations in the U.K. are private, regulated businesses. Decisions on spare transmission connected transformers are matters for the transmission businesses, to meet the licence conditions under which they operate; they form an important component in the provision of reliability of supply. The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold data on generator step-up transformer or transmission connected transformer quantities held as spares by industry.

  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of properties in (a) Rossendale and Darwen constituency and (b) the North West which do not have mains gas access and which use domestic heating oil.

    Michael Fallon

    Estimates for the number of households which do not have mains gas and which use domestic heating oil are not available. However, the number of households that did not have access to a mains gas supply in the Rossendale and Darwen constituency can be estimated by combining figures for the lower layer super output areas that most closely match this area.

    In 2012, there were approximately 1,100 households (three per cent) which had no access to mains gas. The number of households that did not have access to mains gas in the North West is estimated to be 156,000 (five per cent of households within the North West).

    These data are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lsoa-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the baseline requirement is for wi-fi provision for all primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education has no baseline requirements for Wi-Fi provision in all schools. Headteachers manage their own budgets and are best placed to decide the extent of Wi-Fi provision. Where schools are built or rebuilt via the Department’s capital programmes, IT infrastructure including Wi-Fi is installed to a standard that supports 1:1 tablet use in the classroom.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the baseline requirements are for wi-fi provision for all secondary schools to enable the use of one-to-one tablet computers in the classroom; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education has no baseline requirements for Wi-Fi provision in all schools. Headteachers manage their own budgets and are best placed to decide the extent of Wi-Fi provision. Where schools are built or rebuilt via the Department’s capital programmes, IT infrastructure including Wi-Fi is installed to a standard that supports 1:1 tablet use in the classroom.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made on the rollout of broadband for schools; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education does not procure and install broadband on behalf of schools. Headteachers manage their own budgets and are best placed to decide on their broadband requirements.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effects on pedagogy of giving pupils in secondary schools one to one tablet computers; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education has reviewed evidence on the effects of one-to-one tablet schemes on pedagogy, and more broadly within education, from the UK and Australia. Positive effects on pedagogy cited within the studies considered include: improvemements to lessons and homework, characterised by more creative and engaging tasks; more and better quality feedback to pupils; and improvements in monitoring and assessment.

    The Department will continue to review international research in this area, such as that being undertaken by the Creative Classroom project of the European Schoolnet organisation. This study is looking at the effects of one-to-one tablet use, in 45 secondary schools, and across eight European countries.