The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Rural Payments Agency and the Welsh Government on delays in paying Basic Payments Scheme cheques to cross-border farmers.
George Eustice
The Rural Payments Agency has regular discussions with the Welsh Government and they are working together to get Basic Payment Scheme claims paid to cross-border farmers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the results collected to date by the study conducted for her Department by ADAS on neonicotinoid treated and non-neonicotinoid treated oilseed rape prior to any further emergency authorisation applications related to the use of neonicotinoids
George Eustice
The Government issued emergency authorisations in 2015 for the limited and controlled use of neonicotinoid seed treatments on oilseed rape. One of the conditions attached to these authorisations was that the authorisation holder should use the authorised area to generate data on both treated and untreated crops. This should include impact on adult and larval numbers, crop establishment/damage and effects on crop yields, resistance occurrence and management.
This work has been taken forward by ADAS on behalf of the National Farmers’ Union. Their interim evidence (excluding the crop yield data which will not be available until after this year’s harvest) formed part of the evidence considered by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides in respect of the 2016 applications and will be reflected in their detailed record of the discussion at their 4 May meeting. The report will not be finalised until yield data is available after harvest.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to bring forward legislative proposals for the labelling of ritually slaughtered meat products.
George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given on 22 June 2015, PQ UIN 2954.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will direct the Health and Safety Executive to increase transparency by publishing details of applications for emergency authorisation of neonicotinoid pesticides before a decision is taken on such applications.
George Eustice
Significant or technically complex applications for authorisation are considered by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. Their agendas and minutes are published and provide public information about the expert assessment, including details of the applications considered.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on infraction proceedings in each of the last 10 years.
George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the Rt. Hon Matthew Hancock, on 11 May 2016, to PQ UIN 36288.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish the recommendations of the Bonfield Review of consumer advice, protection, standards and enforcement for energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Andrea Leadsom
The Bonfield Review is due to report back its findings later this year.
We are confident that the Bonfield Review will provide a real opportunity to put energy efficiency and renewable energy on a more consumer-focussed and sustainable long-term path for the future.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much her Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on infraction proceedings in each of the last 10 years.
Amber Rudd
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her by my rt. hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General today to Question 36288:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Campbell on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many households are in receipt of (a) feed-in tariff payments from solar PV installations, (b) domestic renewal heat incentive payments and (c) both such payments.
Andrea Leadsom
By the end of March 2016, there were
722,559 households with solar PV benefitting from feed-in-tariff (FIT) payments.
45,789 households with installations benefitting from renewable heat incentive (RHI) payments
The number of households in receipt of both FIT and RHI payments is not available.
Source data:
RHI: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rhi-deployment-data-march-2016-q1-2016 (table 2.10)
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department requires the armed forces to provide entrants aged under 18 with 280 guided learning hours per year towards accredited qualifications.
Nick Boles
The Education and Skills Act 2008 requires young people to participate in education or training until they are 18. Young people can participate through full-time education, work combined with part-time education or training, or by undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship.
The 16 and 17 year olds joining the armed forces are under a contract of employment but they are not exempt from their duty to participate. Most of these young people meet their duty to participate by undertaking an apprenticeship.
We have agreed with the Ministry of Defence that serving in the armed forces is a valid and valuable career route which provides relevant training for young people.
Apprenticeships are embedded across initial training in the armed forces, with over 95% of all young recruits (no matter what their age or prior qualifications) enrolling in an apprenticeship each year.
All apprenticeships require a minimum of 280 Guided Learning Hours (GLHs) within a 12 month period. The same GLH requirement applies to the small number of young people in the armed forces who are not on an apprenticeship.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of 16 and 17 year olds participated in full-time education in England in (a) 2005 and (b) 2015.
Nick Gibb
The proportion of 16 and 17 year olds in full-time education in England was 70.3% at the end of 2005 and 82.2% at the end of 2014 (provisional figures). These figures are published in Table A7 of the ‘Additional tables – rates’ in the Statistical First Release (SFR) ‘Participation in education, training and employment’ and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-neet
Figures for end 2015 are not yet available but will be published on 30th June 2016 as part of the above series.
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