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  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to appoint a new envoy on climate change.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Government is committed to tackling climate change by reducing our emissions at home and pushing for ambitious action globally. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Ms Rudd), played a key role in Paris to secure the first global legally binding climate agreement. The focus now is on implementation. There are no plans to appoint a new envoy on climate change at this time.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what criteria the Government is using to determine the sites of future small modular reactors.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government will address the issue of site identification for small modular reactors in due course, but no potential sites or siting criteria have been identified at present.

  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on the level of VAT on energy saving materials.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Decisions on VAT are led by HM Treasury, and the Department has been in regular contact with them regarding the consultation on changes to the application of VAT on energy saving materials.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received on accusations of mis-selling by Home Energy and Lifestyle Management.

    Andrea Leadsom

    It is not appropriate for me to comment on specific allegations against individual firms. However, I can confirm that in November 2015, acting on information passed to DECC by the Green Deal Ombudsman, I imposed a financial penalty against Home Energy and Lifestyle Management for breaches of the Green Deal Code of Practice related to mis-selling of credit agreements, the obligation under the Code of Practice to act honestly and fairly towards consumers, and the obligation to encourage consumers to obtain alternative quotes. Companies participating in various DECC schemes are expected to adhere to high standards including, where appropriate, those laid out in the Green Deal Code of Practice and the requirements of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. For firms that are authorised Green Deal Providers, consumers may complain to the Green Deal Ombudsman (where the firm is unable to resolve their complaint), and the Green Deal Oversight and Registration Body also monitor issues raised involving authorised participants. DECC Officials also work closely with other regulators with an interest in firms working under DECC schemes.

    In the summer of 2015, I established the Every Home Matters review, which contains a strong focus on consumers, and I look forward to receiving the recommendations from this in the coming months.

  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions her Department has had with the EU institutions on the (a) level of VAT on energy saving materials and (b) European Commission’s VAT Action Plan.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Tax matters, decisions and discussions on VAT are a matter for HM Treasury. The Department has been in regular contact with HM Treasury regarding the consultation on changes to the application of VAT on energy saving materials.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment she has made of which of her Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

    Nick Gibb

    Under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, a politically exposed person is one who has been entrusted with a prominent public function domestically or by a foreign country. This would include some senior civil servants, such as ambassadors and chargés d’affaires. The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

    The changes proposed under the Directive should not prevent any individual in this category from gaining or maintaining access to financial services. The Treasury regularly raises these issues with financial institutions and the regulator, and we encourage financial institutions to take a proportionate, risk-based approach when applying these measures.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment he has made of which of his Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, a politically exposed person is one who has been entrusted with a prominent public function domestically or by a foreign country. This would include some senior civil servants, such as ambassadors and chargés d’affaires. The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

    The changes proposed under the Directive should not prevent any individual in this category from gaining or maintaining access to financial services. The Treasury regularly raises these issues with financial institutions and the regulator, and we encourage financial institutions to take a proportionate, risk-based approach when applying these measures.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take in response to the findings of the Clementi Review into Governance and Regulation of the BBC; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government will set out its plans for the future of the BBC in a White Paper in Spring.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Triennial Review of gambling machine stakes and prize limits plans to consider the (a) effect on mental health and (b) other social and non-economic effects of fixed-odds betting terminals.

    David Evennett

    In April 2015 the previous Government introduced regulations which require authorisation of stakes over £50 on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals through a “verified account” or staff interaction. The Government published its evaluation of the £50 regulations on 21 January. The evaluation paper can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-gaming-machine-circumstances-of-useamendment-regulations-2015

    We will now consider the findings of the evaluation before deciding if there is a need for further action.

  • Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mary Creagh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of people who have purchased homes under the Help to Buy scheme were from BAME communities since the introduction of that scheme.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not collate this information centrally.