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  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to ensure the UK meets (a) the EU target to 50 per cent of municipal waste by 2020 and (b) the proposed EU target to recycle 65 per cent of such waste by 2030.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK recycling rate has increased from 11% at the turn of the century, to 44.9% now. This progress is thanks in large part to the hard work of Local Authorities and householders.

    The Government is committed to meeting the 2020 EU recycling target of 50% of household waste.

    Local Authorities are best placed to determine the most appropriate waste collection and recycling services in their areas and we work with them and the Waste and Recycling Action Programme (WRAP) to promote best practice.

    I have asked WRAP to look at what further measures can be taken to improve recycling rates and, in particular the benefits and opportunities there are from having greater consistency in the materials collected and collection systems to enable Local Authorities to recycle more, and to make it easier for householders to put the right materials in the right bin.

    The UK is still assessing the implications of the proposed recycling targets for 2030.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the Marine Conservation Zone from Bideford to Foreland Point to include the Greencliff site.

    George Eustice

    This extension was proposed in a response to the consultation on the designation of this Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Boundary issues were examined where new relevant information or data were presented which had not previously been considered. Natural England analysed evidence submitted with the extension proposal and advised that it would increase the area of intertidal rock and seabed sediment habitats protected, but these were already protected elsewhere within the MCZ, and in the wider network. Any proposed changes to the boundary cannot be made without further consultation with other stakeholders who may be affected by the change.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2016 to Question 26199, on flooding insurance, how much of the funding provided to support businesses has been allocated to (a) Lancashire and (b) Burnley and Padiham.

    James Wharton

    To support local authorities impacted by Storms Desmond and Eva, the Department has provided Lancashire County Council with £4.3 million to date under the Community and Business Recovery Scheme. The Scheme has been designed to support local authorities across the country, such as Burnley, to develop and deliver their own locally tailored support packages for impacted businesses and communities. Burnley Borough Council has also received a further £56,070 for Business Rates relief to support flooded businesses.

  • Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the change in the number of jobs in the solar industry has been since May 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not maintain data on the number of jobs in the solar industry. In order to support the path to subsidy-free solar deployment, we have decided to keep the Feed-in-Tariff scheme open, and expect that the scheme could support 15,000-23,000 jobs in the sector.

    We expect subsidy-free solar to be an increasingly attractive option. Lightsource, the biggest solar developer in the UK, have said publically that they will be installing and connecting subsidy-free sites in 2016.

  • Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Melanie Onn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will estimate the change in the number of jobs that will be lost in the solar industry as a result of the early closure of the renewables obligation.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not maintain data on the number of jobs in the solar industry. In order to support the path to subsidy-free solar deployment, we have decided to keep the Feed-in-Tariff scheme open, and expect that the scheme could support 15,000-23,000 jobs in the sector.

    We expect subsidy-free solar to be an increasingly attractive option. Lightsource, the biggest solar developer in the UK, have said publically that they will be installing and connecting subsidy-free sites in 2016.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Emma Reynolds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits for the UK economy of the completion of a EU internal energy market.

    Amber Rudd

    My Department assesses that the completion of the EU internal energy market would put downward pressure on energy bills; encourage efficient investment in the UK energy sector; and enhance energy security.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 26815, what the job titles are of those people in receipt of paid car allowances.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Please note: this list excludes those in receipt of the essential car user allowance (29 people as of 23 February). This is allocated to those that require considerable business travel at a particular point in time, where a car is the most appropriate and cost efficient form of transport. The job titles will therefore vary.

    The job titles of those in receipt of paid car allowances are in the attached.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress she has made on the type approval of modular nuclear reactors.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Any nuclear reactor or facility proposed for deployment in the UK will be subject to robust and independent regulatory scrutiny.

    Therefore, any small modular reactor design proposed for construction would undergo safety, security and environmental design assessment. A reactor design would only be allowed to progress if the independent regulator was satisfied it was compliant with the UK’s stringent safety standards.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her policy is on proposals for a tidal lagoon or barrage in the Lancaster and Morecambe area.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government remains open to considering well-developed, privately funded tidal lagoon or barrage proposals across the UK’s bay and estuaries, including in the Lancaster and Morecambe area.

    Any tidal range project would need to demonstrate strong evidence of value for money and affordable, economic benefits, energy saving and environmental impact mitigation before the Government could take a view on its potential.

    On 10 February, the Government announced an independent review to assess the case for tidal lagoons and consider whether they could represent value for money for the consumer.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will issue guidance to schools and teachers on not using terminology that describes as failures children who do not reach the national standard grade under reforms to Key Stage 1.

    Nick Gibb

    No child under any circumstance should be described as a ‘failure’ in relation to their achievements at the end of Key Stage 1 (KS1). We expect teachers not to use such vocabulary.

    The standards for reporting children’s achievements at the end of KS1 have been carefully developed to avoid any negative connotations or suggestions of failure.

    Children who are assessed as not ‘working at the expected standard’ at the end of KS1 should either be awarded the ‘working towards the expected standard’, or working at the ‘foundations for the expected standard’.

    Teachers of Key Stage 1 pupils are required to provide a report to parents before the end of the summer term, covering the pupil’s achievements, general progress and attendance record.