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  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on steps to increase exports of food from Northern Ireland to China.

    George Eustice

    There has been very close collaboration at ministerial and official level to increase food exports to China. On her recent visit the Secretary of State highlighted the Northern Ireland priorities of securing approval for pork plants, finalising access for pig trotters and progressing negotiations for poultry meat. Supporting this extension of access, officials work closely with colleagues from Invest Northern Ireland to ensure complementary export promotional work in China.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Chinese government on the sale of wildlife from Zimbabwe.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK is working in close cooperation with China on the illegal wildlife trade. In the UK-China Joint Statement on Building a Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century, issued on 22nd October on the occasion of the State Visit of President Xi Jinping, the UK and China recognised the importance and urgency of combating the illegal wildlife trade, and committed to take active measures to tackle this global challenge. We warmly welcome the recent announcement by China that it intends, in due course, to close its legal domestic market for ivory, and will continue to work with China to encourage this to happen as soon as feasible.

    Through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, we are also supporting projects which address the rising demand for illegal wildlife trade products in China.

    Defra has had no discussions with China over the sale of wildlife from Zimbabwe.

  • 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 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on contingency plans for power cuts; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has met with my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to discuss contingency plans for disruption of critical services, including power. She has also attended COBR, to take part in discussions that include ensuring an effective strategic response to energy disruptions following recent storms.

  • 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 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with her German counterparts on the building of new coal power stations in that country.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Ministers and officials in the Department regularly discuss a range of energy and climate change issues with their German counterparts.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with energy companies on the progress of building new nuclear power stations.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government is committed to a significant expansion in new nuclear power. Investors have set out proposals for to develop 18 gigawatts of new nuclear at six sites. The Government regularly meets the companies involved to discuss their progress.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of electricity in the UK was generated by UK coal-fired power stations in 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    DECC will publish finalised energy market statistics including figures for electricity generation in 2015 later this year. However, provisional figures [1] show that coal accounted for 22% of UK electricity supplied over Q1 – Q3 in 2015 compared to 28% in the same period in 2014.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487838/Electricity.pdf

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  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will list by title the documents requested and not released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to (a) nuclear power and (b) Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant since May 2010.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The information requested is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Danny Kinahan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Energy Bill on Northern Ireland’s ability to contribute to the achievement of the UK’s international climate change obligations.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government is committed to delivering on our domestic, EU and international climate change targets. We are confident of meeting our ambition of 30% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020.

    Northern Ireland continues to play its part, with electricity generation from renewables increasing from 19.5% in 2013 to 22.2% in 2014.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she plans to take to increase renewable energy generation when the renewables obligation scheme ends in 2017.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We have announced our intention to hold three Contract for Difference (CfD) allocation rounds during this Parliament, supporting large scale renewable projects at a far lower cost to the consumer than under the renewables obligation. Provided cost reductions are made, this could support to 10GW of new offshore wind in the 2020s.

    We are considering how we can best ensure a level playing field between renewable and other generation technologies and we are listening to ideas from industry about how this can be achieved. A number of stakeholders have suggested the concept of a market stabilising CFD for pot 1 technologies and welcome thoughts on this.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure that creative subjects are included in the new Ebac; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    This Government’s aim is to have at least 90% of pupils taking GCSEs from the English Baccalaureate subjects of English, maths, science, humanities and languages.

    These subjects are part of a broad and balanced curriculum. There is space in the wider school curriculum to teach other subjects alongside these subjects.

    On 3 November 2015 the Secretary of State for Education launched a public consultation seeking views on the government’s proposals for the implementation of the English Baccalaureate[1]. The consultation closed on 29 January 2016 and the government will publish its response in the spring.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/implementing-the-english-baccalaureate

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