Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s policy is on the appropriate percentage rate of return on investment for (a) schools and community groups investing in on-site solar power and (b) foreign state owned companies investing in new nuclear power in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    We want to attract cost-effective investment in infrastructure. Investors rightly expect a market rate of return and value for money is achieved through competition and careful negotiation. Individual project rates of return will differ to reflect, among other things, the risk profiles involved.

    The Feed-in-Tariff scheme, for which schools and community groups are eligible to apply, aims to offer rates of return for solar installations between 4% and 8%. Returns for each installation will vary according to their individual costs and the amount of electricity generated and used on site. The Government’s recently closed consultation on the scheme includes a review to ensure that tariffs are within this range, given the fall in costs of solar panels in recent years. It will detail its response to the consultation shortly.

    We are unable to disclose the anticipated rate of return for new nuclear transactions as these are commercially sensitive.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on ensuring that as many schools as possible receive Shared Education Signature Project funding.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    The Government communicates with the Northern Ireland Executive frequently on a wide range of issues.

    As part of ‘Building a Prosperous and United Community’, the ‘economic pact’, the Government committed to provide £100 million of additional borrowing to help support specific shared housing and education projects.

    Through the Stormont House Agreement the Government committed to make substantial capital funding available, up to £500 million over 10 years, to help support shared and integrated education in Northern Ireland. This funding is subject to the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and individual projects being agreed between the Executive and the Government.

  • Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Peter Bone – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what changes are planned for local government funding over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Plans for local government funding will be set out shortly, alongside the publication of the provisional local government finance settlement for 2016-17.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gordon Marsden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Oral Contribution of the Chancellor of Exchequer of 25 November 2015, Official Report, column 1370, how sixth form colleges that (a) have not been involved in area reviews, (b) are currently involved in area reviews and (c) have previously been involved in area reviews which have now concluded or will soon conclude will apply for academy status.

    Nick Boles

    Detailed guidance on the criteria and application process for area reviews will be published in February 2016. All sixth form colleges in England will have the opportunity to apply as part of the relevant area review. Their applications will be considered alongside other recommendations from the review in their area.

    The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit will work with the sixth form colleges included in the first wave of reviews, which is currently under way, to ensure that they have the opportunity to develop information to support an application and to prepare applications in advance of the publication of detailed criteria in February.

    Three sixth form colleges were included in two pilot post-16 area reviews earlier this year. These reviews have now concluded and their recommendations are being implemented. We are currently considering how to ensure that these colleges have the opportunity to apply during later stages of the area reviews programme whilst maintaining current progress towards implementation of the earlier reviews’ findings.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support UKTI has provided to Rio Tinto in locations where Rio Tinto invests or plans to invest.

    Anna Soubry

    UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) mining sector team has regular and ongoing engagement with Rio Tinto both in market and in the UK as we seek to realise economic benefit for the UK through the involvement of the UK’s mining supply chain in Rio Tinto’s projects.

    Rio Tinto closed its Lynemouth Aluminium facility in 2013. That same year UKTI was part of a Rapid Response taskforce (which included local Economic Development organisations and Rio Tinto), to explore redeployment and site re-marketing options.

    UKTI support included:

    – an audit of the unique characteristics and selling points of the site to determine the sectoral focus of Rio Tinto’s site marketing activity to potential investors.

    – research to assess from where the strongest investor interest was likely to come from.

  • Julie Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julie Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on UK employment of (a) the early closure of renewables obligation and (b) the zero allocation into pot one of the contract for difference auction in 2016; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The impact assessments for closing the renewables obligation early to 5MW-and-below solar and to onshore wind both included reference to the possible effect of these changes on employment. There will continue to be employment opportunities in relation to projects that qualify for grace periods, as well as in ongoing maintenance and management of existing sites; some jobs may also be redeployed to other sectors.

    We are in the process of considering the concept of a market stabilising CFD for certain technologies – something which has been suggested by a number of stakeholders. We are listening to ideas from industry about how this can be achieved and how we can best ensure a level playing field between renewable and other generation technologies. We would welcome continued input from stakeholders.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount which the proposed apprenticeship levy will raise in (a) Warrington and (b) the North-West.

    Greg Hands

    Apprenticeships are a cornerstone of our skills system. The levy will drive growth in quality and quantity in apprenticeships and further details will be set out at the Spending Review. Provisional information shows that there have been 6,470 apprenticeship starts in Warrington North since May 2010. There have been over 78,000 apprenticeship starts in the North West over the same period with a 51% increase in starts from 2009/10 to 2013/14. The levy will ensure we can build on that success over the next five years by putting the funding of apprenticeships in the hands of employers in the North West.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the security risk posed by areas of the Mediterranean shoreline which are under the control of Islamic State; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups present along the Mediterranean shoreline, including Daesh and groups affiliated with it. These groups pose potential threats to the UK and our interests and citizens overseas, as well as a threat to stability in the region. Where Daesh has a foothold on the Mediterranean shoreline in Libya, we are working closely with international partners to develop our understanding of its presence, and how to tackle it there. We are supporting UN-led efforts to establish a Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya, which will be crucial in the long term to tackling the Daesh threat present in that county and across the region.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sadiq Khan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much the London Olympic council tax precept (a) has raised in each year of its existence and (b) is predicted to raise in the remaining years of its existence.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The information requested is not held centrally.