Tag: 2016

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, by what mechanisms the National Grid can procure electricity supplies outside of the capacity market.

    Andrea Leadsom

    National Grid routinely purchases electricity through the balancing mechanism to ensure supply and demand balance precisely minute-by-minute. National Grid is also able to contract forward to ensure the availability of capacity which can provide these balancing services, for example, through the Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR); and for the provision of other ancillary services required to meet the physical needs of the system, although these services are often provided by capacity which is also participating in the energy market. These will still be available to Grid after the Capacity Market begins operation and some of the services will be available through plant participating in the capacity market.

    During 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17, ahead of the introduction of the capacity market, National Grid has also been allowed by Ofgem to procure capacity into the Supplementary Balancing Reserve (generation) and Demand-side Balancing Reserve. National Grid has already procured 3.6GW for next winter which ensures we will have an adequate capacity margin. Once the capacity market begins operation in 2017/18, Ofgem have stated that they will discontinue this facility.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time is for a Disclosure and Barring Service local intelligence check to be completed by the Metropolitan Police Service.

    Sarah Newton

    From June 2015 to May 2016, the average time taken to complete Disclosure checks by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) was 94 days and for the police as a whole, 22 days.

    The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is working closely with the small number of forces, including the MPS, whose performance does not meet turnaround time targets. The performance of police disclosure units is an operational issue for individual police forces and the MPS has established a Gold Group to oversee the recovery plan which they have in place to reduce the time taken. I have made clear to the MPS that its current delays must be addressed as a matter of priority and I continue to maintain close oversight of the progress being made.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to take forward the recommendations of the West Anglia Taskforce to examine timetable improvements to reduce rail journey times on the West Anglia Main Line between London, Stansted and Cambridge.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport is carefully considering the recommendations of the draft report of the West Anglia Taskforce, particularly the interactions with the commitments made as part of the new East Anglia franchise. However, the recommendation to establish an “action group” has already been taken forward.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Libyan government on tackling the spread of Daesh

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh. The recent attacks in the Oil Crescent and Zliten in western Libya show the threat that these groups pose to the stability of Libya and the region, and potentially to the UK and our interests. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to Prime Minister Designate, Fayez al-Serraj, on 10 January to stress the importance of the Government of National Accord forming quickly, and to emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the new government to tackle the threats from Daesh and people smuggling.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many visits the armed forces made to state secondary schools in (a) Inverclyde and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Armed Forces never visit schools for recruitment purposes and would only ever visit a school after being invited by a teacher to support school activities. Similar contributions to schools are made by the Police, Fire, Ambulance and other emergency services. The Armed Forces receive numerous requests from schools each year and the three Services take these opportunities to both explain their role, and to assist schools in teaching valuable skills such as leadership, teamwork and citizenship.

    These visits can comprise presentations, citizenship talks, meetings with staff, participation in career events, practice interviews and activities with the students, such as science and maths challenges, and other indoor or outdoor exercises.

    Information on the number of visits by the Royal Navy and the Army to secondary schools is presented below, by Financial Year (FY); the category of secondary educational establishment (such as state or independent) is not recorded. Details of visits by the Royal Air Force could not be provided in the time available and I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.

    Royal Navy

    FY

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    Scotland

    267

    176

    176

    150

    88

    Inverclyde

    1

    0

    3

    4

    0

    Note: 2015-16 to 12 February 2016.

    Army

    FY

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    Scotland

    191

    199

    175

    203

    279

    Inverclyde

    Not Known

    Not Known

    Not Known

    6

    1

    Note: 2015-16 includes events confirmed to the end of March 2016.

  • 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 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Annex on a Comprehensive Franco-British Partnership on Civil Nuclear Energy, Franco-British Summit, on 3 March 2016, what the basis is for the statement that major progress has been made in recent months with a view to confirming the project to build two EPR reactors on the Hinkley Point site.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The terms of the contractual documentation relating to Hinkley Point C (Contract for Difference, Secretary of State Investors Agreement, Funded Decommissioning Programme (FDP) and related Waste Transfer contracts) between the Government and EDF are in final form.

    EDF and CGN have confirmed major investment in HPC and are working to rapidly conclude the detailed investment documentation.

    The Final Investment Decision is a matter for EDF and we understand they will make this shortly.

    In January we gave planning consent for the National Grid connection to Hinkley Point C.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the one-year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013, as set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to those Regulations, has been completed, and if so, whether a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

    Lord Faulks

    Work to review the enforcement reforms introduced in April 2014 is ongoing.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on EU state aid related to UK interconnector operations.

    Amber Rudd

    All interconnector projects apply to Ofgem to operate under a regulatory regime. Their regulation is compatible with EU rules and there are no state aid issues

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on Scotland of the UK leaving the EU.

    David Mundell

    The United Kingdom is fundamentally strong and is well-placed to rise to the challenges we face.

    Following the result of the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, our focus now needs to be working together as Team UK, to achieve the best deal for both Scotland and the United Kingdom in the negotiations with the EU.

  • Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of the resignation of Mr Simon Kirby as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd on the delivery of phase 1 of the HS2 project on time and to budget.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is committed to delivering HS2 which remains absolutely on track with strong cross-Party support. There are no plans to change the project. HS2 is on time and on budget and construction will start next year.