Tag: Alan Brown

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase the rate of new woodland planting.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Forestry is a devolved matter and the answer refers to England only.

We encourage tree planting by championing sector-led initiatives, such as Grown in Britain and the Roots to Prosperity strategy. Their work to grow demand for wood from ground level up is helping develop the woodland economy. We also support the Woodland Carbon Code to help to attract private investment in woodland creation.

The window for Woodland Creation Grant applications for planting over the next two seasons, under the Rural Development Programme, closed on 31 March. We are continuing to process these applications and agreements are expected to be issued this month.

The Forestry Commission plans to re-open the £1m Forestry Innovation Fund for Woodland Creation Planning Grants for new applications this month. Funding for this has been confirmed by HM Treasury.

The Forestry Commission continues to support landowners to make applications through a series of workshops and online support.

As announced by the Chancellor in August, all Countryside Stewardship applications signed or agreed before the Autumn Statement will be fully funded, even when these continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to identify locations for potential electricity storage schemes that would best supplement the existing National Grid system.

Andrea Leadsom

The Department has recently commissioned a study to assess the level of system flexibility (e.g. electricity storage, interconnection, demand side response) that may be required in the future. This study will consider how much and what type of flexibility is both least regrets and optimal for our energy system. This study is expected to conclude in the spring.

In addition, with support from a DECC innovation grant, a UK pumped hydro storage developer has assessed the potential viability of new pumped hydro sites around Great Britain. They concluded that up to 15GW of potential additional pumped storage capacity was available, using various criteria such as the presence of existing or potential reservoirs, grid connection distance and whether the site was in an environmentally sensitive area. Other pumped storage developers have independently identified over 1 GW of additional potential storage capacity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 26 November 2015, Official Report, column 1535, what country is responsible for the co-ordination of ground troops; and which coalition countries have agreed to the methodology referred to.

Michael Fallon

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 1 December 2015 to Question 17826 to the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion (Caroline Lucas).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-03-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to respond to the consultation exercise of the Gift aid small donations scheme: A Call for evidence which closes on 2 March 2016.

Damian Hinds

The consultation has now closed and HMRC are currently analysing the responses. They will publish a responses document before the summer recess and will continue to work closely with the charity sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to modify the universal credit online application system to allow an application to be saved and returned to by applicants.

Priti Patel

The universal credit full service online application system does have this functionality but the full service is currently only available in a limited number of areas. National expansion of the Universal Credit full service will begin from May 2016, completing in June 2018.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the one per cent rise from 2016-17 on the (a) wage levels in real terms, (b) living standards and (c) disposable income of workers in the Information Commissioner’s Office to the end of this Parliament.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The July 2015 budget announced an average 1% pay award for public sector workforces from 2016/17. This is set out in Civil Service Pay Guidance, which is issued each year following negotiation with the Trade Unions.

Pay restraint is one of the many difficult choices the Government has had to make to put the public finances back on track and makes a significant contribution to protecting jobs and maintaining public services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the area of new woodland planting was in 2015-16; and what assessment she has made of progress towards meeting her Department’s target for such planting.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Forestry is a devolved matter and the answer refers to England only.

Figures published by the Forestry Commission show that between April 2015-June 2016, 1,292,000 trees were planted on 968 hectares, supported by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).

In addition, the Forestry Commission estimates that a further 165 hectares of woodland was created without RDPE support during 2015-16.

The Government remains committed to planting 11 million trees during this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the comparative merits of electricity storage and transmission network upgrades.

Andrea Leadsom

The Network Options Assessment (NOA) was introduced as a result of Ofgem’s Integrated Transmission Planning and Regulation project.It is an holistic, forward-looking analysis of the options for the development of the transmission system.The NOA has a 10-year outlook and will be published annually.In developing the annual statement, National Grid as System Operator must work closely with the three GB transmission operators to propose network solutions which facilitate an efficient, coordinated and economical system of electricity transmission. As part of this process, National Grid is required to consider the merits of solutions other than transmission build, such as storage. A cost-benefit analysis of storage compared to other assets is performed by National Grid as a part of this assessment, in which constraint payments form a part.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 26 November 2015, Official Report, column 1535, what the estimated transition period is for stability post war.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The International Syria Support Group has set out a target timeline for transition. This timeline includes the start of Syrian-led negotiations under UN auspices by 1 January 2016; transition within six months; and free and fair elections within 18 months. We are working with international partners to meet those targets and to provide the support needed to ensure that Syria can return to stability.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-03-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects discussions to begin with the US government on extending the lease for the military base on Diego Garcia.

James Duddridge

We have been clear that we want to see US presence continue. No decisions have yet been made about whether and when to have discussions with the US about their continued presence on Diego Garcia.