Tag: Alex Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what engagement his Department has conducted with EU officials on the application for assistance from the EU Solidarity Fund to help communities affected by recent floods since making that application.

James Wharton

The Government submitted an initial EU Solidarity Fund application on Friday 26 February. We are in the process of refining our cost estimates and figures.

The United Kingdom’s Permanent Representation to the European Union submitted the initial application to the European Commission on the UK Government’s behalf and will continue to engage with them and the Department on the development of the application.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what consideration her Department has given to the exclusion of irreducible process emissions in applying the reduction under the EU Emissions Trading System.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government supports the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) as a market-based approach to achieve least-cost decarbonisation and maintain a level playing field across the EU. The total cap on greenhouse gas emissions in the EU ETS does not discriminate between different sources of emissions. However, the Government recognises the large proportion of process emissions within some industrial sectors, such as cement. We have engaged with the cement and other sector bodies to understand the enablers and barriers to deep decarbonisation, including through the joint industry-Government decarbonisation roadmaps. The Government supports the proposal that the EU ETS, in future will provide funding for innovation and demonstration projects to overcome technological barriers to long-term emission reduction by industry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will publish the membership of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Oil and Gas.

Andrea Leadsom

The membership of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Oil and Gas is:

• Rt. Hon. Amber Rudd MP, DECC Secretary of State (Chair)

• Rt. Hon. Oliver Letwin MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

• Rt. Hon. Anna Soubry MP, Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise

• Damian Hinds MP, Exchequer Secretary

• Rt. Hon. David Mundell MP, Secretary of State for Scotland

• The Lord Price, Minister of State for Trade and Investment

• Andrea Leadsom MP, Minister of State for Energy

• Dr Andy Samuel, Chief Executive of the Oil and Gas Authority.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when her Department plans to produce a forward plan for carbon capture and storage strategy in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government will set out its approach to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in due course, informed by the findings of Lord Oxburgh’s CCS Advisory Group which is planning to report to the Government shortly .

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the causes of regional variation in liver disease outcomes in England.

David Mowat

Public Health England (PHE) has developed and publishes liver disease profiles for all local authorities in England. The profiles provide support to local areas to understand liver disease and its risk factors in their area. They present key local statistics and highlight questions to ask locally about current action to prevent liver disease.

The Local Authority Liver Disease Profiles demonstrate geographical variation in the main risk factors: alcohol, obesity, hepatitis B and C which explain some of the regional and local authority variations in outcome. Experts at PHE in these three areas regularly review these statistics and the evidence for intervention. The profiles demonstrate that there are widespread opportunities to reduce mortality from liver disease prevention.

PHE is also updating the 2013 NHS Atlas of Variation in Healthcare for People with Liver Disease highlighting variations in risk factors, health services and outcomes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of biopropane for transport fuel.

Andrew Jones

As part of a consultation in 2014 on amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) the department considered the potential benefits of biopropane in delivering GHG savings. In recognition of this, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation was subsequently amended to increase rewards for suppliers of that fuel from April 2015.

The department, working with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, have evaluated a range of options for tackling poor air quality; this formed the basis of the Government’s draft air quality plans that recently went to public consultation. Switching to LPG can provide air quality benefits but may not be easily deployed in all vehicle types.

As part of the department’s 2014 Clean Vehicle Technology Fund (CVTF) grant scheme, Birmingham City Council were awarded £500,000 to enable the conversion of 80 older black cabs from diesel to LPG which will help improve air quality on some of the most polluted roads. There is a possibility of funding through the current CVTF grant scheme being used to support further LPG conversions in other areas.

We are considering many competing priorities across Government as part of the Spending Review, including measures to tackle air quality pollutants and reduce other harmful emissions. The outcome of the Spending Review will be announced later in the autumn.

The department regularly meets with motor manufacturers and their representative body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Discussions on how manufacturers can act to tackle poor air quality cover a range of measures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she received the final report of the Lead Ammunition Group; and what discussions she has had with the Chair and other members of that Group since that date.

Rory Stewart

The Government is considering the independent Lead Ammunition Group’s report on the effect of lead shot on human and wildlife health and will respond as soon as possible.

The Food Standards Agency has produced advice on the consumption of lead shot game which can be accessed at https://www.food.gov.uk/science/advice-to-frequent-eaters-of-game-shot-with-lead.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) wildlife crime investigations and (b) wildlife crime prosecutions the National Wildlife Crime Unit has been directly involved with since it was formed.

Rory Stewart

This information is not held centrally. The Government does however recognise the important work the National Wildlife Crime Unit does to help tackle wildlife crime, including through its work in gathering and developing wildlife crime intelligence and in providing direct specialist support for police forces throughout the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department plans to ensure it identifies organised crime groups involved in wildlife crime through the information sharing process after March 2016.

Mike Penning

The National Crime Agency brings together intelligence from the whole of UK law enforcement to provide a single view of the most significant serious and organised crime threats and vulnerabilities. Organised acquisitive crime, which includes wildlife crime, is one of the threat categories considered by the National Crime Agency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support her Department has provided to (a) the Convention on Migratory Species and (b) the Preventing Poisoning Working Group of the Convention on Migratory Species in the last five years; and what her policy is on continuing financial support to these organisations.

Rory Stewart

The UK has paid £1,261,317 in subscriptions to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) between 2011 and 2015.

The UK provided £25,000 towards the Preventing Poisoning Working Group in 2012.

With the Spending Review concluded, Defra is now looking at what this settlement means in terms of the detailed allocation of its budgets, including the future funding of the CMS.