Tag: Barry Gardiner

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the sustainable development goals that have 2020 deadlines will be met.

Rory Stewart

Of the 21 targets under the Global Goals for Sustainable Development that have a 2020 deadline, 11 of these fall within policy areas for which Defra is responsible. These goals and associated targets largely mirror the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and will be implemented through activities that are already in place in respect of the Aichi Targets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure that the Financial Reporting Council has in place adequate processes to monitor disclosure on climate-related risk.

Margot James

Companies are required to prepare an annual report. As part of this, companies are required to make disclosure on environmental matters containing information necessary for their shareholders to gain a proper understanding of the company’s business, including the principal risks faced by the company during the company’s previous financial year.

With their knowledge of the company, it is the directors who are best placed to assess the quality of any disclosure relating to climate change. In addition, shareholders can challenge any disclosure or its absence, including those relating to climate change, either at a meeting with the board or at the company’s Annual General Meeting, should they feel this is a key risk that needs to be addressed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many organisations in receipt of grant funding awarded by her Department were found to have engaged in activity that influenced or attempted to influence Parliament, government, or the European Commission, or were found to have attempted to influence legislative or regulatory action in each of the last three years.

Andrea Leadsom

In line with government policy, DECC is introducing the new anti-lobbying clause mandated by the Cabinet Office. DECC has previously included a prohibition on use of the grant for activities of a political or exclusively religious nature, and DECC is not aware of any breaches of this condition, although no investigation has been carried out. Most DECC grants are awarded to cover specified costs incurred by the grant recipient in undertaking a particular project and are paid to reimburse those costs on receipt of satisfactory evidence that the relevant costs have been incurred.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many HM Courts and Tribunals Service decisions have gone against her Department in each of the last six months; and how many such decisions in each of those months have not been implemented.

James Brokenshire

The latest set of published statistics regarding how many HM Courts and Tribunals Service decisions have gone against the Secretary of State for the Home Department is available online from HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

The figures requested relating to decisions implemented are not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will direct the Health and Safety Executive to increase transparency by publishing details of applications for emergency authorisation of neonicotinoid pesticides before a decision is taken on such applications.

George Eustice

Significant or technically complex applications for authorisation are considered by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. Their agendas and minutes are published and provide public information about the expert assessment, including details of the applications considered.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when the National Emissions Target Board met to discuss setting the fifth carbon budget; and who attended those meetings of that board.

Andrea Leadsom

Some of the governance arrangements related to carbon budgets were amended last year. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster now chairs an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on Clean Growth, which considers issues relating to air quality and decarbonisation, where these have a cross-departmental aspect. The group meets as and when required. Its members include ministers and officials from the relevant departments, including Defra, DECC, DfT, DCLG and BIS.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Convention on Biological Diversity Strategic Plan, what discussions she has had with stakeholders on the integration of her Department’s agricultural objectives with its biodiversity objectives.

Rory Stewart

Defra has regular discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including the agricultural industry and environmental organisations. These discussions have included developing our agri-environment schemes, particularly the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, which are designed to deliver biodiversity objectives along with other environmental benefits.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential risk of a cyber attack at the Hinkley C nuclear facility and other such nuclear facilities.

Jesse Norman

The security of existing and proposed nuclear facilities is a priority for the Government. The UK Civil Nuclear Sector is subject to a thorough safety and security regulatory regime, including cyber security, overseen by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The entire new build nuclear programme, including Hinkley Point C, is subject to an ONR-led Generic Design Assessment process for new reactor designs. This will be supported by the National Cyber Security Centre’s design reviews with the relevant organisations, with the purpose of ensuring all new plants are cyber-secure by design and implementation.

In the interest of security, we do not disclose details of security risks to specific facilities

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which organisations have received public grant funding from her Department in each of the last three years; and what the purposes of each grant were.

Andrea Leadsom

The organisations that have received grant funding from DECC in FY2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 are summarised in the attached.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many replies her Department sent to hon. Members which explain that, due to an administrative error or due to an unfortunate error they have not yet implemented a HM Courts and Tribunals Services decision in the last two years.

James Brokenshire

It is not possible to provide the Hon. Member with the information requested as it is not readily available or held centrally and can only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.