Tag: Barry Gardiner

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to work with other departments to formulate the Government’s response to the recommendation of the Energy and Climate Change Committee in its Fifth Report of Session 2015-16, on Setting the fifth carbon budget, HC 659, that effective drivers need to be put in place by Government to encourage innovation and investment for transport, buildings and agriculture.

Andrea Leadsom

We are currently working closely with other Government departments to determine the right approach to reducing emissions in the 2020s.

We will publish the successor to 2011 Carbon Plan, in due course. The new plan will set out our policies and proposals for meeting the UK’s carbon budgets, and will cover all sectors of the economy, including transport, agriculture and buildings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 7 on page 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published in March 2012 whether his Department has made an assessment of the extent to which the UK’s carbon budgets and 2050 climate target is taken into account by planning authorities when making planning decisions.

Brandon Lewis

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that sustainable development should be at the heart of planning, and should be pursued in a positive and integrated way. It makes it clear that policies set out in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system – both in preparing local plans and taking decisions on individual planning applications. It is for the decision-maker to take these policies into account when considering applications for development.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendations of the report, Lowest Cost Decarbonisation for the UK: the critical role of carbon capture and storage, published in September 2016.

Jesse Norman

The Government is considering closely the findings and recommendations made in the report ‘Lowest Cost Decarbonisation for the UK: the critical role of carbon capture and storage’, published by the Lord Oxburgh- led Parliamentary Advisory Group on CCS.

Government will be setting out its future approach to CCS in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22354, whether her Department plans to publish the updated detailed projections of the LCF overspend before the Easter recess.

Andrea Leadsom

The Office for Budget Responsibility published updated Levy Control Framework (LCF) spend projections alongside the Spending Review on 25 November and we anticipate they will publish an update alongside the March budget. We will publish updated projections in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which Minister in her Department is planned will lead work on Energy Union negotiations with other EU member states and the European Commission.

Amber Rudd

I shall continue to take the overall lead on negotiations on all DECC issues in the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for public communications on the need to prepare for the effects of climate change.

Rory Stewart

The effects of climate change continue to be taken into account within policy making across Defra and all levels of Government and within the broad range of related communications activities. Targeted communications closely tied to specific climate threats help those affected to understand potential impacts and the practical actions that they can take to increase their resilience and adapt. For instance, the Environment Agency have been ‘geo-targeting’ people in specific high flood risk locations via Facebook and other services to promote the benefits of and sign up to the free flood warning service.

Government will be publishing the second UK Climate Change Risk Assessment in 2017 to be followed by the second National Adaptation Programme report and will, as part of that process, consider the need for further public communications on the effects of climate change in the UK.

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s priorities are for the negotiations on the revised EU Directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provisions.

Mr David Gauke

The Government’s priority for the draft Directive is ensuring sound and proportionate regulation of occupational pension schemes, which respects differences in the national arrangements between Member States.

As is usual practice, an overall impact assessment for the draft Directive has been prepared by the EU institutions, and a national-level impact assessment will be prepared as and when the Directive is transposed into UK law.

The Government has approached negotiations on the Directive in line with the usual co-ordination process across departments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials are employed in (a) his Department’s London offices and (b) the UK’s global diplomatic network work on climate security.

James Duddridge

As of January 2016 149 full-time equivalent staff resource was spent on our Climate Change/Low Carbon Economy/Energy Security work across our network of 268 offices in 168 countries. Of these, 72 staff were working full-time on Climate Change and Energy issues.

As of June 2016 nine full-time equivalent staff in London work directly on climate change issues.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office allocation of resource is kept under regular review as staff and local priorities change, so there is a quite regular flux in numbers and locations. For example, in the run up to COP21, there was an increase in Ministerial and network engagement related to the Paris negotiations, to build support for a successful agreement.

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 assessment he has made of the Financial Reporting Council’s ability to work with other financial regulators in the UK to address the systematic financial risk of climate change.

Margot James

Although the Financial Reporting Council’s remit does not extend to the systemic financial risks of climate change, I am confident of its ability to collaborate effectively with any financial regulators, as required, within whose remit such risks fall.

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.