Tag: Barry Gardiner

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s news story of 27 April 2016, Update on a new clause to be inserted into grant agreements, how long his Department plans to spend on the review of representations received on the anti-lobbying clause; and whether his Department will continue to consider representations made after the date of that announcement.

Matthew Hancock

As I made clear in the House on 27 April, we are committed to protecting taxpayers’ money from being wasted on government lobbying government. We are pausing the implementation of this clause into grant agreements, pending a review of the representations made.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her Department’s definition is of unabated coal.

Andrea Leadsom

We have committed to consulting on when to close all unabated coal-fired power stations. We will set out proposals to close coal by 2025, to ensure we stay on track to meet our decarbonisation pathway. We will seek views on what measures might be applied to existing coal power stations in order to achieve this.

In the UK new coal power stations can only be built if their carbon dioxide emissions will be at a level consistent with our decarbonisation targets. This includes compliance with an Emissions Performance Standard equivalent to 450gCO2/kWh for a plant operating at baseload, and which is about half that of a typical existing British coal station. In addition, any new coal power stations would need to meet planning requirements to demonstrate Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology on at least 300MW of the power station’s generating capacity and be CCS-ready on the rest.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions Ministers in (a) his Department and (b) the Department for Energy and Climate Change before its merger with his Department have had with industry representatives on the future trajectory of the carbon price floor in 2016.

Mr Nick Hurd

The Department has a wide number of conversations with industry representatives on a number of issues surrounding wholesale electricity, markets and decarbonisation, which includes the carbon price floor. However, policy responsibility for its future trajectory lies with HM Treasury.

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, with reference to his oral statement of 15 September 2016 on Hinkley Point C, how the measures proposed in that statement will affect the Contract for Difference for that project.

Jesse Norman

As announced on 15 September, following the comprehensive review of the Hinkley Point C project, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced new safeguards for future foreign investment in critical infrastructure.

In respect of Hinkley Point C, the relevant Contract for Difference has not changed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what programmes the Government plans to develop to fulfil its international obligations on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Justine Greening

The UK Government as a whole is committed to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Government’s manifesto sets out the plan of action for which it will be held accountable by the British people. This includes commitments relevant to each of the Goals, and it will guide our efforts to achieve them.

The Global Goals are the starting point for, and will be embedded across, DFID’s work. Other Government Departments will lead on their respective policy areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the greening government commitments for the current Parliament.

John Penrose

A framework of Greening Government Commitments targets for the current Parliament is being considered by Ministers across Government, and an announcement will be made once arrangements are finalised.

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s news story of 27 April 2016, Update on a new clause to be inserted into grant agreements, what guidance his Department has given to departments which have already inserted an anti-lobbying clause into grant agreements made with organisations since the start of the current financial year.

Matthew Hancock

As I made clear in the House on 27 April, we are committed to protecting taxpayers’ money from being wasted on government lobbying government. We are pausing the implementation of this clause into grant agreements, pending a review of the representations made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Clean Growth have discussed the fifth carbon budget since November 2015; and which departments have been involved in those meetings.

Mr Oliver Letwin

I chair an inter-ministerial group on Clean Growth, which considers issues relating to air quality and de-carbonisation, where these have a cross-departmental aspect. The group meets as and when required and its members include ministers and officials from the relevant departments, including Defra, DECC, DfT, DCLG and BIS.

To protect the integrity of the policy-making progress, we do not comment on the specific timing or agendas of cabinet committees or inter-ministerial groups.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) Ministers and (b) officials from the Government plan to attend the Montreal Protocol meetings in July 2016.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The UK Government delegation comprised two officials from Defra’s Environmental Quality Directorate and one official from the Department’s Team of the Government Legal Service.

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, with reference to his oral statement of 15 September, how the measures announced in that statement will increase security at the Hinkley C project.

Jesse Norman

As announced on 15 September, following the comprehensive review of the Hinkley Point C project, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State announced new safeguards for future foreign investment in critical infrastructure.

In respect of Hinkley Point C, the Government is able to prevent the sale of EDF’s controlling stake prior to the completion of construction. This agreement has been confirmed in an exchange of letters between the Government and EDF.