Tag: Callum McCaig

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on security of energy supply of failures this winter in the operation of those major coal power stations which are due to close in spring 2016.

Andrea Leadsom

National Grid, as part of their winter outlook process assesses the overall reliability of technologies based on their historic reliability. This is the ‘de-rating factor’ that is applied to calculate available margins.

There is nothing about the decision to cease connection to the transmission grid that would make a plant more unreliable prior to its planned withdrawal.

Our priority is to ensure that British families and business have access to secure affordable energy supplies that they can rely on and we are taking prudent steps to manage the margins in winter 2016/17. Since 2014 National Grid have had the ability to procure a Contingency Balancing Reserve (CBR), which consists of the Supplemental Balancing Reserve (SBR), where existing power stations stand by ready to generate additional electricity and the Demand Side Balancing Reserve (DSBR) where companies bid for contracts with National Grid to receive payments in return for reducing their electricity usage times of peak demand should National Grid so require. National Grid and Ofgem agree that we should retain the ability to procure CBR for the next two winters. Government supports this position and we expect confirmation later this month following an Ofgem consultation. Beyond winter 2017/18, the Capacity Market will take over as the long term solution for security of supply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of whether the policies outlined in her speech at the Institution of Civil Engineers on 18 November 2015 will ensure the UK meets the fourth Carbon Budget.

Andrea Leadsom

My Rt. hon Friend,the Secretary of State announced in November, this Government is committed to taking pragmatic action to meet the fourth carbon budget whilst ensuring that energy is secure and bills remain low. Measures announced in her speech – including the intention to replace unabated coal with new gas, nuclear and renewables; increased competition; concerted action on heat; and support for innovation – are all in line with this commitment.

Our new emissions reduction plan will be published towards the end of 2016 and will set out our proposals in full.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the sustainability of private sector funding for the (a) Civil Nuclear Constabulary and (b) Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Andrea Leadsom

The effectiveness and efficiency of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) is the responsibility of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) – a Non-Departmental Public Body of DECC. Representatives from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and EDF are appointed to the CNPA board, as well as representatives of two of the largest NDA sites where the CNC are deployed – Sellafield and Dounreay – ensuring those using the CNC to be directly involved in ensuring the efficiency, capacity and capability of the organisation.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is wholly publicly funded at around £3 billion per year. Income generated from commercial activities is surrendered to HM Treasury. The recent spending round covers both the anticipated reducing profile of income (as commercial activities cease) and circumstances where such reductions occur earlier than planned.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the probability of the UK having to export electricity across the interconnectors to the continent at times of peak demand during winter 2015-16.

Andrea Leadsom

As indicated by National Grid’s 2015 Winter Outlook, forward power prices for this winter suggest that we will see net imports to GB over electricity interconnectors with continental Europe (IFA and Britned).

Beyond these market arrangements, should GB need additional support, it is also possible for National Grid as the System Operator to call upon interconnectors at a time of system stress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether an impact assessment has been carried out by her Department on the policies outlined in her speech at the Institution of Civil Engineers on 18 November 2015.

Andrea Leadsom

The speech contained a number of policy proposals which are at different stages of implementation. Some measures which are close to delivery have already had assessments published, such as the changes to the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff to ensure bill payers get value for money. Where appropriate impact assessments for other proposals, such as the consultation to close unabated coal-fired power stations, will be published in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether commercially sensitive information provided to the Oil and Gas Authority and MER UK parties is subject to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Andrea Leadsom

All information held by public authorities, including the Oil and Gas Authority, is subject to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIRs). Commercially sensitive information that is confidential in nature, or which could prejudice a commercial interest if released, can be withheld under certain circumstances under the provisions of the Act or the EIRs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect of the National Grid’s assumption of electricity supply from interconnectors increasing from 0GW to 1GW of electricity at the same time as electricity margins on the continent shrink on the UK being able to import electricity at times of peak demand.

Andrea Leadsom

National Grid makes an assessment of the extent to which all GB interconnectors can be relied upon to provide electricity to GB when needed. The assumptions around electricity imports are informed by an assessment of connected markets, including consideration of their electricity margins, the wider network to which they are connected and the chance of coincident scarcity with the connected markets.

Beyond these market arrangements, should GB need additional support, it is also possible for National Grid as the System Operator to call upon interconnectors at a time of system stress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will commission independent research on the effect of fixed-odds betting terminals on the health of their users and on the communities in which they are prevalent.

Tracey Crouch

The Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB), was set up to by the Gambling Commission to advise on priorities for research relating to responsible gambling. Research into gambling related harm is commissioned by the independent charity, the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT), taking into account the priorities set out by the RGSB. At the request of the RGSB, the RGT is currently commissioning research to define Gambling Related Harm which will consider the wider health impacts of problem gambling. The Government continues to encourage such research.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on City Deals in Scotland.

Andrew Percy

This Government has worked with the Scottish Government and local partners to deliver City Deals that drive local economic growth. The Aberdeen deal, for example, will deliver crucial infrastructure to support the oil and gas sector.

Most recently, My Noble Friend Lord Dunlop met Keith Brown to discuss this agenda on 30 June.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of the installed capacity required to meet the Government’s 2020 renewable heat target in each year from 2015 to 2020.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government does not have a renewable heat target for 2020, but by that year the UK is required to obtain 15% of its final energy consumption from renewable sources under the EU Renewable Energy Directive. This includes renewable heating, where the level of renewables has more than doubled since 2012/13 to reach 4.9% in 2014.

Progress towards the overall target is monitored via interim milestones. The UK is continuing to make progress; and we are set to meet the next interim target, which is an average of final energy consumption over 2013/14. The provisional figure, released on 25 June, showed 6.3% of final energy consumption for 2013/14 came from renewable sources, against a target level of 5.4%.