Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what projection she has made of a global temperature increases by (a) 2050 and (b) 2100 caused by greenhouse gas emissions trajectories (i) under current trends and (ii) if all Intended Nationally Determined Contributions are delivered; what the implications of such temperature rises are in the UK for (A) coastal towns and cities, (B) extreme weather events and (C) food security; and if she will make a statement.

Rory Stewart

The Department of Energy and Climate Change and Defra have supported the AVOID Research Programme to project long-term climate change scenarios to understand how emissions reductions translate to global average surface temperature change. Based on a snapshot of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) pledged by 1 October 2015, with an assumed continuation of comparable global emissions reduction to the end of the century, this analysis projects:

(a) (i) by 2050, with continued rise in global greenhouse gas emissions, warming of between 2.3˚C and 2.6 ˚C;

(ii) by 2050, if all INDCs are delivered and continued, warming of 2˚C;

(b) (i) by 2100, with continued rise in global greenhouse gas emissions, warming of between 4.2˚C and 5.2 ˚C;

(ii) by 2100, if all Intended Nationally Determined Contributions are delivered and continued, warming of 3˚C.

All of these estimates are temperature changes relative to pre-industrial global average surface temperature and best estimates of the climate’s sensitivity to increasing greenhouse gas concentrations.

Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government has a statutory role to produce, on a five-yearly cycle, an assessment of the risks and opportunities for the UK arising from climate change. The first Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) was published in 2012. It included consideration of impacts on our coastlines, on the frequency and severity of extreme weather, and on our food production. The CCRA used the 2009 UK Climate Change Projections to assess risks under different emissions scenarios up to the 2100s.

The National Adaptation Programme report which Defra published in July 2013 sets out how we are preparing for the impacts of climate change. This sets out more than 370 actions across key sectors involving government, business, councils, civil society and academia.

Work is underway on the second CCRA, which will include an up-to-date review of evidence on the effects of climate change. The CCRA Government Report and the associated evidence report will be published in January 2017. These will inform the next National Adaptation Programme due around 2018.

The Global Food Security programme recently launched a joint research council five-year £15 million research call on resilience of the food supply chain, in partnership with Defra and the Food Standards Agency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-service dates are for the Technology Development Centre at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston and the Epure facility at the CEA site at Valduc; and when UK experiments are scheduled to commence at Epure.

Michael Fallon

The Technology Development Centre and the Epure facility have been in service since 2014, in line with Teutates Treaty requirements. UK personnel are carrying out preparatory activities for UK trials at the Epure facility, including devising an experimental schedule.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of onshore oil and gas (a) licence blocks and (b) wells with permission to be drilled are in areas with high or medium flood risk; what the Government’s policy is on permitting fracking in areas of flood risk; what assessment she has made of the effect of flooding on the risks of water contamination associated with shale gas extraction; and if she will make a statement.

Rory Stewart

Prior to the launch of the 14^th Onshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was undertaken for all areas offered for licensing applications, which addressed flood risk. The award of a Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence (PEDL) does not itself give any permission for operations to begin. Before a licensee can commence any operations they must apply for and be granted a number of further permissions and consents for each specific site within a PEDL area. These include planning permission and environmental permits from the Environment Agency.

Flood risk will be considered on a case by case basis where relevant as part of the consideration through the planning system of proposals for onshore oil and gas development, including development involving hydraulic fracturing. National planning policy is clearthat inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding shouldbe avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk. Where development is necessary, it should be made safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere. The policy is also clear that development should not contribute to, or be adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of water pollution.

Flood risk is also taken into account by the Environment Agency before any environmental permits are issued to drill for oil and gas. If a company wishes to carry out works in, over, under or near a main river, flood defence or a sea defence, they must apply to the Environment Agency for consent. To carry out work on watercourses which are not regulated by the Agency, a company will need to apply to the relevant regulatory body responsible for that particular watercourse.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the submission of his Department’s proposed planning application for Atomic Weapons Establishment (a) Aldermaston and (b) Burghfield.

Michael Fallon

Following is the timetable for the submission of proposed planning applications for the Atomic Weapons Establishment at the Aldermaston and Burghfield sites.

The table excludes minor planning applications for amendments to current facilities and minor works.

Project description	Site	Timing of proposed planning application
NNS Engineering Facility	Aldermaston	2016 – 2018
Training Academy	Aldermaston	2017 – 2019
Science, Engineering and Technology Facility	Aldermaston	2017 – 2019
Small scale formulations	Aldermaston	Beyond 2018
Storage Facility	Aldermaston	Beyond 2018
Chemical processing	Burghfield	Beyond 2018
Emergency response capability facility training extension	Burghfield	Beyond 2018
Combined non metallurgy and material science	Burghfield	Beyond 2018

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Overseas Security and Justice Assessment assessments carried out by the Government in relation to UK aid and security assistance programmes to Saudi Arabia have been referred to a Minister for review in the last two years; what the object of each of those reviews was; and whether each of those reviews received ministerial (a) approval and (b) refusal for that programme.

Penny Mordaunt

In the past two years the MOD has conducted three Overseas Security and Justice Assessments in relation to security assistance programmes with Saudi Arabia. Such engagement encompasses Defence Exercises, Defence Training in Saudi Arabia, Defence training in the UK (or a third party country), High Level International Engagement, UK personnel conducting long-term capacity building (Loan Service Teams/British Military Mission) and Working level International Engagement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to ensure that HIV prevention is fully integrated into her Department’s work on sexual and reproductive health and rights; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd

The UK continues to work with partners to ensure that HIV prevention services are fully integrated and embedded within our work on sexual reproductive health and rights, family planning, maternal and new born health and broader health and development priorities.

For example, DFID’s integrated Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights programme in Zimbabwe is designed to help reduce maternal mortality, HIV incidence and violence against women through the delivery of better integrated services. Through our focus on women and girl’s empowerment we are also supporting the generation of new evidence to improve outcomes for women and girls, including supporting the development of female initiated HIV prevention technologies, while strengthening health systems and tackling the broader drivers of the epidemic such as stigma, discrimination and gender inequality.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2016 to Question 26318, what the reasons are for the differences between the total amount of arrears owed by the 92 employers named and shamed by his Department on 5 February 2016 for non-compliance with the national minimum wage and the total amount of the financial penalties imposed on those employers; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Boles

Penalties are calculated based on the value of arrears on the Notice of Underpayment issued by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) but vary according to the penalty regime in place at the time underpayments took place and how quickly the employer pays back arrears to the worker.

The rate at which penalties are calculated has increased twice since the beginning of the naming scheme, demonstrating our continued commitment to the enforcement of minimum wage law:

• For underpayments which occurred before 7 March 2014, the penalty rate was set at 50% of arrears owed;
• For underpayments which occurred on or after 7 March 2014, the rate was set at 100% of arrears owed;
• From April 2016, underpayments will result in penalties set at 200% of arrears owed.

The amount at which penalties are capped has also increased. Before 7 March 2014 penalties were capped at £5,000 per employer. The Government increased the cap to £20,000, and began to apply it on a per-worker basis from 26 May 2015.

Currently, an employer who pays back arrears within 14 days of receiving a Notice of Underpayment from HMRC are subject to a 50% penalty rate, which incentivises quick repayment of the money owed to employees. After penalties are doubled to 200% of arrears in April, this prompt payment rate will also double to 100% of arrears.

Of the 92 employers named on 5 February, 66 paid back the arrears they owed within 14 days, and were therefore subject to a reduced penalty rate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she expects to sign the Investor Agreement for Hinkley Point C power station; and what conditions will have to be fulfilled by EDF before that signing.

Andrea Leadsom

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State is minded to proceed with the Contract for Difference and associated agreements for Hinkley Point C, including the Investor Agreement, subject to EDF taking a final investment decision. EDF and the French Government have said that EDF are working towards a Final Investment Decision ‘in the near future, with the full support of the French Government’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy to oppose the provisional implementation of the EU-Canada trade agreement when it is discussed at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in June 2016.

Anna Soubry

The EU–Canada Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) will deliver jobs and growth for the UK, with independent analysis suggesting the deal could be worth up to £1.3 billion per year to the UK economy.

We expect CETA to be a “mixed” agreement, covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In this case, the EU Council could decide to provisionally apply the parts of CETA which fall within EU competence. The Government supports this approach as it will allow the UK to benefit from provisions such as reduced duties on imports and exports as soon as possible. This has been discussed with the European Commission on a number of occasions, most at the Trade Foreign Affairs Council that took place in Brussels this month. The Council will negotiate which provisions of CETA should be applied provisionally by the EU once the final text has been received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects part-time season tickets to be available to all rail passengers.

Claire Perry

Progress is being made on the delivery of more flexible tickets. We are challenging operators to introduce products which give passengers more flexibility. This month c2c launched their flexi-day season on their smartcard. Passengers who commute three times a week to London from Southend can save over £135 a year with the new ticket. Other operators such as Govia Thameslink Railway and Arriva Trains Wales already offer flexible products on selected routes that can provide passengers who work or commute part-time a better deal.