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Tag: Caroline Lucas

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will write to Sussex county councils setting out detailed reasons why the bid to the Green Deal Communities Fund from Sussex Energy Saving Partnership was turned down and how the organisations involved could have strengthened their bid; whether there is a process for unsuccessful bids to be reviewed; if he will publish (a) copies of all bids received and (b) the reasons for each decision on such bids; whether there are funds remaining in the Fund; whether there will be further opportunities for projects to bid; and when further bids will be entertained.

    Gregory Barker

    All Green Deal Communities bids were assessed against the criteria set out in the published application pack using a consistent process, treating each bid equally. For your information I attach a list of the lead LAs for the 24 successful bids. These utilised all the available Green Deal Communities’ funds.

    LIST OF SUCCESSFUL LEAD LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AMOUNTS AWARDED

    Authorities to which grant is to be paid

    Total funding

    East Hampshire

    £2,944,668

    Dartford

    £4,026,855

    Leeds

    £4,943,200

    Bristol

    £7,292,200

    Nottingham

    £5,473,300

    Hillingdon

    £2,975,900

    Telford

    £4,859,900

    Worcestershire

    £3,630,100

    Lewisham

    £1,656,222

    Broadland

    £1,444,300

    Woking

    £2,550,491

    Plymouth

    £3,068,800

    South Bucks

    £2,574,991

    Oldham (Greater Manchester)

    £6,119,700

    Ashfield

    £1,097,098

    Suffolk

    £5,712,600

    Cambridgeshire

    £7,857,400

    Peterborough

    £3,945,100

    Haringey

    £6,560,012

    Bracknell Forest

    £1,820,714

    Eastleigh

    £3,336,900

    Nuneaton

    £2,084,502

    Harrow

    £1,457,100

    Bath

    £929,300

    Total

    £88,361,353
  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what mechanisms are in place to allow an investigation into an allegation that an individual Minister may have breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct during their time in office when that Minister is no longer a serving Minister; who is responsible for initiating such an investigation; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Ministerial Code sets out the process for investigating alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Prime Minister, for what reasons the G7 Summit Declaration does not mention Iraq; what discussions took place at that summit on (a) the rise of Al Qaeda-linked organisations in western and northern Iraq and (b) other issues relating to Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    I refer the hon. Member to my Oral Statement on the G7 on 11 June 2014, Official Report, column 549.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, he will take steps to ensure that for future generations the Cumbrian coast is not contaminated by radioactive waste; what plans he has to ensure the resilience of nuclear waste sites to rising sea levels and flood risk; what steps he plans to take in response to the Environment Agency document of 9 January on the site of the Drigg Low-Level Waste Repository; and if he will place a copy of the document in the Library.

    Michael Fallon

    Radioactive waste management activities are subject to permitting by the Environment Agency under legislation introduced by the Department.

    The Agency requires radioactive waste management sites to prepare and maintain an Environmental Safety Case (ESC). Its purpose is to demonstrate that any impacts now and into the far future resulting from disposals of radioactive waste at the site are acceptable in accordance with relevant UK legislation, standards and guidance. This assessment must consider all reasonable futures for the site, including coastal erosion and flooding scenarios. The Environment Agency will only permit further disposals at the site if it is satisfied that the operator has demonstrated that the short and long term impacts of disposals are in accordance with this legislation, standards and guidance.

    The January document referred to is “Advice to Environment Agency Assessors on the Disposal of Discrete Items, Specific to the Low Level Waste Repository, Near Drigg, Cumbria” was prepared to support the Environment Agency in assessing the ESC for the LLWR, submitted by LLW Repository Ltd in May 2011. The agency conducts such assessments independently and therefore I do not plan to respond to this document.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will attend the global leaders Climate Summit in September 2014 in New York; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    The UK strongly welcomes the UN Secretary General’s leadership in convening a Climate Summit in September in New York. It will provide added momentum to international action on tackling climate change and showcase significant actions to address the issue. No decision has yet been taken about the composition of the UK’s delegation to the Summit.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the timetable is for the next periodic safety review of each of the UK’s nuclear power stations; whether an environmental impact assessment is required as part of the periodic safety review procedure; and what opportunities exist for public involvement in such reviews.

    Michael Fallon

    The Timetable for the next periodic safety reviews of each of the operating nuclear power stations is included below. The nine stations are the seven Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGRs) sites, the single Pressurised Water Reactor at Sizewell B and the remaining operating Magnox reactor at Wylfa.

    Station

    Submission to ONR

    ONR Decision Date

    Hinkley Point B/Hunterston B

    January 2016

    January 2017

    Dungeness B

    January 2017

    January 2018

    Hartlepool/Heysham 1

    January 2018

    January 2019

    Heysham 2/Torness

    January 2019

    January 2020

    Sizewell B

    January 2024

    January 2025

    Wylfa

    October 2013

    September 2014

    An environmental impact assessment is undertaken by each licensee covering the radiological impact of routine discharges. Such assessments are carried out separate to the PSR submitted to ONR by the licensee under Licence Condition 15, and are regulated by the appropriate UK environmental agency – the Environment Agency, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, or Natural Resources Wales – in each case.

    While there is no legal requirement for public involvement in PSRs, the decision of whether to include public involvement is taken at the discretion of each station licensee. ONR completes an assessment of the licensee’s submission prior to the decision date to ensure it meets the expectations set out in its guidance and that it provides an adequate demonstration of the future safe operation of the plant – see ONR guidance at:

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment he has made of levels of public support for solar photovoltaic; and if he will make it his policy that there will be no changes to the level of support available for large-scale solar under the Renewable Obligation scheme until at least April 2015.

    Gregory Barker

    The latest results from the DECC Public Attitudes Tracking survey, published on 29 April 2014, show strong levels of public support for solar photovoltaic, with current support levels at 85%. In previous surveys solar PV has consistently scored 81% or above. However, these figures relate to support for solar PV in general, rather than any specific form of solar energy generation. In addition, the survey does not include any reference to large-scale or ground-based solar.

    The Government said in the UK Solar PV Strategy Part 2, published on 4 April 2014, that we are considering the implications of current trends of deployment in solar PV on the financial incentives available in Great Britain under the Renewables Obligation and small-scale Feed-in-Tariff. We will issue a public consultation shortly proposing changes to financial support for solar PV. The proposals on which we will be consulting are intended to take effect from the 2015/16 financial year.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Community Work Placement providers schemes (a) were operating by 28 April 2014, (b) were operating no later than 2 June 2014 and (c) are yet to commence; for what reasons any providers have breached of the 2 June 2014 commencement deadline; at what capacity the scheme is currently running; and when he estimates that the scheme will be fully operational (i) in Brighton and Hove Local Authority Area and (ii) nationally.

    Esther McVey

    Community Work Placements are being introduced in a phased approach from 28 May 2014 to 09 June 2014. Brighton and Hove started on 9 June 2014 and is taking placements as planned.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of community energy schemes that have not gone ahead due to the cost of securing a connection to the local grid; if he will make it his policy to (a) introduce standardised affordable grid connection charges for community energy schemes and (b) exempt community energy schemes from wider network upgrade costs; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    In January 2014, the Department of Energy and Climate Change launched the UK’s first Community Energy Strategy. As part of this, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State established a Community Energy Grid Connection Working Group to consider barriers to community energy project grid connections, including issues such as the cost of securing a connection and the impact this has on deployment. The Working Group is due to report to the Secretary of State in summer 2014 outlining its recommendations.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-05-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter of 30 April 2014 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to the chairmen of fire and rescue authorities and the Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Fire Service Management Committee, if he will put forward the revised proposals for consideration by firefighters and the Fire Brigades Union.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is common knowledge that we agreed to ask the Government Actuary’s Department to cost proposals put forward by the Fire Brigades Union. These were Fire Brigades Union proposals which the Government had not taken a view on.

    My letter to the General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union of 23 April said “we are now considering this proposal across Government. While we are not yet in a position to respond positively to your suggested changes, I will inform you of the outcome of those deliberations as soon as possible”. I had also been clear with the Fire Brigades Union leadership that it was only possible to consider such proposals during a period when strike action was in abeyance. Rather than continue and finalise that constructive process the Fire Brigades Union leadership chose to call a halt to discussions prematurely by announcing strike action.