Tag: Caroline Lucas

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the size of the (a) solar, (b) wind, (c) offshore wind and (d) renewable heat sector is; and by what proportion she plans for these sectors to grow in the next (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 20 years; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

The latest available data on the size of the low carbon sectors is published in a BIS report on ‘The size and performance of the UK low carbon economy’. The report contains estimates on turnover, Gross Value Added (GVA), number of firms and number of jobs supported by various low carbon sectors. These estimates are presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Size of the solar, wind and renewable heat sectors in 2013

Sector	Number of firms	Number of jobs	Turnover (£m)	Gross Value Added (£m)
Solar	2,400	34,400	8,400	3300
Wind	500	32,700	9,800	2,700
Onshore	300	19,000	6,300	1,700
Offshore	200	13,700	3,500	1,000
Renewable heat	2,300	86,000	37,600	17,500
Total	5,200	153,100	55,800	23,500

Note: Renewable heat includes the following sectors: Energy generation from waste and biomass, biomass equipment, geothermal, heat pumps, solar thermal, heat networks and alternative fuels. Some categories also include activity not relating to renewable heat. Jobs, turnover and GVA include supply chain activity.

Source: BIS (March 2015) “The Size and Performance of the UK Low Carbon Economy

Future growth in these sectors will depend upon a number of factors, such as technological development and cost reduction.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) budget to cover both domestic and non-domestic schemes has been confirmed to March 2021, with funding rising each year to £1.15bn in 2020/21. We believe that this is sufficient to heat the equivalent of 500,000 homes. We are planning to reform the RHI with a particular view to improve value for money, reduce cost and improve cost control.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 19 June 2013, Official Report, column 718W, on AWE Aldermaston, what the final write-off costs were of the cancellation of Project Hydrus at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Michael Fallon

The final write off costs for the termination of Project Hydrus were £117.7 million. The hydrodynamics testing capability will now be delivered through the joint UK and France programme, Project Teutates. Components valued at £71 million which were constructed under Project Hydrus have subsequently been incorporated into Project Teutates.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study covering the establishment of a Brighton Mainline 2; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry

The London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study is examining the strategic case for investment in the Brighton Main Line corridor, and alternate schemes such as the Brighton Main Line 2 concept. Initial findings of the Study were shared with the Department in late 2015 and the Study is expected to be completed early in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much G4S was paid for (a) bedding, (b) children’s birthdays, (c) Christmas allowances, (d) children’s sports and PE costs, (e) educational materials, (f) electricity, (g) staff uniforms, (h) staff training materials and (i) stationery at Medway Secure Training Centre for Young People in each year since 2009.

Andrew Selous

The Youth Justice Board does not hold this information.

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to accept the invitation from the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings to meet it to discuss how to ensure a fair corporate tax regime in the EU.

Mr David Gauke

On behalf of the Chancellor and as Minister responsible for tax policy, I met with delegates of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings when they visited London on 18 June 2015, to explain the UK position that tax policy is a matter for national governments, and to provide information on the international and domestic action taken by this Government to counter tax evasion and avoidance.

The Chancellor will consider any formal requests to meet the Committee in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 24 of the Joint Ministerial Declaration on UK/French co-operation on managing migratory flows in Calais, published in August 2015, what progress has been made on the commitment to take stock of the operational effectiveness of the Dublin III Regulations.

Karen Bradley

The UK government supports the Dublin III principles and welcomes the swift processing of asylum claims made in Calais. For migrants to be processed under Dublin III they must first claim asylum in France. The UK government will consider any request made by the French asylum authorities under the Dublin Regulation to take responsibility for an asylum applicant in France because they have close family in the UK.

To ensure that the provisions of the Dublin Regulation are used efficiently and effectively in both countries, a joint contact group has been established in line with the commitment in the Joint Declaration. The UK has held regular discussions with French Interior Ministry colleagues, including visits to Calais and Dunkirk to examine the processes and the information made available to migrants.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2015 to Question 17278, what progress Public Health England has made on investigating the use of Office for National Statistics data on drug-related deaths to assess the impact of increased naloxone availability; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

In October 2015 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency changed medicines regulations to widen the availability of naloxone. Public Health England provided advice on local implementation.

Drug poisioning deaths – which include drug misuse deaths – are published annually by the Office for National Statistics. These statistics are for deaths registered in each year.

Since there are often delays in registering drug-related deaths, it is likely to be some time before we can meaningfully assess what impact the wider availability of naloxone has made on the numbers of drug related deaths.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department routinely collects on the nationality, gender and pass rate of applicants for the Life in the UK and Knowledge of Language test; and if she will make it her Department’s policy to publish data providing a breakdown of such data by nationality, gender and pass rate.

James Brokenshire

Pass rates for the Life in the UK Test are already published quarterly under transparency arrangements. The most recent are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-and-permanent-migration-data-february-2016

As part of the registration process each applicant’s nationality is recorded. Information is not recorded with regard to gender. There are no plans to include a breakdown by nationality or gender in future publications.

Pass rates for language tests are held in individual approved supplier systems and are not currently published. There are no plans to publish this data.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of employment and support allowance (ESA) applicants from Brighton and Hove are being sent to (a) Lewes and (b) Vauxhall for assessment; for what reasons such ESA applicants are being sent to those locations; what impact assessment has been made of sending ESA applicants to centres out of their home city; when and how applicants are remunerated for transport costs; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel

All Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) customers within the Brighton and Hove postcode areas are being asked to attend for an assessment at Lewes Assessment Centre as Lewes is the nearest Assessment Centre to Brighton and Hove.

DWP policy ensures that claimants do not have to travel for more than 90 minutes by public transport (single journey) for a consultation. However, this limit is an absolute maximum and for the majority of claimants their journey will be less than this. For example, it would take applicants from Brighton and Hove approximately 20-30 minutes by bus to reach Lewes Assessment centre.

All claimants who are asked to travel to an assessment are reimbursed either by cheque or directly into a bank account via BACS.

If an ESA customer is unable to attend an appointment, they are asked to contact the provider to discuss their individual circumstances. A home visit can be arranged if there is supportive medical evidence about the claimant’s inability to travel due to their medical condition.

ESA claimants are not asked to travel to the Assessment Centre at Vauxhall which is specifically for claimants of Personal Independence Payment and not ESA.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will release a copy of the modelling analysis referred to in the GTR Remedial Plan, published on 12 February 2016, on the combined impact of the infrastructure restrictions at London Bridge, the diversion of Thameslink services and the increased use of London Victoria as a terminus on the punctuality and reliability of the network.

Claire Perry

The results of Network Rail’s modelling analysis of the combined impacts of changes to rail operations at London Bridge were discussed with rail operators and the Department for Transport. The Department does not, however, hold a copy of this analysis.