Tag: Matthew Pennycook

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make it her policy to remove the deadline for the installation of SMETS 1 meters as a result of software upgrades making such meters compatible with her Department’s requirements.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government remains committed to ensuring the industry and consumer benefits of SMETS2 meters operated through the Data and Communications Company (DCC) are realised as soon as possible, while providing industry sufficient time to transition from SMETS1 to SMETS2 meters.

The Government considers that a SMETS1 end-date of 12 months from availability of all DCC functionality strikes this balance; however we reserve the right to review the end date.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that personal independence payment assessments are undertaken fairly and appropriately.

Penny Mordaunt

Provider performance is measured across a range of contracted service levels, which set out the Department’s expectations for the delivery of the service. These include the requirements for the quality of assessments which are assessed through an independent audit. Contractual remedies are in place if the provider fails to deliver against the service standards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-01-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of falling oil prices on the UK’s net international investment position.

Harriett Baldwin

The information requested is available in the latest Balance of Payments (2015 Q3) release from the ONS which can be found here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_429314.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) more cases of chronic lyme disease are correctly diagnosed and (b) more people with chronic lyme disease receive the appropriate treatment.

Jane Ellison

Our aim is to ensure that cases of Lyme disease at all its stages and manifestations are recognised and treated appropriately. The National Health Service provides medical care following international guidance and most cases are dealt with by general practitioners (GPs). To help ensure people receive the appropriate treatment Public Health England has published a referral pathway for GPs to follow. Where additional investigation is required, specialist referral may be necessary and a small number of NHS clinics will see complicated cases. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has been commissioned to develop guidelines for the recognition and treatment of Lyme disease; this is expected in June 2018.

Public Health England PHE) regularly review new tests for Lyme disease and participate in a Europe wide Quality Assurance programme to ensure that the most suitable tests available are used.

In addition, PHE provide information on Lyme disease and tick awareness to the medical profession and the public, and holds regular medical training days, and works with Lyme Disease Action to support the needs and interests of patients.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23417, whether she plans to issue a direction to hold a Contracts for Difference round for carbon capture and storage.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government believes CCS could play a potentially important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK. Under the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014, Contract for Difference allocation rounds are limited to renewable technologies. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State can direct the award of a Contract for Difference to a CCS project. Whether or not she would do so would be subject to circumstances at the time, including factors such as value for money, affordability and competing demands on available budgets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-06-13.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK economy of the increase in corporate debt in China.

Damian Hinds

The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments, including in China, and their impact on the UK as part of the normal process of policy development. As one of the most open trading economies in the world with a large financial sector, we have to recognise that the UK is not immune to the continued problems being experienced in the world economy. Nonetheless, the Bank of England’s 2015 stress tests modelled a severe slowdown in commodities and emerging markets. No banks were required to submit revised capital plans following the stress tests. These results indicate that the UK banking system would have the capacity to continue to lend to the real economy, even under such a severe adverse scenario.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of replacing the Bank of England’s two per cent inflation target with a two to three per cent inflation target averaged over the business cycle

Simon Kirby

A comprehensive Review of the Monetary Policy Framework was published in 2013, considering the benefits and costs of a number of different monetary policy frameworks. The current remit for the Monetary Policy Committee reflects the assessment set out in the Review, which includes retaining a flexible inflation targeting framework, with a 2 per cent symmetric inflation target, as measured by the 12 month change in the Consumer Prices Index. The remit also states that the MPC may allow inflation to deviate from this target temporarily in order not to cause undesirable volatility in output due to the short-term trade-offs involved.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made in piloting reasonable adjustments to the work capability assessment for people with mental health problems.

Priti Patel

The Department has been working closely with its new provider, the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) to develop and test new processes for obtaining further evidence as part of the Work Capability Assessment. An initial test of these new processes should start by the end of the year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what cross-departmental structures her Department has established with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Transport since May 2015 to ensure progress on meeting the EU target of 15 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Andrea Leadsom

My rt. hon Friend has regular meetings with colleagues from all Departments with an interest in Climate Change and Energy policy.

The 2020 renewables target is relevant to a number of government policies, and my Department ensures that all views across government are taken into account.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK rail operators who may lose their franchise as a result of the recently announced proposals to transfer the responsibility for inner suburban rail services in London from his Department to Transport for London maintain and improve their services while this change takes place.

Claire Perry

No current franchises will be affected by the proposals, therefore we would not expect to see any operator lose their franchise as a result. The proposed transfer will take place at the start of, or within the, successor franchises.