Tag: Matthew Pennycook

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will instruct the National Measurement and Regulation Office to publish a list of all known heat networks in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

In the final quarter of this year DECC will publish summary tables, including regional breakdowns, of the data gathered as a result of the notification requirement in the Heat Networks (Metering and Billing) Regulations. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of the data, this information will be aggregated rather than a list of individual networks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to permit the European External Action Service to press for the release of Andargachew Tsege in Ethiopia.

James Duddridge

Whilst we welcome the concern of all international partners on Mr Tsege’s case, the UK will continue to lead lobbying efforts.

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has raised Mr Tsege’s case with his Ethiopian counterpart Dr Tedros 21 times, most recently on 13 February. I have also raised this case, most recently on 28 January. I have met with Mt Tsege’s’ partner, Yumi Hailemariam. We have asked that Mr Tsege has access to a lawyer and a legal route through which he can challenge his detention. The Foreign Secretary has asked the Ethiopians to set out a timeline in which this will happen.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times staff of his Department and Transport for London met to further their joint work on better integrating the specification of rail passenger services across London and the South East since those proposals were announced on 21 January 2016.

Claire Perry

Staff of my department have been meeting with TfL staff several times a month to discuss the next steps on the Prospectus following its publication on 21st January. Most of this was to follow-up aspects of the Prospectus, including the stakeholder briefing for local authorities that the Department and TfL jointly organised in March, but some of these meetings have been about to consider options for the transfer of inner suburban services at franchise end dates.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on demolitions that took place on 9 October 2016 in the community of Khan al-Ahmar in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

While we have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities on this specific issue, on 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I raised our concerns about demolitions. The UK’s positions on demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is clear: such demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international law.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of appeals against fit for work decisions since January 2013 have involved people whose primary medical condition is a mental health condition.

Justin Tomlinson

The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the terms of reference are for the inter-ministerial group on clean growth.

Mr Oliver Letwin

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster chairs an inter-ministerial group on Clean Growth, to consider issues relating to air quality and de-carbonisation where these have a cross-departmental aspect. The group meets as and when required, and members include ministers and officials from the relevant departments, including Defra, DECC, DfT and BIS. To protect the integrity of the policy making process, we do not comment on specific membership or the frequency and timing of meetings.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether energy suppliers are obligated to report to the National Measurement and Regulation Office when a heat network is established or a lease is acquired.

Joseph Johnson

Under Regulation 3(2)(b) of The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 heat suppliers have a duty to notify the National Measurement and Regulation Office in relation to a district heat network or communal heating that commences operation after 31^st December 2015, on or before the first date of operation.

If a change of ownership occurs (or a lease is acquired) on a district heat network or communal heating that has already been notified there is no requirement to re-notify within four years of the date of the first notification submitted. If the network has not been previously notified, then the duty to notify applies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to secure the release of Andargachew Tsege in Ethiopia.

James Duddridge

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has raised Mr Tsege’s case with his Ethiopian counterpart Dr Tedros 21 times, most recently on 13 February. I have also raised this case, most recently on 28 January. I have met with Mr Tsege’s partner, Yumi Hailemariam. We have asked that Mr Tsege has access to a lawyer and a legal route through which he can challenge his detention. The Foreign Secretary has asked the Ethiopians to set out a timeline in which this will happen.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the cost of private-rented sector accommodation on the ability of London boroughs to resettle vulnerable Syrian refugees under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement programme.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Participation in the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme is voluntary and a number of Syrians have already been resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme in London. Overall the programme is on track to meet the commitment to resettle 20,000 vulnerable Syrians by 2020. Local authorities, including London boroughs are expected to arrange affordable and sustainable accommodation for families before they arrive. They are provided funding by Government to meet the cost of resettlement. This funding is un-ring fenced so it will be for them to determine the best use of the funds to support the placements in their area.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-24.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the earliest date by which the UK will be able to discharge the liabilities entered into during its time as an EU member state when exiting from the EU.

Mr David Gauke

There are a whole range of issues and elements to our relationship with the European Union that will need to be addressed as we leave.

These issues affect both sides, the UK and the EU. The government will not be giving a running commentary on the details.