Tag: Zac Goldsmith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his Department’s policy to implement the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s commitment to feed-in tariff deployment cap top-ups, set out in its review of the feed-in tariffs scheme, published in December 2015.

Jesse Norman

The Government response to the 2015 review of the scheme set out that a budget reconciliation process could be biannual, or more or less frequent, depending on deployment. As well as our current consultation on support for anaerobic digestion and micro-combined heat and power under the scheme, we are reviewing the deployment that has taken place since the revised scheme was re-launched in February of this year and will make a statement in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether all government vessels are checked by rodent detection dogs before visiting locations where rodents have been eradicated in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

James Duddridge

The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands operates a wide range of peer-reviewed rodent detection and mitigation measures which seek to prevent rodents from entering the Territory. It works closely with those organisations with a footprint on South Georgia to ensure best practice guidelines are implemented. At present these measures do not include the use of a rodent detection dog, although the feasibility of this is under active consideration with relevant stakeholders as part of wider discussions to continually improve biosecurity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department’s policy is on seeking a ban on ivory sales.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The Government is deeply concerned by the continued poaching of elephants for their ivory, which is why we are committed to maintaining the current global ban on any international trade in new ivory. The UK has made no formal assessment of the impact of other countries’ additional measures to restrict trade in ivory. However, as a further step in delivering the Government’s manifesto commitment to press for a total ban on ivory sales, on 21 September the Secretary of State announced plans for a ban on sales of items containing ivory dated between 1947 and the present day, putting UK rules on ivory sales among the world’s toughest. We will consult on plans for the ban early next year. This will complement the existing UK approach not to permit the trade of raw ivory tusks.

The Government also successfully lobbied for the EU-wide adoption of the existing UK ban on sales of raw ivory tusks, which was advocated through the EU Council Conclusions on an EU Action Plan on Wildlife Trafficking and adopted in June. This urged EU Member States not to issue export or re-export documents under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for raw, pre-Convention ivory (pre-1990) and to consider further measures to put a halt to commercial trade in ivory from elephants.

At the CITES Conference that took place from 24 September to 5 October the UK was involved in negotiations that successfully secured a strong agreement calling for the closure of domestic ivory markets where they contribute to poaching or illegal trade. This was agreed by all 183 Parties to CITES.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many rodent reintroduction incidents have occurred on South Georgia since the commencement of the rodent eradication project.

James Duddridge

There has been one confirmed sighting of a rodent in October 2014. It was found in an area baited as part of the rodent eradication project. The source of the rodent is not known. On its sighting a pre-prepared plan was enacted. After intensive monitoring of the area, no signs of rodents have been seen, and it is believed the response was effective and the area remains rodent free.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require Heathrow Airport Limited to respond publicly to the recommendations of the Airport Commission that, in order to mitigate the effects of a third runway at Heathrow, (a) there should be a commitment in Parliament not to build a fourth runway, (b) there should be a ban on all scheduled night flights in the period 11.30pm to 6.00am, (c) a third runway should allow periods of predictable respite to be more reliably maintained and (d) additional operations at an expanded Heathrow Airport must be contingent on acceptable performance on air quality.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government has yet to decide on the need for additional airport capacity and will not make any decisions on the next steps until it has considered the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report.

That being said, the Government recognises that effective mitigation measures to assuage any adverse effects airports may have on the surrounding environment and communities is essential to the success of any major airport; this allows everyone to share in the benefits airport expansion can bring.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the next review of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area is planned to take place.

James Duddridge

The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area was established in the Maritime Zone in 2012 and revised in June 2013 to include further protection measures. The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will undertake reviews every five years, with the next review taking place in 2018.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2015 to Question 15131, what discussions the Government has had with Heathrow Airport on the mitigation measures proposed for Heathrow expansion in the Airport Commission’s final report; what information the Government has received from Heathrow Airport in response to those discussions; and what account the Government will take of the response from Heathrow Airport in reaching a final decision.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Airports Commission’s final report proposed a package of potential mitigation measures for all major UK airports as well as specific ones for Heathrow. Separately from its consideration of the evidence set out in the Airports Commission’s Final Report, the Government is also engaging in discussions with all three of the scheme promoters shortlisted in the Airports Commission’s Interim Report in order to understand the likely timescales, risks and dependencies associated with delivering each of the three schemes. The Government has yet to decide on the need for additional airport capacity and will not make any decisions on the next steps until it has considered the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to include best practice biosecurity and waste management requirement clauses in its next contract for the Pitcairn Island supply ship.

Sir Desmond Swayne

The tender for the Pitcairn Islands supply ship is currently underway and best practice bio security and waste management requirement clauses will be included in the agreed contract.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the alternative Colne Valley tunnelling scheme for High Speed 2 as proposed by Hillingdon Council; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Richmond Park, the Leader of Hillingdon Council and the hon. Member for Uxbridge and Ruislip Northwood and Pinner to discuss that alternative.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The alternative Colne Valley tunnelling scheme, as proposed by the London Borough of Hillingdon (LBH), has been assessed and evidence was presented to the House of Commons HS2 Phase One Bill Select Committee. The Select Committee highlighted a number of concerns with the tunnel scheme in their statement on the 15th July 2015 which concluded that ‘our overall view is that a convincing case for a tunnel instead of the viaduct has not been made.’ Importantly, the Select Committee noted that the evidence was that a tunnel would not eliminate the impact of construction works in Hillingdon and surrounding areas.

However, HS2 Ltd is currently undertaking a study with LBH to identify how the HS2 construction impacts in Hillingdon can be further reduced. The results from this study are due to be reported in May 2016.

In the meantime, the Secretary of State is happy to meet the hon. Member for Richmond Park, the hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, the hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, and the Leader of Hillingdon Council.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) ratify the Cape Town agreement and (b) otherwise tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the High Seas.

George Eustice

The UK supports ratification of the Cape Town agreement and will ratify when legal priorities allow, which is a matter for the Department of Transport. The UK already applies the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol relating to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels through the Fishing Vessels (EC Directive on Harmonised Safety Regime) Regulations 1999.

The UK Government, through the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), has been at the forefront of international measures to tackle Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, which remains a major threat, not just to the world’s fish stocks, but to its marine biodiversity and the livelihoods and security of coastal communities. The UK acts, alongside other European Union nations, to deny market access to products from IUU fishing, and to support third countries in developing their capability to detect and deter IUU fishing. Ground breaking work has also recently taken place between the MMO and UK based insurance companies to promote and encourage compliance with IUU regulations.