Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2024 to Question 26615 on Energy: Debts, what is the (a) sum, (b) quantum and (c) value of the element of the Default Tariff Cap allocated by Ofgem for consumer debt held by suppliers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Ofgem includes an ‘adjustment allowance’ in the price cap calculation to account for elements such as consumer debt. In the April-June 2024 price cap, the amount is £28 per typical domestic customer bill per year.
Ofgem publishes price cap calculations on its website: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy-and-regulation/policy-and-regulatory-programmes/energy-price-cap-default-tariff-policy/energy-price-cap-default-tariff-levels
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2024 to Question 25990 on Edinburgh Airport, what information his Department holds on the progress that has been made by (a) Edinburgh and (b) Gatwick Airport on reaching a commercial agreement with the US authorities on a pre-clearance scheme for travellers to the US; and whether his Department is taking steps with the US (i) Customs and Border Protection and (ii) Transportation Security Administration to help support these negotiations.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Home Office, Department for Transport and Scotland Office officials are in regular contact with counterparts at the US Customs and Border Protection Agency and Transportation Security Administration and representatives of Edinburgh and Gatwick airports about US pre-clearance.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the Net Zero Research and Innovation Delivery Plan on the UK's target to become a science and technology superpower by 2030.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Net Zero Research & Innovation Delivery Plan supports the UK's target to become a science and technology superpower by setting out government investment of approximately £4.2 billion in research and innovation that is directed towards creating strategic advantage in net zero technologies and aims to boost private sector investment in this space. This investment forms a key part of the government's commitment to increase public expenditure on R&D to £20 billion per annum by 2024/2025 and helps maintain the UK's spend on R&D in this space compared to other leading OECD countries.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24574 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, which individual cases his Department are monitoring; and whether he has made recent representations to his Bahraini counterpart on their releases.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The FCDO continues to discuss human rights regularly with Bahrain, including some individual cases where appropriate and when specific allegations relating to them are raised. Whilst we sometimes comment publicly, we also engage constructively in private. The FCDO has not made recent representations to Bahrain on the release of the individuals mentioned in Question 24574.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2024 to Question 25364 on Bahrain: Official Visits, whether any (a) Departments, (b) agencies and (c) public bodies were responsible for (i) arranging, (ii) coordinating and (iii) advising the meeting between Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HM the King on 3 May 2024.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office had no involvement in the meeting between Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HM the King on 3 May 2024.
Information regarding any other departments, agencies and public bodies involved in arranging, coordinating, or advising this meeting is not held centrally.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24574 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, if he will list the individual human rights cases discussed with Bahrain Foreign Minister Al Zayani on 22 April 2024.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's close and long-standing relationship with Bahrain continues to allow for a genuine and mutually beneficial dialogue, including on individual cases we discuss where allegations relating to human rights are made. Whilst we sometimes comment publicly, we most often engage constructively in private and do not as a matter of course release the details of Ministerial discussions with international counterparts.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2024 to Question 25717 and to the Answer of 10 May 2024 to Question 24573 on Energy: Debts, whether an allowance for servicing consumer debt was permitted by Ofgem in any period before April 2024.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) has never included an allowance for bad debt held by suppliers. All funding was used to apply a unit rate discount to household tariffs.
Ofgem have always included within the standing charges element of the Default Tariff Cap (Price Cap) some element to account for consumer debt held by suppliers.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the claim by Hamas that British hostage Nadav Popplewell has died as a result of an IDF airstrike.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government is working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals. We continue to do all we can to secure the release of the hostages. It would not be right to comment further until the facts of the matter are ascertained.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department shared intelligence on the location of British hostage Nadav Popplewell in Gaza with the IDF.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We will not comment further on detailed intelligence matters.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an RAF Shadow R1 plane landed at Nevatim air base in Israel on 13 February 2024.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We will not comment on operational activity.