Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the Feed-in Tariff budget was committed in each year from 2015 to 2018; and how much of that budget was allocated to (1) wind, (2) solar, (3) hydro, (4) biomass, (5) anaerobic digestion, and (6) micro-combined heat and power in each of those years.
Answered by Lord Henley
The amount of budget committed to each wind band can be calculated using publicly available data.
Total capacity deployed for each technology over the period 2016 – 2018 is published under the Feed-in Tariff Deployment Caps Monthly Reports.
Total generation can be calculated by applying the load factors (published in the impact assessment that accompanied the 2015 Feed-in Tariffs review) to the total capacity.
In order to calculate the value of the generation tariff payments made to each band, the total amount of generation per quarter is multiplied by the corresponding tariff rates available on Ofgem’s website.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential risk to agricultural products in the UK through the import of goods or vehicles carrying the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is an insect from eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan). It has no established populations in the UK. We are aware that it has spread into the USA and to mainland Europe. For example, it was first reported in Germany in 2001. Subsequent reports have come from Switzerland (2004), Greece (2011), France (2012), Italy (2012) and Hungary (2013). The insect has been intercepted in the UK on several occasions in recent years.
We have carried out a risk assessment on the potential for this organism to arrive in the UK and cause damage. Given its establishment in Europe and other parts of the world and its potential to spread by hitchhiking, on vehicles and through human movements, as well as via trade, our assessment has shown that it has the potential to reach the UK. It may be able to survive in our climate, but is unlikely to reach more than one generation per year, preventing it from reaching harmful levels. The insect is not therefore a significant threat to UK horticultural crops but as with all pests and diseases, the UK continues to closely monitor any threats.
A Defra fact sheet on the insect has been published on the Plant Health Portal.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the wind-related Feed-in Tariff budget is currently (1) committed, and (2) expected to be deployed by banding in the current financial year in the bands (a) 0–50kw, (b) 50–100 kw, (c) 100–1,500kw, and (d) 1,500–5,000kw.
Answered by Lord Henley
Following the review of the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme in 2015 a maximum overall budget of £100m from January 2016 to 31 March 2019 was introduced which is enforced through quarterly deployment caps. Deployment is tracked by Ofgem based on the total installed capacity of new installations registered on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) database and their records of applications for ROO-FIT accreditation.
The amount of budget committed to each wind band can be calculated using publicly available data using the following methodology. Total capacity deployed for each technology over the period 2016 – 2018 is published under the Feed-in Tariff Deployment Caps Monthly Reports. Total generation can be calculated by applying the load factors (published in the impact assessment that accompanied the 2015 Feed-in Tariffs review) to the total capacity.
Finally, to calculate the value of the generation tariff payments made to each band, the total amount of generation per quarter is multiplied by the corresponding tariff rates available on Ofgem’s website.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to allow the Feed-in Tariff budget to continue with greater flexibility between tariff bandings.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme will close to new applications after 31 March 2019 subject to a number of time-limited extensions and a grace period.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of the Feed-in Tariff budget which is currently (1) committed, and (2) expected to be deployed in the current financial year for (a) wind, (b) solar, (c) hydro, (d) biomass, (e) anaerobic digestion, and (f) micro-combined heat and power.
Answered by Lord Henley
Following the review of the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme in 2015 a maximum overall budget of £100m from January 2016 to 31 March 2019 was introduced which is enforced through quarterly deployment caps. Deployment is tracked by Ofgem based on the total installed capacity of new installations registered on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) database and their records of applications for ROO-FIT accreditation.
The amount of budget committed to each technology (biomass is not supported under the FIT scheme) can be calculated using publicly available data using the following methodology. Total capacity deployed for each technology over the period 2016 – 2018 is published under the Feed-in Tariff Deployment Caps Monthly Reports. Available on Ofgem’s website. Total generation can be calculated by applying the load factors (published in the impact assessment that accompanied the 2015 Feed-in Tariffs review) to the total capacity.
Finally, to calculate the value of the generation tariff payments made to each technology band, the total amount of generation per quarter is multiplied by the corresponding tariff rates available on Ofgem’s website.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a detailed response to the Cost of Energy Review's support for further renewable energy investment; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Henley
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, set out his strategic approach to the GB electricity system last November, in his address ‘After the trilemma – 4 principles for the power sector’. He will set out more details in a White Paper in the summer.
The Contracts for Difference Scheme is our main mechanism for supporting new large scale renewable energy generation projects. The next competitive allocation round for less established technologies such as offshore wind will open by May 2019, with subsequent auctions around every two years. Up to £557 million of further support was announced as part of the 2017 Budget.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any support mechanisms in place to help businesses deploy private sustainable energy supplies to lower costs.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme has been the Government’s principal method of encouraging uptake of small-scale and micro-scale renewable electricity generation. It allows businesses to invest in small-scale low-carbon electricity such as solar panels and wind turbines, in return for a guaranteed payment for the electricity they generate and export. Businesses are also able to benefit from reduced electricity bills, where the self-generated electricity is consumed onsite. Further information about the scheme can be found on Ofgem’s website. The scheme will close to new applications after 31 March 2019.
The Government has also been supporting low-carbon and renewable heating through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) since 2011. The non-domestic RHI offers support to businesses, charities and public bodies for a range of technologies and fuel uses.
As of December 2018, the RHI has supported over 19100, through the non-domestic scheme Deployment data can be found on the www.gov.uk site.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is the policy of the Business Energy Efficiency Programme to help businesses deploy private sustainable energy supplies in order to lower costs and provide energy security for their business.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Clean Growth Strategy sets out our ambition to enable business consumers to reduce their energy usage by improving energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2030, potentially reducing carbon emissions by 22MtCO2e over the fifth Carbon Budget. We are developing a package of measures to support businesses to deliver this level of ambition and will respond to a Call for Evidence published last year, ‘Helping businesses improve the way they use energy’ by the summer.
Regarding deploying private sustainable energy supplies the Government has been supporting the installation of low carbon and renewable heating for businesses, charities and public bodies through the Non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) since 2011. The scheme aims to bridge the gap between the cost of fossil fuel and low carbon heating technologies by offering a financial incentive and has over 19,100 participants as of December 2018.
In addition, the Government’s sustained support for clean energy has helped produce dramatic falls in the costs of renewable technology. For example, the cost of solar cells has fallen by 80 per cent since 2008. Support for solar comes directly from people's bills, so when costs come down, so should support. We have therefore taken steps to control the costs of support schemes, and subsidy-free deployment of solar PV may be a viable option for businesses. Our Industrial Strategy sets out how we want to make sure that the UK continues to reap the benefits from the transition to a low carbon economy.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their (1) ministers, and (2) officials, have held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding the rights of EU citizens to stand and vote in Scottish Parliament elections following Brexit; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
UK Government Ministers and officials have held regular discussion with Scottish Government Ministers and officials on the progress of citizens' rights negotiations, which includes the right to stand and vote in municipal elections. There have been official level conversations after each round of negotiations with the EU and Ministerial conversations after the majority of the rounds, including most recently at the British-Irish Council on 10 November.
The UK Government position is that we want EU citizens with settled status, or who are on the pathway to settled status, to retain the right to vote and stand in any UK election which uses the local government register (which includes Scottish Parliamentary elections), so long as the rights of British citizens living in the EU are similarly protected.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on which dates the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU negotiations has met in 2017 to date; and which ministers attended on behalf of (a) the UK Government, and (b) the devolved administrations.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations [JMC(EN)] met in 2017 on 19 January and 8 February.
On 19 January 2017, the following ministers attended:
a. On behalf of the UK Government: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon James Brokenshire; The Secretary of State for Scotland, Rt Hon David Mundell MP; The Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP; The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon David Gauke; Minister of State for Europe and the Americas in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP; Minister for Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Ben Gummer MP; and Minister of State for the Department for Exiting the EU, Rt Hon David Jones MP.
b. On behalf of the devolved administrations: from the Scottish Government, The Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, Mike Russell MSP; from the Welsh Government, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Mark Drakeford AM; and from the Northern Ireland Executive, Minister for Infrastructure, Chris Hazzard MLA and Junior Minister, The Executive Office, Alastair Ross MLA.
On 8 February 2017, the following ministers attended:
a. On behalf of the UK Government: The Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union, Rt Hon David Davis MP; The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon James Brokenshire; The Secretary of State for Scotland, Rt Hon David Mundell MP; The Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP; Minister of State for Europe and the Americas in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP; Minister for Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Ben Gummer MP; Minister of State for the Department for Exiting the EU, Rt Hon David Jones MP; Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP.
b. On behalf of the devolved administrations: from the Scottish Government, The Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, Mike Russell MSP; from the Welsh Government, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Mark Drakeford AM; and from the Northern Ireland Executive, Minister for Finance, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir MLA and Junior Minister, The Executive Office, Alastair Ross MLA.