Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to encourage UK researchers to bid for Horizon 2020 funding.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government wants the UK to be the go-to place for scientists, innovators and tech investors across the world. We intend to secure the right outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union.
The joint report from the negotiators of the European Union and the United Kingdom Government approved by the European Council on 15 December stated that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. This means that UK based organisations and individuals will be able to bid for funding, participate in and lead consortia, in 2019 and 2020, and will continue to receive funding for the lifetime of the project.
It remains the case that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, which is why the Government’s underwrite guarantee remains in place. UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Government will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to encourage researchers to continue to make bids for Horizon 2020 funding.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government wants the UK to be the go-to place for scientists, innovators and tech investors across the world. We intend to secure the right outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union.
The joint report from the negotiators of the European Union and the United Kingdom Government approved by the European Council on 15 December stated that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. This means that UK based organisations and individuals will be able to bid for funding, participate in and lead consortia, in 2019 and 2020, and will continue to receive funding for the lifetime of the project.
It remains the case that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, which is why the Government’s underwrite guarantee remains in place. UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Government will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy what plans the Government has made on its plans for a UK Shared Prosperity Fund; what the Government's planned timeframe is for (a) the whole introduction of the fund and (b) introducing draft legislation; what he plans the scope of that fund will be; and what consultation and input in plans to seek from the devolved administrations on that fund.
Answered by Margot James
The Government will create the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to boost productivity and reduce economic inequality across the country following our departure from the European Union.
As announced in the Industrial Strategy white paper, the Government will consult widely on the design of the new Fund in 2018. We will work with devolved administrations prior to public consultation.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the opportunities presented by the provisions included in the Space Industry Bill [Lords] for (a) specialist manufacturing and (b) other businesses in the UK.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The UK Space Agency publishes regular assessments of the size and health of the UK space sector. In 2014/15 it was worth at least £13.7 billion and has grown at an average 8% per year over the last decade - three times faster than the average non-finance sector over the last five years. Global small satellite launch and servicing could exceed £25bn in revenues over 20 years.
The Government is committed to grow the UK’s share of the global space market to 10% by 2030. As part of this, the Space Industry Bill will lay the foundation for a new commercial market for small satellite launch and sub-orbital spaceflight in the UK. Manufacturing, engineering and other businesses around the country stand to benefit from new value chains for launch vehicles and components, spaceport infrastructure, and related services in the skills, logistics, finance and tourism sectors. Low cost and reliable access to space will also help to grow the UK’s world-leading small satellite sector. Our regional LaunchUK events are demonstrating strong industry interest, including in Northern Ireland’s important specialist manufacturing sector.
More information is available in the Impact Assessment for the Modern Transport Bill (now the Space Industry Bill), published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will estimate the average reduction in electricity bills in Great Britain for households in receipt of the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2014/15 over 2.1m households received £140 off their electricity bills as a result of the Warm Home Discount.
Under the Industry Initiatives element of the scheme nearly 28,000 households received an average of £548 debt assistance with their energy bills in 2014/15.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussion she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the possible extension of the Warm Home Discount Scheme to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The extension of the Warm Home Discount Scheme to Northern Ireland was debated in Parliament on 2 March 2015. A transcript of the debate is at:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm150302/debtext/150302-0004.htm
DECC officials continue to discuss fuel poverty issues with officials in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much has been contributed by energy suppliers towards the rebate on electricity bills under the Warm Home Discount Scheme in each year since 2010.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
From 2011 to 2015, energy suppliers spent a total of £868m on electricity bill rebates under the Core and Broader Group elements of the Warm Home Discount. The annual breakdown is set out below.
Scheme year | Total contribution on rebates |
Scheme year 1 ( 2011/2012) | £112.3m |
Scheme Year 2 (2012/2013) | £198.1m |
Scheme Year 3 (2013/2014) | £248.66m |
Scheme Year 4 (2014/2015) | £309.3m |
We expect that at least £286m has been spent by suppliers on direct rebates in 2015/16.
From 2011 to 2015, households have also received other assistance through the Warm Home Discount to the value of £264m.
Government announced in the Spending Review in November 2015 that the Warm Home Discount scheme would be extended to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m per year, rising with inflation, to help households who are at risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.
Further details can be found in Ofgem’s annual reports at:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-4.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent representations she has received on the extension of the Warm Home Discount Scheme to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
During the recent public consultation on the Warm Home Discount Scheme, there were six responses asking for the scheme to be extended to Northern Ireland.
We will publish the response to the consultation as soon as we can.