Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what evidence his Department received on the rate of covid-19 transmission in adult gaming centres to justify keeping such centres closed in areas with tier 3 restrictions in December 2020.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government, with advice from SAGE, reviewed the impact of the previous tiering arrangements and decided that unfortunately stricter rules on tier 3 closures would be necessary to have an impact on the rate of transmission in very high alert areas. This led to the decision that all hospitality and indoor entertainment venues in tier 3 areas would have to close, including casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. SAGE advice is independent and published on a regular basis on: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies
The government has continued to engage with the land-based gambling sector throughout the pandemic, including with its trade associations the Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta and the Bingo Association. The Minister for Sports, Heritage and Tourism has had a series of roundtable discussions with the industry to discuss the impact of Covid-19, including representatives from two of Britain’s largest AGC operators. DCMS officials have been in regular contact with the representative trade associations and fed their views into the government decision-making process, and they are continuing to do so.
Government has set out an analysis of the health, economic and social impacts of the tiered approach, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-economic-and-social-effects-of-covid-19-and-the-tiered-approach. As on previous occasions, local data packs have also been published.
Epidemiological data and projection models on local restriction tiers, including commentary on individual tier allocation decisions, can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938964/Coronavirus_England_briefing_26_November.pdf.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Home Office:
What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Greater Manchester Police's Integrated Operational Policing System.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We are concerned about the issue in Manchester and are keen for Greater Manchester Police to resume publishing and sharing crime data in full as soon as possible.
It is the responsibility of the Labour Mayor, Andy Burnham to hold the Chief Constable and force to account and he is democratically accountable to the public for this.
An initial HMICFRS report made recommendations which the force responded to. We await the findings of the latest HMICFRS inspections to assess GMP’s progress.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to ensure (a) market transparency and (b) protection of consumer interest by requiring National Grid ESO to publish the assumed load factors used to rank bids in the new Optional Downward Flexibility Mechanism made necessary by the low demand resulting from the public health measures adopted to tackle covid-19.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government believes that transparency is essential for a stable, secure energy market in which industry and consumers can participate with confidence.
The Optional Downward Flexibility Mechanism (ODFM) service has been established by National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) to be used in exceptional circumstances and under certain conditions. ODFM was critical during recent periods of exceptionally low demand as it created ‘space’ on the system, thereby allowing the ESO to balance the system without having to resort to implementing emergency disconnection of embedded generation. As lockdown restrictions relax and demand increases, there is likely to be less of a requirement to use this service.
Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has a statutory duty to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers and is responsible for ensuring that the ESO procures services to balance electricity demand and supply (including ODFM) in an open, transparent, economic and efficient manner.
The ESO is committed to transparency and provides a comprehensive suite of data relating to its activities via their data portal [https://data.nationalgrideso.com/ancillary-services/optional-downward-flexibility-management-odfm-market-information?from=0#resources]; this includes extensive information about the ODFM service. The ESO is continuing to publish further information about activities undertaken as a result of the pandemic. We have asked them to publish further information in relation to load factors for ODFM as part of this.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she last received crime performance figures from Greater Manchester Police.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Greater Manchester Police’s most recent crime data submission to the Home Office was received in August 2019. This covered police recorded crime up the end of June 2019. There has been a disruption to the regular supply of crime data since the force implemented a new Integrated Operational IT system in July 2019.
The Home Office carries out regular quality assurance of data received from all police forces in England and Wales before data are published as official statistics.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to verify the most recent crime performance figures from Greater Manchester Police.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Greater Manchester Police’s most recent crime data submission to the Home Office was received in August 2019. This covered police recorded crime up the end of June 2019. There has been a disruption to the regular supply of crime data since the force implemented a new Integrated Operational IT system in July 2019.
The Home Office carries out regular quality assurance of data received from all police forces in England and Wales before data are published as official statistics.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 in each year between 2020 and 2050.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Committee on Climate Change has not provided the Department with an estimate of the costs in each year from 2020 to 2050 for delivering the UK’s net zero target.
Costs are inevitably uncertain between 2020 and 2049 but the CCC estimate that the costs of delivering the net zero target will be equivalent to 1-2% of GDP in 2050. We will publish further detail in the impact assessment for the sixth carbon budget and for all policies which we take forward to deliver the net zero target.
In addition, HM Treasury are carrying out a review into the costs of transitioning to a net zero economy, as recommended by the CCC. The review will consider how to pay for this and how to achieve the transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as how we can ensure this is compatible with plans for a thriving and competitive economy.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether her Department has received from the Committee on Climate Change an estimate of the costs of achieving net zero carbon emissions in each year from 2020 to 2049.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Committee on Climate Change has not provided the Department with an estimate of the costs in each year from 2020 to 2049 for delivering the UK’s net zero target.
Costs are inevitably uncertain between 2020 and 2049 but the CCC estimate that the costs of delivering the net zero target will be equivalent to 1-2% of GDP in 2050. We will publish further detail in the impact assessment for the sixth carbon budget and for all policies which we take forward to deliver the net zero target.
In addition, HM Treasury are carrying out a review into the costs of transitioning to a net zero economy, as recommended by the CCC. The review will consider how to pay for this and how to achieve the transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as how we can ensure this is compatible with plans for a thriving and competitive economy.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will make a financial donation to the National Emergency Services Memorial.
Answered by Nick Hurd
This Government could not be clearer about the value we place on the role of police officers in cutting crime and keeping our local communities safe. We owe our brave emergency service workers a debt of gratitude for the courage, commitment and dedication they demonstrate in carrying out their duties.
The Home Office fully supports the campaign to fundraise for the National Emergency Services Memorial. The Home Office does not currently plan to make a financial donation to the National Emergency Services Memorial.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will fund a position for somebody to work on the Emergency Services Day as the Ministry of Defence does for Armed Forces Day.
Answered by Nick Hurd
This Government could not be clearer about the value we place on the role of police officers in cutting crime and keeping our local communities safe. We owe our brave emergency service workers a debt of gratitude for the courage, commitment and dedication they demonstrate in carrying out their duties.
The Home Office fully supports the Emergency Services Day campaign and I was pleased to attend the Emergency Services Festival of Thanksgiving on 7 September 2018 in Manchester Cathedral.
The Home Office has no current plans to provide a financial donation or staffing to the Emergency Services Day.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide the same national funding for the Emergency Services Day as the Ministry of Defence does for Armed Forces Day.
Answered by Nick Hurd
This Government could not be clearer about the value we place on the role of police officers in cutting crime and keeping our local communities safe. We owe our brave emergency service workers a debt of gratitude for the courage, commitment and dedication they demonstrate in carrying out their duties.
The Home Office fully supports the Emergency Services Day campaign and I was pleased to attend the Emergency Services Festival of Thanksgiving on 7 September 2018 in Manchester Cathedral.
The Home Office has no current plans to provide a financial donation or staffing to the Emergency Services Day.