Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 2 October 2019 to Question 290333 on Department for Work and Pensions: Energy Supply and to the Answer of 1 October 2019 to Question 290324 on Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Energy Supply, if she will introduce the same policy as the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and switch to an electricity provider that supplies electricity solely from renewable resources within the next 12 months; and for what reason her Department has not already ensured its electricity is supplied solely from renewable resources.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is mandated by the Cabinet Office to use electricity agreements negotiated by the Crown Commercial Service for Central Government Organisations and therefore cannot set terms such as the use of renewable sources independently.
To the Department’s knowledge Crown Commercial Service have no plans to create agreements to provide renewable resources only.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 2 October 2019 to Question 290331 on Department for Transport: Energy Supply, and to the Answer of 1 October 2019 to Question 290324 on Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Energy Supply, if he will introduce the same policy as the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and switch to an electricity provider that supplies electricity solely from renewable resources within the next 12 months; for what reason his Department has not already ensured its electricity is supplied solely from renewable resources.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department’s response of 2 October 2019 to Question 290331 covered over 1,200 sites and not just our main headquarters building. However, I can confirm that the electricity supplied to our headquarters building has been sourced from solely renewable sources since 2010. The Department will consider further opportunities for increasing the proportion of energy that is sourced from renewable sources as and when contracts are renewed. We are encouraging our ALB’s to switch to renewable sources where they haven’t already.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will amend the Crown Commercial Service energy frameworks for the supply of (a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) liquid fuels to ensure energy is supplied from fully renewable sources whenever possible.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
Each Government department makes their own purchasing decisions as to which source of fuel they wish to use through Crown Commercial Service (CCS) energy framework agreements.
Current framework agreements include options to solely use renewable energy sources. A number of departments are currently supplied by 100% green energy, including DEFRA, HMT, Environment Agency, and the National Audit Office.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendation to align UK industrial electricity prices with such prices in Germany and France in the report entitled The Energy Price Gap, published by UK Steel in October 2019.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
We are looking carefully at the analysis in the UK Steel report. The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive. Our policies include providing electricity cost compensation and exemption support to maintain the UK’s reputation as an attractive location for energy intensive industries including steel. The £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will also support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and emissions.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will introduce (a) discounts on energy network costs, (b) a Capacity Market Levy exemption, (c) 100 per cent compensation for the indirect costs of carbon and (d) other substantive measures to lower electricity prices for the UK steel sector.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive.
Network charging is a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator, and we continue to support Ofgem to enable all interested parties to engage in its work to reform network charging arrangements.
Our assessment is that both exempting electricity intensive industries from Capacity Market costs and providing 100% compensation for the indirect costs of carbon would not be compatible with current State aid guidelines. The Capacity Market will ensure that all energy consumers – including the steel sector – benefit from a secure and affordable supply of electricity. Eligible businesses in the steel sector already benefit from the maximum rate of compensation for the indirect costs of carbon that is allowable under current State aid guidelines. The £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will also support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and emissions.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the (a) US withdrawal from and (b) Turkish incursion into Kurdish controlled territory in Syria on (i) UK security and (ii) the global geopolitical situation.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As the Foreign Secretary has said, Turkey's military action has seriously undermined the stability and security of the region. We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian consequences, and the risk that this undermines the progress made in the fight against Daesh. The safety and security of the UK and its citizens is the Government's number one priority and we continue to monitor the situation closely. The UK remains fully committed to the long-term security of the region and to the Global Coalition against Daesh.
US troop movements have always been a matter for the US Government.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the Turkish Government on the Turkish military incursion into Kurdish controlled territory in Syria.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK has been consistently clear with Turkey on our opposition to its military action in north-east Syria. The Prime Minister spoke to President Erdogan on the 12 October and called on Turkey to end its military operation. The Defence Secretary and Foreign Secretary have also communicated these messages to their Turkish counterparts.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on (a) the US withdrawal from Northern Syria, (b) the actions of the Turkish Government in that area and (c) the security and military implications of these decisions for (i) Syria, (ii) the UK and (iii) the NATO alliance.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary spoke with US Defence Secretary, Mark Esper on 14 October 2019 and they discussed the ongoing situation in Northeast Syria. We cannot comment on the movement and actions of US troops as this is a matter for the US Government.
My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary has also spoken with the Turkish Defence Minister, Hulisi Akar on 10 and 16 October 2019. Whilst we accept that Turkey has legitimate security concerns, unilateral military action is undermining the stability and security of the region and could derail the Coalition's fight against Daesh.
For decades, Turkey has been a staunch ally in NATO and one of the largest contributors of military personnel. However, we are in full agreement with our EU counterparts in condemning Turkey's unilateral military action where it impacts on civilians and the counter-Daesh effort.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 1 October 2019 to Question 290324, which other Departments have plans to switch to a green energy provider within the next 12 months.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
The information requested is not held centrally by Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of non-competitive electricity prices on the steel sector’s ability to compete internationally.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
We recognise that industrial consumers currently pay higher electricity prices than elsewhere in the EU. No specific assessment has been made on the impact of electricity price differential on UK steel sector’s competitiveness.
The ability of our steel industry to compete globally and across Europe is a priority for this Government. We therefore provide electricity cost compensation and exemption support to maintain the UK’s reputation as an attractive location for these businesses.
We have a number of funds available to energy intensive industries, including steel, to help them increase energy efficiency and transition to a low carbon future. These funds include the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Industrial Heat Recovery Support Programme and the recently announced £250 million Clean Steel Fund.