Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of Royal Mail's postal service in the CO postcode area.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
I am aware that Royal Mail continues to have particular service challenges in some postcode areas. I note that Royal Mail management accepts its performance needs to be much better and has started to address this, for example, by recruiting an additional 3,000 postmen and women so far with a further 500 permanent delivery positions a week going forwards.
Ofcom sets and monitors Royal Mail’s service standards and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action where there are reasonable grounds for concluding Royal Mail has failed to achieve its obligations. I note that the regulator recently fined the business £5.6m for failing to meet its service delivery targets in 2022-23.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of fhe adequacy of Ofcom's enforcement of the postal services obligation on Royal Mail.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
Ofcom is the designated independent regulator for the postal sector and the Government has no role in its regulatory decisions. It is for Ofcom to decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations and I note that the regulator recently fined the business £5.6m for failing to meet its service delivery targets in 2022-23.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of 5 September 2023 on Energy Bill [Lords], Official Report, column 281, when he plans to (a) publish the first annual report to Parliament on the community energy sector and (b) launch the consultation on the barriers the sector faces when developing projects.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Government is working with the Community Energy Contact Group on the content of the annual report and consultation. Until these discussions have concluded, the Government is unable to outline a definitive timeline.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her planned timetable is for the National Grid Electricity System Operator becoming the Future Systems Operator; whether the Future Systems Operator will be required to follow procedures as set out in the Treasury's Green Book when making recommendations to National Grid Electricity Transmission on investment in electricity transmission infrastructure; and if she will require the Future Systems Operator to take account of the potential impact of any new infrastructure on the (a) environment and (b) value of nearby property.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our aim is for the FSO to be operational in 2024, depending on the Energy Bill and agreeing timelines with key parties.
The FSO will take a strategic whole system approach to network planning, delivered initially by a Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) for electricity transmission. Ofgem are currently consulting on the CSNP and expect to publish a decision later this year. It is expected the FSO will lead the development of CSNP methodology (approved by Ofgem), and this should consider deliverability, cost, environmental and community impacts, as well as how to utilise the Green Book guidance issued by HM Treasury.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to respond to the recommendations on (a) a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, (b) lump sum payments for individual households close to new lines and (c) other issues in the Winser report on accelerating electricity transmission network deployment; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government welcomes the Electricity Networks Commissioner’s report and will publish an Action Plan in response by the end of this year.
In his speech on Net Zero on 20 September, the Prime Minister announced that the government will shortly bring forward reforms to energy infrastructure including setting out the UK’s first spatial plan.
Government wants to ensure communities hosting transmission network infrastructure can benefit from supporting the delivery of cheaper, secure and low-carbon energy for Great Britain. We consulted on this earlier this year and are developing guidance, which we intend to publish in 2023.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate her Department has made of the potential increase in (a) green levies, (b) market balancing and transmission costs and (c) other non-commodity costs that will be required to meet the 2035 target to decarbonise the electricity system; what assumptions her Department has made in making these estimates; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has produced a range of whole economy costs estimates to support decisions about energy transition and produces value for money assessments as part of every major decision. Minimising cost to consumers is at the heart of our strategy to deliver a reliable and decarbonised electricity system by 2035. The best way of protecting households and businesses is by lowering the costs of the energy we consume and reducing the volumes used. This means increasing energy efficiency and building out a low-cost, low-carbon energy system which reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme for junctions 19 to 25 to be completed; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening scheme (Junctions 19 to 25) is scheduled to open for traffic in December 2027.
National Highways reports on delivery, regularly updating progress on their website.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of when the construction of a dual carriageway for the A12 between Braintree and Marks Tey will be (a) approved, (b) financed and (c) completed.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Proposals to improve the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey, where it meets the A12, have been developed alongside other potential enhancements to the strategic road network as part of the RIS3 Pipeline, for possible delivery in a future road period. Following a statement to Parliament in March 2023 from the Secretary of State for Transport identifying a range of funding headwinds and pressures facing transport infrastructure delivery, schemes within the pipeline have been deferred for consideration as part of RIS4 (beyond 2030) at the earliest. The RIS remains the primary funding source for development and delivery of enhancements to the strategic road network in England.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an estimate of the cost of tackling environmental issues arising from (a) the East Anglia Green Energy Enablement project and (b) offshore alternatives to that project.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
Transmission network operators, in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission are responsible for delivering network infrastructure necessary to meet consumer needs.
Those operators must assess the environmental impacts of the proposals, including any proposed mitigation designs and any consideration of alternatives. Any mitigation forms part of project proposals examined during the consenting process. The cost of any mitigation is the responsibility of the operator with the regulator potentially having a role depending on the extent of mitigation.. Given the Secretary of State’s role in the consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure, no assessment has been made by the Department.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate he has made of when the review announced by the electricity system operator of the offshore alternative to the East Anglia Green Energy Enablement project will be (a) concluded and (b) published.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The upcoming independent review into onshore energy infrastructure in East Anglia is the responsibility of Electricity System Operator (ESO) who have set the parameters and timescales for the study. This is not a statutory consultation or assessment.
The study’s terms of reference committed to commence work once the publication of results from the Offshore Coordination Support Scheme are announced, meaning a precise date is not currently feasible. The ESO then expect to have preliminary results after approximately three months.