Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What progress the UK Atomic Energy Authority is making in the delivery of the STEP programme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The STEP programme aims to develop and build a prototype fusion power plant in the UK by 2040. The UKAEA has made great progress and are on track to deliver a concept design by 2024, as planned.
The process to select a site for STEP is underway and there have been high levels of engagement from potential sites across the UK, including one in the constituency of my hon Friend.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Trading Standards in protecting consumers from rogue and incompetent builders in the construction industry.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
No such assessment has been made, but the Government is considering options to ensure that our system of consumer protection provides a robust response to both local and national threats for the Consumer White Paper.
The Government has endorsed the TrustMark scheme to reduce the number of rogue and incompetent builders; and to identify local traders who have undergone independent checks for both trade competence and good trading practice. This scheme gives consumers increased confidence and ability to choose registered businesses including builders who adhere to and maintain high standards.
TrustMark is actively involved with Trading Standards to provide further protection to consumers affected by rogue builders.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) rogue and (b) incompetent builders in the construction industry; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce that number.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made an estimate of the number of rogue and incompetent builders in the construction sector. However, the Government has endorsed the TrustMark scheme to reduce the number of rogue and incompetent builders; and to identify local traders who have undergone independent checks for both trade competence and good trading practice. This scheme gives consumers increased confidence and ability to choose registered businesses including builders who adhere to and maintain high standards.
TrustMark is actively involved with Trading Standards to provide further protection to consumers affected by rogue builders. Where a company has committed a criminal breach of consumer law, Trading Standards can prosecute in the criminal court and the court can impose a fine or imprisonment for a serious offence.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department has issued to the public on identifying competent builders.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Department has not issued guidance to consumers on identifying competent builders. However, the Government has endorsed the TrustMark scheme, which identifies local traders who have undergone independent checks for both trade competence and good trading practice. This scheme gives consumers increased confidence and ability to choose registered businesses including builders who adhere to and maintain high standards.
Further information is available for consumers on the Citizens Advice website at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/find-a-trader-and-check-you-can-trust-them/.
For free information on their rights and how to take a complaint forward, consumers should contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 (www.citizensadvice.org.uk/).
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to publish the White Paper on modernising consumer markets.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government’s Consumer White Paper is due to be published later this year.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many jobs there are in the energy sector in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In 2015 there were 1250 employee jobs in the energy sector in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency.[1]
[1] Nomis – ONS Business Register and Employment Survey – using category D
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether successful bidders to construct any or all of the North West Coast Connection will be held to the same standards as National Grid on the (a) design and technology granted in the consent order, (b) levels of mitigation, such as undergrounding, (c) level of community and stakeholder engagement, (d) mitigating the environmental impacts, (e) impact of traffic and transport and (f) opportunities for local companies to form part of the construction supply chain.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The design and implementation of the proposed competitive regime for onshore transmission assets is properly a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator. It is important to note that, regardless of who constructs and maintains an asset, all network operators must be licenced by the regulator and are subject to strict controls to ensure safety, security and reliability. Any successful bidders will be held to the same strict standards that the current incumbent network companies operate by, including in regards to industry codes, grid standards and planning requirements.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if a consumer-based, cost-benefit analysis has been undertaken on the potential benefits and disbenefits of completing all or part of the North West Coast Connection; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The design and implementation of the proposed competitive regime for onshore transmission assets is properly a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator. This would include any analysis or decision on whether to tender for competition any specific projects, including the North West Coast Connection. It is important to note that Ofgem has extensively consulted with industry on these proposals and intends to undertake an impact assessment on the case to tender all, or part, of the North West Coast Connection.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what influence and by what means communities in the North West will have in decision making over how and who progresses the construction of the North West Coast Connection.
Answered by Jesse Norman
As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, the proposed North West Coast Connection (NWCC) will require development consent under the Planning Act 2008. This requires developers to carry out extensive consultation on their proposals including with local communities before any formal development consent application is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. Local communities can also provide their views to the Planning Inspectorate during the examination of any formal application. Further information is available on the National Infrastructure Planning website:
https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/
The design and implementation of the proposed competitive regime for onshore transmission assets is properly a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator. As part of Ofgem’s decision making process on whether to tender the NWCC project they have run an open consultation which has enabled stakeholders including local communities to put forward their views for consideration. If Ofgem decides to tender the project then this process will run in line with the rules ensuring fair and transparent procurement. It is important to note that regardless of who constructs and maintains an asset all network operators must be licenced by the regulator and are subject to strict controls to ensure safety, security and reliability.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the likely timescale of type approval of first modular nuclear technology.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Any nuclear reactor or facility proposed for deployment in the UK will be subject to robust and independent regulatory scrutiny.
Therefore, any small modular reactor (SMR) design proposed for construction would undergo safety, security and environmental design assessment. A reactor design would only be allowed to progress if the independent regulator was satisfied it was compliant with the UK’s stringent safety standards.
At Budget 2016, the Government committed to publishing a SMR delivery roadmap that will clarify the UK’s plan for addressing SMR related regulatory approvals, along with siting and skills issues.