Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on reducing national carbon emissions and tackling the climate emergency.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions on a range of issues with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister and Ministerial colleagues across Government. Our net zero target remains a Government priority and the net zero transition will provide huge opportunities for jobs, investment, innovation and exports. The Prime Minister is committed to addressing climate change and leaving behind an environment which is better for future generations. At COP27, the Prime Minister pledged to speed up the transition to renewables, to create new high-wage jobs, protect UK energy security and deliver on net zero.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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 impact of fireworks on (a) animals and (b) vulnerable people; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (i) prohibiting the sale of fireworks except between 29 October and 5 November, (iii) restricting the days when they can be used, (iv) introducing fireworks control zones, (v) legislating to make all fireworks silent and (vi) reducing the maximum permitted noise level of fireworks for public sale from 120dB to 90dB.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government endorses the considerate use of fireworks and action taken to reduce the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals and property. The majority of individuals who use fireworks do so in a responsible and safe manner and there are enforcement mechanisms in place to tackle situations when fireworks are misused.
The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) prohibiting the sale of fireworks except between the 29th October and 5th November and restricting the days when they can be used, (b) introducing fireworks control zones, (c) legislating to make all fireworks silent and (d) reducing the maximum permitted noise level of fireworks for public sale from 120dB to 90dB but the Government continues to monitor the situation and engage with stakeholders to listen to and understand their views.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to (a) remove potential barriers to local communities from setting up new community renewable energy projects and (b) increase the number of new community renewable energy projects in the UK.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem supports community energy projects and welcomes applications from community interest groups, co-operative societies, and community benefit societies to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme.
The Government is enabling local areas to tackle net zero goals through UK-wide growth funding schemes. The Government encourages community energy groups to work closely with their local authority to support the development of community energy projects within these schemes.
The Government has also reintroduced the Community Energy Contact Group to strengthen its engagement with the sector.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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 potential impact of the closure of the feed-in tariff on (a) investments in new renewable energy projects, (b) investments in new community renewable energy projects and (c) the ability of low-income communities to set up their own community renewable energy projects.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No post-closure assessment of the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme has been undertaken. Data available on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) dashboard indicates that current deployment of solar at this small-scale, which accounts for 99% of all installations supported under the FIT scheme, is comparable to levels seen under the scheme prior to 2016 when reduced FIT tariffs were introduced.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Putney constituency with lofts had had loft insulation installed as of 31 October 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold estimates for how many homes per constituency have these features overall. However, BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Homes Grant (GHG) Government schemes, around 800 cavity wall insulation measures, 100 loft insulation measures and less than 5 under floor insulation measures[1] were installed in Putney constituency. This data collectively spans the period from January 2013 to September 2022 and does not include installations in October 2022.
[1]Exact number suppressed to prevent disclosure
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Putney constituency have had under floor insulation installed as of 31 October 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold estimates for how many homes per constituency have these features overall. However, BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Homes Grant (GHG) Government schemes, around 800 cavity wall insulation measures, 100 loft insulation measures and less than 5 under floor insulation measures[1] were installed in Putney constituency. This data collectively spans the period from January 2013 to September 2022 and does not include installations in October 2022.
[1]Exact number suppressed to prevent disclosure
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Putney constituency with cavity walls have been insulated as of 31 October 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold estimates for how many homes per constituency have these features overall. However, BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Homes Grant (GHG) Government schemes, around 800 cavity wall insulation measures, 100 loft insulation measures and less than 5 under floor insulation measures[1] were installed in Putney constituency. This data collectively spans the period from January 2013 to September 2022 and does not include installations in October 2022.
[1]Exact number suppressed to prevent disclosure
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Putney constituency have had solar power panels installed as of 31 October 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the end of October 2022, there were 368 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Putney.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Putney constituency have had heat pumps installed as of 31 October 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that as of 31 October 2022, twenty-nine heat pump installations were registered in the Putney constituency.
The database does not include all heat pump installations, for example, those installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings. These are not typically recorded in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his planned timetable is for the conclusion of agreements with the EU on the UK's participation in (a) Horizon Europe, (b) Euratom Research and Training Programme, (c) Fusion for Energy and (d) Copernicus.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government’s policy remains to seek association to EU Programmes as negotiated and agreed in December 2020 and we continue to do everything we can, but we cannot wait much longer. The EU is in breach of the agreement reached under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the UK to participate in EU programmes. At the UK-EU Specialised Committee meeting, which marked the end of the consultation period, the UK once again requested that the EU fulfil its obligation to finalise the UK’s association. It is regrettable that the EU continues to decline this request. The Government is now considering next steps. Our priority is to support the UK’s world leading R&D sector and we have already introduced the Horizon Europe guarantee scheme, announced up to £484m additional funding to be invested in the UK R&D sector and outlined potential options for increasing international research collaborations.