Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to his contribution of 16 September 2015, Official Report, columns 384-5WH, on Alan Richards and Kashif Shabir: SFO, what the threshold is for an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.
Answered by Robert Buckland
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) takes on the most serious or complex fraud cases, including cases of bribery or corruption. In considering whether to take on an investigation, the Director of the SFO applies his Statement of Principle, which includes consideration of:
The SFO also pursues criminals for the financial benefit they have made from their crimes, and assists overseas jurisdictions with their investigations into serious and complex fraud, bribery and corruption cases.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures the Government plans to take to reduce (a) carbon emissions and (b) air pollution from shipping moored (i) off Enderby Wharf and (ii) in other inshore UK waters.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government has implemented the international and European requirements which control emissions from ships operating in inshore waters, including those moored at Enderby Wharf. We will continue to work at the International Maritime Organization and within the EU to reduce maritime emissions.
Through the National Policy Statement for Ports, the Government has encouraged ports and shipping companies to examine the opportunities available for shore-side electricity connection, particularly in areas identified as having poor air quality. Ultimately however, it is a matter for the Local Authority to consider what conditions should apply to a planning application before consent is given.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect on UK businesses of the Berry Amendment to US legislation on contract policy.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Government has not carried out any specific assessment of the effect of this amendment on UK businesses to date.
The Berry Amendment is a US Domestic Source Restriction established in the US Code that requires the Federal Government to procure textiles for any defence purpose from US suppliers, unless there is no domestic supplier available. It is possible, occasionally, for UK companies to benefit from partial exemptions to the Berry Amendment.
The trade team within the British Defence Staff in Washington DC can advise UK companies, on a case by case basis, on which opportunities may be considered as an exemption.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to reduce (a) carbon emissions and (b) air pollution from maritime transport and air transport.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Given the international nature of the maritime and aviation sectors, the UK works primarily through UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) to ensure strong action on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at a global level is taken.
We are working with other states in ICAO to agree a global CO2 standard for aircraft and a global market-based measure to tackle aviation emissions growth, both of which will be subject to important decisions in 2016. We also continue to support the use of regional emissions measures, such as the Aviation EU Emissions Trading Scheme in the absence of a global measure. On air pollution from aviation, we are also working in ICAO to reduce particulate matter emissions, following the organisation’s introduction of a standard to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
With maritime emissions, the UK is working in the IMO towards developing global data collection systems on ships’ CO2 energy efficiency. Moreover, following the introduction of a new 0.1 per cent sulphur limit on 1 January 2015, there has been a significant reduction in sulphur pollutants emitted by ships operating in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea emission control areas.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will ensure that any exploitation of shale gas in the UK is (a) a substitute for, and not in addition to, imported gas and (b) does not lead to an increase in carbon emissions.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The shale gas resources beneath Britain have the potential to bolster our energy security and add new sources of home-grown supply to our real diversity of imports.
We are committed to reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 and natural gas, the cleanest of fossil fuels, will help us in meeting that target. Reports[1] have shown that the carbon footprint of electricity from UK produced shale gas would likely be significantly less than coal and also lower than imported Liquefied Natural Gas.
This will be especially significant as we displace energy generation from high carbon fuels as coal.
[1] Mackay-Stone report (requested by DECC), Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Shale Gas Extraction and Use, Sept 2013
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the carbon emissions and air pollution from diesel shipping moored (a) off Enderby Wharf, Greenwich and (b) in other inshore UK waters.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Assessment of local air quality is a matter for Local Authorities, following statutory guidance set by central Government and the devolved administrations. Central Government assesses air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions at a UK level using the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of climate change on forced migration and population displacement in the period to 2050.
Answered by Nick Hurd
There is increasing consensus among experts and academics that climate change will influence the factors that drive migration, changing both migration patterns and the volume of people likely to move, but the relationship is complex. The UK’s Foresight Report (2011) on Migration and Global Environmental Change found that environmental change will affect migration. Through resilience programming DFID is working to support countries, communities and households to anticipate and avoid shocks and stresses where possible, and to adapt when their current activities are no longer appropriate or threatened with collapse due to changing circumstances.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish her Department's response to the consultation on a review of the feed-in tariff scheme.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the Feed-in Tariff review consultation and intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is her policy that anaerobic digestion will continue to be supported under the reformed Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are still at an early stage in the process of reforming the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Therefore, I am unable to make specific commitments as to the future shape of the scheme at this point.
However, Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider reform of the scheme.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish details of how her Department plans to reform the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme to make the savings announced in the Autumn Statement 2015.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes in the New Year.