Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made in developing a vaccine to protect against avian flu.
Answered by Steve Double
Defra’s objective in tackling any outbreak of avian influenza is to eradicate the disease as quickly as possible from the UK poultry and captive-bird population and regain UK World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) disease-free status. Defra’s policy on vaccination is set out in the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain (www.gov.uk/government/publications/notifiable-avian-disease-control-strategy) and in separate guidance on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-vaccination/avian-influenza-bird-flu-vaccination). Outside of zoos, the vaccination of birds as an immediate disease control response is not currently permitted. Swift and humane culling of birds on infected premises coupled with good biosecurity including the separation of poultry and other captive birds from wild birds and disease surveillance remains the most effective means of controlling the disease.
Commercial avian influenza vaccines are available; however, these vaccines are unlikely to provide full protection for the current strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza circulating in the UK and continental Europe, or cross-protection to other strains which may circulate in the future. At present, vaccination can help to reduce mortality, but it is likely that some vaccinated birds would still be capable of transmitting avian influenza if they became infected. This would increase the time taken to detect and eradicate the virus.
In addition, there are a number of practical, animal welfare and commercial disadvantages relating to the use of currently available vaccines which would present significant logistical and cost challenges to industry. These vaccines need to be delivered by individually injecting each bird and, since it is difficult to differentiate infected from vaccinated birds, this leads to issues relating to exporting poultry and their products to other countries.
Current policy is in line with international standards of best practice for disease control. It reflects our experience of responding to past outbreaks of exotic animal disease.
Defra continues to invest in avian influenza research and last month launched a new consortium, led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, to fund research to help us prepare for future outbreaks. In addition, we continue to monitor the current situation both in Europe and globally, as well as the effectiveness of any disease control measures taken, including vaccine development. Any future decisions on disease control measures, including the use of vaccination, will be based upon the latest scientific, ornithological, and veterinary advice.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information he holds on whether National Grid or National Grid ESO has sought estimates from companies capable of delivering undersea bootstraps to ascertain the potential cost of offshore transmission alternatives to East Anglia GREEN.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Private network operators, in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission, are responsible for delivering network infrastructure necessary to meet consumer needs. This includes identifying preferred options for the infrastructure, considering a range of factors. Network operators tender for suppliers to deliver the project, considering efficiencies and cost, to ensure value for money for the consumer.
The independent energy regulator, Ofgem, regulates and incentivises network operators to do this efficiently through its network price controls, including considering delivery times and technical capability of individual projects.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will make an estimate of the (a) time it would take to complete and (b) cost of transmitting the capacity required from East Anglia GREEN pylons through alternative primarily undersea interconnectors.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Private network operators, in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission, are responsible for delivering network infrastructure necessary to meet consumer needs. This includes identifying preferred options for the infrastructure, considering a range of factors. Network operators tender for suppliers to deliver the project, considering efficiencies and cost, to ensure value for money for the consumer.
The independent energy regulator, Ofgem, regulates and incentivises network operators to do this efficiently through its network price controls, including considering delivery times and technical capability of individual projects.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it is his Department's policy to attribute different weight in different parts of the UK to the impact on communities as determining factor in whether new electrical transmission pylon infrastructure should be via overland pylons or undersea connections.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is Government policy for any part of Great Britain that overhead lines are the starting presumption for most electricity network developments. This takes account of the fact that undergrounding and the use of offshore subsea cables is significantly more expensive.
However, overhead lines can cause detrimental landscape and visual impacts in particularly sensitive areas. Within the energy National Policy Statements, undergrounding and the use of subsea cables can be considered where the benefits outweigh other considerations. This applies across Great Britain.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
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 cost of SCD1, the proposed offshore HVDC link between Suffolk and Kent.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
SCD1, the proposed 2GW offshore HVDC link between Suffolk and Kent is planned to transfer renewable energy generated from offshore wind farms on the coast of East Anglia to demand within the south east of England, bypassing the most constrained areas of the network. National Grid Electricity System Operator’s Network Options Assessment (NOA) 2020/21 indicates a cost band for this project of £1 billion - £1.5 billion. The NOA 2020/21 analysis suggests SCD1 could provide significant economic benefit to multiple areas in the south and east regions as it can be configured to transfer power in both directions.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
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 cost of the Western HVDC Link from Hunterston to Connah's Quay to date.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Western Link is a joint venture between National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) and Scottish Power Transmission (SPT), which become operational in 2017. It is an electricity transmission subsea link built primarily to transfer renewable energy from Scotland to homes and businesses in England and Wales, which Ofgem stated has cost £1.3 billion.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
What steps he is taking to reform planning rules in England.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We are transforming the planning system, through recently announced changes and our proposals for ambitious long-term reforms.
Our White Paper, published in August 2020, proposed comprehensive reform of the planning system.
We have also published changes to calculating local housing need, to enable more homes to come forward where we need them most, and a National Model Design Code, which will drive up the quality of new development.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
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 about the estimated cost of the Eastern Link undersea electricity link between Scotland and England.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government supports Ofgem and network companies in delivering the critical national infrastructure required to achieve our Net Zero target, including supporting 40GW of offshore wind generation by 2030. The progression of the Eastern Link undersea electricity link between Scotland and the North of England is the responsibility of National Grid Electricity Transmission, Scottish Power and SSEN Transmission, as the developing transmission owners, under the regulatory supervision of Ofgem.
Current estimates are that the Eastern Link could cost over £3bn. Ofgem plans to consult soon on the development of the project so far. Its final decision on whether the project should be funded is expected to be reached in 2022, following a full consideration of the benefits and costs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help farmers respond to Wireworm outbreaks; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The management of wireworm outbreaks predominantly relies on non-chemical control such as consolidating seed beds to help restrict its movement and controlling grass weeds to reduce its food source. This non-chemical approach is integral to integrated pest management (IPM) which can help control all pest species. The Government has put IPM at the centre of its draft revised UK National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. The draft plan sets out how we will support farmers, land managers, amateur users, and amenity users to maximise non-chemical control and increase uptake of IPM approaches. It also sets out how we would do this, by: improving education, knowledge sharing platforms, and advisory mechanisms; considering how to offset financial risks that could be associated with uptake of an IPM approach; and investing in research and development on alternative crop protection options. The consultation on the draft plan closed on 26 February and the final plan will be published later in the year.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the proposed completion date is of the Eastern HVDC link project.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The three main transmission companies in Great Britain, National Grid, Scottish Power and SSE announced on 16th November that they are together taking forward work on the Eastern HDVC link, which will connect Peterhead, Aberdeenshire and Drax, North Yorkshire. Investment in network projects like the Eastern HVDC link project is key to supporting the Government’s 10-point plan to drive a Green Industrial Revolution in the UK, as part of the energy system transformation needed to integrate clean technologies such as offshore wind, electric vehicles and electric heat pumps.
Delivery of the Easter link is a matter for the companies concerned, who are now proceeding with the planning and consultation phases of the project. I understand from National Grid that the link is scheduled for completion in 2027.