Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to page 44, paragraph 139 of the White Paper, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union cm. 9593, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the timely completion of the interconnectors to Belgium, Norway and Denmark; and what the estimated completion date is of each of those interconnectors.
Answered by Claire Perry
Interconnectors are a key part of a flexible energy system, which the UK and EU have a shared interest in. The UK has a market-led approach to interconnection, regulated by Ofgem, that has succeeded in bringing interconnectors forward that are in the interests of GB consumers. We are in regular dialogue with interconnector developers and with the governments in each of the countries.
The Nemo Link interconnector to Belgium and the NSL interconnector to Norway are already under construction; National Grid is targeting completion dates of 2019 and 2021, respectively. The VikingLink project to Denmark has received initial regulatory approvals from Ofgem and in Denmark; National Grid currently expects the project to complete in 2023. A further project to Norway, NorthConnect, has received initial regulatory approval by Ofgem and is currently seeking approvals in Norway.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2018 to Question 128106, for what reasons that answer did not confirm whether his Department is conducting a review of the potential effects on the economy of (a) amending and (b) removing existing EU-derived employment regulations.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The previous answer set out the premise on which we are directing our work for the UK’s departure from the EU.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is conducting a review of the potential effects on the economy of (a) amending and (b) removing existing EU-derived employment regulations.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
My rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made a clear commitment to protect workers’ rights and the EU (Withdrawal) Bill will ensure that workers’ rights currently enjoyed under EU law will continue to be available in UK law after we have left the EU.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2017 to Question 118099, for what reasons no reference was made as to whether support to small businesses forming part of the Government's assistance to small businesses as the UK leaves the EU was to be financial or just other support.
Answered by Margot James
I continue to meet with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and their representative bodies, as part of our preparation to leave the EU, to understand the concerns of small business owners and to find out what support they want from government. This is a work in progress and my hon. Friend the Undersecretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union has committed to join me in regular meetings with SMEs and representative bodies whilst we develop our plans.
Alongside this, the Government is working with the European Union to agree a deal on an implementation period and future partnership following the UK’s exit; a deal that provides certainty and clarity and that safeguards UK businesses’ ability to trade with their EU27 partners. Support provided to small businesses will also be informed by the outcome of these ongoing negotiations.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has prepared a plan to assist small businesses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on the future trading relationship.
Answered by Margot James
Although the future trading relationship with the EU is subject to negotiations, we are committed to minimising disruption and giving as much certainty as possible. That’s why the Government is pursuing a time-limited implementation period to allow business the time they need to adapt to new arrangements.
Government will be working alongside trade associations and others to communicate to businesses the changes in the UKs trading relationship with the EU, ensuring that they are ready for Day One of exit regardless of the outcome of the negotiations.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December to Question 115960, whether his Department plans to offer financial support to small businesses as part of the Government's assistance to small businesses as the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Margot James
Although the future trading relationship with the EU is subject to negotiations, we are committed to minimising disruption and giving as much certainty as possible. That’s why the Government is pursuing a time-limited implementation period to allow business the time they need to adapt to new arrangements.
Government will be working alongside trade associations and others to communicate to businesses the changes in the UKs trading relationship with the EU, ensuring that they are ready for Day One of exit regardless of the outcome of the negotiations.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary regarding the Border Force preparations being made to minimise the disruption to small business supply chains after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Margot James
I have regular discussions with my colleagues at the Home Office on a wide range of topics of mutual interest.
Although the changes business will face - as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU - are subject to negotiations with our EU partners, we want to achieve the best possible outcome and the strongest possible partnership - one that works for UK businesses.
We already have highly efficient processes for freight arriving from the rest of the world – the vast majority of customs declarations in the UK are submitted electronically and are cleared rapidly.
However, we are committed to minimising disruption and giving as much certainty as possible. That’s why the Government is pursuing a time-limited implementation period to allow business the time they need to adapt to new arrangements.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what benefits he plans to accrue to town economies as a result of implementing the Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government’s ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy sets out a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK.
The Government is committed to supporting the regeneration of our towns across the country. The Government is currently working with a range of local partners to explore new approaches, including on a pilot Town Deal with Grimsby. This approach is based on a very strong private-public sector partnership.
The Industrial Strategy also recognises the importance of infrastructure investment, particularly in transport, to improve productivity. The Transforming Cities Fund will provide £1.7bn to support investment programmes targeted at improving connectivity between cities and their neighbouring towns.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2017 to Question 115602, how many domestic and non-domestic solar feed-in tariff installations have been deployed in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in each month since April 2016.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The table below gives the number of domestic and non-domestic solar PV installations deployed under the Feed in Tariff in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Local Authority, in each month since April 2016.
Month | Number of domestic solar PV installations deployed in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Local Authority | Number of non-domestic solar PV installations deployed in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Local Authority |
April 2016 | 5 | 1 |
May 2016 | 3 | 1 |
June 2016 | 9 | 0 |
July 2016 | 13 | 0 |
August 2016 | 3 | 0 |
September 2016 | 5 | 0 |
October 2016 | 5 | 0 |
November 2016 | 10 | 0 |
December 2016 | 3 | 0 |
January 2017 | 3 | 0 |
February 2017 | 3 | 0 |
March 2017 | 5 | 0 |
April 2017 | 5 | 0 |
May 2017 | 3 | 0 |
June 2017 | 5 | 0 |
July 2017 | 1 | 0 |
Source: data underlying Sub-regional Feed in Tariffs Statistics, September 2017, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/sub-regional-feed-in-tariffs-confirmed-on-the-cfr-statistics