Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by what date does he plan to grant the Green Investment Bank powers to borrow from the private capital markets.
Answered by David Gauke
The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has a budget of £3.8bn and there is no immediate need for the bank to borrow.
As set out in ‘investing in Britain’s future’, the GIB has the power to borrow from the NLF if desired.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2015 to Question 225717, if he will request that the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority report on their performance in relation to sustainable growth in their annual reports.
Answered by David Gauke
The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority to include consideration of the principles of good regulation in their annual report.
These statutory principles of good regulation include “the desirability of sustainable growth in the economy of the United Kingdom in the medium or long term”.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Treasury's announcement entitled Chancellor intervenes to honour fuel allowance benefits of ex-miners, published on 15 November 2013, if he will place in the Library the full criteria used in making decisions on concessionary fuel payments for former miners who worked in private-sector mines; and how many former miners received concessionary fuel payments as a result of that announcement.
Answered by Matt Hancock
A copy of the Ex-UK Coal Concessionary Fuel Scheme Rules following the 15th November 2013 announcement was placed in the Libraries of the House.
As at 24 March 2015 the Government are meeting the solid fuel and cash in-lieu entitlement of 1,323 former UK Coal miners and their beneficiaries who had lost their entitlement as a result of the restructure of UK Coal in July 2013.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Treasury's announcement entitled Chancellor intervenes to honour fuel allowance benefits of ex-miners, published on 15 November 2013, how many former miners who worked in private-sector mines are in receipt of the concessionary fuel allowance as a result of that announcement.
Answered by Matt Hancock
As at 24 March 2015 the Government are meeting the solid fuel and cash in-lieu entitlement of 1,323 former UK Coal miners and their beneficiaries who had lost their entitlement as a result of the restructure of UK Coal in July 2013.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on introducing a statutory duty on the fire and rescue service to respond to major flooding; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
In 2012, my Department, consulted interested parties on this issue. The responses supported the Government's view, that the local resilience forums are best placed to decide how to organise local flooding response, as they do for other emergencies. In 2013 the Government amended its flood response guidance to support the work of the local resilience forums, and to affirm that no statutory duty would be needed.
The Civil Contingencies Act already requires fire and rescue authorities, and other responders such as the police, ambulance and local authorities, to work together to deal with a range of risks in their area, including flooding. This collaboration worked well during the flood events in winter 2013-14.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provided to GPs and other healthcare professions on completing the ESA 50 form; and what steps his Department is taking to monitor and update that training.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The ESA 50 is completed by claimants with help from a friend, relative, carer or representative such as a support worker if needed.
Therefore no training is required or provided to GPs and other healthcare professions on completing it.
Guidance and information for GPs and other healthcare professionals from the DWP can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/healthcare-practitioners-guidance-and-information-from-dwp
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, by what date she plans for schools to be sent sample assessment materials for the new GCSE mathematics examination; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce further incentives to encourage resource efficiency.
Answered by Priti Patel
This Government is committed to encouraging resource efficiency. The resource and waste management sector has grown faster than the wider economy over the past two decades, while waste arisings have fallen. We are extracting significantly more economic value from each tonne of waste managed by the sector, a 43% increase from £32 to £46 per tonne since 2004. As such, there are already a number of incentives in place to promote resource efficiency, for example:
Landfill Tax has reduced the amount of waste going to landfill by approximately 65% since its introduction in 1996, and has contributed to a threefold increase in household recycling;
Enhanced Capital Allowances enable the cost of investment in water and energy-efficient equipment to be written off against taxable profits of the period in which the investment is made;
Government–funded Innovate UK is to invest up to £800k in feasibility studies into the business case for retaining value in durable goods through reuse, remanufacture or leasing/maintenance. This competition opened on 2 March 2015;
Government is funding Action Based Research projects to explore innovative ways for businesses to develop more resource-efficient systems and products. £1.2m of support is being provided over the lifetime of the current round of projects; and
Government are providing £17.9m funding in 2014-15 for the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to support English businesses, industry, civil society organisations, as well as local authorities and households in realising the benefits of resource efficiency and improved resource management.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to integrate natural capital into the national infrastructure plan.
Answered by Priti Patel
The Government takes natural capital very seriously. It has set long-term goals to stop decades of decline in wildlife and habitats, which have already resulted in improvements. Since 2010, it has helped to create over 150,000 acres of field margins, wetlands and woodlands; woodland cover is at its highest level in 700 years.
The Government’s environmental objectives are reflected in the National Infrastructure Plan. Its Top 40 Priority Infrastructure Investments include rail electrification, renewable energy and Smart Meters. These projects support a transition to a less resource intensive economy.
Asked by: Joan Walley (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will incorporate a section on natural capital in his annual budget report.
Answered by Priti Patel
Economic growth and improving the environment go hand-in-hand, and the Natural Capital Committee has made a range of recommendations on how we manage the environment in a way that will enhance it for future generations whilst meeting our economic needs.
Given the significance of this work, the Government is carefully analysing the recommendations made in the Natural Capital Committee’s report, and will respond in due course. As part of that response, we will set out how Government plans to integrate natural capital into wider policy making and reporting.
The Government takes natural capital very seriously. We have set long term-goals to stop the decades of decline in wildlife and habitats, and have already seen some improvements. Since 2010 we have helped to create over 150,000 acres of field margins, wetlands and woodlands, and woodland cover is at its highest level in 700 years.