Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
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 the oral contribution of the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth of 23 April 2019, Official Report, column 690, what are the market mechanisms put in place to deliver CO2 reductions in Northern Ireland since the closure of the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
Energy policy, including heat, is devolved for Northern Ireland. Section 113 of the Energy Act 2011 contains provisions enabling the Northern Ireland Executive to make regulations to introduce and operate a RHI scheme in Northern Ireland. The GB RHI scheme is completely separate to the NI RHI scheme, with different scheme rules. Between 1990 and 2016, Northern Ireland reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 16%[1].
The Government has been working with Northern Ireland’s Executive in areas such as the future of carbon pricing after we leave the European Union.
The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations (the Scottish Government; the Welsh Government; and the Northern Ireland Executive) have jointly published a consultation document on the UK’s future approach to carbon pricing. The consultation plays a vital role in helping the government fulfil its commitment to carbon pricing as an effective emissions reduction tool, as outlined in the Clean Growth Strategy
This is a joint consultation and the Devolved Administrations are co-authors and Government officials have worked with devolved administration’s counterparts throughout the process. At ministerial level I have regular quadrilaterals and Northern Ireland is represented by senior civil servants.
[1] Source: http://naei.beis.gov.uk/reports/reports?report_id=958
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it remains his Department's policy not to dispose of nuclear waste in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Policy on the management of radioactive waste is devolved. I understand that there are no plans for nuclear or radioactive waste disposal facilities in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the papers his Department submitted to the US International Trade Commission in support of Bombardier in Belfast in relation to that company's dispute with Boeing in the US; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Government has submitted over 7,000 pages of argument and evidence to the US International Trade Administration and International Trade Commission. These are publically available [subject to some redactions of confidential information] at: https://access.trade.gov and https://edis.usitc.gov respectively. We continue to work closely with Canada and Bombardier, and our submissions complement theirs.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth on 16 January 2017 to Question 122103.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans she has to visit Bombardier in Belfast to discuss its ongoing dispute with Boeing; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy visited Bombardier Aerostructures and Engineering Services (Shorts) in Belfast to discuss the Boeing dispute in July; he also visited Bombardier in Montreal in October and met with its Board. Minister Richard Harrington visited Bombardier in Belfast in August. Both the Secretary of State and the Minister are in regular dialogue with Bombardier’s top management in both Belfast and Montreal. In addition, senior BEIS officials continue to visit Belfast frequently for discussions with the company, most recently on the 11th January.
The next stage in the dispute proceedings is at the end of January when the International Trade Commission will consider the Department of Commerce’s findings and whether there has been an injury to the US aerospace industry. The Secretary of State will make a statement to the House after the final ruling and will keep under review the need for further direct ministerial visits to the Belfast site.
Safeguarding jobs at Bombardier Aerospace (Shorts) in Belfast remains a top priority for the Government and we will continue to do all we can to see the case resolved positively, working closely with Bombardier and the Canadian Government.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to advance the Belfast City Deal as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Budget 2017 statement on the 22 November 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Margot James
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out at the Budget that the Government will open negotiations for a City Deal for Belfast, as part our wider commitment to work towards a comprehensive and ambitious set of City Deals across Northern Ireland to boost investment and productivity.
This Government believes that local people know what is best for their areas. As such City Deals are locally led. Belfast City Region are currently developing proposals for an ambitious City Deal that drives growth and productivity in the region, which they will share with Government in 2018. I look forward to seeing them.
In the meantime, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland remains in close touch with the region. Additionally, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government visited Belfast on 7 December to meet leaders from local councils, universities and business to hear how a City Deal that brings together the private and public sectors can help to unlock the huge economic potential of the Belfast City Region.