Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 issue guidance to local councils on the potential impact of the change of use of agricultural land for solar farms on sustainable, local food production in those areas.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government recognises the importance of preserving greenfield land. Planning policy encourages the effective use of land by recommending the siting of large-scale solar farms on previously developed and non-agricultural land, provided it is not of high environmental value. Where projects are proposed on greenfield sites, guidance seeks to minimise the impacts on the best and most versatile agricultural land and requires developers to justify the use of any such land and ensure projects are designed to avoid, mitigate and where necessary compensate for impacts.
Solar farms and agricultural practice can co-exist. Many solar farms are constructed with raised panels that enable continued grazing of livestock. Solar energy can also help farmers raise their revenue streams from land less suited to higher value crop production.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to stop the import of non-compliant e-scooters into the UK.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from unsafe goods. Manufacturers need to ensure that the e-scooter devices they place on the market meet all the product safety regulations that apply.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) works with Local Authorities and border authorities to help ensure that products imported and sold in the UK are safe and that action is taken against those who place unsafe or non-compliant products on the market.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 make it his policy to support the music industry through (a) improving copyright and intellectual property protection and (b) making industry representations on matters including the Credits Due campaign.
Answered by George Freeman
Government policy in this area has long been underpinned by the desire to maintain robust copyright and intellectual property protection. The copyright, and wider intellectual property, frameworks are kept under constant review to ensure they remain fit for purpose and that any changes to these are driven by evidence.
For example, the Government recently responded to recommendations from the DCMS Select Committee following its inquiry into music streaming. The response sets out the imminent launch of a package of stakeholder engagement and research aimed at better understanding and resolving some of the issues identified within the music streaming environment. The IPO and DCMS will work closely with partners on the music industry’s “Credits Due” initiative to develop options for a minimum data standard.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the Government's strategy is on increasing its oil and gas reserves and storage capacity.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK benefits from having access to highly diverse sources of gas supply to ensure households, businesses and heavy industry get the energy they need.
Gas storage is not a component of overall winter supply. GB gas storage stock levels are currently comparable to previous years ahead of the winter months and storage is expected to continue its role as a source of system flexibility. BEIS is continuing to explore the future of the gas storage landscape through the UK Hydrogen Strategy, which considers the role of hydrogen storage in greater detail and whether further regulation or support mechanisms are needed to maximise its potential.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 Government's Heat and Buildings strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that the costs of low carbon heating are sustainable for people in (a) Shropshire and (b) other rural areas.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The Government is planning to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course. This will include information on the Government’s approach to the transition to low carbon heating through a comprehensive policy package comprising targeted regulatory, market-based and public investment measures.
In transitioning to low carbon heat, it will be important that future costs are allocated in a way that is fair to all consumers and incentivises them to use cost-effective low-carbon technologies.
As announced in the Energy White Paper last December, we will shortly issue a call for evidence on affordability and fairness in the energy market which will explore these issues further. This will include looking at policy costs placed on gas and electricity prices and gathering evidence on the extent to which these act as a significant barrier to the deployment of low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps.
In order to ease consumer costs, the Government has also been providing financial support through schemes such as the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. In addition, from April 2022, the Clean Heat Grant will provide support to households switching to low carbon heating.
In respect of rural homes in particular, we recognise that many homes in rural areas that are not connected to the gas grid use high-carbon heating systems such as oil so decarbonising this stock will be vital to meet our net zero ambitions. The recently launched Home Upgrade Grant, backed by an initial £150 million of funding will support energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating for low-income households living off the gas grid in England, including in Shropshire.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 hold discussions with his US counterpart on ensuring that UK students can participate in the NASA International Internship Program.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
In the light of our growing international programme of space collaborations, it would be timely for us to consider the opportunities this programme might offer within funding constraints. I shall instruct officials at the UK Space Agency to discuss this with their counterparts at NASA.