Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 21 Oct 2021
COP26: Limiting Global Temperature Rises
"It is a pleasure to respond to this debate, and I add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas) on securing it and her powerful opening remarks. It has, as expected, been a wide-ranging debate with a large number of thoughtful and passionate contributions. Hon. and …..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Jul 2021
COP26 Conference Priorities
"It is always a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr McCabe. It is also a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Deidre Brock). This has been an excellent debate, with a great many heartfelt and incisive contributions from Members from both sides …..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Jul 2021
COP26 Conference Priorities
"Do the Government agree that the $100 billion commitment needs to be met in full by the UN General Assembly in September, and that the $17 billion shortfall needs to be made up and cannot wait any longer if COP26 is going to be a success?..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Written Question
Friday 22nd January 2021
Asked by:
Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich of 12 October 2020, originally addressed to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on the approach of property insurers to mature trees in close proximity to homes that require underpinning to prevent or correct subsidence, ref 9602865.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Defra declined the transfer of this correspondence. It is currently with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to respond.
Written Question
Wednesday 30th October 2019
Asked by:
Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in her Department are paid less than the London Living Wage; and what requirements her Department places on contractors to pay the London Living Wage to London-based staff.
Answered by George Eustice
This Government is committed to paying people a decent living wage, which is being addressed through the statutory National Living Wage (NLW). In April 2019, the NLW increased to £8.21 per hour, handing a full-time worker a further £690 annual pay rise. By 2024 the NLW will rise to £10.50 per hour, reaching 66% of median UK earnings. The scope will be expanded to everyone aged 21 and over and is expected to benefit over 4 million low paid workers.
There are 85 staff in core-Defra, based in the National pay region, paid less than the London Living Wage (LLW) rate of £10.55 per hour, as set out by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF).
There are less than 5 staff based in the London pay region paid less than the LLW. There will be no staff based in the London pay region paid less than the LLW once the 2019 Defra pay award (effective from 1 July 2019) has been implemented. This is expected to be in November pay.
The Government will always award contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer.
The service providers contracted to carry out third party cleaning contracts for Defra managed buildings, including those of our executive agencies, are provided through an outsourced Total Facilities Management contract with Interserve FM. The contract requires Interserve FM to pay all employees the living wage as defined by the LWF. The Facilities Management supplier holds information on the rate of remuneration of its staff. Members of the LWF pay the voluntary real living wage, which is higher than the statutory rate and includes a higher rate for London based staff.
The LWF rates (published online) can be found on the link below:
https://www.livingwage.org.uk/
Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 04 Sep 2019
Vessel Emissions: River Thames
"I beg to move,
That this House has considered emissions from vessels on the River Thames.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship once again, Mr Gray, and I am pleased that amid the current political turmoil time has been found to debate this important issue, which is …..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 04 Sep 2019
Vessel Emissions: River Thames
"My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It was a great frustration to him, as it was to me, that the developer would not listen and commit to plans for a clean, green terminal and shore-to-ship power.
Nevertheless, it was right that the proposals as set out were scrapped, and residents …..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 04 Sep 2019
Vessel Emissions: River Thames
"The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that a huge number of organisations have some regulatory role or other with regards to the river. As I will come on to argue, we need to bring some coherence and simplification to that by means of a single regulator for the Thames.
I …..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 04 Sep 2019
Vessel Emissions: River Thames
"Before the Minister brings her remarks to a close—I appreciate the complexity and cross-departmental nature of this issue, so I am happy for her to write to me—it would be good to have some idea about what dialogue is happening between her Department, DFT, the Mayor of London and the …..."Matthew Pennycook - View Speech
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Written Question
Monday 15th July 2019
Asked by:
Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated to support ultra-low emission zones in England in the (a) current and (b) previous financial year.
Answered by Baroness Coffey
Outside London, only Oxford City Council is considering the establishment of an ultra low emissions zone. Oxford City Council has received £50,000 for a feasibility study for a zone. It has also received £122,500 for city-wide communication programmes to support achievement of zero-emissions delivery freight, and £128, 500 for testing of low cost Zephyr sensor packages to compare with current sensors and improve data.