Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Groceries Code Adjudicator will make it his policy to prioritise work relating to the (a) egg and (b) dairy industry.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on how many occasions the Groceries Code Adjudicator has met stakeholders engaged in production and processing within the (a) potato- and (b) vegetable-growing industry in 2013-14.
Answered by Jo Swinson
Relations with stakeholders in the supply sectors are operational matters for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The GCA’s first Annual Report for the period ending 31st March 2014 confirms that the Adjudicator had by that date participated in events attended by over 3,000 suppliers and their representative bodies – including those from the dairy, arable and livestock sectors.
The Annual Report may be viewed at:
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Groceries Code Adjudicator will make it his policy to prioritise work relating to the poultry industry.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to ensure that the smart meter programme will not exceed the projected costs set out in his Department's impact assessment published in January 2014.
Answered by Amber Rudd
The smart meters programme is designed within the legal framework for the GB energy market. This is based on energy companies competing against each other to supply energy to consumers.
The Government is requiring all energy suppliers through their licence conditions to deliver smart metering. The energy companies have strong commercial incentives to do this as efficiently as possible, all along their supply chain.
Ofgem is responsible for regulating the energy market and is able to intervene where suppliers do not meet their licence conditions. In addition, the Data and Communications Company is regulated by Ofgem to ensure that its services are provided in an economic and efficient manner.
The Government is monitoring progress by all parties on whom the smart metering roll-out depends, to ensure benefits to consumers are delivered.
There is a strong business case for rolling out smart meters. The total cost of this national infrastructure programme needs to be looked at in the context of its overall net benefits, expected to be around £6 billion.
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will work with Ofgem to define the requirement on suppliers to take all reasonable endeavours to deliver smart meters to 100 per cent of their customers.
Answered by Amber Rudd
‘All reasonable steps’ is a standard regulatory phrase that is widely used in energy suppliers’ licences. It means what it says. It places the onus on suppliers to show that they have made genuine good faith efforts with all their customers, while allowing them important flexibility where they have taken all reasonable steps.
The Government and Ofgem want suppliers to focus on developing solutions where installations may be technically challenging, and building support for smart metering among their customers.
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Grocery Code Adjudicator has undertaken research pursuant to the launch of an investigation into issues connected with the (a) potato and (b) vegetable-growing industry.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013. Decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers of investigation are therefore matters for the Adjudicator.
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Groceries Code Adjudicator has undertaken research pursuant to the launch of an investigation into issues connected with the (a) egg and (b) dairy industry.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013. Decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers of investigation are therefore matters for the Adjudicator.
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information he holds on the number of occasions on which the Groceries Code Adjudicator has met stakeholders engaged in production and processing in the poultry industry.
Answered by Jo Swinson
Relations with stakeholders in the supply sector is an operational matter for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The Department does not therefore hold the requested information.
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the Groceries Code Adjudicator will make it his policy to prioritise work relating to the (a) potato- and (b) vegetable-growing industry.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
Asked by: Mike Weir (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of cases where applications for tax credits were (a) refused or (b) suspended because the applicant had failed to provide evidence of their status as a single person to the satisfaction of the assessing officer there were in the last 12 months.
Answered by Priti Patel
This information is not available.