Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when in Spring 2017 he plans to implement the changes to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Renewable Heat Incentive reforms will be implemented on the date the updated regulations for the scheme come into force. It is intended these changes will be implemented in spring 2017; the specific date is not known as yet, as it is subject to Parliamentary processes.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Consumer Ombudsman regime.
Answered by Margot James
The Consumer Ombudsman is run by Ombudsman Services, a not for profit private sector company. Chartered Trading Standards Institute, who act on behalf of my rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, have audited and approved Ombudsman Services as being compliant with the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Regulations.
The Government is committed to an ADR landscape that works for all those who wish to use it. I meet regularly with consumer representatives and enforcement bodies to discuss a range of issues, including ADR.
A number of detailed responses to a call for evidence in June were received that related to the ADR regime. The Department is considering these responses carefully and a response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to reform the domestic renewable heat incentive scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government response[1] to the consultation ‘The Renewable Heat Incentive: A reformed and refocused scheme’ was published on 14 December 2016 and outlines changes to reform the domestic renewable heat incentive scheme. It is intended that these changes will be implemented in spring 2017.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what nuclear waste disposal activities have been conducted within Dumfries and Galloway in the last 10 years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The management of radioactive waste is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has for the disposal of nuclear waste in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The management of radioactive waste is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether preparations are in progress on current or future nuclear waste disposal activity in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The management of radioactive waste is a devolved matter.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to devolve the Met Office functions for mountain weather forecasting to Scotland.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Met Office delivers a range of safety critical services to the whole of the United Kingdom through the Public Weather Service, including mountain forecasts. The Public Weather Service is overseen by the Public Weather Service Customer Group, which includes an independent chair and representatives from all of the devolved administrations.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of reasons for the disparity between the trade price of kerosene and that offered to individual consumers; what role his Department plays in regulating and monitoring this disparity; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
There is an open market for the supply of petroleum products, including jet kerosene and heating oil, in the UK which provides the best long term guarantee of competitive prices. The Government does not control prices but we do monitor the UK national average cost of jet kerosene and heating oil.
The average cost for wholesale kerosene in September 2016 was 26 pence per litre, 1p more expensive than the corresponding month in 2015, and down 22p since its 2014 peak (Jan 2014).
The average cost for retail kerosene in September 2016 was 37 pence per litre, 1p more expensive than the corresponding month in 2015, and down 22p since its 2014 peak (Jan 2014).
The value of the pound sterling has been decreasing against the dollar which means crude oil, which is traded in dollars, becomes more expensive for UK refiners to import. Analysis suggests that on average, at a national level, crude price changes are fully passed through into kerosene prices within a month.
In addition, the price of kerosene is influenced by a range of factors, including refinery capacity, stock levels, distribution costs, retail margins and seasonal factors The supply of kerosene in more remote areas is influenced by increased logistical costs.
I encourage households that use kerosene to heat their homes to join an oil buying group and to shop around for the best deal.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will increase the national minimum wage for under 18s to the same rate as the adult level.
Answered by Nick Boles
For younger workers, the priority is to secure work and gain valuable experience – something that is reflected in the existing age structure of the National Minimum Wage.
On 14th April my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an increase in the 16-17 year old National Minimum Wage rate by 3.4% (13p) to £4.00 per hour. This is the fastest and largest increase since 2008.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment has been made of the effects of the reduction in the feed-in tariff on 14 January 2016 on small scale hydro producers.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government published an impact assessment alongside the Government Response to the FIT Review consultation on 17 December, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486084/IA_-_FITs_consultation_response_with_Annexes_-_FINAL_SIGNED.pdf
This impact assessment set out the impact of deployment caps and tariff changes to different technologies. For the hydro sector, new tariffs are designed to provide a target rate of return of 9.2% for efficient and well-sited installations and could support around 880 installations between 2016-19.