Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to develop deep-water turbines as a means of producing clean energy in the UK.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Offshore wind is a success story for the UK. Government support has enabled investment, cost reduction and building of the supply chain across the UK. This support has resulted in two world leading floating offshore wind demonstration projects being developed in the UK.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a hard border between Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government has been working hard for some time on minimising the impact on trade flow in the event that the UK were to leave without a deal, this includes meeting with the Welsh ports, and we recognise the importance of trade between Wales and Ireland. As set out in the Political Declaration, the UK and EU have both agreed that the future economic partnership should be based on the principle of no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors.
The UK and Irish governments have also been clear that maintaining the CTA is a top priority. British citizens in Ireland and Irish citizens in the UK will continue to be able to live and work in each other’s countries, and to access healthcare, education, social welfare and benefits including state pensions.
In a no deal scenario, the Government will introduce customs easements to ensure that the flow of imports into Wales will be as smooth as possible. A pragmatic approach has also been agreed with the secretariat of the Common Transit Convention for managing movements under that convention. For exports the impact depends on handling in Dublin, so the Government is working with all stakeholders to keep potential disruption to a minimum.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department will provide to British dairy farmers in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Government recognizes the concerns of stakeholders and is determined to get the best deal for the UK in our negotiations to leave the EU, including for our world-leading dairy sector.
Whilst preparing for all outcomes, as any responsible Government would, we have also been preparing for the possibility of no deal, which is why we have contingency plans in place to minimize disruption for the food and farming sector as much as possible.
We remain confident in the resilience of our agricultural sectors, including our dairy industry, and their ability to thrive outside of the EU.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a regulator with sole responsibility for cash infrastructure to ensure continued access to physical money.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK has well-established world-class regulators overseeing financial services.
The Government established the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) with a statutory duty to ensure that payment systems work well for those who use them. As part of this, the PSR regulates LINK, the scheme which runs the UK’s ATM network, and is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision.
LINK has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The PSR has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments and to ensure LINK reports to it on a regular basis.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, When his Department plans to make an announcement on the awarding of the contract for the Fleet Solid Support ships.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 November 2018 to Question 191321 from the hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones).
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will commit to excluding the NHS and other public services from future trade deals.
Answered by George Hollingbery
I refer the Honourable Friend for Clwyd South to the answer I gave to the Member for Midlothian on 26 February 2019, UIN 224362.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which trading partners will be the priority of agricultural trade policy after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Political Declaration on the future relationship with the EU outlines the UK and EU’s commitment to a free trade area for goods, with no tariffs and no quotas. The Government also recently consulted on possible future free trade agreements with the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, as well as on the UK’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership. We also want to work with other partners around the world to increase trade and investment flows and improve market access.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Government plans to implement its proposals for longer sentences for drivers who cause death by (a) speeding, (b) racing and (c) using a mobile phone.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The government is committed to making sure that the courts have sufficient powers to deal with driving offences appropriately and proportionately.
In the response to the consultation on driving offences and penalties relating to causing death or serious injury, published in 2017, the government proposed to increase the maximum penalties for causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs from 14 years’ imprisonment to life.
We will bring forward proposals for changes in the law as soon as parliamentary time allows. These proposals will take account of, and incorporate, all of government’s proposals for safer roads, including any arising from the Department of Transport’s review of cycle safety.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants have had their payments reduced as a result of being paid two consecutive months salaries in a single assessment period as a result of their payment dates.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Susan Elan Jones (Labour - Clwyd South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory duty to allow trustees of Charities time off from work.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government hugely values the hundreds of thousands of people who give up their time to act as trustees across the country. We do not have any plans to introduce a statutory duty for trustees to be given time off from work at this time. However, as set out in the Civil Society Strategy, we are keen to work with partners in the charity sector to consider different ways to strengthen trusteeship.