Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will set a statutory target for the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere in the UK as part of legislation under the Sixth Carbon Budget.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have laid legislation for the UK’s sixth carbon budget, proposing a world-leading target, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. This is in line with the latest science as the level recommended by our expert advisers at the Climate Change Committee (CCC).
Analysis from the CCC shows that to achieve net zero Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) methods will be required to balance residual emissions from some of the most difficult to decarbonise sectors. Following the Government’s response to the CCC's 2020 progress report to Parliament, BEIS and HM Treasury launched a Call for evidence on the role of GGRs in delivering net zero, inviting evidence on a range of GGR methods. The Call for Evidence closed on 26 February, and we will publish a summary of responses in due course.
We will bring forward further policies and proposals to meet our carbon budgets in due course, which will consider the role that greenhouse gas removal technologies can play.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop rules that would enable CO2 removals to be integrated into carbon markets, such as a UK emissions trading system.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government committed in the recent Energy White Paper to exploring expanding the existing UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), which replaced the UK’s participation in the EU ETS on 1 January 2021, to the two thirds of uncovered emissions, and indicated that we will set out our aspirations to continue to lead the world on carbon pricing in the run up to COP26. This will also include how the UK ETS could incentivise the deployment of greenhouse gas removal technologies.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Cumbria County Council decision to approve the opening of a new coal mine in Cumbria was mentioned in communications between ministerial private offices in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
None. No mention has been made, as Cumbria County Council has not approved the opening of the new coal mine in Cumbria.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review regulations regarding fluorinated gas ahead of COP26.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK has a legal requirement to review the Fluorinated Gas (F gas) Regulation and publish a comprehensive report of this review by no later than 31 December 2022. Defra is now beginning internal work on the review and intends to engage with stakeholders on this work later this year. The review will include an assessment of opportunities for faster and further action on phasing down F gases, beyond our already world leading measures, to help meet the Government’s net zero 2050 target.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential to reduce carbon emissions by introducing a road usage duty, and whether they will publish any such assessment.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
UK Motorists currently pay fuel duty and VAT on fuel, which means that those who use the roads the most, and do so in higher polluting cars, pay more tax. In addition, the Government uses the Vehicle Excise Duty system to encourage the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) to help meet our legally binding climate change targets.
However, technology is changing many aspects of the economy – including the vehicles we drive – and the government is considering how the tax system will need to adapt to manage those changes.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to support innovation in zero emissions in primary industries and manufacturing, and (2) to de-risk investment in demonstration and deployment projects, via (a) government procurement policies, (b) loan guarantees, and (c) tax exemptions.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are committed to supporting both the decarbonisation of UK industry and its competitiveness.
At the 2020 Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government will at least double the size of the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme to £1billion, focussed on decarbonising UK power, homes and industry to meet the challenge of net zero.
Alongside support for innovation, we have a number of schemes in place to support deployment. This includes the £149 million Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund on Foundation Industries, which aims to transform certain primary and manufacturing industries to make them internationally competitive, secure more jobs throughout the UK and support innovation in zero emissions.
Our £170 million Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Fund and £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will help industry deploy low carbon technologies and put energy efficiency measures in place.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support innovation in zero emissions in primary industries and manufacturing, including (1) metal recycling and production, (2) ceramics and brick kilns, and (3) fertiliser and chemical production processes.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are committed to supporting both the decarbonisation of UK industry and its competitiveness.
At the 2020 Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government will at least double the size of the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme to £1billion, focussed on decarbonising UK power, homes and industry to meet the challenge of net zero.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential to electrify short-haul flights and short-distance marine travel as part of a roadmap to reach net zero emissions; and to publish any such assessment.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is supporting the development of electric aircraft through £125 million of funding to the Future Flight Challenge. The Jet Zero Council, announced in June, will bring together DfT and BEIS Secretaries of State and CEO-level stakeholders to drive high ambition in the delivery of new technologies and innovative ways to cut aviation emissions.
The potential electrification of maritime routes and use of shore power alongside to reduce emissions was assessed as part of the Department’s work to develop the Clean Maritime Plan published in Summer 2019. The research supporting the plan, including detailed consideration of the use of electrical power, has been published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to electrify railways as part of a roadmap to reach net zero emissions; and when they will publish any such plans, including any anticipated timetable.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Electrification will play a significant role in our programme to decarbonise the railway. Network Rail’s ongoing work developing the Transport Decarbonisation Network Strategy will inform decisions about whether electrification or alternative technologies are the most appropriate option for each part of the network where diesel trains currently run. This work will support the Department’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which will be published at the end of this year.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential to install overhead cabling on highways for heavy goods vehicles as part of a roadmap to reach net zero emissions; and what plans they have to publish any such assessment.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department is working with the Connected Places Catapult to explore and assess the zero emission technologies most suitable for heavy goods vehicles on the UK road network, including overhead cabling on highways. This work will consider the need for mass demonstration projects and the outputs will feed into the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, expected to be published by the end of this year.