Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 199325 on Biofuels, whether that assessment includes whether transitional support should (a) include all unabated biomass power generators and (b) be restricted to biomass power generation sites scoped into the power bioenergy and carbon capture programme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Government plans to consult shortly on eligibility for potential support for facilitating the transition from unabated biomass generation to power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a bridging mechanism to support generators in the transition from unabated biomass to power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Government is assessing whether transitional support, such as a bridging mechanism, may be appropriate for facilitating the transition from unabated biomass generation to power Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 March 2023, Official Report, column 1193, on the need to work with Drax on a bridging option between 2027 and 2030, whether she expects her Department to consult publicly on a bridging mechanism by 1 January 2024.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is considering whether transitional support may be appropriate for when existing arrangements end for electricity generators using biomass. The Government will consider whether public consultation may be appropriate as part of this process.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has had recent discussions with biomass generators on the potential merits of implementing a bridging mechanism to support generators as they transition from unabated biomass to power bioenergy and carbon capture.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department has held preliminary discussions with biomass generators that passed the power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage project submission process about the potential merits of a bridging mechanism.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent and protect against human trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable people in the short-term lettings and stays sector.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery. We are identifying more victims of modern slavery and doing more to bring perpetrators to justice than ever before.
We have also introduced several initiatives aimed at preventing human trafficking and exploitation, these include:
Supporting the police to tackle modern slavery, including dedicated funding totalling £17.8 million since 2016. This funding has supported the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit, run by Devon and Cornwall Police, to increase police awareness and ability to tackle modern slavery across England and Wales.
Introducing training interventions for frontline services that might encounter victims of modern slavery, making sure operational colleagues such as Border Force can recognise the signs of modern slavery and are equipped to step in.
Between 2016 and March 2023, the Home Office spent over £37m through the Modern Slavery Fund, which has a strong focus on upstream prevention.
The government has not assessed the prevalence of exploitation of workers in the short-term holiday and short-term stays sector.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the prevalence of exploitation of workers in the short-term holiday and short-term stays sector.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery. We are identifying more victims of modern slavery and doing more to bring perpetrators to justice than ever before.
We have also introduced several initiatives aimed at preventing human trafficking and exploitation, these include:
Supporting the police to tackle modern slavery, including dedicated funding totalling £17.8 million since 2016. This funding has supported the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit, run by Devon and Cornwall Police, to increase police awareness and ability to tackle modern slavery across England and Wales.
Introducing training interventions for frontline services that might encounter victims of modern slavery, making sure operational colleagues such as Border Force can recognise the signs of modern slavery and are equipped to step in.
Between 2016 and March 2023, the Home Office spent over £37m through the Modern Slavery Fund, which has a strong focus on upstream prevention.
The government has not assessed the prevalence of exploitation of workers in the short-term holiday and short-term stays sector.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate her Department has made of the impact of the ceramics industry on gross domestic product in the last five years.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Department for Business and trade estimates that the ceramics industry was worth £1.1 billion in 20211. Over the last five years, the ceramics industry has represented 0.1% of UK GDP2.
1- ONS Annual Business Survey accessed here
2- ONS Gross Value Added accessed here
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to help support the ceramics industry to achieve net zero emissions.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to working with the ceramics industry to support decarbonisation. Innovative ceramics fuel mixes were supported through the Industrial Fuel Switching competition, with £300,000 for hydrogen trials in Stoke. On 5 June the Government launched the Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plans competition, which will provide support to local areas and could further support initiatives for ceramic decarbonisation. Funding for deployment of low carbon technologies, and for feasibility /engineering studies, is also available through the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with brick manufacturers on the future economic performance of the ceramics industry.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Department for Business and Trade ministers and officials are in regular contact with the ceramics sector, specifically brick manufacturers to discuss current and future priorities around energy costs, decarbonisation, and competitiveness.
Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the total cost to her Department of administering applications for electronic travel authorisation.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
On 6 June, I set in a Written Ministerial Statement (https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-06-06/hcws821(opens in a new tab)), that the proposed fee for an ETA application is £10.00. This is set at a level that will cover the costs of administering the system and is competitive compared with similar international schemes by international partners.
It is the government’s policy that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system should contribute towards the cost of operating the system, reducing the burden on the UK taxpayer.
The estimated cost of administering each ETA application will be published when the ETA fee is formally set in the Immigration and Nationality Fees Regulations in Autumn 2023.