First elected: 6th May 2010
Left House: 30th March 2015 (Retired)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Dan Byles, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Dan Byles has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Dan Byles has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
A Bill to make provision for retirement from the House of Lords; and to make provision for the expulsion of Members of the House of Lords in specified circumstances.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 14th May 2014 and was enacted into law.
Dan Byles has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Information on regional breakdown of FIT deployment is published quarterly, including a break down by technology and Local Authority area here:
We are closely monitoring the impact of de-rating wind developers are found to be unfairly exploiting the FiTs scheme we will act to stop it.
We are actively monitoring the extent of de-rating and will consider whether action is necessary to prevent wind developers from unfairly exploiting the FITs scheme.
The Government made clear in December 2011 when it announced its decision to develop a Capacity Market that interconnected capacity should in principle be able to participate within the mechanism. We have worked since that time to achieve this aim, including discussing this issue with the European Commission on a number of occasions.
On 25th September, we published, for consultation, our proposals for enabling interconnectors to participate in the Capacity Market. As part of this process, we will continue to discuss this issue with the Commission before introducing legislation in early 2015.
The Government’s response to the consultation held in 2012/13 will be published soon and once it is, BIS officials will be very happy to meet with pedlar stakeholders.
There have been no discussions between DECC Ministers and representatives of the Valuation Office Agency regarding changes to the business rates for gas storage facilities.
It is for the Valuation Office Agency to set business rates in accordance with the relevant legislative framework.
Business rates are only one part of a suite of costs faced by gas storage operators and the impact of business rate changes on gas storage sites can only be understood when compared to commercially sensitive information about each gas storage site, to which the Government does not have access. It is not feasible to assess the impact of rate changes in isolation and for this reason we have made no such assessment.
The amount of carbon saved per MWh of renewable generation will depend upon what is assumed about the mix of technologies displaced, which is uncertain. In order to determine the carbon saved per pound of support, CfD strike prices should also be adjusted for wholesale electricity prices.
The original Street Trading and Pedlary consultation was issued in November 2012 and covered the repeal of the Pedlars Acts 1871 and 1881 and other, incidental changes to the Local Government and Miscellaneous Provisions Act to ensure compliance with the EU Services Directive 2006/123/EC. The consultation had been extended in order for the Government to engage further with the UK's pedlar community and closed in April 2013. We hope to issue a response by the end of the summer.
The Electricity Market Reform (EMR) Delivery Plan published in December 2013 included an estimate for the total amount of available coal-fired electricity generation capacity in Great Britain in each year to 2030. It is available at:
See table:
Year | Total coal-fired capacity (GW) |
2014 | 20 |
2015 | 18 |
2016 | 18 |
2017 | 18 |
2018 | 18 |
2019 | 15 |
2020 | 12 |
2021 | 12 |
2022 | 12 |
2023 | 9 |
2024 | 9 |
2025 | 8 |
2026 | 8 |
2027 | 7 |
2028 | 7 |
2029 | 5 |
2030 | 2 |
* Based on a scenario of average carbon intensity of electricity generation of 100g CO2/kWh in 2030
The secondary legislation for the Electricity Market Reform programme contains provisions to move straight to allocation rounds, with competitive auctions setting the price where the demand for CfDs exceeds the available budget.
DECC analysis shows that the pipeline of projects is strong and can deliver a competitive outcome, whilst the Administrative Strike Price sets a cap to protect consumers.
More generally, the auction has been designed to encourage participation, and we are introducing the Offtaker of Last Resort (OLR) to support independent renewable generators by providing them with a guaranteed route to market and improving their ability to raise project finance.
DECC officials have worked closely with developers and other stakeholders on these proposals, and the approach to implementing the OLR is currently being consulted on.
I met with the Independent Renewable Generators Group on 24th February 2014 and discussed the introduction of auctioning for Contracts for Difference (CfDs).
The Offtaker of Last Resort will support independent renewable generators by providing for the worst-case route-to-market, allowing generators to raise project finance without necessarily having to enter long-term PPAs. As a result, such generators are likely only to need short-term PPAs in order to maximise their secured revenue and level of gearing. We are on track to deliver the final policy and introduce enabling regulations ahead of first allocation of CfDs. CfD applicants will, therefore, have a high degree of clarity about the arrangements for OLR in advance of the first auctions.
The Demand Side Balancing Reserve is operated by National Grid independently from Government. Once National Grid has concluded the procurement of the reserve in the autumn it will be possible to identify the proportion of the reserve that comprises ‘load reduction' rather than the export of additional generation onto the grid (though initial expressions of interest to National Grid suggest that around 75% of the reserve may be provided by load reduction). However, it will not be possible to determine whether this load reduction is achieved through a reduction in demand, or by turning on local back up generation to meet local needs.
The Energy Commissioner's statement predates the EU Energy Security Strategy on 28 May 2014which sets out the position on this issue and is available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/security_of_supply_en.htm.
The EU Energy Security Strategy does not call for additional gas storage, nor minimum quantities of gas, to be held in storage by Member Storage. Rather, it proposes ‘stress tests' to security of supply shocks which could include, if necessary, increasing gas stocks in Europe amongst other measures.
We will engage with any stress test process and consider the implications for our approach to gas security arising from the results. It also sets out a wide range of other measures, highlighting that storage is only one aspect of gas security.
We have no plans to reassess the need for additional gas storage capacity in the UK in the light of events between Russia and Ukraine. The Department commissioned from Redpoint Energy analysis on the case for Government support for additional gas storage in the UK, which was published in September 2013. This cost-benefit analysis did not support intervention to deliver additional gas storage capacity due to a combination of low risk, poor rates of return for the taxpayer, and the risk of unintended consequences within the market.
Disputes between Russia and Ukraine affecting gas supply to Europe do not change this stance. Previous analysis has demonstrated that the UK gas market is resilient to all but the most unlikely combination of high-demand conditions and supply disruption. The UK has a diverse range of gas suppliers and routes to market and receives less than 1% of its gas from Russia.
The Department commissioned independent analysis by Redpoint Energy on the case for intervention in the UK gas storage market.
This cost-benefit analysis did not support intervention to deliver additional gas storage capacity within the UK due to a combination of low risk, poor rates of return for the taxpayer, and the risk of unintended consequences within the market. A written statement to Parliament on gas security of supply policy and gas storage was made by my rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 4 September 2013.
The market continues to bring forward gas storage projects: two storage facilities have recently been completed and two more are currently under construction.
We published on 3 September 2013 an independent assessment about the need to intervene in the gas storage market. With reference to my answer to written question 198546, we decided against intervention on the basis of the cost-benefit analysis undertaken by Redpoint Energy.
The factors which underpinned this decision have not changed. I have no plans to reassess the need for additional gas storage capacity within the UK.
We have always been clear that auctions can be used to drive value for money, once the market is sufficiently developed. As set out in the Consultation on Competitive Allocation, published by the Department on 16 January 2014, we consider that market conditions are such that for some, more established, technologies this will be the case from the start of the allocation of Contracts for Difference (CfDs) under the enduring arrangements.
The OLR will support independent renewable generators by providing them with a guaranteed route to market and improving their ability to raise project finance.
My officials have worked closely with developers and other stakeholders in working up the Offtaker of Last Resort proposals. The policy design is already at an advanced stage, and the detail of the proposals has been recently consulted on. We are on track to deliver the final policy and introduce enabling regulations ahead of the first allocation of CfDs. CfD applicants will, therefore, have a high degree of clarity about the arrangements for OLR, well in advance of the first auctions.
DECC takes the issue of turbine de-rating under the Feed-in Tariff scheme (FITs) seriously.
To the end of September 2013, 110 turbines had been installed under the Feed-in Tariff scheme (FITs) in the 100-500kW band, representing just 2.2% of wind sites. Of these 110, eight, with a total installed capacity between 490 -500kW, had been de-rated.
The Department launched a consultation on our approach to competitive allocation of Contracts for Difference (CfDs) in January 2014. This included proposals to move to auctioning of CfDs from the first allocation this autumn. We carefully considered the responses to the consultation before confirming our policy position in the Government Response published on 13 May 2014. Competitive allocation will deliver renewable energy at a lower cost for consumers.
In developing our proposals for the move to competitive allocation, my officials have also worked closely with developers and other stakeholders, including representatives of independent renewable energy generators.
In particular, we are introducing the Offtaker of Last Resort (OLR) to support independent renewable generators by guaranteeing a route-to-market and therefore improving their ability to raise project finance. The policy design is already at an advanced stage, and the detail of the proposals has been recently consulted on. We are on track to deliver the final policy and introduce enabling regulations ahead of the first allocation of CfDs. CfD applicants will, therefore, have a high degree of clarity about the arrangements for OLR well in advance of the first auctions.
The amount of time required for stakeholders to respond to a Government consultation will depend on the nature and impact of the proposal and might typically vary between 2 and 12 weeks.
Local wildlife sites are usually selected within a local authority area. This process is often managed by the local Wildlife Trust along with representatives of the local authority and other local wildlife conservation groups. Local sites are afforded protection through the National Planning Policy Framework.
Defra receives annual reports from local authorities on the number and management of local wildlife sites. The latest data published in the 2013 update of our England Biodiversity indicators show that there were 43,500 local wildlife sites in the 2011/12 reporting period. We do not hold national information on the numbers of new or de-selected local wildlife sites, nor the specific habitat within those sites.
An England-wide sampling framework is under development to enable monitoring activity to contribute to an assessment of trends in habitat extent and condition.
Defra has not undertaken an estimate of this nature. Natural England published an inventory of priority grassland habitats in 2013 which shows the current area of each priority grassland habitat type as follows:
Priority grassland habitat type | Area (Ha) |
Upland Calcareous Grassland | 10,353 |
Upland Hay Meadows | 3,525 |
Purple Moorgrass & Rush Pasture | 9,328 |
Lowland Calcareous Grassland | 65,567 |
Lowland Dry Acid Grassland | 15,453 |
Lowland Meadows | 3,6129 |
Coastal & Floodplain Grazing Marsh | 218,182 |
Total | 358,537 |
An England-wide sampling framework is under development to enable monitoring activity. This is to contribute to an assessment of trends in habitat extent and condition.
Local wildlife sites are usually selected within a local authority area. This process is often managed by the local Wildlife Trust along with representatives of the local authority and other local wildlife conservation groups. Local sites are afforded protection through the National Planning Policy Framework.
Defra receives annual reports from local authorities on the number and management of local wildlife sites. The latest data published in the 2013 update of our England Biodiversity indicators show that there were 43,500 local wildlife sites in the 2011/12 reporting period. We do not hold national information on the numbers of new or de-selected local wildlife sites, nor the specific habitat within those sites.
An England-wide sampling framework is under development to enable monitoring activity to contribute to an assessment of trends in habitat extent and condition.
An internal review of the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations was undertaken between August and December 2014. The review was initiated in order to consider what Defence requires of the Associations and to propose any change to outputs, processes, structure or staffing that would better meet Defence needs. The recommendations resulting from the review are currently being considered as part of wider business as usual in the Ministry of Defence.
The Ministry of Justice collects data from coroners for the annual Coroners Statistics bulletin, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coroners-statistics-2013
The statistical information is collected in summary form, which does not include data at the level of detail requested.
Coroners are independent judicial office holders, appointed by a local authority within the coroner area, and are not employed by the Ministry of Justice.
To provide the information requested would require the Ministry of Justice to ask coroners in England and Wales to examine their records for over five thousand inquests to extract the information and provide a summary report to the centre. As such, this information is only available at disproportionate cost.