Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will assess the potential contribution that (a) replacing and (b) repowering old onshore wind turbines would make to meeting the Government's net zero carbon emissions target.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Renewable technologies are essential to meet the 2050 net zero emissions commitment. Meeting this will require a diverse and efficient energy system. We keep under review the potential contribution from different renewable generation technologies, including where existing generation assets are reaching the end of their lifetime.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What steps the Government is taking to support high street businesses.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
High streets are changing, and the Government is committed to helping communities adapt.
In Budget 2018, we set out Our Plan for the High Street, a £1.6bn package to support the sustainable transformation of our high streets.
This includes a £675m Future High Streets Fund, support for local leadership with a High Streets Task Force, and a one third cut to the business rates bills of eligible small retailers for two years from April this year.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress is being made on developing the Pubs Code; and when he plans that that code will be made available.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Pubs Code etc Regulations 2016 and the Pubs Code (Fees, Costs and Financial Penalties) Regulations 2016 were laid in draft before Parliament on 13 June 2016. The Regulations are available from the legislation.gov.uk website.
The Regulations are now subject to Parliamentary scrutiny before they come in effect. This scrutiny begins with consideration by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee followed by a debate in each House.
Asked by: Maria Caulfield (Conservative - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to support apprenticeship providers to take on people who have special educational needs and disabilities.
Answered by Nick Boles
We are committed to ensuring that apprenticeships are accessible diverse range of people including young people with learning difficulties or disabilities.
We have supported the production of an employer toolkit and a Special Educational Needs (SEN) section of the Education and Training Foundation Excellence Gateway.
To encourage employers to hire apprentices, the Government funds apprenticeship training for all 16-18 year olds. This level of funding is extended for apprentices who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) aged 19-24. In addition, providers can access Learning Support funding to help apprentices who have a learning difficulty and/or disability.
A Taskforce, led by my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys (Paul Maynard), has been looking at issues around apprenticeships for people with learning difficulties or disabilities. The Taskforce is currently considering its recommendations.
Apprenticeships are safeguarded by the same equality duties under the Equality Act (2010) as any other employment. We encourage the use of the range of reasonable adjustments available so apprentices with special educational needs and disabilities (who can apply for Access to Work funding) can demonstrate what they know and can do.