First elected: 7th June 2001
Left House: 3rd May 2017 (Defeated)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
These initiatives were driven by Mike Weir, 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.
Mike Weir has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Mike Weir has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to provide for the early payment of winter fuel allowance to eligible persons whose residences are not connected to the mains gas grid and whose principal source of fuel is home fuel oil, liquid petroleum gas or propane gas; and for connected purposes.
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to provide for the early payment of winter fuel allowance to eligible persons whose residences are not connected to the mains gas grid and whose principal source of fuel is home fuel oil, liquid petroleum gas or propane gas; and for connected purposes.
Mike Weir has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Commercial decisions on the future of a plant are a matter for the plant’s owner. I encourage all parties to work together to ensure the Longannet workforce remain an important part of any decisions linked to the future of the plant.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Payments made to or by individual power stations under the transmission charging regime operated by National Grid are commercially confidential between National Grid and each individual power station.
National Grid takes their obligation to secure the electricity network very seriously, continuously monitoring future generation and demand via their Future Energy Scenarios and System Operability Framework, designed to provide greater clarity on the likely system impacts of our scenarios. These include highly unlikely and extreme scenarios.
In relation to black starts, there are local restoration plans in place for Scotland which are regularly reviewed and updated. The most recent update was this year and it will be reviewed again following the award of the voltage control contract from the recent procurement exercise. The target capability for restoration after a black start is within 24 hours. Even in the case of closure of Longannet, the restoration times stay within this target, and supplies are set to be secure. We have measures in place to ensure security of supply with or without Longannet.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Data on how much UK funding of Research & Development (R&D) has been directed by the Government, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies towards the oil and gas sector since 2010 is not available.
The latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics for expenditure on research and development performed in business enterprises (BERD) can be found here: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_385959.pdf.
Relevant data extracted from this report on expenditure on R&D performed in the extractive industries product group over 2010 - 2013 is given in the table below.
Year | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
BERD expenditure on R&D in extractive industries product group (£m) | 114 | 194 | 215 | 225 |
% of total BERD expenditure on R&D in extractive industries product group | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
The National Grid, as the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Body, are currently assessing applications for Contracts for Difference under the first Contract for Difference allocation round. Under the strictures of the process the Department does not know, at this point of time, information about individual applications, numbers of applications or numbers that have qualified. As a result the Department is unable to speculate on any applications for offshore wind projects likely to be unsuccessful in the contracts for difference process under our Electricity Market Reform project. In addition, any unsuccessful applicants, should there be any, would have the opportunity to apply for support in future rounds.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) funding for industrial R&D is delivered by Innovate UK which allocates the majority of its support on a thematic rather than a sectoral basis.
The programmes and projects supported can be spread across a number of sectors, and a sectoral analysis is not available.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes Business Enterprise R&D (BERD) data on how much UK government as a whole funds R&D performed in businesses. This is analysed by 33 product groups but again this information doesn’t map easily to industrial sectors.
Tax receipts are a matter for HM Revenue and Customs.
National Grid, as the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Body, are currently running the first Contract for Difference allocation round. Under the strictures of the process my Department does not know, at this point of time, information about individual applications, numbers of applications or numbers that have qualified. As a result the Department is unaware of any offshore wind projects that will not be supported by contracts for difference under our Electricity Market Reform project. In addition, any unsuccessful applicant, should there be any, would have the opportunity to apply for support in future rounds.
Furthermore, the Department has not made an estimate of the public expenditure which has been incurred by (a) the Government, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, (b) local authorities, (c) local enterprise companies and (d) charities to support the development and consenting of offshore wind projects.
Relations with stakeholders in the supply sectors are operational matters for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The GCA’s first Annual Report for the period ending 31st March 2014 confirms that the Adjudicator had by that date participated in events attended by over 3,000 suppliers and their representative bodies – including those from the dairy, arable and livestock sectors.
The Annual Report may be viewed at:
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013. Decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers of investigation are therefore matters for the Adjudicator.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
Relations with stakeholders in the supply sectors are operational matters for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The GCA’s first Annual Report for the period ending 31st March 2014 confirms that the Adjudicator had by that date participated in events attended by over 3,000 suppliers and their representative bodies – including those from the dairy, arable and livestock sectors.
The Annual Report may be viewed at:
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
Relations with stakeholders in the supply sectors are operational matters for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The GCA’s first Annual Report for the period ending 31st March 2014 confirms that the Adjudicator had by that date participated in events attended by over 3,000 suppliers and their representative bodies – including those from the dairy, arable and livestock sectors.
The Annual Report may be viewed at:
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
Estimates of the number of off gas properties are available at country, Local Authority and lower layer super output area level within Great Britain. These are not split by rural or urban classification. It is estimated that in 2012 the number of off gas properties in each country was:
Country | Per cent | Number |
England | 10 per cent | 2,209,000 |
Scotland | 18 per cent | 437,000 |
Wales | 15 per cent | 195,000 |
Great Britain | 11 per cent | 2,826,000 |
Estimates for local authority are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-national-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network.
Estimates for 2013 will be published on 18 December 2014.
The smart meters programme is designed within the legal framework for the GB energy market. This is based on energy companies competing against each other to supply energy to consumers.
The Government is requiring all energy suppliers through their licence conditions to deliver smart metering. The energy companies have strong commercial incentives to do this as efficiently as possible, all along their supply chain.
Ofgem is responsible for regulating the energy market and is able to intervene where suppliers do not meet their licence conditions. In addition, the Data and Communications Company is regulated by Ofgem to ensure that its services are provided in an economic and efficient manner.
The Government is monitoring progress by all parties on whom the smart metering roll-out depends, to ensure benefits to consumers are delivered.
There is a strong business case for rolling out smart meters. The total cost of this national infrastructure programme needs to be looked at in the context of its overall net benefits, expected to be around £6 billion.
‘All reasonable steps’ is a standard regulatory phrase that is widely used in energy suppliers’ licences. It means what it says. It places the onus on suppliers to show that they have made genuine good faith efforts with all their customers, while allowing them important flexibility where they have taken all reasonable steps.
The Government and Ofgem want suppliers to focus on developing solutions where installations may be technically challenging, and building support for smart metering among their customers.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013. Decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers of investigation are therefore matters for the Adjudicator.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013. Decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers of investigation are therefore matters for the Adjudicator.
Relations with stakeholders in the supply sector is an operational matter for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The Department does not therefore hold the requested information.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 to oversee and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
The Adjudicator has a statutory duty to arbitrate disputes under the Code referred to it by direct suppliers; and has the power to conduct an investigation where it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Code has been breached.
In each case, such decisions relating to the exercise of the Adjudicator’s statutory powers are matters for the Adjudicator. The Adjudicator has published its prioritisation principles in guidance on its investigation and enforcement functions. The guidance may be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325842/GCA_Statutory_Guidance_post_consultation_final_June_14.pdf
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is an independent regulator established under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
I am not aware that the Adjudicator has exercised any of these regulatory functions since the publication of her Annual Report for 2013 – 2014 on 22 July 2014.
Correspondence from stakeholders is an operation matter for the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which is an independent statutory regulator established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not therefore hold the requested information.
The Groceries Code Adjudicator is a corporation sole created by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013. Consequently, the Adjudicator does not directly employ any staff.
The office of the Adjudicator is staffed by public sector employees as provided for by Schedule 1 to the 2013 Act. There are currently four staff seconded to the office of the Adjudicator.
Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.
Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.
Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.
Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.
Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.
Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.
Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.
Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.
Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.
Providing Royal Mail maintains its network of access points in accordance with the framework set by Ofcom, the postal regulator, decisions relating to local post boxes are made on operational grounds by Royal Mail’s management. The company’s decisions are not subject to a consultation procedure though it does have a system of notifying and advising customers where the removal or relocation of a post box is considered necessary.
Following a consultation last year, Ofcom enhanced regulatory protection to cover all UK addresses. This was based on extensive market research to inform its understanding of the reasonable needs of postal users. Royal Mail is now required to ensure that there is a post box within 0.5 miles of at least 98% of delivery points (i.e. addresses) nationally; and for the remaining 2% of delivery points, Royal Mail must provide or procure the provision of access to the universal service by other means (for example, collection on delivery from very remote or isolated locations such as farmhouses) to meet the reasonable needs of users. Ofcom monitors Royal Mail’s national provision of access under this framework.
Royal Mail is currently exceeding the agreed level of provision on a national basis.
The only relevant records which the Department holds indicate that BP held an onshore Production Licence (PL262) between 1984 and 1988 which included acreage in the Firth of Clyde. This information was released in response to a Freedom of Information request – which can be found via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-gas-exploration-in-the-firth-of-clyde-foi-130568
The Department does not hold any other documents relating to licence PL262 or oil exploration in the Firth of Clyde.
The total cost to-date of What Staying in the United Kingdom Means for Scotland is £723,501 (plus VAT).
Each booklet cost around 30p to design, produce, print and deliver to every household in Scotland. As is standard practice, detail and spending data will published in the Cabinet Office transparency returns.
The total cost to-date of What Staying in the United Kingdom Means for Scotland is £723,501 (plus VAT).
Each booklet cost around 30p to design, produce, print and deliver to every household in Scotland. As is standard practice, detail and spending data will published in the Cabinet Office transparency returns.
The UK Government regularly commissions independent research to inform and evaluate major policy programmes. Cabinet Office has contracted Ipsos MORI for the purposes of providing market research in relation to the Scotland Analysis Programme. Two formal tenders for this research were issued in March and August 2013 respectively and, as with other tenders for Government contracts, these processes were managed by the Government Procurement Service (now part of the Crown Commercial Service).
Cabinet Office has also contracted Engine Partners LLP for the purposes of providing communications support work in relation to the Scottish independence referendum. A formal tender for this work was issued in September 2013 and was managed by the Government Procurement Service.
As part of the Government's commitment to transparency in expenditure information relating to the costs of both sets of work is publicly available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
The UK Government regularly commissions independent research to inform and evaluate major policy programmes. Cabinet Office has contracted Ipsos MORI for the purposes of providing market research in relation to the Scotland Analysis Programme. Two formal tenders for this research were issued in March and August 2013 respectively and, as with other tenders for Government contracts, these processes were managed by the Government Procurement Service (now part of the Crown Commercial Service).
Cabinet Office has also contracted Engine Partners LLP for the purposes of providing communications support work in relation to the Scottish independence referendum. A formal tender for this work was issued in September 2013 and was managed by the Government Procurement Service.
As part of the Government's commitment to transparency in expenditure information relating to the costs of both sets of work is publicly available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
The UK Government regularly commissions independent research to inform and evaluate major policy programmes. Cabinet Office has contracted Ipsos MORI for the purposes of providing market research in relation to the Scotland Analysis Programme. Two formal tenders for this research were issued in March and August 2013 respectively and, as with other tenders for Government contracts, these processes were managed by the Government Procurement Service (now part of the Crown Commercial Service).
Cabinet Office has also contracted Engine Partners LLP for the purposes of providing communications support work in relation to the Scottish independence referendum. A formal tender for this work was issued in September 2013 and was managed by the Government Procurement Service.
As part of the Government's commitment to transparency in expenditure information relating to the costs of both sets of work is publicly available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
The UK Government regularly commissions independent research to inform and evaluate major policy programmes. Cabinet Office has contracted Ipsos MORI for the purposes of providing market research in relation to the Scotland Analysis Programme. Two formal tenders for this research were issued in March and August 2013 respectively and, as with other tenders for Government contracts, these processes were managed by the Government Procurement Service (now part of the Crown Commercial Service).
Cabinet Office has also contracted Engine Partners LLP for the purposes of providing communications support work in relation to the Scottish independence referendum. A formal tender for this work was issued in September 2013 and was managed by the Government Procurement Service.
As part of the Government's commitment to transparency in expenditure information relating to the costs of both sets of work is publicly available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data
Provisional 2013 data show that 11.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide were displaced by onshore wind electricity generation in the UK. DECC does not publish a breakdown of electricity generated by onshore wind for each constituent country so carbon dioxide savings are only available for the UK as a whole.
As of 30 April 2014, there were in total 54 Department of Energy and Climate Change jobs as part of the Licensing Exploration and Development Unit, 32 based in London, and 22 based in Aberdeen.
As part of this Government's transparency programme, we publish spend data over £25,000 and contracts over £10,000 on Gov.uk and Contracts Finder.
As part of this Government's transparency programme, we publish spend data over £25,000 and contracts over £10,000 on Gov.uk and Contracts Finder.
The National Consumer Council participated in the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS), which is managed by the Cabinet Office. Administration of the PCSPS is contracted out to MyCSP Ltd. MyCSP's performance in administering the PCSPS is monitored by the Supplier Management team within Civil Service Pensions in the Cabinet Office; the performance of MyCSP is also reported to the Civil Service Pensions Board on a regular basis, which is independent of the Cabinet Office team.
Contact details for MyCSP are available from the Civil Service Pensions website: www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/contact-us/.