Nigel Evans

Enquiries to the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) can be made by telephone, website or through an email to the enquiries email address. The PCA expects to make contact within one working day. The PCA has calculated that on average enquiries are closed within 6 days of being made. Since July 2016 the PCA has had the following enquiries:

The Department does not hold this information. Energy suppliers are responsible for ensuring meters – whether smart or traditional - are fully functional.

Safety related monitoring data, collected by industry parties, shows nearly 3.2 million smart and traditional electricity meters were installed in 2018. The same industry data reported 546 electrical issues in premises following these installations.

Smart meter installers carry out visual safety checks as standard as part of the installation process.

In 2018, over 240,000 pre-existing safety-related electrical issues were proactively identified by meter installers through visual safety checks. Identified issues included problems with consumer units, inadequate earthing or unsafe electrical appliances.

We are considering responses to the recent Consultation proposing to close the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme, and the Call for Evidence on small-scale low-carbon generation. The Government will set out its response in due course.

The Department has not, to date, invested in any energy projects under the Cross-Whitehall Prosperity Fund, which was announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review and began initial spend in April 2016.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not make its own assessment of the energy generation profile in other countries: it reviews the analysis done by the International Energy Agency and other multilateral bodies, together with assessments by the countries themselves, in determining which technologies can most cost-effectively provide baseload power.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not make its own assessment of the energy mix in other countries: it reviews the analysis done by the International Energy Agency and other multilateral bodies, together with assessments by the countries themselves, in determining which technologies can most effectively alleviate energy poverty challenges.

The Department does not make its own assessment of the energy mix in developing countries: it reviews the analysis done by the International Energy Agency and other multilateral bodies, together with the assessments by the countries themselves, in determining the areas in which our international work might be most effective.

For example, the International Energy Agency’s[1] two-degree scenario analysis has consistently highlighted that carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be important in limiting future temperature increases to 2°C and estimates that 94 giga-tonnes of CO₂ captured and stored through to 2050 from the power, industry and fuel transformation sectors. Of this nearly 75% of CCS is deployed outside of the OECD countries.

To support the development of CCS technology in emerging economies, the Government committed £60 million in 2012 from its International Climate Fund (ICF). This International CCS Capacity Building Programme continues to work with, and in, emerging economies to develop the technical and institutional knowledge necessary to enable the deployment of CCS technologies.

[1] IEA 2016, 20 Years of Carbon Capture and Storage

DECC has published projections of electricity generated by renewables up to 2035 as part of the 2015 Updated Energy and Emissions Projection, as follows:

Source: Annex J of the 2015 Updated Energy and Emissions Projections, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/477618/Annex-j-total-electricity-gen-by-source.xls. Note that these figures include a small amount of electricity generation from non-renewable wastes.

Projections of the electricity mix so far into the future are subject to considerable uncertainty as they depend on uncertain factors such as the degree of cost reduction, fossil fuel prices and future government policy.

In 2013/14, 4.51 million tonnes of woody biomass were used to generate electricity. 32% of this was from UK sources, 68% was imported. We do not hold data on the number of trees felled each year for use as biofuel, or the number of trees planted each year to be used as biofuel.

In 2013/14, 4.51 million tonnes of woody biomass were used to generate electricity. 32% of this was from UK sources, 68% was imported. We do not hold data on the number of trees felled each year for use as biofuel, or the number of trees planted each year to be used as biofuel.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not made an assessment of the impacts of introducing a tobacco licensing regime or an estimate of annual cost. Under the Government’s Better Regulation framework, where regulatory measures that impact on business are being considered, it is the responsibility of the Secretary of State of the Department introducing the measure to ensure that an assessment is undertaken. This allows decisions to be taken with a clear understanding of the likely impacts of any measure. As announced in the 2015 Autumn Statement, HM Revenue and Customs are currently consulting on whether to introduce a tobacco licensing regime and responses to this consultation should inform any assessment, including the potential effect on small retailers and convenience stores.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not made an assessment of the impacts of introducing a tobacco licensing regime or an estimate of annual cost. Under the Government’s Better Regulation framework, where regulatory measures that impact on business are being considered, it is the responsibility of the Secretary of State of the Department introducing the measure to ensure that an assessment is undertaken. This allows decisions to be taken with a clear understanding of the likely impacts of any measure. As announced in the 2015 Autumn Statement, HM Revenue and Customs are currently consulting on whether to introduce a tobacco licensing regime and responses to this consultation should inform any assessment, including the potential effect on small retailers and convenience stores.

Information on Apprenticeship starts by Local Authority, in England, for the last three academic years is published as a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (second link).

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/493777/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-held

The Department does not collect further education information relating to the devolved administrations.

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) celebrates apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. Hundreds of events took place across the country to encourage more people and employers to see the benefits that apprenticeships bring.

Employers, apprentices, support organisations, colleges, training providers and schools across the country were encouraged to support the week by hosting activities to showcase the achievements and benefits of apprenticeships and traineeships. Social media was widely used, including Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

I and my fellow Ministers were out throughout the week meeting apprentices and their employers.

Full information about NAW is at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/national-apprenticeship-week-2016.

I have made no assessment to date. It is for the relevant local bodies to assess the impact that the individual stages of the Tour of Britain have had on local economies.

My Department has not estimated the economic benefits from tourists visiting the Palace of Westminster. However, according to Visitor Services at the Houses of Parliament, over 1 million people visit the Parliamentary Estate each year, on average 200,000 of which are during Parliament's commercial openings on Saturdays and during recess periods. We understand that details of income generated from parliamentary commercial visitors will be published in the forthcoming House of Commons Commission annual report.

The Government and local authorities and the devolved administrations are investing a total of £1.7 billion to provide superfast broadband coverage to 95% of the UK by 2017, through a total of 51 locally-led projects.

The Government is also exploring with suppliers options to get beyond 95% superfast broadband coverage across the UK through a series of pilot projects. These pilot projects are testing technology, financial and operating models capable of delivering superfast broadband to the hardest to reach parts of the UK.

More information on the pilot projects is at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/superfast-broadband-programme-phase-3

Expected superfast broadband coverage by 2017 in the Lancashire project area will be over 97%. Central government has invested £14,670,000 into the Lancashire project with further funding being provided locally including funding from the European Regional Development Programme together with investment from BT. This funding is expected to provide coverage to over 145,000 premises. As of December 2014 106,000 premises had been passed.