Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had discussions with (a) the UK Hydrographic Office, (b) the Heart of South West LEP and (c) other partners on establishing a world-leading marine geospatial innovation centre in Taunton, and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department has had no specific discussions about the establishment of a Marine Geospatial Innovation Centre but I am aware of discussions happening locally, building on a regional initiative to establish a Digital Innovation Centre in Taunton. The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has been working with the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Taunton Deane Borough and Somerset County Councils, and local academia to scope the feasibility of developing a Marine Geospatial Innovation Centre. The Department is engaged in discussions led by the Defence Growth Partnership to better coordinate and enhance local and regional expertise. Both the UKHO and the Heart of the South West LEP have been engaged in these discussions.
Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to increase the use of energy recovery from waste.
Answered by Claire Perry
Energy from waste (EfW) plays an important role in diverting waste from landfill sites, however we are working across Government to ensure that it does not compete with greater recycling, reuse and prevention.
EfW technologies, including EfW with combined heat and power, and waste gasification, are eligible for support under the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. To date the CfD scheme has supported two EfW projects and nine waste gasification projects.
The Clean Growth strategy announced that up to £557 million will be available for future CfDs and that the next CfD auction is planned for spring 2019.
Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) horticultural skills and (b) the development of the workforce in horticulture.
Answered by Nick Boles
Apprenticeships are our priority for equipping people with the skills this country needs. Apprenticeship starts on the horticulture framework increased by almost 50% between 2009/10 and 2014/15 and there are 2 new trailblazer standards approved and 2 in development.
We are also reforming post-16 provision to ensure that it meets the needs of local labour markets and learners. We have asked Landex, the organisation which represents 36 FE colleges and universities offering land-based programmes and supports agri-food, land and animal science education and training, to undertake a review of post-16 land based provision in England.
This will draw on data and analysis of all land based provision through specialist and general further education colleges, and other providers, and will feed into local steering group discussions and deliberations and into the wider review process.
Their review will highlight national as well as local provision which serves particular sectors across the land based industries. It will take account of for example, the Agri-food industry and Agri-Tech strategy to identify skills needs, and potential gaps in provision, including for higher level skills.
Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which coal mining projects in Russia have been supported by UK Export Finance since 2011.
Answered by Anna Soubry
UK Export Finance has supported five coal mining projects in Russia since 2011, as follows:
Exporter name | Buyer name | Financial year in which support agreed |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company | 2011/12 |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Mechel Mining OAO | 2011/12 |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company | 2012/13 |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company | 2012/13 |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company | 2012/13 |
Asked by: Rebecca Pow (Conservative - Taunton Deane)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which coal mining projects are being supported by UK Export Finance.
Answered by Anna Soubry
UK Export Finance is currently providing support to five coal mining projects, as follows:
Exporter name | Buyer name |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Mechel Mining OAO |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company |
Joy Global (UK) Ltd | Siberian Coal & Energy Company |