Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what processes are in place for Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies to consider (a) new scientific research and (b) evidence on the impact of offshore wind on the marine environment; and how this evidence is incorporated into the modelling parameters which developers use when assessing the impact of offshore wind projects on (i) ornithology and (ii) benthic ecology.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies, Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, work closely together on assessing and advising on the impacts of offshore wind on the marine environment. Advice is based on robust scientific methods and all new scientific research is scrutinised before incorporating it into advice. Specialists at Natural England are directly involved in many offshore wind research projects and contribute to the Offshore Wind Environmental Evidence Register to support the knowledge base for the development of new offshore wind farms. New evidence is incorporated into Natural England’s guidance to offshore wind developers on environmental impact assessments. The guidance covers both ornithology and benthic assessments and is updated when new evidence comes to light.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the Marine Recovery Fund has a sufficient library of appropriate compensation measures to deliver the environmental compensation necessary to meet Government's Offshore Wind targets.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced in the Clean Power Action Plan, we will establish an industry‑funded Marine Recovery Fund into which applicants can pay to discharge their compensation obligations, underpinned by a library of approved strategic compensation measures. This will be launched in late 2025. A consultation on the Marine Recovery Fund will be published this Spring.
The library of approved compensation measures for offshore wind projects in England is being developed by Defra in collaboration with stakeholders through the Collaboration in Offshore Wind Strategic Compensation programme (COWSC). COWSC brings together Government representatives, Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs), environmental NGOs, offshore wind industry representatives, and Devolved Governments to work together in partnership. The focus of the programme is to propose sufficient measures to meet the Government’s offshore wind ambitions.
DESNZ estimates that delivery of strategic compensation through the Marine Recovery Fund will remove environmental barriers to up to 16GW of offshore wind.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish guidance on the Marine Recovery Fund; and what his planned timeline is for the implementation of that fund.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced in the Clean Power Action Plan, we will establish an industry‑funded Marine Recovery Fund into which applicants can pay to discharge their compensation obligations, underpinned by a library of approved strategic compensation measures. This will be launched in late 2025. A consultation on the Marine Recovery Fund will be published this Spring.
The library of approved compensation measures for offshore wind projects in England is being developed by Defra in collaboration with stakeholders through the Collaboration in Offshore Wind Strategic Compensation programme (COWSC). COWSC brings together Government representatives, Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs), environmental NGOs, offshore wind industry representatives, and Devolved Governments to work together in partnership. The focus of the programme is to propose sufficient measures to meet the Government’s offshore wind ambitions.
DESNZ estimates that delivery of strategic compensation through the Marine Recovery Fund will remove environmental barriers to up to 16GW of offshore wind.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Marine Recovery Fund on offshore wind deployment targets.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced in the Clean Power Action Plan, we will establish an industry‑funded Marine Recovery Fund into which applicants can pay to discharge their compensation obligations, underpinned by a library of approved strategic compensation measures. This will be launched in late 2025. A consultation on the Marine Recovery Fund will be published this Spring.
The library of approved compensation measures for offshore wind projects in England is being developed by Defra in collaboration with stakeholders through the Collaboration in Offshore Wind Strategic Compensation programme (COWSC). COWSC brings together Government representatives, Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs), environmental NGOs, offshore wind industry representatives, and Devolved Governments to work together in partnership. The focus of the programme is to propose sufficient measures to meet the Government’s offshore wind ambitions.
DESNZ estimates that delivery of strategic compensation through the Marine Recovery Fund will remove environmental barriers to up to 16GW of offshore wind.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of giving Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies a statutory duty to consider (a) net zero and (b) the delivery of the Clean Power Mission when providing advice on applications for renewable energy infrastructure projects to (i) developers and (ii) competent authorities.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) under Defra’s purview include Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). Remits differ with Natural England advising developers and competent authorities on environmental assessments and certain planning applications related to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and best and most versatile agricultural land; and JNCC focusing on nature conservation in the marine environment.
These statutory remits ensure development, including renewable energy infrastructure projects, contribute to net zero and clean power goals, and enable development to progress with a full understanding of impacts. Furthermore, Natural England’s aims, as set out in their Strategy, are in support of the 25 Year Environment Plan and government’s net zero commitments, and they have a priority action for 24/25 to help align Local Nature Recovery Strategies with other local spatial plans including net zero.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to make an announcement on the establishment of the Marine Recovery Fund; and whether he plans to include sufficient approved measures on ornithological impacts to deliver the projects required to meet (a) the Government’s Clean Power 2030 Plan and (b) offshore wind targets beyond 2030.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced in the Clean Power Action Plan, we will establish an industry‑funded Marine Recovery Fund into which applicants can pay to discharge their compensation obligations, underpinned by a library of approved strategic compensation measures. This will be launched in late 2025. A consultation on the Marine Recovery Fund will be published this Spring.
The library of approved compensation measures for offshore wind projects in England is being developed by Defra in collaboration with stakeholders through the Collaboration in Offshore Wind Strategic Compensation programme (COWSC). COWSC brings together Government representatives, Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs), environmental NGOs, offshore wind industry representatives, and Devolved Governments to work together in partnership. The focus of the programme is to propose sufficient measures to meet the Government’s offshore wind ambitions.
DESNZ estimates that delivery of strategic compensation through the Marine Recovery Fund will remove environmental barriers to up to 16GW of offshore wind.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of pensioners were claiming pension credit in (a) Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and (b) Scotland on 31 December 2024.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In Winter 2023 to 2024, there were 10,051 pensioner households living in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and 751,246 pensioner households living in Scotland. This is based on winter-fuel-payments-household-2023-to-2024.ods.
At that point in time, 1,659 pensioner households received Pension Credit in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and 125,136 pensioner households received Pension Credit in Scotland. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore.
Based on these figures, 16.5% of pensioner households in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and 16.7% of pensioner households in Scotland received Pension Credit in February 2024.
The latest Pension Credit statistics were published in November 2024 and cover the period up to May 2024. The next iteration of Pension Credit caseload statistics will be released on 18th February 2025, as part of the DWP Benefits Statistics quarterly release. This will contain data for the period from June 2024 to the end of August 2024. Following release, the data can also be accessed at Stat-Xplore - Home.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were claiming Pension Credit in (a) Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and (b) Scotland on 31 December 2024.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In Winter 2023 to 2024, there were 10,051 pensioner households living in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and 751,246 pensioner households living in Scotland. This is based on winter-fuel-payments-household-2023-to-2024.ods.
At that point in time, 1,659 pensioner households received Pension Credit in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and 125,136 pensioner households received Pension Credit in Scotland. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore.
Based on these figures, 16.5% of pensioner households in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and 16.7% of pensioner households in Scotland received Pension Credit in February 2024.
The latest Pension Credit statistics were published in November 2024 and cover the period up to May 2024. The next iteration of Pension Credit caseload statistics will be released on 18th February 2025, as part of the DWP Benefits Statistics quarterly release. This will contain data for the period from June 2024 to the end of August 2024. Following release, the data can also be accessed at Stat-Xplore - Home.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on electoral registration in Wales.
Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
The UK Government is committed to strengthening our democracy, widening participation, and upholding the integrity of elections.
The Interministerial Group on Elections, which will meet next week, provides a regular forum for the UK Government and the Devolved Governments to discuss our shared ambitions.
Asked by: Tracy Gilbert (Labour - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support her Department is providing to SMEs on the changes to employer National Insurance contributions.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all next year, more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package, and all eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.
Businesses will also still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under 21s and under 25 apprentices, where eligible.