Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2019 to Question 277289 on guidance to schools in reducing their carbon footprint what steps his Department is taking to ensure that schools are aware of the guidance on the Good Estate Management website.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Condition Data Collection, which is due to complete school visits in autumn 2019, will provide a high-level assessment of the make-up and condition of state-funded schools in England. Analysis of this data will help inform policy development, including delivering energy efficient new schools and supporting the existing estate to reduce its energy demand. The Department will look carefully at capital funding in preparation for the upcoming Spending Review, along with all our priorities for the education system.
The Department published the 'Good estate management for schools' (GEMS) guidance in April 2018 after extensive consultation with schools and building professionals. The guidance sets out the policies, processes and documents that schools, academies and multi-academy trusts need to consider when managing their estates.
This includes a section on ‘Energy and water management’, and tips on reducing energy and water use in schools. It also signposts schools to other organisations that provide training, information and support in relation to sustainability and energy efficiency in schools. The Department plans to update the guidance in response to feedback received, including updates to the energy and water management sections.
Officials regularly present and promote the GEMS guidance at national and regional educational events. The Department also works closely with stakeholders to promote and raise awareness of the GEMS guidance.
Funding for clean technologies is available through Salix Finance Limited funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education. Applicants to the Condition Improvement Fund can apply for energy efficiency interest-free Salix loans for condition improvement works that will lead to annual energy savings.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2019 to Question 277289 on guidance to schools in reducing their carbon footprint, how his Department plans to ensure loans for development of cleaner technology are available to all institutions that need them.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Condition Data Collection, which is due to complete school visits in autumn 2019, will provide a high-level assessment of the make-up and condition of state-funded schools in England. Analysis of this data will help inform policy development, including delivering energy efficient new schools and supporting the existing estate to reduce its energy demand. The Department will look carefully at capital funding in preparation for the upcoming Spending Review, along with all our priorities for the education system.
The Department published the 'Good estate management for schools' (GEMS) guidance in April 2018 after extensive consultation with schools and building professionals. The guidance sets out the policies, processes and documents that schools, academies and multi-academy trusts need to consider when managing their estates.
This includes a section on ‘Energy and water management’, and tips on reducing energy and water use in schools. It also signposts schools to other organisations that provide training, information and support in relation to sustainability and energy efficiency in schools. The Department plans to update the guidance in response to feedback received, including updates to the energy and water management sections.
Officials regularly present and promote the GEMS guidance at national and regional educational events. The Department also works closely with stakeholders to promote and raise awareness of the GEMS guidance.
Funding for clean technologies is available through Salix Finance Limited funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education. Applicants to the Condition Improvement Fund can apply for energy efficiency interest-free Salix loans for condition improvement works that will lead to annual energy savings.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2019 to Question 277289 on guidance to schools in reducing their carbon footprint, what the timescale is for the introduction of loans to develop cleaner technology in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Condition Data Collection, which is due to complete school visits in autumn 2019, will provide a high-level assessment of the make-up and condition of state-funded schools in England. Analysis of this data will help inform policy development, including delivering energy efficient new schools and supporting the existing estate to reduce its energy demand. The Department will look carefully at capital funding in preparation for the upcoming Spending Review, along with all our priorities for the education system.
The Department published the 'Good estate management for schools' (GEMS) guidance in April 2018 after extensive consultation with schools and building professionals. The guidance sets out the policies, processes and documents that schools, academies and multi-academy trusts need to consider when managing their estates.
This includes a section on ‘Energy and water management’, and tips on reducing energy and water use in schools. It also signposts schools to other organisations that provide training, information and support in relation to sustainability and energy efficiency in schools. The Department plans to update the guidance in response to feedback received, including updates to the energy and water management sections.
Officials regularly present and promote the GEMS guidance at national and regional educational events. The Department also works closely with stakeholders to promote and raise awareness of the GEMS guidance.
Funding for clean technologies is available through Salix Finance Limited funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Education. Applicants to the Condition Improvement Fund can apply for energy efficiency interest-free Salix loans for condition improvement works that will lead to annual energy savings.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department issues schools with guidance on reducing their carbon footprint; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government has committed to reducing UK emissions to net zero by 2050.
The Department is committed to delivering new schools that meet energy efficiency targets and supporting the existing estate to reduce its energy demand through advice, support and capital grants. The Department is surveying the condition of every school through the Condition Data Collection to support the development of future priorities for investment, including measures to achieve zero carbon. This includes projects such as the Good Estate Management website (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools.) and providing loans for new technologies to deliver clean energy.
From 2021, all new schools will be designed to support the net zero carbon reduction targets.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps (a) he is taking and (b) proposes to take to ensure that energy efficiency in buildings is adequate to ensure that the target of net zero by 2050 is met.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The UK has a good track record in energy efficiency. In the latest International Energy Efficiency Scorecard[1], the UK is ranked 4th in the world and scores very highly on buildings. Since 1990 we have improved the energy efficiency of non-domestic buildings, including public sector buildings, with respective emissions 18 per cent[2] and 40 per cent[3] lower in 2015.
Building energy efficiency policy forms a key part of our Clean Growth Strategy where we have set ambitious targets for non-domestic buildings:
Progress will be kept under review to ensure we achieve net zero by 2050 and consider what further action will be required across sectors to deliver this.
[1] ACEE, ‘The 2018 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard’, 2018 https://aceee.org/research-report/i1801
[2] BEIS (2017) Final UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics: 1990-2015 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-2015
[3] Compared to 2015 levels. Sustainable Development Unit (2016) Sustainable Development in Health and Care Report – Health Check 2016 https://www.sduhealth.org.uk/policy-strategy/reporting/sustainable-development-in-health-and-care-report-2016.aspx
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he has made an assessment of the effect of trends in the level of school finances on the ability of schools to procure environmentally sound services from contractors and suppliers.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools are autonomous and have the freedom to make their own decisions based on individual need and circumstances. It is important that schools play their part in conserving energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The Department will support schools to procure environmentally sound services, encouraging suppliers to work with their supply chains to offer choice and value. For example, each time a new boiler is installed, it replaces one of an old specification that is far less energy efficient.
The Department is also committed to delivering new schools that meet energy efficiency targets and supporting the existing estate to reduce its energy demand through advice, support and capital grants. The Department is surveying the condition of every school through the Condition Data Collection to support the development of future priorities for investment, including measures to achieve zero carbon emissions.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will make an assessment of the education sector to identify steps that can be taken to help that sector become carbon neutral.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools are autonomous and have the freedom to make their own decisions based on individual need and circumstances. It is important that schools play their part in conserving energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The Department will support schools to procure environmentally sound services, encouraging suppliers to work with their supply chains to offer choice and value. For example, each time a new boiler is installed, it replaces one of an old specification that is far less energy efficient.
The Department is also committed to delivering new schools that meet energy efficiency targets and supporting the existing estate to reduce its energy demand through advice, support and capital grants. The Department is surveying the condition of every school through the Condition Data Collection to support the development of future priorities for investment, including measures to achieve zero carbon emissions.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the consistency of its policies on subsidies for renewable energy and for fossil fuels with current and proposed international climate change targets.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This Government remains committed to meeting the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80%, on 1990 levels, by 2050. This remains in line with our contribution to the international effort to limit global warming to below 2 degrees.
We, also, continue to make progress towards our EU 2020 Renewable Target with provisional figures showing that 7.0% of final energy consumption was met from renewable sources in 2014. We are also on track to meet our EU 2020 energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
We continue to support the deployment of renewable energy in our future energy mix:
It is vital to ensure security of supply and that the lights stay on, therefore fossil fuels will continue to play an important part in our future energy mix. The 2012 Carbon Plan noted that we will still need significant oil and gas supplies while we decarbonise our economy and transition to a low carbon economy, with projections showing that in 2030 oil and gas will remain a vital part of the energy mix, providing around 70% of the UK’s primary energy requirements.
The Government is seeking an ambitious, legally binding,global climate change deal in Paris in December that keeps the goal of limiting average global emissions to limit global warming to below 2 degrees within reach.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to encourage schools to instal solar panels; and whether she plans to allow schools to borrow money to finance the purchase of solar panels.
Answered by David Laws
The Government welcomes schools taking action to play their part in reducing carbon emissions. Solar panels could be a step towards this.
In April the Government published guidance to schools on the benefits of solar technology. The publication, Power to the Pupils,[1] includes practical information for schools on finance and installation.
There are, however, restrictions on school borrowing, because all spending by schools can have an impact on the public sector’s deficit and the public sector net debt.
Schools have found alternatives to commercial borrowing to fund solar photovoltaic (PV) projects including community share issues and crowd funding. Some local authorities have also set up schemes to help maintained schools meet the upfront cost of a project.
Taken together, this range of funding approaches should allow any school to install solar panels where they can see a value-for-money case.
[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/power-to-the-pupils-solar-pv-for-schools