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828938

	registered interest
	date	23/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Business: Digital Technology
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to improve the rate of adoption of digital technology in everyday business practice; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	124545
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>We want the UK to be the best place to start and grow a digital business. As announced in the government's Industrial Strategy, the new Business Basics Programme will trial innovative approaches to drive up the adoption of tried and tested technologies and business practices that can improve businesses’ productivity. The programme will test and encourage SMEs to adopt technologies and practices such as new accountancy software or performance management systems.</p><p>In addition, more than four million free digital skills training opportunities will be created as part of a Digital Strategy to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business and ensure our digital economy works for everyone.</p><p>In addition, the Digital Skills Partnership (DSP) will see Government, business, charities and voluntary organisations coming together to make sure people have the right skills for the jobs in their area and are aware of all the digital training opportunities on offer.</p><p>The DSP will also build upon the 4 million pledges of free digital skills training opportunities that our corporate partners pledged as part of the Digital Strategy, published in March 2017. More than 2 million of these pledges have already been delivered; DCMS will continue to work with DSP members to develop new opportunities, direct training to areas where need has been identified, and to encourage the sharing and scaling up of best practice in digital skills provision.</p><p>The strategy includes new commitments, including a plan by Lloyds Banking Group to give face-to-face digital skills training to 2.5 million individuals, charities and small and medium businesses by 2020.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 31/01/2018 16:11:58 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

851652

	registered interest
	date	28/02/2018
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Modern Working Practices Review
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has held with the devolved administrations on the Government's response to the Matthew Taylor review of modern working practices; and what the outcomes of those discussions were.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	130415
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2018 answer text <p>During the course of the Review of Modern Working Practices, the panel held events across the UK including in Wales and Northern Ireland. Unfortunately due to the General Election in 2017, the scheduled event for Scotland was cancelled. Officials in the Department speak regularly to their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations and we look forward to engaging with them through the further work set out in the Government response to the Review of Modern Working Practices.</p> answering member constituency Burton answering member printed Andrew Griffiths question first answered 08/03/2018 15:24:12 answering member 3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1137581

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Energy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to develop local energy distribution networks to respond to a potential increase in domestic electricity consumption.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	274611
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2019 answer text <p>Electricity distribution networks are regulated by the independent energy regulator, Ofgem, and, by law, network regulation must be carried out independently of Government. Under the existing regulatory framework, distribution network operators are allowed to increase capacity on their networks to accommodate expected growth in demand from domestic electricity consumption.</p><p> </p><p>Energy networks require significant investment in order to ensure that Great Britain has a secure, dynamic energy system that is fit for the challenges of the future. BEIS estimates that between 2010 and 2017 £35bn has been invested to upgrade, reinforce and extend the electricity networks (both transmission and distribution) and a further £14bn may need to be invested between by 2020. Ofgem's RIIO 2 price control will set out the pathway for investment in our energy networks through the mid-2020s.</p><p> </p><p>Government expects network companies and regulators to act in the best interests of consumers including in relation to more active system management as per the Government and Ofgem’s <em>Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan</em>. We are already seeing distribution network operators manage their systems more actively, and make more innovative use of data and smart technologies. For example, all six DNOs in Great Britain have now committed to open all significant network reinforcement to competition with flexibility services.</p> answering member constituency Kingswood answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 16/07/2019 14:44:29 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091273

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels and Wind Power: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy why Contracts for Difference (CfD), for what reasons strike prices have been higher for dedicated biomass technologies than for offshore wind during CfD allocation rounds two and three.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234221
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>In CfD Allocation Round 2 dedicated biomass and offshore wind cleared at the same strike price of £74.75MWh for delivery year 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>The Administrative Strike Prices (ASPs) set out the maximum support that the Government is willing to offer developers for each technology in a given delivery year. In setting the ASPs, the government has drawn upon the latest generation cost data, while also considering market conditions, policy considerations and other technology specific factors in order to encourage new investment whilst ensuring value for money for consumers.</p><p> </p><p>The methodology used to determine the draft ASPs for the third allocation round is published here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contract-for-difference-cfd-third-allocation-round-methodology-used-to-set-administrative-strike-prices" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contract-for-difference-cfd-third-allocation-round-methodology-used-to-set-administrative-strike-prices</a></p><p> </p><p>CfDs are awarded in a series of competitive auctions, with the lowest price bids being successful as a means of driving cost reduction and project efficiencies.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:27:32 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091274

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels and Wind Power: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy if he will make it his policy to create parity under Contract for Difference allocation rounds two and three between dedicated biomass with CHP and offshore wind; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234222
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>A draft budget notice was published in November 2018, which outlined the proposed Administrative Strike Prices (ASPs) for all technologies eligible to compete in the next allocation round, this notice can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference-cfd-draft-budget-notice-for-the-third-allocation-round" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference-cfd-draft-budget-notice-for-the-third-allocation-round</a></p><p> </p><p>In setting the ASPs, the government has drawn upon the latest generation cost data, while also considering market conditions, policy considerations and other technology specific factors in order to encourage new investment whilst ensuring value for money for consumers.</p><p> </p><p>The methodology used to determine the draft ASPs for the third allocation round is published here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contract-for-difference-cfd-third-allocation-round-methodology-used-to-set-administrative-strike-prices" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contract-for-difference-cfd-third-allocation-round-methodology-used-to-set-administrative-strike-prices</a></p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:27:40 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091275

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels: Grangemouth
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial, if he will provide an update on the delivery of the Grangemouth Renewable Energy Plant which was awarded a Contract for Difference in 2017 as part of CfD allocation round two.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234223
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>The Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) announced on 19 October 2018 its decision to terminate the contract for difference (CfD) awarded to Grangemouth Renewable Energy Plant for failing to make sufficient progress by the Milestone Delivery Date. The press release is available on the LCCC’s web site - <a href="https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/" target="_blank">https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>CfDs are private law contracts between a generator and the LCCC, and decisions relating to whether a generator has met its milestone requirement are for the LCCC.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:27:49 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091276

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme: Cost Effectiveness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the value for money of the renewable heat incentive subsidy mechanism; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234224
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) compares favourably to other ways of saving carbon or generating renewable energy across the economy, contributes to our renewable targets, and plays a significant role in supporting supply chains in the renewable heating industry.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and prior to BEIS, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has made regular assessments of value for money in the RHI subsidy mechanism. The latest scheme Impact Assessment was made in February 2018 and is available on GOV.UK.</p><p> </p><p>The RHI was reformed in 2017 and 2018 to focus on long-term decarbonisation, improve consumer protection, support supply chain growth and improve value for money for the taxpayer. These reforms included setting maximum heat demand limits for biomass, air source and ground source heat pumps in the Domestic RHI, removing wood drying as an eligible heat use for the Non-domestic scheme and giving Ofgem greater enforcement powers.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:27:56 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091278

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Committee on Climate Change’s Biomass in a Low Carbon Economy Report published in November 2018 and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Clean Air Strategy published in January 2019, what plans he has for the future of the renewable heat incentive.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234226
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>In the Clean Air Strategy, the Government committed to consult on removing Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme support for new biomass installations in urban areas which are on the gas grid. The Government published the consultation <a href="https://beisgovuk.citizenspace.com/heat/rhi-biomass-combustion-in-urban-areas/" target="_blank">Renewable Heat Incentive: Biomass Combustion in Urban Areas</a>, seeking views on a number of proposals including the removal of RHI support for some or all or some new biomass boilers in urban areas, imposing geographical restrictions on biogas combustion and introducing regular maintenance checks on existing biomass boilers under the RHI. We will be publishing a government response to this consultation shortly.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:28:03 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091280

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Biofuels: Timber
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential carbon and economic value generated by restricting the amount and type of wood that biomass plants in receipt of subsidies can use as fuel; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234228
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Biomass plants in receipt of subsidies must comply with the UK’s sustainability criteria. Plants with a capacity of 1 megawatt and above must also prepare an annual sustainability report, compiled by a third-party auditor, which will provide assurance that the biomass is from sustainable sources.</p><p> </p><p>Wood is a globally trade commodity. Prices are influenced by global demand, currency exchange rates and weather conditions. Our Wood Fuel Disclosure Survey concluded that most of the wood fuel used for electricity generation in the UK is imported and that the volumes of UK wood used are expected to remain constant.</p><p> </p><p>Energy markets have grown in recent years and this has benefited woodland owners and contractors who have increased harvesting rates. Availability forecasts suggest there is potential to increase production further if businesses are willing to invest in the supply chain and encourage more woodland owners to enter the market.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:06:59 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr

1091281

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	District Heating: Fuels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, information his Department holds on the fuel sources for district heating systems delivered under the Government’s Heat Networks Investment Programme from April 2019, and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Stephen Kerr
	uin	234229
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>In December 2018 we published in ‘<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-networks-developing-a-market-framework" target="_blank">Heat networks: Developing a market framework</a>’ our estimate of the fuel sources that will be used in projects that will come forward under the Heat Network Investment Project. The assumed technology mix is displayed in the figure below. The estimate is based on analysis of HNIP pilot data and surveys of the project pipeline. The estimate is dynamic as it is assumed original CHP plants are replaced with lower-carbon systems at the end of their operational life.</p><p> </p><p>The estimated technology mix is 22% gas back-up boiler, 33% gas CHP, 20% EfW incinerator, 5% biomass, 10% heat pump and 10% waste heat recovery.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 26/03/2019 15:28:10 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
	tabling member	4604 label Biography information for Stephen Kerr