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93543

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Bees: Beetles
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to prevent the spread of the beehive beetle through produce imported from Italy.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	210631
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Defra’s Pest Risk Analysis for the small hive beetle, including an assessment of its potential impact, has been published and can be found at <a href="http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=945" target="_blank">www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=945</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Exports of bees are banned from an area of 100 km around the outbreak and the Italian authorities are taking steps to eradicate the beetle.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As a precaution, in addition to inspecting recent exports of bees to England and Wales, Defra has alerted and provided advisory leaflets on the small hive beetle to the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, the Horticulture Marketing Inspectorate, and trade associations representing importers of plant produce. We have asked them to remain vigilant and report any suspected findings to the National Bee Unit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson grouped question UIN 210632 question first answered 20/10/2014 16:44:46 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

93545

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Bees: Beetles
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of the beehive beetle on the honey bee population in the UK.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	210632
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Defra’s Pest Risk Analysis for the small hive beetle, including an assessment of its potential impact, has been published and can be found at <a href="http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=945" target="_blank">www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=945</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Exports of bees are banned from an area of 100 km around the outbreak and the Italian authorities are taking steps to eradicate the beetle.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As a precaution, in addition to inspecting recent exports of bees to England and Wales, Defra has alerted and provided advisory leaflets on the small hive beetle to the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, the Horticulture Marketing Inspectorate, and trade associations representing importers of plant produce. We have asked them to remain vigilant and report any suspected findings to the National Bee Unit.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson grouped question UIN 210631 question first answered 20/10/2014 16:44:46 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

64715

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Electricity: Storage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will develop a strategy on electricity storage across the UK.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	202972
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p>A DECC report ‘Electricity System: Assessment of Future Challenges', published August 2012, concluded that: “increasingly, technologies that can be used to help balance the supply and demand of electricity (demand side response (DSR), electricity storage and interconnection) and smarter networks are likely to be required to help match the supply and demand of electricity efficiently and cost-effectively under the changing generation and demand profiles”. The extent of deployment of storage will depend on the composition of future electricity systems – both supply and demand – as well as the cost and availability of storage and the other balancing technologies.</p><p>The Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group (LCICG), which includes the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the other major public-sector backed organisations that invest in low carbon technology innovation, published a Strategic Framework in February 2014, which prioritises future innovation needs in 11 key technology areas – including electricity storage. While the Strategic Framework highlights the uncertainty about the exact role for storage in the future energy system and the role of different storage technologies, it has identified strategic priorities for continued and future UK innovation investment in electricity storage. DECC, working with the other LCICG members, will use the Strategic Framework to help develop and co-ordinate future spending plans for innovation in storage and other low carbon technologies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 08/07/2014 12:43:43 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

64716

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Wind Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much has been paid in constraint payments to wind reproducers in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	202973
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p>Constraint payments relating to England, Scotland and Wales are made by National Grid through competitive market arrangements in order to help ensure the secure operation of the electricity system. National Grid has advised that details of most individual constraint payments to wind farms are published at <a title="blocked::http://www.elexon.co.uk/" href="http://www.elexon.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.elexon.co.uk</a> and <a href="http://www.bmreports.com/" target="_blank">www.bmreports.com</a>, and aggregated data on payments to wind farms is published in its <em>Monthly Balancing Services Summary</em>, which is available at:</p><p><a href="http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Industry-information/Electricity-transmission-operational-data/Report-explorer/Services-Reports/" target="_blank">www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Industry-information/Electricity-transmission-operational-data/Report-explorer/Services-Reports/</a>.</p><p>Energy policy in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Northern Ireland has advised that constraint payments are a commercial matter between the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO) and the generator.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 07/07/2014 12:49:24 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

64717

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Electricity: Storage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of effective electricity storage capacity on energy costs.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	202974
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p>DECC has identified energy storage as one of the possible balancing mechanisms – alongside other mechanisms, including demand-side response and interconnectors. Different mechanisms are expected to be needed to meet different balancing needs in the transmission and distribution networks, depending on the characteristics they offer, such as their peak power; duration of storage; and response times. The extent of deployment and effect of storage on energy costs will depend on the composition of future electricity systems – both supply and demand – as well as the cost and availability of storage and the other balancing technologies.<br> <br> Research carried out for the Carbon Trust by Professor Goran Strbac and a team at Imperial College and published in June 2012 in a report titled ‘Role and Value of Energy Storage Systems in the UK Low Carbon Energy Future', concluded that: “energy storage can bring benefits to several sectors in the electricity industry, including generation, transmission and distribution, while providing services to support real-time balancing of demand and supply, network congestion management and reduce the need for investment in system reinforcement”. The Imperial College report estimated that in a “2050 high renewables scenario, application of energy storage technologies could potentially generate total system savings of £10bn/year”.</p><p>The Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group, which includes the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the other major public-sector investors in low carbon technology innovation, published a Strategic Framework in February 2014 which concluded that successful innovation in electricity storage technologies could save the UK energy system about £4.6billion in total by 2050.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 08/07/2014 12:43:08 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

64718

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Electricity: Storage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support his Department provides to encourage the production of electricity storage capacity in the UK.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	202975
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p>The Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group's (LCICG) Strategic Framework, published February 2014, notes that innovation in storage is important to realising the enabling benefits of electricity storage technologies. In the Strategic Framework, the LCICG concludes that successful innovation in electricity storage technologies could save the UK energy system about £4.6billion by 2050. <br> <br> DECC is providing significant innovation support for energy storage technologiesby funding 7 research and 4 large-scale demonstration energy storage projects – with a total budget of about £18m.</p><p>DECC also regards storage – along with demand side response (DSR) - as essential for a better functioning electricity market and both play an important role in ensuring security of supply. The Government is implementing measures to establish broader and more flexible DSR and Storage sectors as part of the Electricity Market Reform programme. Specifically, DECC will run two Capacity Market transitional auctions in 2015 and 2016, ahead of the Capacity Market's first full delivery year in 2018/19. These “transitional arrangements” will help grow the demand side and sub-50MW storage industries and ensure effective competition between traditional power plants and new forms of capacity, driving down future costs for consumers. The Irish Single Electricity Market already uses a capacity mechanism so the UK Government and Northern Ireland have agreed that the Capacity Market will only apply across Great Britain with any associated costs being borne by GB customers only.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 08/07/2014 12:42:28 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

63568

registered interest
date	24/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Sanitary Products: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has accrued to the Exchequer in VAT receipts from the sale of sanitary products in each of the last five years; and if he will review the applicability of such a tax with existing equality legislation.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	202135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p>VAT receipts from the sale of sanitary products, subject to the reduced rate of VAT, are estimated to have been approximately £15m in each of the last five years.</p><p>VAT rules apply the standard rate of 20 per cent to most goods and services. While there are exceptions to this standard rate, these are strictly limited under EU VAT law.</p><p>One such exception is that female sanitary products can be subject to a reduced rate of VAT. Since 2001, the UK has therefore applied a 5 per cent reduced rate of VAT, the lowest permissible under EU law, to the supply of sanitary products.</p><p> </p><p>The application of VAT in the EU, including rates and flexibilities afforded to member states in this regard, is governed by EU law. It means, for example that the Government cannot apply a zero rate tofemale sanitary products. That would require a change to EU VAT legislation, which would require a proposal from the European Commission and the unanimous agreement of all 28 member states.</p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 30/06/2014 14:26:53 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

58311

registered interest
date	05/06/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Palestinians
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any UK aid given to the Palestinian Authority has been distributed to prisoners convicted of terrorism-related activities in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	199230
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided to the Hon. Member for Aberconwy (Guto Bebb) on 31 March 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 461W.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Mr Alan Duncan grouped question UIN 199231 question first answered 12/06/2014 15:59:31 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

58312

registered interest
date	05/06/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Palestinians
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any UK aid given to the Palestinian Authority has been distributed to individuals released from prison after serving sentences for terrorism-related activities.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	199231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided to the Hon. Member for Aberconwy (Guto Bebb) on 31 March 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 461W.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Mr Alan Duncan grouped question UIN 199230 question first answered 12/06/2014 15:59:31 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

58313

registered interest
date	05/06/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Palestinians
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what arrangements are in place to monitor the use of funds given to the Palestinian Authority.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	199229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2014 answer text <p>UK direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority is channelled through the World Bank Palestinian Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund and is used to pay the salaries of civil servants from an approved list. The list of individuals is systematically screened and checked against international (including Israeli) and ad hoc sanctions lists. The whole process is independently audited which ensures we know exactly where and how our money is being spent.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Mr Alan Duncan question first answered 12/06/2014 14:02:27 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson