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1202419

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2020
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Intestacy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether she has made a recent assessment of levels of compliance among local authorities with the guidance issued by the Government Legal Department on the referral to the Bona Vacantia Division of estates of people who have died without (a) known entitled relatives and (b) leaving a will and instead passing the details directly to a single heir hunting firm.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	58045
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department (GLD) deals with the estates of people domiciled in England &amp; Wales who appear to have died without leaving a valid will or relatives entitled to share in their estates in priority to the Crown. Estates which potentially fall to be dealt with as bona vacantia may be referred to BVD by a variety of routes, for example, banks, other financial institutions, solicitors or members of the public.</p><p> </p><p>There is no statutory obligation to refer estates to BVD but guidance on the referral process and the circumstances in which a referral will be accepted are published on BVD’s website (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia</a>). It is for local authorities to determine whether an estate should be referred to BVD.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017-2018, 2768 estates were referred to BVD of which 909 were referred by local authorities. In 2018-2019, 1971 estates were referred to BVD of which 575 were referred by local authorities.</p><p>In 2019-2020, 2336 estates were referred to BVD of which 561 were referred by local authorities</p><p> </p><p>GLD has no responsibility for overseeing local authorities or their compliance with guidance issued by GLD about the handling of estates. Such information – including whether an estate has been referred to the Bona Vacantia Division of GLD, or whether the local authority has instructed an heir hunter – will be held by the particular local authority concerned.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 24/06/2020 16:20:38 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1220624

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2020
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Administration of Estates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many estates of people who died without known entitled relatives and left a will were referred to the Bona Vacant Division of the Government Legal Department in (a) March, (b) April and (c) May in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	68760
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department (GLD) deals with the solvent estates of people domiciled in England &amp; Wales who appear to have died <strong>without</strong> leaving a valid will or relatives entitled to share in their estates in priority to the Crown. It therefore does not generally deal with estates where there is a valid will.</p><p> </p><p>If the referral contains information which suggests the deceased has left a valid will disposing of their entire estate, it will be returned to the person who referred it. The Division does not keep a record of these estates.</p><p> </p><p>If the deceased does not appear to have left a valid will or entitled relatives, the estate will be advertised on the Division’s website.</p><p> </p><p>Occasionally the Division determines that the deceased has left a valid will which disposes of the entire estate after it has been advertised. There were two such estates referred in March 2019; two in April 2019; none in May 2019; one in March 2020; one in April 2020 and one in May 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Estates where the deceased has left a valid will but it does not dispose of the entire estate are sometimes referred to the Division because the undisposed residue passes by intestacy to the Crown. One such estate was referred to the Division in March 2019 and one in April 2019. There have been no other referrals in the months concerned.</p><p> </p><p>During the corresponding period, the number of estates referred to the Division where there was no will or no will has subsequently come to light were: March 2019 = 296; April 2019 = 187; May 2019 = 160; March 2020 = 192; April 2020 = 204; May 2020 = 81.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 10/07/2020 12:47:20 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1202420

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2020
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Intestacy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, if she will make it her policy to strengthen the guidance issued by the Government Legal Department to local authorities on handling the estates of people who have died without (a) known entitled relatives and (b) leaving a will to ensure that they refer all eligible estates as soon as possible after death to the Bona Vacantia Division and do not pass the details directly to a single heir hunting firm.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	58046
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2020 answer text <p>The Bona Vacantia Division of the Government Legal Department (GLD) handles the estates of people who die without known entitled relatives, and without leaving a will. There is no statutory obligation to refer estates to GLD. However, GLD publishes guidance on the matter. In addition, local authorities can and do seek advice from GLD about the referral of specific cases.</p><p> </p><p>GLD does not provide advice to local authorities on the use of heir hunters.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 24/06/2020 16:23:59 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1454183

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2022
	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	Drax Power Station: 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, what the average age of trees used to produce wood pellets for the Drax power station is; and what estimate he has made of how long it takes before the replacement trees will sequester carbon at the same rate as those felled.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	146695
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2022 answer text <p>BEIS does not hold this information. The UK only supports sustainable biomass and generators only receive subsidies for biomass that complies with strict sustainability criteria. Suppliers must demonstrate to the regulators (Ofgem) that they meet the criteria, and their evidence is independently audited. Ofgem make sustainability information publicly available on their website, with the latest dataset accessible here: <a href="https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/biomass-sustainability-dataset-2019-20" target="_blank">https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/biomass-sustainability-dataset-2019-20</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelsea and Fulham answering member printed Greg Hands question first answered 01/04/2022 12:38:47 answering member 1526 label Biography information for Greg Hands
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1418851

	registered interest
	date	01/02/2022
	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	Housing: Heat Pumps
	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 assess the suitability of the UK’s existing housing stock for heat pump installation.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	116014
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2022 answer text <p>BEIS modelling on the energy efficiency of homes and their electrical connections suggests it would be feasible to install heat pumps in around 80 per cent of homes, potentially rising to around 90 per cent with fabric upgrades. Furthermore, the £14.6 million Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project has successfully demonstrated that heat pumps are a viable and effective heating solution across the diverse housing archetypes in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Chelsea and Fulham answering member printed Greg Hands question first answered 09/02/2022 17:59:16 answering member 1526 label Biography information for Greg Hands
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

819863

	registered interest
	date	10/01/2018
	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	Biofuels: Subsidies
	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 Clean Growth Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of subsidising biomass conversion.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	121935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2018 answer text <p>Biomass conversions play an important transitional role in decarbonising the grid and helping to meet carbon targets. 2.98 GW of capacity is currently supported under the Renewables Obligation or has been awarded a contract under the Contracts for Difference scheme.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 17/01/2018 14:39:57 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1278703

	registered interest
	date	20/01/2021
	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	Employment Tribunals Service: Coronavirus
	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 he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the backlog of Employment Tribunal single claims since the covid-19 lockdown announced in March 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	140903
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2021 answer text <p>Ensuring access to justice remains a priority for this Government. In response to the pandemic, we are installing new video technology, recruiting more judges and introducing reforms to improve efficiency.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has worked closely with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), to implement a package of measures to help Employment Tribunals hear more cases, enable deployment of a greater range of judicial expertise including from non-employment judges, and support greater use of virtual hearings.</p><p> </p><p>As a result, since September 2020, Employment Tribunals have been able to return to pre-Covid levels of sitting days and case disposals, and they are the single largest user of video hearings among tribunals.</p><p> </p><p>The Department continues to work closely with Ministry of Justice to ensure the system is equipped for future challenges.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 29/01/2021 13:16:21 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1345883

	registered interest
	date	12/07/2021
	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	Green Homes Grant Scheme: Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many councils expressed an interest in applying for the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme but did not apply.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	31514
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2021 answer text <p>Expressions of Interest (EoIs) were not sought prior to the launch of the Local Authority Delivery (LAD) scheme Phase 1A application window. We received 86 applications in total for Phase 1A funding - 70 of these were from individual Local Authorities and 16 were from consortia made up of a total of 90 Local Authorities.</p><p> </p><p>Experience of the Phase 1A application process informed design of the Phase 1B scheme, and we requested Local Authorities submit EOIs in order to estimate the likely quantum of applications. We received 83 EOIs and then subsequently 108 full applications for funding from Local Authorities or Consortia.</p><p> </p><p>Lists of the Local Authorities which were successful in being awarded funding can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-homes-grant-local-authority-delivery-successful-local-authorities.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 20/07/2021 16:16:19 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1227612

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2020
	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	Hydrogen
	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 had on (a) the creation of a Hydrogen Advisory Council and (b) a UK-wide hydrogen strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	78803
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>Government and industry have worked together to launch a new Hydrogen Advisory Council, which met for the first time on 20th July 2020. The Council will enable Government to work in partnership with industry to ensure the UK is at the forefront of low carbon hydrogen production and supply. The Council will oversee a range of workstreams to support the development of a robust UK hydrogen economy.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently developing our strategic approach to hydrogen and its potential to deliver against our net zero goals. This includes extensive stakeholder engagement to inform our approach, including through the Hydrogen Advisory Council.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 03/09/2020 16:48:21 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse

1222025

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2020
	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	Green Homes Grant 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, what technologies will be covered by the Green Homes Grant scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Bath
	tabling member printed	Wera Hobhouse
	uin	71124
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2020 answer text <p>In his Summer Economic Update, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £2bn Green Home Grant scheme that will support homeowners and landlords in England to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions, and supporting a green economic recovery.</p><p>The funding will be spent on paying for accredited tradespeople to install a range of measures, for example insulation, to improve the energy performance of their homes. The scheme is due to be launched in Autumn 2020. Further details on the scheme are due to be released in the coming days.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 17/07/2020 12:38:16 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
	tabling member	4602 label Biography information for Wera Hobhouse