Electricity distribution network charges vary by region and reflect the costs of running the network in that area and the number of consumers that those costs are spread over. Moving away from this \u2018cost-reflective\u2019 approach would weaken the local accountability of the network operator in ensuring expenditure is fully justified, in turn weakening downward pressures on network costs overall. In addition, a national price for electricity distribution would mean lower network charges in some areas, but increases in others. There are fuel poor consumers throughout GB, including in the areas that could be expected to see higher bills as a result of such a change.<\/p>
Any decision on whether to pursue this further could therefore only sensibly be considered on the basis of robust and evidence-based analysis. <\/em>Ofgem is currently working to inform the issue, and the Government will consider its analysis carefully. It will also be important to take full account of the final conclusions of the energy market investigation which is currently being undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority. Its provisional findings favour more locational transmission pricing.<\/p> To help protect domestic and business consumers in the North of Scotland specifically, Government has already introduced the Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme. It provides an annual assistance amount of over £50m to consumers in the North of Scotland. The cost of providing this discount is recovered from consumers across the whole of Great Britain.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Northamptonshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrea Leadsom"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-15T14:34:14.5Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Energy: Scotland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will take steps to merge the 14 regional markets for energy distribution to create a national energy market for electricity distribution and reduce the price paid by consumers and businesses in the Highlands and Islands.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4390", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ian Blackford"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ross, Skye and Lochaber"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Blackford"}
], "uin" : "6779"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389047", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389047/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The new burdens doctrine does not apply to policies which apply the same rules to local authorities and to private sector bodies, unless these have a disproportionate effect on local government. The impact on local government of the introduction of the National Living Wage will be considered during the Spending Review as part of an overall assessment of spending pressures.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4024", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nuneaton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Marcus Jones"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-15T14:16:46.613Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Living Wage"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the requirement on local authorities to pay staff the National Living Wage will be treated as a new burden.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/394", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Clive Betts"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield South East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Clive Betts"}
], "uin" : "6511"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389049", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389049/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " For the period Jan 2010 \u2013 30 June 2015, 7,637 new build properties were registered as receiving an A rating. This represents approximately 1% of the new build properties lodged on the register during the same period. Because an A rating exceeds required Building Regulations standards there will be a limited proportion of new construction seeking to achieve this.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> The percentage of B rated properties during the same period is 66% - properties achieving a B rating will be generally more energy efficient than the majority of the pre-2010 stock.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4123", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Wharton of Yarm"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton South"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Wharton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-15T14:30:01.56Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Energy Performance Certificates"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of (a) how many and (b) what proportion of all completions of new homes sold in England and Wales have received an A grade for energy efficiency in their Energy Performance Certificate since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4382", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Daniel Zeichner"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cambridge"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Daniel Zeichner"}
], "uin" : "6552"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389063", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389063/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I remain concerned by reports of organ harvesting, which we have raised on numerous occasions, including at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in April this year.<\/p> The Chinese government has repeatedly denied allegations that organs are forcibly removed from detainees. We are aware that organs removed from executed prisoners have been used for human transplantation purposes in China; Chinese law requires that prisoners give prior consent that their organs be used in this way.<\/p> We welcome steps taken by the Chinese government in recent years to improve the regulation of organ transplantation, for example the reports that suggest China would stop using organs harvested from executed prisoners from January of this year. Implementation of this policy is an important step.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1408", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Swire"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Devon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Hugo Swire"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-15T13:41:32.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "China: Political Prisoners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of China on the alleged harvesting of organs from Falun Gong prisoners held in China.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1593", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sammy Wilson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Antrim"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sammy Wilson"}
], "uin" : "6494"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389064", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389064/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Access to radiotherapy services for Copeland is a matter for NHS England.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> More generally, the Government has made major investments in innovative radiotherapy. The £23 million Radiotherapy Innovation Fund has enabled the National Health Service to achieve 37% of radiotherapy treatments being given by Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy, which is more precise and has fewer side effects. This is ahead of the target of 24%, and up from 5% in 2010. NHS England has committed £6 million to support six trials of more precise stereotactic ablative therapy (SABR), and a further £15 million over three years to evaluate and treat patients with SABR. We have also pledged £250 million for two proton beam therapy centres at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which will be operational by 2018.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-15T14:34:33.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Radiotherapy: Copeland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to radiotherapy in Copeland constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jamie Reed"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Copeland"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jamie Reed"}
], "uin" : "6510"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389065", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389065/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In house legal advisory costs attributable to this particular case are not separately identifiable. Litigation and Counsel's costs will be accounted for at the end of the process.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-15T13:45:30.08Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department of Health: Freedom of Information"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what legal costs the Government has incurred to date relating to the Freedom of Information request for the former Secretary of State for Health's diary of engagements referred to in Information Commissioner Decision Notice No. FS50406024 and the subsequent appeals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"}
], "uin" : "6508"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389066", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389066/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " NHS England London Region\u2019s report on the independent review of the impact of the closure of Central Middlesex and Hammersmith Hospitals Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments on performance against the A&E targets is available from the Healthier North West London website at the following link:<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>