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1281254

registered interest
date	27/01/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Licences: EU Countries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure recognition of UK driving licences with EU countries.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	144784
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2021 answer text <p>The Government is committed to establishing arrangements with EU countries that facilitate private motoring with the minimum of bureaucracy In 2020, all EU countries, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have confirmed recognition of UK driving licences which means that International Driving Permits will not be required by UK visitors with photocard driving licences from 1 January 2021.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean question first answered 01/02/2021 12:30:11 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1281293

registered interest
date	27/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made the profit made by private companies awarded contracts to deliver the free school meals voucher scheme throughout the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	144785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2021 answer text <p>The department do not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties. However, we can confirm that we have paid no more than the face value of goods received - in this case, vouchers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 01/02/2021 17:05:22 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1281297

registered interest
date	27/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to encourage universities to deliver high quality learning for students throughout the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	144786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2021 answer text <p>On 13 January, I wrote to the Office for Students (OfS), as regulator for English higher education (HE) providers, outlining the government’s expectations of the higher education sector. Following this, the OfS wrote to HE providers setting out the actions they are taking in connection with providers’ compliance to existing regulatory requirements.</p><p>The government’s clear and stated expectation is that universities should maintain the quality and quantity of tuition and seek to ensure that all students regardless of their background have the resources to study remotely. This is more important than ever at the moment, with the vast majority of students studying solely online. The OfS has made it clear that HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and academic standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through face-to-face teaching, remote online learning, or a combination of both.</p><p>The OfS has published information for providers providing guidance on how best to ensure students continue to receive a high quality academic experience in the light of the COVID-19 outbreak. This sets out that providers should make all reasonable efforts to provide alternative teaching and support for students that is at least broadly equivalent to the provider’s usual arrangements. The OfS will keep this guidance under review to ensure it remains relevant to the developing circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>The OfS is taking very seriously the potential impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on teaching and learning. The OfS is actively monitoring providers to ensure that they maintain the quality of their provision, that it is accessible for all, and that they have been clear in their communications with students about how arrangements for teaching and learning may change throughout the year. The OfS is also following up directly with providers where they receive notifications from students, parents or others raising concerns about the quality of teaching on offer and requiring providers to report to them when they are not able to deliver a course or award a qualification. If the OfS has concerns, it will investigate further.</p><p>Students have rights under consumer law that they may be able to rely on if they are dissatisfied with their provider’s response to COVID-19. In the first instance, students should speak to their provider to see if they can resolve their issue. We expect student complaints and appeals processes to be operated flexibly, accessibly and sympathetically by providers to resolve any concerns. If a student at a provider in England or Wales is not satisfied with their provider’s final response, they should go to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which has published guidance on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 01/02/2021 12:38:55 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1281306

registered interest
date	27/01/2021
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	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 estimate he has made of the number of new jobs created by the Green Homes Grant scheme to date since its commencement.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	144787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2021 answer text <p>The scheme has the capacity to support 80,000 jobs. The extension announced on 18 November 2020 has allowed an extra year to take advantage of the Green Homes Grant, helping tradespeople and households plan their workload and create new jobs in their communities.</p><p> </p><p>We have worked to ensure that jobs are created across the country and there are now, on average, 76 Green Homes Grant installers per local authority area in England. Official scheme statistics will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 01/02/2021 16:12:31 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1280169

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
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	Anaerobic Digestion
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 support his Department is providing for the further development of small anaerobic digestion plants.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	143045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2021 answer text <p>The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), which came into force on 1 January 2020, gives small scale low-carbon electricity generators, including from small anaerobic digestion (AD) stations, the right to be paid for the renewable electricity they export to the grid.</p><p>AD for heat is currently supported through the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (NDRHI), which provides tariff support for biogas and biomethane plants. The RHI is due to close to new applicants on the 31st March 2021. In November 2020 BEIS published a Government Response detailing changes to the NDRHI to aid non-tariff guarantee eligible projects that were under development prior to the 17th August that may struggle to meet the 31st March 2021 application deadline due to COVID-19 related delays. Eligible projects, including on-site biogas, will be afforded an additional 12 months after scheme closure in which to submit a properly made full application.</p><p>The Green Gas Support Scheme, due to launch in Autumn 2021, will provide tariff based support for AD plants producing biomethane for injection into the gas grid. The scheme is due to run for four years.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 28/01/2021 17:14:14 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1280173

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Special Representative on UK Victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA Terrorism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Shawcross Report on UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism will be published.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	143046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2021 answer text <p>The report produced by Mr Shawcross is an internal scoping paper. The Government is considering how best to address the sensitive issues raised in the report.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 28/01/2021 16:07:37 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1280182

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	IGCSE: Assessments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will (a) require private schools to review their decision to proceed with International GCSEs this summer and (b) ensure that all pupils in England are awarded grades based on teacher assessment.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	143047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2021 answer text <p>In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Government considers that exams cannot be held this summer in a fair way. The Government has therefore announced that exams for GCSEs, AS and A levels and for many other regulated qualifications should not go ahead this summer as planned.</p><p>Together with Ofqual, we launched a consultation on 15 January 2021 on our proposals that in summer 2021, students taking GCSE, AS and A levels regulated by Ofqual should be awarded grades based on teacher assessment. The landscape for other regulated qualifications is diverse and teacher assessment is not appropriate for all vocational, technical and other general qualifications that are not GCSEs, AS or A levels, particularly where the qualification demonstrates occupational competency. The approaches proposed for these other regulated qualifications are set out in the consultation.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has asked the interim chief regulator at Ofqual, Simon Lebus, to find a clear and accessible route for private candidates, and those not in school this year, to be assessed and receive a grade.</p><p>International GCSEs are not regulated by Ofqual and are not part of the arrangements we have put in place for summer 2021 for GCSEs and A/AS levels. We are in contact with the exam boards that provide international GCSEs and understand that they have not yet taken final decisions on whether or not exams should go ahead in England this summer.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 29/01/2021 16:53:45 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1280294

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
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	Renewable Energy: 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, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of redirecting renewable energy subsidies away from biomass to wind and solar power.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	143048
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2021 answer text <p>Sustainable, low carbon bioenergy has helped us move to a low-carbon energy mix, increase our energy security, and keep costs down for consumers. Bioenergy remains an important part of a diverse energy mix, needed to achieve our Net Zero ambitions. We have introduced mandatory sustainability criteria for biomass for heat and power generation. This is to ensure biomass reduces carbon emissions and is sourced sustainably. Generators only receive subsidies for the electricity output which complies with our sustainability criteria.</p><p> </p><p>In November 2020, we announced that we would make the changes required to exclude coal-to-biomass conversions from future Contract for Difference (CfD) allocation rounds. However, we have no plans to remove support for biomass generating stations that are already supported under the Renewables Obligation (RO) and the CfD. Such generators undertook their investments in establishing their stations under these schemes and have a statutory right to their existing support, as set out in the schemes’ implementing legislation. All support for coal-to-biomass conversions ends in 2027.</p><p> </p><p>In March 2020 we announced that onshore wind and solar projects will be able to bid in the Contracts for Difference allocation round 4. The round will open in late 2021 and aim to deliver up to double the renewable capacity of last year’s successful round, potentially providing enough clean energy for up to 10 million homes.</p><p> </p><p>On 17 November, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out his ambitious ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution – an innovative and ambitious programme of job creation and investment. This includes deploying enough offshore wind to generate more power than every home uses today, quadrupling our generation capacity to 40GW by 2030.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 28/01/2021 17:07:34 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1280295

registered interest
date	25/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Assessments: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support private candidates not affiliated with a school, during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	143049
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2021 answer text <p>In light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Government considers that exams cannot be held in a way which is fair. We have therefore announced that GCSE, AS and A level exams will not go ahead this summer as planned.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has asked the Chief Regulator at Ofqual to find a clear and accessible route for private candidates, and those not in school this year, to be assessed and receive a grade. The Department and Ofqual launched a two week consultation on how to fairly award all pupils a grade that supports them to progress to the next stage of their lives, including consulting specifically on four different approaches for private candidates to receive a grade.</p><p>The Department and Ofqual have strongly encouraged all our stakeholders, including private candidates and their parents, to respond. The Department will continue to engage with a range of relevant stakeholders when developing plans for our policy on GCSE, AS and A level assessments in 2021, as will the exams regulator Ofqual.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 29/01/2021 17:01:45 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1279633

registered interest
date	22/01/2021
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	Convention on Biological Diversity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the timeframe for enactment of the Environment Bill and potential biodiversity targets under that legislation, if he will take steps to help ensure the effectiveness of Aichi targets at the Convention on Biodiversity.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	142036
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious and transformative framework of international targets under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), which will replace the existing Aichi targets. The new CBD goals and targets are expected to be agreed later this year, at CBD COP15.</p><p> </p><p>Due to exceptional pressure on the parliamentary timetable as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Environment Bill will be carried over into the Second Parliamentary Session. Key work on implementing the Bill’s measures will continue at pace and the deadline to bring forward targets by October 2022 will remain.</p><p> </p><p>This timing will allow us to set at least one new, long-term, legally binding target for biodiversity under the Environment Bill, reflecting the priorities of the CBD’s global framework as well as our existing priorities set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan (25YEP).</p><p> </p><p>That does not mean that we will wait until October 2022 to start delivering on our international commitments. The 25 YEP marked a step change in ambition for biodiversity and the wider natural environment in England, addressing many of the emerging themes in the CBD framework, and we are already bringing forward key actions to deliver on that ambition.</p><p> </p><p>We are setting a new legal foundation to improve the environment through the Environment Bill and our strengthened Agriculture and Fisheries Acts. We are investing in nature restoration and in nature-based solutions to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change and to safeguard green jobs, for example through our Nature for Climate and Green Recovery Challenge funds. We are developing a new Environmental Land Management scheme that will reward farmers and land managers for delivering environmental public goods, and we are extending protection on land and sea. We will set out further plans over the coming year.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 27/01/2021 16:19:10 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney