Mark Garnier MP: written questions
253 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Water AbstractionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Severn Water on reviewing the condition of the aquifers it abstracts water from.
Answer: The Environment Agency works closely with Severn Trent Water on the current condition of aquifers and the action needed to achieve a sustainable level of abstraction. Some aquifers in the Severn Trent Water supply area are over-abstracted and it is a chal...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: InvestmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the National Energy System Operator’s reforms to the grid connections process on investment in the UK renewables sector.
Answer: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for preparing and submitting proposals for reform of the electricity network connections process to Ofgem, the independent energy regulator. NESO is engaging with stakeholders, including the renewa...
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: InvestmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11260More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the National Energy System Operator’s proposals to prioritise energy projects that are ready and aligned with Clean Power 20
Answer: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for preparing and submitting proposals for reform of the electricity network connections process to Ofgem, the independent energy regulator. NESO is engaging with stakeholders, including the renewa...
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy Supply: Sustainable DevelopmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11259More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the risk of legal challenge associated with the National Energy System Operator’s proposals to prioritise energy projects in the queue that ar
Answer: The National Electricity System Operator is developing proposals for reform of electricity networks in consultation with stakeholders, before final proposals are submitted to Ofgem for decision. As part of its decision-making process, Ofgem will assess le...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSt Lucia: PassportsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8132More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what reports his Department has received on the alleged misappropriation of funds through the sale of passports to foreign investors by members of the St Lucian government; a
Answer: We are aware of the risks associated with Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes as described in this question. They are a source of much needed development finance for several countries, but they can also pose challenges for both the host and third-p...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy Company Obligation: Social Rented HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to retain the social housing obligation in future iterations of the Energy Company Obligation scheme.
Answer: The current iteration of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), ECO4, began in April 2022 and is scheduled to run until March 2026. ECO supports eligible social housing properties in energy efficiency bands D - F.We are considering the role of supplier obli...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPermitted Development Rights: Public ConsultationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6190More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to publish a response to the consultation launched under the previous government on changes to various permitted development rights.
Answer: The Government will keep changes to permitted development rights under review.
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHeat PumpsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to simplify the process of installing heat pumps.
Answer: The Government is committed to simplifying the installation process at every stage of the customer journey and is investing up to £42m in the Heat Pump Ready programme to overcome barriers to heat pump deployment and support innovation in product design. ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFuel PovertyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6188More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to publish an updated Fuel Poverty Strategy.
Answer: Government is committed to slashing fuel poverty and is currently reviewing the Fuel Poverty Strategy, published in 2021. The review will be published in due course and will determine whether an updated strategy is required.
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: ConservationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a national energy efficiency advice service.
Answer: The Government recognises that access to trusted and impartial information is an important enabler to consumers, when making choices about how to retrofit their homes. This is why the government delivers a number of digital services on GOV.UK to support c...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: AuditDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6186More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to change the threshold of full audit requirements for smaller businesses.
Answer: The qualifying criteria that determine company size for the purposes of accounting and audit have not changed in over a decade. It is right that these thresholds are reviewed periodically so they are set at appropriate levels.Company size thresholds are b...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming Incentive: CiderDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the incentives in the Sustainable Farming Incentive for cider apple orchards.
Answer: The expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer published in May 2024 includes capital grants to plant cider apple trees as part of an Agro-forestry system, and ongoing payments for actions which could be used in or around cider orchards such as fl...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing Occupancy: Single PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many single occupancy households there are in (a) England and (b) Wyre Forest constituency.
Answer: Data on the number of households receiving the single person council tax discount is collected by the Department as part of the annual Council Taxbase snapshot. The 2023 snapshot can be found here. Data is only available for local authority areas not parl...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Single PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the single-person discounts on council tax for single (a) pension and (b) working households; and what the forecast discount is for the next five financial
Answer: For both pension-age and working-age households, where there is only one liable adult resident in a property, the council tax bill is reduced by 25%. The Government will carefully consider the impact on councils and taxpayers, before making any future dec...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRiot Control WeaponsHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2883More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review the Government's guidance on police use of water cannons.
Answer: The Home Office does not issue guidance on police use of water cannons.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSolar TaskforceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2882More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to publish an updated (a) membership list and (b) terms of reference for the Solar Taskforce.
Answer: The Secretary of State announced the relaunch of the Solar Taskforce, which will consider further actions commensurate with the Government’s new clean energy mission. The core membership of the Taskforce will remain unchanged. Updated terms of reference, ...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2881More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to reduce its energy usage.
Answer: The Government Property Agency (GPA) manage the estate occupied by DESNZ and is responsible for energy usage reduction in its properties. DESNZ undertakes an assurance role in this, to ensure the Department achieves the targets in the Greening Government ...
Answered 4 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: BusinessDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require (a) FTSE 100 companies and (b) financial services firms to (i) develop green transition plans and (ii) publish a timetable for doing t
Answer: The Government has committed to making the UK the green finance capital of the world and is exploring requirements in relation to transition plans for companies and financial institutions. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is working with ot...
Answered 4 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBank of England: Climate ChangeTreasuryTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2879More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require the Bank of England to (a) take account of climate change in its mandates and (b) publish a timetable for doing this.
Answer: Tackling climate change is a key part of this Government’s agenda, reflected in our Mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. We recognise the significant risks posed by climate change to the financial system and wider economy, and are committed ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHeat PumpsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to introduce the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.
Answer: The Government will publish a response to the previous Government’s consultation on the Clean Heat Market Mechanism in due course, which will set out the Government’s plans in this area.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCarbon Capture, Usage and StorageDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to continue the construction of new Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage sites.
Answer: This Government is committed to CCUS, which will create good jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, ensure a just transition for the industries based in the North Sea, and accelerate towards Net Zero. Our National Wealth Fund includes £1 billion to acce...
Answered 4 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGreat British EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Great British Energy founding statement, published on 25 July 2024, whether he plans that every project invested in by Great British Energy will make a return by 2030.
Answer: Great British Energy will be an operationally independent company, overseen by a Board. The exact impact and timeline of Great British Energy’s interventions will be determined by detailed development and design of the organisation’s functions. Any discus...
Answered 4 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: LicensingTreasuryTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2875More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the ban on new oil and gas licences on taxation revenues to (a) 2030, (b) 2035, (c) 2040, (d) 2045 and (e) 2050.
Answer: The government will consult later this year on the implementation of its manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields. Forecasts for oil and gas tax revenues are published by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: Clean EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the investment that (a) oil and (b) gas companies have made in clean energy in the last 10 years.
Answer: The Government does not systematically track investments made by specific companies in clean energy. DESNZ analysis of BNEF data shows that between 2010 and 2023 the UK saw £300billion of public and private investment across low carbon sectors.
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCovid-19 InquiryCabinet OfficeTabled 29 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2069More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an oversight mechanism to monitor the implementation of recommendations from module one of the covid-19 inquiry.
Answer: Public inquiries are an important mechanism to learn lessons for the future. The Government will carefully consider all of the findings and recommendations of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 report.Parliament, and in particular its Select Committees, has...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
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