Alec Shelbrooke MP: written questions
84 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Radioactive WasteDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will take steps to accelerate the (a) clearance and (b) restoration of legacy nuclear sites.
Answer: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) mission is to clean up the UK's legacy nuclear sites safely, securely, and cost effectively and release them for beneficial reuse. Due to the nature and scale of the mission, delivery remains subject to signif...
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordWaste: CrimeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle (a) illegal landfill sites and (b) waste crime.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) has a range of powers to tackle waste crime and take enforcement action. These powers, coupled with those of their partners ensure that it can confront criminals. Over the last 3 years the EA has stopped more than 1500 illegal ...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordImport ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16733More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) effectiveness of the new Border Target Operating Model and (b) threat of its use as a route to illegally import products of animal or
Answer: Defra has made additional funding of £1.9 million available to Dover District Council for the Port Health Authority, for the remainder of this financial year (2024 to 2025), to support Border Force to conduct safeguarding checks on the illegal import of p...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAfrican Swine Fever: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16732More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release of 26 September 2024 entitled Immediate measures to step up safeguards against African swine fever from Europe, what additional resourc
Answer: Defra continues to monitor and review the impact of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), including the Border Control Post at Sevington. We are working closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to...
Answered 6 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAfrican Swine Fever: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release of 26 September 2024 entitled Immediate measures to step up safeguards against African swine fever from Europe, whether his Department
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 12666 on 5 December 2024.
Answered 6 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAfrican Swine FeverDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) likelihood of an African Swine Fever outbreak in the UK and (b) potential economic impact of such an outbreak.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Epping Forest on 28 October 2024, to Question 10798.
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Land UseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16719More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 12061 on Agriculture: Land Use and with reference to the approval of the solar farm development at Honiley Road solar farm
Answer: The full reasons for the decision to grant the permission in question are set out in the published decision letter and Inspector’s Report. The Inspector’s Report provides a complete list of the evidence which was before the Inquiry. Having issued this dec...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Land UseDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 12061 on Agriculture: Land Use, if he will commission research into the potential impact of solar farms on soil (a) carbon storag
Answer: Defra has no current plans to undertake research on the specific impact of solar farms on soil properties. We have undertaken an evidence review evaluating opportunities for agrivoltaic systems in England and Wales. Impacts on soil were not considered.
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBatteries: StorageDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15436More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help mitigate the risk of thermal runaways in battery energy storage facilities.
Answer: Grid-scale batteries are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) within a framework which requires battery designers, installers and operators to take the necessary measures to ensure health and safety throughout all stages of the system’s cons...
Answered 26 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHydrogenDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it is his target to produce 10GW of green hydrogen by 2030; and if he will take steps to publish a roadmap for meeting this target.
Answer: This Government is focussed on getting the UK’s first low carbon hydrogen production projects built, which is why in the Autumn Budget we committed £2.3bn in revenue funding for 11 green hydrogen projects from the first Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1). T...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHydrogenDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15434More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish his decision on whether to allow hydrogen blending into the gas transmission network.
Answer: The Government remains committed to examining the case for hydrogen blending and is reviewing plans. This work aims to gather evidence on the feasibility, costs and benefits of hydrogen blending that can inform decisions on its potential role.
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHydrogenDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15433More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Health and Safety Executive’s evaluation of the safety case for blending hydrogen in the transmission n
Answer: The Government remains committed to examining the case for hydrogen blending and is reviewing plans. This work aims to gather evidence on the feasibility, costs and benefits of hydrogen blending that can inform decisions on its potential role.
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHydrogenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15432More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the Health and Safety Executive are evaluating the safety case for blending hydrogen in the transmission network; and what the Health and Safety Executive's planned timetable is for a
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a strategic objective to enable industry to innovate safely to prevent major incidents, supporting the move towards Net Zero. As part of this objective HSE is working to review and understand key technologies, suc...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHydrogenDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of hydrogen blending to (a) decrease hydrogen production costs, (b) decrease wind curtailment costs, (c) scale hydrogen production and (d)
Answer: The Government remains committed to examining the case for hydrogen blending and is reviewing plans. This work aims to gather evidence on the feasibility, costs and benefits of hydrogen blending that can inform decisions on its potential role.
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHydrogenDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of developing a dedicated hydrogen pipeline across Great Britain.
Answer: The Government is assessing hydrogen pipeline transport options, including the possibility of a core network, in its strategic planning of hydrogen transport infrastructure. Hydrogen transport will be critical to the development of the hydrogen economy an...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Land UseDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of solar farms on soil (a) carbon storage, (b) structure and (c) biodiversity.
Answer: No assessment has been made of the potential impact of solar farms on soil. When considering development proposals that affect agricultural land and soils, the Government encourages developers and local planning authorities to refer to relevant Government...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren in CareDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on how many occasions in the last 12 months has a local authority in England provided Section 20 accommodation for a child under the age of 16 without the consent of an individual with parental responsibility.
Answer: The information requested is not held centrally. While the department collects data on the number of children accommodated by local authorities under Section 20, we do not collect data on parental consent given as part of that arrangement.The latest figur...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordImport ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the consistency of phytosanitary certificate checks at the UK Border.
Answer: Checks are handled by trained staff working to standard operating procedures, ensuring inspections are undertaken safely and efficiently. The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s plant health import inspection process is accredited to the ISO 17020 Inspection...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what body will administer the non-household packaging elements of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme; and when he plans to publish details of that body.
Answer: Obligations on non-household packaging elements of the upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility scheme will continue to be enforced by the Environment Agency in England and the equivalent regulators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as these oblig...
Answered 1 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10980More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of the introduction of extended producer responsibility fees to businesses.
Answer: The Department’s impact assessment published online here has considered the impacts on businesses from the introduction of extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR).
Answered 1 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what level extended producer responsibility fees will be set at.
Answer: In August 2024, we released the first set of illustrative packaging extended producer responsibility base fees covering the following eight packaging materials: aluminium, fibre-based composite materials, glass, paper or board, plastic, steel, wood and ot...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNorthern: ProsecutionsDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Northern rail on fare prosecutions.
Answer: The Secretary of State has made clear she expects all operators to ensure their policy on ticketing is clear and fair for passengers at all times. Ticketing has become far too complicated, which is why we plan to simplify it as part of the biggest overhau...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: VandalismDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10074More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle rail vandalism.
Answer: The British Transport Police (BTP) are responsible for policing the rail network in Great Britain and tackling rail vandalism is a priority for them given it is a key factor in causing disruption on the railways. The BTP use the 10 principles of crime pre...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBuses: VandalismDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10073More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle bus vandalism.
Answer: The government is committed to improving bus services so they are more inclusive and enable all passengers to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce a new Buses Bill later in this parl...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBusesDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10072More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 8237 on Buses: Greater London, what information her Department holds on the number and proportion of buses operating in the UK which were made in the UK.
Answer: The Department does not hold information on the number or proportion of buses operating in the UK that were made in the UK.
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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