Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that households unable to get energy smart meters are not (a) disadvantaged or (b) prevented from achieving the best energy rates when seeking the services of an energy provider.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government wants households and small businesses to benefit from smart metering as soon as possible. The vast majority of consumers can now have a smart meter. The rollout is making good progress, with 54% of gas and electricity meters across Great Britain now smart. The Government has introduced minimum annual installation targets for energy suppliers.
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to make alternative measures available for rural households who are unable to have a Smart Meter.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government wants as many households and small businesses as possible to benefit from smart metering, and millions of consumers across Great Britain, in different types of geographies, are already realising these benefits.
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. The Government holds this data at a Great Britain level and is not able to disaggregate at constituency or individual nation level.
In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of properties (a) Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency, (b) Wales and (c) the UK that are unable to have an energy smart meter installed.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government wants as many households and small businesses as possible to benefit from smart metering, and millions of consumers across Great Britain, in different types of geographies, are already realising these benefits.
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. The Government holds this data at a Great Britain level and is not able to disaggregate at constituency or individual nation level.
In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to increase the number of rural households which are able to have an energy smart meter installed.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government wants as many households and small businesses as possible to benefit from smart metering, and millions of consumers across Great Britain, in different types of geographies, are already realising these benefits.
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. The Government holds this data at a Great Britain level and is not able to disaggregate at constituency or individual nation level.
In addition, the DCC is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage where it is practicable and cost proportionate.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of Iran’s nuclear breakout time in light of reports of its increased production of High Enriched Uranium.
Answered by David Rutley
Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. In November 2022 Iran announced it would take further steps to expand its nuclear programme, including increasing its production of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) at its underground facility at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. This step, which further advances its programme, and carries significant proliferation-related risks, has no credible civilian justification.
Iran's continued escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system. We are considering next steps with our international partners.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of reports that Iran has increased production of High Enriched Uranium at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.
Answered by David Rutley
Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. In November 2022 Iran announced it would take further steps to expand its nuclear programme, including increasing its production of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) at its underground facility at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. This step, which further advances its programme, and carries significant proliferation-related risks, has no credible civilian justification.
Iran's continued escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system. We are considering next steps with our international partners.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in receipt of Universal Credit and subject to deductions with (a) no one and (b) at least one person in work had (i) up to five per cent, (ii) between six and 10 per cent, (iii) between 11 and 15 per cent, (iv) between 16 and 20 per cent, (v) between 21 and 25 per cent and (vi) more than 25 per cent of the Standard Allowance deducted in the most recent month for which data are available; and what the average deduction was for each category.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The requested information is provided in the attached spreadsheet. Table 1 provides the number of Universal Credit households broken down by the level of deduction and Table 2 provides the average deduction amount for each of the Universal Credit household types requested that have at least one deduction.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in receipt of Universal Credit and subject to deductions who were (a) assessed and (b) not assessed to have (i) limited capability for work and (ii) limited capability for work and work-related activity had (A) up to five per cent, (B) between six and 10 per cent, (C) between 11 and 15 per cent, (D) between 16 and 20 per cent, (E) between 21 and 25 per cent and (F) more than 25 per cent of the Standard Allowance deducted in the most recent month for which data is available; and what the average deduction was for each category.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The requested information is provided in the attached spreadsheet. Table 1 provides the number of Universal Credit households broken down by the level of deduction and Table 2 provides the average deduction amount for each of the Universal Credit household types requested that have at least one deduction.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in receipt of Universal Credit and subject to deductions (a) with and (b) without children had (i) up to five per cent, (ii) between six and 10 per cent, (iii) between 11 and 15 per cent, (iv) between 16 and 20 per cent, (v) between 21 and 25 per cent and (vi) more than 25 per cent of the Standard Allowance deducted in the most recent month for which data are available; and what the average deduction was for each category.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The requested information is provided in the attached spreadsheet. Table 1 provides the number of Universal Credit households broken down by the level of deduction and Table 2 provides the average deduction amount for each of the Universal Credit household types requested that have at least one deduction.
Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Palestinian Authority on the payment of salaries to Palestinians convicted of terror offences.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK remains resolute in its commitment to Israel's security. Our clear and long-standing message to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is that the prisoner payments system should be reformed so that it is needs based, transparent and affordable. We continue to raise this with the highest levels of the PA, most recently the British Consulate General Jerusalem raised the matter with the Palestinian Prime Minister's Office in December 2022. We also have robust safeguards in place to ensure that no UK aid is used for payments to Palestinian prisoners, or their families or the Martyrs Fund and will continue to raise this at the highest level.