Emergency Heritage Grant
Historic England's Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund extends a safety net to small heritage organisations at this challenging time.
29 Apr 2020
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
HM Govt - Covid-19 Briefings spinning on PPE
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29 Apr 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: New requirements for entering France
Below is an update from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency regarding travel to France:
29 Apr 2020
South Lakes MP joins cross-party campaign to support local newspapers
Local MP Tim Farron has joined 40 other MPs in writing to the Health Secretary and the Culture Secretary, asking that they support local and independent media through an increased share of public health communications spending.
29 Apr 2020
Medway Liberal Democrats support 'National Stroke Awareness Month'
During these unprecedented times, it is worth remembering that a stroke will continue to strike every five minutes in the UK. May is 'National Stroke Awareness Month', an observance that highlights the importance of knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke. - Time is of the essence in terms of suffering a stroke, as this month highlights and we want critical stroke services that best serves the health needs of Medway residents to be secured. Liberal Democrats have called for local stroke services, which are under review, to be retained at Medway Maritime Hospital. - Data from Public Health England suggest people are currently staying away from hospitals, with attendance to Emergency Departments dropping by over a third compared to this period, last year. Those who need urgent medical help should still attend their local hospital, the Stroke Association says: 'the NHS is well equipped to treat all medical emergencies.' - We know that the NHS is currently under huge pressure and would like to thank all NHS
MLDAW
29 Apr 2020
Crisis highlights need for change in health and care links
The Virus has highlighted the need for a major change in the relationship between our health and care services, writes Liberal Democrat Councillor Sharon Harris.
SH
29 Apr 2020
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
