The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he expects the smart meter central delivery body to set out plans for assiting microbusinesses to use smart meters.
Gregory Barker
The Smart Meter Central Delivery Body intend to publish an updated Consumer Engagement Plan before the end of the year, where they will set out their plans for assisting microbusinesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government plans to take to deliver the commitments on nuclear security contained in paragraph 27 of the Hague Nuclear Security Summit Communiqué held in the Hague on 24 and 25 March 2014.
Michael Fallon
Safety and security are top priorities for the Government and there is a robust security framework in place for the civil nuclear industry. We seek continuous improvement in line with internationally established principles. The UK has a strong and effective independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), which ensures compliance with the requirements placed on duty holders by the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 (as amended) and the performance-based National Objectives, Requirements and Model Standards (NORMS). There is extensive engagement between the Government, ONR and duty holders. The full set of UK commitments made at the Nuclear Security Summit which go towards meeting paragraph 27 of the Summit’s Communiquécan be found at the following link:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government plans to take to deliver the commitments on nuclear security contained in paragraph 21 of the Hague Nuclear Security Summit Communiqué of the Nuclear Security Summit held in the Hague on 24 and 25 March 2014 to keep the national stockpile of separated plutonium to the minimum level.
Michael Fallon
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has published strategies for the management of spent Magnox and Oxide fuel; it is from these spent fuels that plutonium is separated. These strategies are aligned with UK Government policy and their implementation is expected to see cessation of reprocessing in Magnox and THORP facilities during this decade.
With respect to Magnox fuel, the intent is to reprocess all of it. Only a finite amount of Magnox fuel remains, which limits the amount of further separated plutonium that could be produced from reprocessing. Reprocessing is the only approved process for managing this metal fuel.
With respect to Oxide Fuel management, an NDA paper sets out the strategy which is to complete the reprocessing contracts in THORP, as far as is reasonably practicable, and place the remaining fuel and any future arisings into interim storage pending disposal. The paper can be found at http://www.nda.gov.uk/documents/upload/Oxide-Fuels-Preferred-Options-June-2012.pdf
Both these strategies see the amount of plutonium separated in the future being limited in line with national requirements.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have switched energy suppliers in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency, (b) Yorkshire and Humber and (c) England in each of the last 60 months.
Gregory Barker
DECC does not hold any sub-national data on switching energy suppliers, data is only available for Great Britain. This data is published in table 2.7.1 of the DECC publication Quarterly Energy Prices, which is made available online at the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-switching-statistics
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Greg Knight on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he plans to take to prevent leaks and improve monitoring at existing (a) in use and (b) extinct or abandoned onshore oil and gas sites.
Michael Fallon
The construction and use of oil and gas wells in the UK is subject to stringent regulation by the HSE to ensure the integrity of the well in all phases of its life. Recognised industry design and construction processes must be followed, and the operator’s work and plans are subject to scrutiny by an independent well examiner as well as the HSE. Monitoring and inspections are be carried out by the Environment Agency, the HSE and the independent well examiner as appropriate. Oil and gas wells which have no further usefulness are plugged and capped to ensure the retention of any fluids in the well.
We seek to improve this robust regulatory system further wherever practicable. Further consideration is being given to control and monitoring of methane emissions in the light of the recommendations of the report by Prof David Mackay and Dr Tim Stone on potential greenhouse gas emissions associated with shale gas production and use, published in September 2013.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what (a) direct and (b) indirect bilateral funding arrangements his Department has with governmental or non-governmental projects and bodies in Argentina.
Gregory Barker
The Department does not at present provide bilateral funding to Argentina.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Greg Knight on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many old oil and gas wells there are in the UK for which no firm or company is responsible; and how such wells are monitored for leaks.
Michael Fallon
A recently published paper by the ReFINE research consortium estimates that there are between fifty and a hundred historic wells in the UK for which no responsible person can be identified.
Oil and gas wells in the UK which have no further usefulness are treated to ensure the retention of any fluids within the well. The bore is sealed with concrete plugs, while the well head it cut off below ground level and a steel cap welded to the top. The abandonment operations are subject to scrutiny by the HSE and the independent well examiner, and must comply with relevant industry standards. The site will then be restored to the appropriate standard prescribed by planning conditions.
Wells are not monitored after the completion of the abandonment and site restoration operations. The ReFINE paper confirms that there are no pollution issues associated with historic oil and gas wells in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 725, on Government levies on energy bills, when he plans to present to the House the first annual report on consumer-funded policies, covering actual expenditure and forecast expenditure.
Michael Fallon
The first annual report on consumer-funded levies will be published to a timetable consistent with Ofgem’s reporting on the Renewables Obligation for 2013/14, scheduled for March 2015. Officials are currently considering how that date could be brought forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 721, on Government levies on energy bills, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of a freeze of the carbon floor price on the number and capacity of projects that will be brought forward under the levy control framework.
Michael Fallon
The levy control framework has been designed with the flexibility to be able to respond to policy changes. The government expects to meet its renewable energy ambition as set out in the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Plan within the Levy Control Framework.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
Gregory Barker
I refer the hon. Member to answer given by my rt. hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on 26 March 2014, Official Report, Column 300W.