The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish the outcome of his call for evidence on extending permitted development rights to taller mobile telephone masts.
Brandon Lewis
The outcome of the review of how the planning system in England can support the delivery of mobile connectivity will be announced in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is her policy that anaerobic digestion will continue to be supported under the reformed Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Andrea Leadsom
We are still at an early stage in the process of reforming the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Therefore, I am unable to make specific commitments as to the future shape of the scheme at this point.
However, Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider reform of the scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish details of how her Department plans to reform the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme to make the savings announced in the Autumn Statement 2015.
Andrea Leadsom
Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes in the New Year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish her Department’s response to the consultation on a review of the feed-in tariff scheme.
Andrea Leadsom
We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the Feed-in Tariff review consultation and intend to publish a Government response as soon as possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on (a) the supply chain and (b) existing infrastructure of the Government’s decision to cancel the carbon capture and storage competition.
Andrea Leadsom
The provision of ring-fenced capital support for CCS was judged against other Government funding priorities as part of the Spending Review. We are engaging closely with the two bidders and wider industry on the implications of the decision. The Government’s view remains that CCS has a potential role in the long term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the Government’s future plans are for carbon capture and storage.
Andrea Leadsom
The Government continues to view CCS as having a potential role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she had with bidders for the carbon capture and storage competition prior to the decision to withdraw funding earmarked for that competition.
Andrea Leadsom
Through the CCS Competition the Department has held discussions on a regular basis with both Shell and Capture Power Ltd. We continue to engage closely with the two bidders on the implications of the Spending Review decision for their Bids.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department made of the value for money of the carbon capture and storage project bids.
Andrea Leadsom
The provision of ring-fenced capital support for CCS was judged against other Government funding priorities as part of the Spending Review. We are currently engaging with both bidders regarding the implications of this decision on their Bids.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she made of the value for money of carbon capture and storage before the Government’s carbon capture and storage competition was suspended; and how much from the public purse had been spent on that competition at the time of suspension.
Andrea Leadsom
The provision of ring-fenced capital support for CCS was judged against other Government funding priorities as part of the Spending Review. My department has paid £78.6m between 2011/12 and November 2015 on the CCS Competition including the investment in Front End Engineering and Design (approximately £60 million), independent professional technical, legal, financial and commercial advice and civil service staff.
The Government continues to view CCS as having a potential role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors, and considers that the investment to date remains value for money to the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much EU funding was allocated to the operation of carbon capture and storage projects which is not now available for spending on UK projects.
Andrea Leadsom
In 2009 the Don Valley Project was awarded a €180m European Energy Programme for Recovery grant which contributes towards the feasibility and design phase of the project’s development. The award is still in place and ~€125m has so far been claimed. In 2013 the White Rose CCS project was awarded up to €300m in potential NER300 funding. This award, which remains available, is subject to the project being able to successfully store carbon dioxide before the end of June 2020.