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  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which chemicals are authorised for use in the fracking process in the UK; what assessment he has made of the potential risk posed to humans and the natural environment from those chemicals before their authorisation; and if he will make a statement.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency will require full disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing.

    Operators will not be able to use chemicals for well stimulation unless the Agency considers them acceptable for use. The Environment Agency will assess the hazards presented by fracking fluid additives on a case-by-case basis.

    Allowing the use of a chemical at one site does not automatically mean the Agency will allow it to be used elsewhere. This is because the environmental risks may be different, for example, due to local geological conditions.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will issue updated advice on the care of pets to address the issues of the welfare and abandonment of domestic rabbits.

    George Eustice

    The poor welfare and abandonment of any animal is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 or 6 months’ imprisonment or both. The Government has no plans to issue specific advice on keeping pet rabbits but such advice is available from animal welfare organisations and some pet shops.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what expertise the Environment Agency has on (a) onshore oil and gas exploration, (b) fracking, (c) the disposal of waste products including fugitive emissions resulting from onshore oil and gas exploration and (d) safety management of oil and gas drilling including well casing.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency has been regulating the existing onshore oil and gas industry for many years and has extensive experience and expertise in this area.

    The Environment Agency has been developing its approach to the regulation of the unconventional oil and gas sector for more than two years. It uses its extensive knowledge of regulating the existing onshore oil and gas industry, and environmental regulation more generally, to regulate this emerging industry. The Agency has undertaken a full assessment of the risks and learnt from experience in other countries.

    The Environment Agency regulates the management of waste, including fugitive emissions, under the Mining Waste Directive. Operators must develop and submit a Waste Management Plan with their permit application. They must set out how they will minimise waste and dispose of it safely. Environment Agency staff have extensive experience of regulating waste management activities at other sites, including the active management of landfill gas.

    The Health and Safety Executive regulates the health and safety risks to people from oil and gas drilling.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the Environment Agency’s budget he proposes will be spent on its role as the regulator for fracking in England and Wales in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16 and (c) 2016-17.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency does not record separately the regulatory costs of hydraulic fracturing in England. For 2014-15 the Environment Agency has allocated £2.6 million to its work on regulating onshore oil and gas. This is 0.39% of the Environment Agency’s total revenue budget.

    Budgets for 2015 -16 and 2016-17 have not yet been confirmed.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff at the Environment Agency are working on the regulation of fracking in England and Wales; and what reductions in the budget of the Environment Agency have affected people working on that regulation.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency has set up a team of ten national officers working full time to develop the regulatory regime for oil and gas activities. This work covers conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities.

    This team is supported by additional technical resource from elsewhere in the organisation. The workload fluctuates and these specialists are not solely dedicated to regulating and permitting unconventional activities. It is therefore not possible to give an exact answer, but the Agency estimates that approximately 40 further members of staff are currently involved in this work across England.

    UK Government policy is to ensure the shale industry is able to develop in a safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible way within a well-regulated environment. Regulating the industry will remain a priority for the Environment Agency. Funding for setting up the regulatory regime comes from Defra grant-in-aid. Work to regulate individual sites is financed through the charges the Environment Agency raises for environmental permits and licences, supported where necessary by the grant-in-aid.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the water industry to discuss the cost of water bills.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Secretary of State discussed the cost of water bills when he met water industry representatives in July 2013. He emphasised the need to secure the best deal possible for customers while continuing to attract essential investment in the long-term resilience of the sector. He sent a follow up letter in November 2013.

    As the independent economic regulator for the water industry, Ofwat reviews water prices every five years. Securing a fair balance between the needs of water companies and their customers is central to Ofwat’s approach to the price review.

    Water companies have now submitted their business plans to Ofwat to inform the 2014 price review. The plans set out how they intend to meet their obligations to customers and the environment during the 2015 to 2020 period. Most water companies are proposing flat or declining bills from 2015.

    Water UK has also announced that most water companies will be holding bills below the rate of inflation in 2014/15, the final year of the price and investment package agreed in 2009.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage change there has been in the average cost of a water bill in each year since 2011.

    Dan Rogerson

    Water prices in England and Wales are reviewed by the independent economic regulator Ofwat every five years. Water prices for the 2010 to 2015 period were set in Ofwat’s 2009 water price review.

    The percentage change in the average cost (in real prices) of a combined water and sewerage bill in England and Wales during the 2010-2015 period is as follows: -0.6% (2010/11), 0.2% (2011/12), -0.1% (2012/13). The forecast for 2013/14 is 0.5% and for 2014/15 around 2%. The changes year on year usually relate to the profile of water industry investment agreed in the 2009 price review. For 2014/15, water companies are taking steps to hold customer bills down and in some cases are giving up price increases that were allowed for in 2009.

    Ofwat’s 2014 water price review is now underway and will determine water prices for the 2015 to 2020 period. Most water companies are proposing flat or declining bills from 2015.

  • Simon Hart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Simon Hart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Hart on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether income raised from rod licence sales in Wales will continue to be hypothecated for the protection and improvement of fisheries in Wales.

    George Eustice

    Freshwater fisheries is a devolved issue. Natural Resources Wales has responsibility for administering rod licences in Wales.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff of the Environment Agency are engaged in regulation of hydraulic fracturing and unconventional gas.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency has set up a team of ten national officers working full time to develop the regulatory regime for oil and gas activities. This work covers conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities.

    This team is supported by additional technical resource from elsewhere in the organisation. The workload fluctuates and these specialists are not solely dedicated to regulating and permitting unconventional activities. It is therefore not possible to give an exact answer, but the Environment Agency estimate that approximately a further 40 staff are currently involved in this work across England.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) amount and (b) proportion of the budget of the Environment Agency is allocated to staff and other departmental costs associated with the regulation of hydraulic fracturing and unconventional gas in each year between 2010-11 and 2014-15.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Environment Agency does not keep separate records of its regulatory costs for hydraulic fracturing and unconventional gas so we cannot provide figures for previous years.

    For 2014-15 the Environment Agency has allocated £2.6 million to its work on onshore oil and gas. This is 0.39% of the Environment Agency’s total revenue budget.