Tag: Alan Whitehead

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will specify the comparable operators whose costs would be taken into account prior to the Opex reopeners for the contract for difference relating to Hinkley Point C power station being triggered 15 and 25 years after the first reactor start date.

Andrea Leadsom

The terms of the Hinkley Point C Contract for difference (HPC CfD) will set out the mechanism for the Opex reopeners. If my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State decides to direct the Low Carbon Contracts Company Ltd to offer a CfD to HPC, the terms will be published (with commercially sensitive information removed) once it has been entered in to by the parties. The detailed terms of the HPC CfD are commercially sensitive at this time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many staff of her Department she expects to transfer into the Oil and Gas Authority.

Andrea Leadsom

When the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) was established as an Executive Agency in April 2015, 85 Civil Servants were transferred from DECC. When the OGA becomes a Government Company staff will be transferred by a Staff Transfer Scheme. There are currently 130 staff employed by the OGA.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what circumstances would constitute a political shutdown of the proposed Hinkley Point C power station by the EU or international competent authority which would trigger a payment to the operators of that power station.

Andrea Leadsom

As explained in DECC’s Departmental Minute of 21 October, a political shut down would be an action by a UK, EU or international Competent Authority which shutdown, or prevented the completion of, Hinkley Point C (HPC) – except where this action is done on grounds of protecting health, nuclear safety, security, environmental, nuclear transport or nuclear safeguards related matters. If my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State decides to direct the Low Carbon Contracts Company Ltd to offer a Contract for Difference to HPC, the terms of the contract will be published (with commercially sensitive information removed) once it has been entered in to by the parties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with British Crown Dependencies on the status of such territories for the purpose of awarding Contracts for Difference to projects that benefit the UK’s electricity supply.

Andrea Leadsom

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met with British Crown Dependencies on the status of such territories for the purpose of awarding Contracts for Difference to projects that benefit the UK’s electricity supply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit hydraulic fracturing from being conducted from wells that are drilled at the surface of sensitive areas within the boundaries of existing petroleum exploration and development licences.

Andrea Leadsom

On 4 November 2015, the Government set out proposals to ensure that hydraulic fracturing cannot be conducted from wells drilled at the surface of specified protected areas. [1] With regards to existing Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State is minded not to approve any proposed programme of works which includes carrying out of hydraulic fracturing from new or existing wells drilled at the surface in specified protected areas. We are now consulting with key stakeholders, including the industry and non-governmental organisations and will set out our proposals in a policy statement in due course.

[1] See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-licensing-rounds#surface-development-restrictions

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to classify grass as a crop for the purpose of consideration of biogas options in the Renewable Heat Incentive consultation.

Andrea Leadsom

DECC has consulted on changes to the Renewable Heat Incentive. Whilst there is no specific category for “crop”, one proposal is to limit payments for biogas or biomethane derived from feedstocks other than wastes or residues. Grass grown for the purpose of producing biogas or biomethane would not be categorised as a waste or residue and therefore would be subject to limited payment according to the proposal set out in the consultation.

The final decisions will be set out in the Government Response later this year, having taken into account the views and evidence submitted in response to the consultation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether carbon capture and storage plants that become operational with the assistance of support not provided by her Department will be eligible to receive contracts for difference.

Andrea Leadsom

Contracts for Difference may be awarded to generators who meet the requirements of eligibility set out in the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014. A generating station connected to a complete CCS system is an eligible technology under those Regulations. Contracts for Difference for CCS are awarded on direction of the Secretary of State and would be subject to the circumstances at the time, including factors such as the value for money and affordability of a project and competing demands on available budgets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will take steps to ensure that Ministers and officials of her Department meet trades unions comprising the offshore co-ordinating group to discuss industrial relations and associated features of the oil and gas industry.

Andrea Leadsom

Ministers and officials in the Department and in the Oil and Gas Authority are engaging with Trade Unions as part of our continued work to encourage investment and to support jobs in the oil and gas industry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she plans to produce an updated version of her Department’s carbon capture and storage roadmap.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government continues to view Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as having a potential role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors. The detailed design and implementation of CCS policy changes are currently being assessed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2016-09-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s announcement of 17 December 2015 on improving air quality in cities, what progress her Department has made on deciding what resources, funding and guidance will be made available to the five local authorities which are introducing clean air zones.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Air quality has improved significantly in recent decades and we are working at local, national and international levels to continue those improvements. The UK currently meets legal limits for almost all pollutants.

The national air quality plan for NO₂, published in December last year, combines targeted local and national measures, forming part of a wider approach that exploits new and clean technologies, such as electric and ultra-low emission vehicles. As part of the national plan we are requiring five cities to implement Clean Air Zones. The relevant cities are Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton.

The Joint Air Quality Unit has been established to deliver the national plan and is working in close cooperation with local authorities. The unit will provide guidance and support to local authorities to implement the plan by producing a Clean Air Zone framework which will set out how zones should be implemented, ensuring consistency across English local authorities. This will allow businesses and individuals to make straightforward economic decisions about which vehicles to purchase, and how and when they use them. We will support local authorities to make improvements to air quality through a variety of measures, including the Air Quality Grant, a competitive fund supporting local action to improve air quality.

We are also providing dedicated support for the five cities which are required to implement Clean Air Zones by funding local scoping studies. In addition, we will provide funding to help these local authorities implement the zones and, where necessary, support the implementation of additional measures.