The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-12-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to what purposes the ring-fenced capital budget for the carbon capture and storage competition has been reallocated.
Andrea Leadsom
The Government set out its capital budget and priorities for this Spending Review period on 25 November 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on ensuring reductions in operators’ production costs do not adversely affect the safety of offshore workers in the oil and gas industry.
Justin Tomlinson
I have had discussions with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officials on the range of factors affecting offshore safety. HSE has confirmed that it is placing increasing emphasis upon maintenance standards as part of its interventions at offshore installations. I support this approach.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2016-10-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with the CEOs of the Big Six energy companies on the availability of the cheapest energy tariff for existing customers.
Jesse Norman
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Ministers will be meeting with a number of energy supply companies in due course to discuss a wide range of issues. Government’s focus remains firmly on getting the best deal for consumers and ensuring the market works for everyone.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will meet the organisations who wrote to the Prime Minister about the Feed-in Tariff and its effect on local investment in renewable energy on 21 August and 9 October; and when the Prime Minister will respond to both of those letters.
Andrea Leadsom
DECC officials and Ministers have had extensive meetings with stakeholders from across the renewables industry during the feed-in tariff review consultation, including many of the organisations signing the letters of 21 August and 9 October. I held a roundtable in Parliament on Wednesday 21 October, with a wide ranging group of stakeholders. It was a highly productive meeting.
DECC replied to the letter of 21 August, and will respond to the letter of 9 October in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential economic benefit of carbon capture and storage being used as a means to increase oil and gas production from the UK Continental Shelf.
Andrea Leadsom
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has the potential to play an important role in enabling the UK to decarbonise its energy system. The Wood Review recognised that offshore storage of carbon dioxide could potentially benefit the UK continental shelf, and called for continued collaboration between industry, academia and DECC as the most appropriate means to realise the opportunity.
With the UK continental shelf now being one of the more mature offshore basins in the world, the Wood Review identified a range of key issues which the Government and industry must jointly address to deliver maximum economic recovery (MER) of UK petroleum, stressing the importance of a focused regulator. In accordance with the recommendations of the Wood Review, the Government is working to establish the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), as a body with the objective of delivering MER.
The Government has taken steps to set up the OGA quickly in accordance with the recommendations of the Wood Review, which continues to attract strong industry support. In addition to its role as licencing authority for offshore carbon dioxide storage, the OGA is developing the Sector Strategies called for by the Wood Review. In developing the Technology and Decommissioning Sector Strategies, the OGA is considering the potential for offshore storage of carbon dioxide to help achieve MER.
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques that utilise carbon dioxide may also have a role in increasing hydrocarbon recovery in future. In its Technology Sector Strategy, the OGA will consider the potential contribution that the various EOR technologies, including carbon dioxide EOR, could make towards MER.
The OGA’s key actions are already providing crucial support to the oil and gas industry. Without this, we risk premature decommissioning of the UK continental shelf, loss of stranded assets and loss of the key infrastructure and skills – including those which could ultimately promote the longevity of the industry through carbon dioxide storage projects. This underlines the importance of the OGA focusing upon maximising economic recovery and constructively engaging with the CCS industry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of mandatory regulation to stimulate volumes of installations of heat pumps.
Andrea Leadsom
DECC keeps under review all policies which might be needed to meet future carbon budgets in line with the requirements of the Climate Change Act, in its consideration of the advice from the Committee on Climate Change.
Reducing carbon emissions will require improved energy efficiency measures and changes to heating systems in buildings. The Government is committed to considering both together through a stable long-term framework which explores the potential role of regulation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if her Department will take steps to investigate how the administrative governance of installation of renewable energy systems could be simplified.
Andrea Leadsom
The development of a renewable energy installation has, by its nature, a degree of complexity. This can cover topics as diverse as the securing of planning permission, the granting of electricity generation licences, access to grid and administration of renewable energy financial incentives. Responsibility for these resides with a number of different regulatory authorities each of which have already put in place detailed guidance for applicants.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information her Department holds on the administrative costs to consumers and businesses of regulations which govern household renewable energy systems and energy efficiency.
Andrea Leadsom
Estimates of the administrative costs of major household renewable energy and energy efficiency schemes are typically published in impact assessments accompanying individual scheme regulations. Examples for two of the largest major domestic energy efficiency and renewable energy regulations can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/373650/ECO_IA_with_SoS_e-sigf_v2.pdf. In scheme reporting on administrative costs is also available quarterly at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Callum McCaig on 2015-10-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of the Carbon Capture and Storage on achieving maximum economic recovery of oil and gas in the North Sea.
Andrea Leadsom
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has the potential to play an important role in enabling the UK to decarbonise its energy system. The Wood Review recognised that offshore storage of carbon dioxide could potentially benefit the UK continental shelf, and called for continued collaboration between industry, academia and DECC as the most appropriate means to realise the opportunity.
With the UK continental shelf now being one of the more mature offshore basins in the world, the Wood Review identified a range of key issues which the Government and industry must jointly address to deliver maximum economic recovery (MER) of UK petroleum, stressing the importance of a focused regulator. In accordance with the recommendations of the Wood Review, the Government is working to establish the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), as a body with the objective of delivering MER.
The Government has taken steps to set up the OGA quickly in accordance with the recommendations of the Wood Review, which continues to attract strong industry support. In addition to its role as licencing authority for offshore carbon dioxide storage, the OGA is developing the Sector Strategies called for by the Wood Review. In developing the Technology and Decommissioning Sector Strategies, the OGA is considering the potential for offshore storage of carbon dioxide to help achieve MER.
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques that utilise carbon dioxide may also have a role in increasing hydrocarbon recovery in future. In its Technology Sector Strategy, the OGA will consider the potential contribution that the various EOR technologies, including carbon dioxide EOR, could make towards MER.
The OGA’s key actions are already providing crucial support to the oil and gas industry. Without this, we risk premature decommissioning of the UK continental shelf, loss of stranded assets and loss of the key infrastructure and skills – including those which could ultimately promote the longevity of the industry through carbon dioxide storage projects. This underlines the importance of the OGA focusing upon maximising economic recovery and constructively engaging with the CCS industry.