The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he expects to publish the British Geological Survey’s assessment of the hydrocarbon resources in the Weald area of the south of England.
Michael Fallon
The British Geological Survey Weald Basin Report has been published and can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/shalegas/
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps his Department is taking to simplify regulations applying to the UK’s shale gas industry.
Michael Fallon
The Department works closely with the relevant regulators and industry to ensure that the regulatory system is as streamlined as possible, whilst remaining robust enough to safeguard public safety and the environment.
In order to help companies navigate our regulatory system, the Department published in December a Regulatory Roadmap setting out all the regulation that applies to shale at the exploration stage.
We have already reduced unnecessary duplication in the regulatory system for shale gas, clarifying and streamlining the regulation of exploration activity through the Environment Agency, including developing a single application form for permits. The average waiting time for environmental permits for onshore oil and gas is 8 to 9 weeks. We will introduce standard rules environmental permits later this year cutting permitting times for low risk activities to 2-4 weeks.
The Department of Communities and Local Government published planning guidance for onshore oil & gas projects last July, which makes clear that planning authorities when assessing applications should assume that the environmental and health and safety regulatory regimes operate effectively rather than duplicating effort.
We are also consulting on proposals designed to simplify current procedures for obtaining access to underground land. This consultation is open until the 15th August and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, could lead to legislative proposals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-25.
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will take steps to establish a Cabinet Committee chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to direct and co-ordinate policy on the development of shale gas.
Mr David Cameron
Issues relating to shale gas are considered at a number of Cabinet Committees including the Economic Affairs and Growth and Enterprise Committees.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2015-02-20.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many teenage girls and women died in each of the last five years from toxic shock syndrome caused by tampon use.
Mr Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-07-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of (a) the tobacco industry and (b) tobacco control charities to discuss proposals for legislation on plain packaging of cigarettes in the last 12 months.
Jane Ellison
Details of Ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are published quarterly in arrears on the Gov.UK website at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-2012-to-2013
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people arrived at Heathrow Airport without travel documents in the last year for which figures are available.
James Brokenshire
This information is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which people from Wales responded to the consultation on the relaxation of licensing hours during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Norman Baker
The Government received 25 responses to the online consultation on the
relaxation of licensing hours during the FIFA World Cup from respondents who
identified themselves as living or working in Wales. This included nine from
members of the public, seven from licensing authorities, three from the
licensed trade or trade organisations and two from the police and four from
‘other’. The response to the consultation is available online at the gov.uk
website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons condensing oil and liquefied petroleum gas condensing boilers were excluded from being eligible technologies for the purposes of the receipt of monies from the Green Deal Improvement Fund.
Gregory Barker
DECC has introduced the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme to support renewable heating systems. The RHI aims to compensate householders for the additional costs they face when installing a renewable heating system compared to an oil heating system. The domestic RHI is targeted at, but not limited to, homes off the gas grid. Incentivising oil and LPG boilers in this context would undermine the design of the RHI, and potentially cause confusion for consumers. For more vulnerable customers, support is available through the Energy Company Obligation, with proposals to strengthen this support for off-grid properties. For these reasons, DECC considers it appropriate to exclude these heating measures from the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will bring forward proposals to encourage households off the mains gas grid to use condensing boilers.
Michael Fallon
The Government fully recognises that Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and oil, like other fossil fuels, will continue to play a part in the UK’s energy mix, while the way we heat our homes changes. DECC has introduced the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme to support renewable heating systems. The domestic RHI is targeted predominately at off gas-grid households, by compensating for the additional costs faced when replacing an oil boiler with a renewable heating system. New incentives for oil and LPG boilers would undermine the balance struck in the design of the RHI, and potentially cause confusion for consumers.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) will continue to support oil and LPG condensing boilers for low income and vulnerable households. By February this year around 320,000 households were helped under ECO. We are making changes to ECO to provide a greater incentive for targeting measures at off-gas grid households.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on beak trimming of chickens; and if he will make a statement.
George Eustice
The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2010 restricts the method used for the routine beak trimming of laying hens to infra-red technology only. The Government is also working with the Beak Trimming Action Group, which includes representatives from industry, welfare groups and scientists, to find ways to manage flocks of birds without the need to beak trim. Defra is currently funding a peer reviewed research study to assess the effectiveness of management strategies in reducing injurious pecking in non-beak trimmed laying hens. The results of this pilot study and all other available evidence will feed into a review in 2015.