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178121

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which body will maintain and regulate the seismic activities of companies fracking at depth for shale gas and intervene in the event of 0.5 on the Richter scale being reached.
tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
uin	223604
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The Department of Energy and Climate Change will maintain and regulate controls to mitigate risks of seismic activity, including requiring developers to submit a Hydraulic Fracturing Plan providing for a traffic light system.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 23/02/2015 09:56:05 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

177701

registered interest
date	04/02/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the risks posed by wells abandoned after use for high volume hydraulic fracturing.
tabling member constituency	Wells
tabling member printed	Tessa Munt
uin	223322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2015 answer text <p>The current regulatory framework requires that wells are made safe so that they can be decommissioned securely. Few instances are known of problems with decommissioned wells, and none of significant pollution caused by decommissioned wells.</p><p>When operations finish, the licensee (and there may be more than one for each licence) is responsible for safe decommissioning of the well(s) and for restoring the well-site to its previous state or a suitable condition for re-use.</p><p>The key aim of the procedure for decommissioning a well is to ensure that the well will require no further work and ensure that it is permanently sealed.</p><p>The Health and Safety Executive scrutinises the design of all wells prior to any construction taking place. It also monitors well construction and will undertake joint visits to all new shale gas and oil wells with the Environment Agency. HSE also scrutinises the decommissioning/ abandonment process in the same way.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 10/02/2015 12:13:55 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 43684 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	4089 label Biography information for Tessa Munt

177705

registered interest
date	04/02/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, over what period of time, at what time intervals, at which depths and for which substances he plans to monitor wells abandoned after use for high volume hydraulic fracturing.
tabling member constituency	Wells
tabling member printed	Tessa Munt
uin	223324
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2015 answer text <p>The aim of the current regulatory framework is that wells are made safe so that they can be decommissioned with no need for on-going attention. In the UK very few instances are known of problems with decommissioned wells, and none of significant pollution caused by decommissioned wells.</p><p>There is, however, a case for further quality assurance, with some period of monitoring post-decommissioning. We are discussing suitable arrangements with regulators and industry. As regards monitoring of the site restoration, this is a matter for the planning authority.</p><p>In the 2014 Autumn Statement, the Government announced £31 million funding for a world-leading facility for research, technology and monitoring of the subsurface that will provide openly available data for academia, industry and regulators. The independent research will provide an evidence base for better regulation and to reassure the public that subsurface developments can be safe.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 10/02/2015 12:14:25 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 43689 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	4089 label Biography information for Tessa Munt

177834

registered interest
date	04/02/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Government response to the report from the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society on shale gas extraction in the UK: a review of hydraulic fracturing, published in December 2012, how many of the recommendations in that report which were accepted by the Government have been implemented.
tabling member constituency	Wells
tabling member printed	Tessa Munt
uin	223406
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The Government accepted all of Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering’s recommendations made in their report. We have implemented the majority of recommendations in full, for example:</p><p>· We have introduced a requirement, through the Infrastructure Act, that the Secretary of State will not issue a hydraulic fracturing consent unless a range of conditions have been met. These include that appropriate arrangements have been made for the monitoring of emissions of methane into the air, the independent inspection of the integrity of the relevant well and for the environmental impact to be taken into account by the local planning authority.</p><p>· The British Geological Survey has published regional data on tectonic history and faulting in many prospective areas and DECC set out new requirements for operators to control seismic risks, including a ‘traffic light’ system to pause or halt fracking if unusual seismic activity is detected.</p><p>· DECC now requires operators to compile an Environmental Risk Assessment, with the participation of the local community, at an early stage of developing shale gas projects. This is in addition to extensive guidance to drive high standards throughout the lifecycle of a project.</p><p>· The Infrastructure Act includes the requirement for relevant water companies to be statutory consultees.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to respond as exploratory wells provide more data and information. For example, DECC is working with the industry to develop appropriate monitoring for the period after production ceases and the well is decommissioned.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 23/02/2015 15:56:51 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock previous answer version 43697 answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	4089 label Biography information for Tessa Munt

177486

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the Government is a party to the Shale Community Engagement Charter.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	223002
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2015 answer text <p>No. The Shale Community Engagement Charter is an industry led commitment. The Government tabled an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill on 5 February which would require a community benefits scheme to be in place before my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State gives consent for hydraulic fracturing.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 11/02/2015 12:33:57 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

177487

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which organisation is responsible for carrying out environmental impact assessments for hydraulic fracturing developments.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	223033
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>Where an environmental impact assessment is required, the applicant must produce an environmental statement to accompany the planning application. The local planning authority will consider the environmental statement and other relevant information when determining the planning application.</p><p> </p><p>We do not hold information on the likely future annual costs of environmental impact assessments in respect of hydraulic fracturing development. Estimating annual costs would be difficult given uncertainties over the number of proposals coming forward each year. Additionally the costs of individual environmental impact assessments will depend on factors such as the scope and level of detail of the information required to assess the likely significant environmental effects of the proposal and will vary on a case by case basis</p><p> </p><p>The majority of the cost in respect of an environmental impact assessment will be borne by the applicant. The industry has already committed to undertake environmental impact assessment for any exploration well that involves hydraulic fracturing.</p><p> </p><p>A Government amendment to the Infrastructure Bill requires that, before issuing consent for associated hydraulic fracturing, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change must be satisfied that the environmental impact of the development has been taken into account by the local planning authority.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 222999 question first answered 12/02/2015 17:20:28 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 43592 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

177495

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency has the power to require baseline monitoring of (a) groundwater and (b) air quality (i) before a consent for a hydraulic fracturing development is given and (ii) after such consent has been given but before the commencement of any such fracturing.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	223228
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The Environment Agency has the powers under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (EPRs) to require baseline monitoring of groundwater and air quality for each site proposing to undertake hydraulic fracturing.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>All oil and gas exploratory sites need permits under the EPRs. Any requirements for baseline monitoring would be made pre-operational conditions of the environmental permit with which the operator has to comply before hydraulic fracturing can commence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 09/02/2015 17:15:42 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

177499

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the specific remit is of (a) her Department and (b) its agencies in relation to hydraulic fracturing.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	223003
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>Defra is responsible for the environmental aspects of shale gas policy, with the exception of climate change and seismicity issues, on which the Department of Energy and Climate Change leads. Defra responsibility extends to England only, as environmental policy is a devolved matter.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency is the environmental regulator in England. The Environment Agency ensures that operations are conducted in a way that protects both people and the environment.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>Natural England plays a role within the planning process. This includes consideration of landscape and biodiversity impacts where appropriate, as both a statutory consultee and as an advisor to developers pre-application.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 09/02/2015 12:28:27 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

177500

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward proposals to amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (S.I., 2010 No. 675) in relation to hydraulic fracturing.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	223001
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>There are no immediate plans to amend the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. There is already a robust regulatory regime in place for shale gas exploration activities. However, we keep the regulatory framework, including the EPRs, under review to ensure that the shale gas industry will continue to be regulated robustly as it develops.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 09/02/2015 16:42:51 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

177501

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fracking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) continuous and (b) baseline monitoring arrangements are in place for fugitive emissions for hydraulic fracturing; and which body conducts that monitoring.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	223004
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>All oil and gas exploratory sites need permits under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (EPRs).</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>As part of the application process for an environmental permit operators must provide a site condition report detailing the condition of the site prior to the commencement of any operations. This will include the condition of air, surface and groundwater quality, and the prevailing soil quality. It will provide the baseline data that will be used to determine if there has been any deterioration in the land when an operator applies to the Environment Agency to surrender the permit. The Environment Agency will assess this data against its environmental databases and those of others, such as the survey recently conducted by the British Geological Survey to establish baseline levels of methane in groundwater.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>It is the operator's responsibility to comply with the conditions of the permit, including any specified monitoring conditions. The permit will specify the type, frequency and determinants to be monitored throughout the operational life of the site. The Environment Agency may undertake spot checks and carry out additional monitoring.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 09/02/2015 17:18:22 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner