1 10 0 1 To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2019 to Question 255376, what assessment he has made of the effect of Official Development Assistance spending on shale gas development on (a) the Chinese fracking industry and (b) the environment. 16 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 257570 2019-06-05T11:13:49.587Z Cities of London and Westminster Mark Field false 2019-06-05 Biography information for Mark Field <p>There have been three Official Development Assistance projects related to unconventional gas in China, which have focused on ensuring a sustainable, responsible approach to China's planned development of its shale gas resources and helping accelerate the transition away from coal as an energy source. The first project supported the development of improved standards for local and community engagement with large infrastructure projects, including shale gas. The second project supported Sichuan Province in China to develop shale gas in a sustainable way by improving its environmental protection and mineral rights regulation. The third produced a scoping study to advise Her Majesty's Government on options for future Prosperity Fund projects with China on shale gas. Outcomes recorded from these, now-completed, projects include 1) increased understanding of international standards for public engagement related to energy infrastructure, 2) endorsement by the Sichuan Energy Bureau and Sichuan Environmental Protection Bureau of policy recommendations supporting the development of the first set of provincial environmental regulations for shale gas in China, and 3) improved understanding of the barriers to development of the Chinese shale gas industry, including the lack of a coherent environmental framework.</p> 2019-05-22 Alex Norris false Foreign and Commonwealth Office Fracking Nottingham North 1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Biography information for Alex Norris House of Commons