The Department regularly receives representations regarding safety, or other concerns, relating to shale gas development and exploration and we have produced a range of guidance material which set out how these concerns are addressed. These can be found at the following link:<\/p>
https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/providing-regulation-and-licensing-of-energy-industries-and-infrastructure/supporting-pages/developing-shale-gas-and-oil-in-the-uk<\/a><\/p> We have a strong regulatory framework in place to ensure a comprehensive regime for exploratory activities, and the UK has over 50 years of experience in oil and gas drilling. All of the right regulations are in place to ensure on-site safety, prevent water contamination, air pollution and mitigate seismic activity.<\/p> In June 2012 the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering published an independent review of the scientific and engineering evidence on risks associated with UK shale gas development. Their report concluded that environmental (and health and safety) risks can be managed effectively in the UK, when operational best practices are implemented and enforced through regulation.<\/p> In June 2014, Public Health England published a report that evaluated available evidence on issues including air quality, radon gas, naturally occurring radioactive materials, water contamination and waste water. They concluded that \u201cthe risks to public health from exposure to emissions from shale gas extraction are low if operations are properly run and regulated.\u201d<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-10T13:59:17.2803353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fracking"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent representations he has received on the safety concerns relating to fracking; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/384", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thirsk and Malton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Miss Anne McIntosh"}
], "uin" : "213684"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/114581", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/114581/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with aerospace and engineering companies who employ people in Bristol, such as Airbus and GKN. Most recently, he spoke with John Rishton, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce on 3rd November. I also speak to aerospace employers regularly, including through the Aerospace Growth Partnership.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Over the past year, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has visited Bristol on three separate occasions on 3 April, 7 July and 30 October. On 3 April he visited Redcliffe Precision, a small aerospace company, and he also met with West of England Local Enterprise Partnership which includes Bristol Airport and Airbus. On 7 July he visited Bristol Robotics Laboratory. On 30 October he spoke and participated at an event at the National Composites Centre involving around 350 representatives from a wide range of aerospace and engineering employers, including from Bristol.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-10T15:44:51.3154453Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Manufacturing Industries: Bristol"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Rolls Royce and (b) other aerospace and engineering employers in the Bristol region.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3933", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Charlotte Leslie"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol North West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Charlotte Leslie"}
], "uin" : "213601"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/114703", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/114703/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " National level lessons identified from Senator 2011 related specifically to the provision of scientific advice and the role of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).<\/p> The learning from Senator 2011 and other exercises has informed work, being undertaken as part of DECC\u2019s National Nuclear Emergency Planning and Response Programme, to continuously strengthen the mechanisms to provide scientific advice in a nuclear emergency.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-10T14:01:16.0287195Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nuclear Power"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department\u2019s Nuclear Emergency Planning and Response Programme made of the Ministry of Defence nuclear accident exercise Senator 2011; and what the recommendations and conclusions arising from that assessment are.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Flynn"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Flynn"}
], "uin" : "213649"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/114705", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/114705/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Officials from the Department meet regularly with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to discuss a range of issues on developing nuclear policy that the DECC nuclear NGO Forum decides are germane to its task.<\/p> A record of concerns raised, agreed actions and progress against actions for the DECC nuclear NGO Forum meetings are set out in the minutes of meetings which can be found at the following link:<\/p>