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46512

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
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 assessment he has made of the costs of the regulation and monitoring of exploration and extraction of unconventional gas (a) at each drilling site and (b) the exploration in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Tom Greatrex
uin	194851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Environment Agency raises charges for environmental permits and licences at the individual sites it regulates in England. The costs can vary depending on the nature of the site and the permits required. The shale gas industry remains at an early exploration stage and the Agency will keep its charges under review in light of developments. The annual budget the Environment Agency receives is adequate to ensure that sufficient money is allocated to costs associated with regulating the industry and for monitoring of sites during the exploration phase. As the industry develops over the next few decades appropriate funds will continue to be available to ensure the safe and sustainable exploitation of shale gas.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	4047 label Biography information for Tom Greatrex

46513

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy that costs associated with the regulation and monitoring of exploration and extraction of unconventional gas are levied on industry.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Tom Greatrex
uin	194844
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p>The issue of environmental licences and permits at individual shale gas sites is financed through the Environment Agency's charges. The shale gas industry remains at an early exploration stage and the Agency will keep its charges under review in light of developments. In the meantime, the Environment Agency will ensure that it allocates sufficient resources within its overall budget to regulate a safe and sustainable shale gas industry.</p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	4047 label Biography information for Tom Greatrex

46514

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
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) amount and (b) proportion of the budget of the Environment Agency is allocated to staff and other departmental costs associated with the regulation of hydraulic fracturing and unconventional gas in each year between 2010-11 and 2014-15.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Tom Greatrex
uin	194845
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency does not keep separate records of its regulatory costs for hydraulic fracturing and unconventional gas so we cannot provide figures for previous years.</p><p>For 2014-15 the Environment Agency has allocated £2.6 million to its work on onshore oil and gas. This is 0.39% of the Environment Agency's total revenue budget.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	4047 label Biography information for Tom Greatrex

46515

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff of the Environment Agency are engaged in regulation of hydraulic fracturing and unconventional gas.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Tom Greatrex
uin	194846
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Environment Agency has set up a team of ten national officers working full time to develop the regulatory regime for oil and gas activities. This work covers conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This team is supported by additional technical resource from elsewhere in the organisation. The workload fluctuates and these specialists are not solely dedicated to regulating and permitting unconventional activities. It is therefore not possible to give an exact answer, but the Environment Agency estimate that approximately a further 40 staff are currently involved in this work across England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	4047 label Biography information for Tom Greatrex

46516

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
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 income raised from rod licence sales in Wales will continue to be hypothecated for the protection and improvement of fisheries in Wales.
tabling member constituency	Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
tabling member printed	Simon Hart
uin	194867
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Freshwater fisheries is a devolved issue. Natural Resources Wales has responsibility for administering rod licences in Wales.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Camborne and Redruth answering member printed George Eustice question first answered 09/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3934 label Biography information for George Eustice
tabling member	3944 label Biography information for Simon Hart

46517

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
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 percentage change there has been in the average cost of a water bill in each year since 2011.
tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
tabling member printed	Mark Tami
uin	194917
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p /> <p>Water prices in England and Wales are reviewed by the independent economic regulator Ofwat every five years. Water prices for the 2010 to 2015 period were set in Ofwat's 2009 water price review.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>The percentage change in the average cost (in real prices) of a combined water and sewerage bill in England and Wales during the 2010-2015 period is as follows: -0.6% (2010/11), 0.2% (2011/12), -0.1% (2012/13). The forecast for 2013/14 is 0.5% and for 2014/15 around 2%. The changes year on year usually relate to the profile of water industry investment agreed in the 2009 price review. For 2014/15, water companies are taking steps to hold customer bills down and in some cases are giving up price increases that were allowed for in 2009.</p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p> </p><p /> <p>Ofwat's 2014 water price review is now underway and will determine water prices for the 2015 to 2020 period. Most water companies are proposing flat or declining bills from 2015.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

46518

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
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 recent discussions he has had with representatives of the water industry to discuss the cost of water bills.
tabling member constituency	Alyn and Deeside
tabling member printed	Mark Tami
uin	194918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Secretary of State discussed the cost of water bills when he met water industry representatives in July 2013. He emphasised the need to secure the best deal possible for customers while continuing to attract essential investment in the long-term resilience of the sector. He sent a follow up letter in November 2013.</p><p>As the independent economic regulator for the water industry, Ofwat reviews water prices every five years. Securing a fair balance between the needs of water companies and their customers is central to Ofwat's approach to the price review.</p><p>Water companies have now submitted their business plans to Ofwat to inform the 2014 price review. The plans set out how they intend to meet their obligations to customers and the environment during the 2015 to 2020 period. Most water companies are proposing flat or declining bills from 2015.</p><p>Water UK has also announced that most water companies will be holding bills below the rate of inflation in 2014/15, the final year of the price and investment package agreed in 2009.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	1383 label Biography information for Mark Tami

46519

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff at the Environment Agency are working on the regulation of fracking in England and Wales; and what reductions in the budget of the Environment Agency have affected people working on that regulation.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	194988
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Environment Agency has set up a team of ten national officers working full time to develop the regulatory regime for oil and gas activities. This work covers conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This team is supported by additional technical resource from elsewhere in the organisation. The workload fluctuates and these specialists are not solely dedicated to regulating and permitting unconventional activities. It is therefore not possible to give an exact answer, but the Agency estimates that approximately 40 further members of staff are currently involved in this work across England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UK Government policy is to ensure the shale industry is able to develop in a safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible way within a well-regulated environment. Regulating the industry will remain a priority for the Environment Agency. Funding for setting up the regulatory regime comes from Defra grant-in-aid. Work to regulate individual sites is financed through the charges the Environment Agency raises for environmental permits and licences, supported where necessary by the grant-in-aid.</p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 11/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

46520

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the Environment Agency's budget he proposes will be spent on its role as the regulator for fracking in England and Wales in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16 and (c) 2016-17.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	194989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Environment Agency does not record separately the regulatory costs of hydraulic fracturing in England. For 2014-15 the Environment Agency has allocated £2.6 million to its work on regulating onshore oil and gas. This is 0.39% of the Environment Agency's total revenue budget.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Budgets for 2015 -16 and 2016-17 have not yet been confirmed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

46521

registered interest
date	02/04/2014
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
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 expertise the Environment Agency has on (a) onshore oil and gas exploration, (b) fracking, (c) the disposal of waste products including fugitive emissions resulting from onshore oil and gas exploration and (d) safety management of oil and gas drilling including well casing.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	194990
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Environment Agency has been regulating the existing onshore oil and gas industry for many years and has extensive experience and expertise in this area.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency has been developing its approach to the regulation of the unconventional oil and gas sector for more than two years. It uses its extensive knowledge of regulating the existing onshore oil and gas industry, and environmental regulation more generally, to regulate this emerging industry. The Agency has undertaken a full assessment of the risks and learnt from experience in other countries.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Environment Agency regulates the management of waste, including fugitive emissions, under the Mining Waste Directive. Operators must develop and submit a Waste Management Plan with their permit application. They must set out how they will minimise waste and dispose of it safely. Environment Agency staff have extensive experience of regulating waste management activities at other sites, including the active management of landfill gas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Health and Safety Executive regulates the health and safety risks to people from oil and gas drilling.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle