Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the local economy of his Department's decision to not support a finance package for Sirius Minerals' Woodsmith Mine project.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Sirius Minerals have recently made a statement to adjust their work programme and undertake a strategic review of the project. The Government will continue to monitor the progress of the work. Sirius Minerals have stated they will continue to find alternative sources of investment so that they can complete the Woodsmith Mine project.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to Sirius Minerals PLC of the decision by his Department not to support a finance package for that company's Woodsmith Mine project.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Sirius Minerals have recently made a statement to adjust their work programme and undertake a strategic review of the project. The Government will continue to monitor the progress of the work. Sirius Minerals have stated they will continue to find alternative sources of investment so that they can complete the Woodsmith Mine project.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Government’s target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, by how much her Department plans to increase the proportion of green gas in the gas network; and if she will bring forward proposals to amend Section 3 of the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996 to prepare for the increased use of green gas in the grid.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
In this year’s Spring Statement, the Government stated our commitment to accelerating the decarbonisation of our gas supplies by increasing the proportion of green gas in the grid and to consult on the appropriate mechanism to deliver this commitment later this year.
The Gas Safety (Management) Regulations are the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive. Officials continue to engage with the HSE to support their ongoing assessment of proposals to amend Section 3 of the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations.
Asked by: Anna Turley (Labour (Co-op) - Redcar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the H21 North of England report by H21 et al. published in November 2018, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the proposals in that report to convert the gas networks across the North of England to hydrogen.
Answered by Claire Perry
I welcome the contribution this study makes to the evidence base on the potential approaches to decarbonising how we heat our homes, businesses and industry. There is no clear consensus on how best to decarbonise heat at scale. Using the gas grid to transport hydrogen is one of several potential approaches, which include heat networks, heat pumps and biogas. The government's review of the evidence base on approaches to decarbonising heat is set out in our report ‘Clean Growth: Transforming Heating’.