Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
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 performance of the Groceries Code Adjudicator in addressing the challenges faced by suppliers to UK groceries retailers in the current climate of rising input costs; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government has noted that the results of the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s (GCA) 2022 Groceries Sector Survey suggest an increase in Groceries Code non-compliance and we encourage suppliers to raise concerns, in confidence, with the Adjudicator.
The Government welcomes the seven golden rules that the GCA has published to help retailers consider cost price increase requests from suppliers efficiently and fairly.
The third statutory review of the GCA’s effectiveness in enforcing the Code is currently underway and the Secretary of State’s report on the review will be published and laid before Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the challenges faced by suppliers to UK groceries retailers in the current climate of rising input costs, in light of reports of increased retailer non-compliance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government has noted that the results of the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s (GCA) 2022 Groceries Sector Survey suggest an increase in Groceries Code non-compliance and we encourage suppliers to raise concerns, in confidence, with the Adjudicator.
The Government welcomes the seven golden rules that the GCA has published to help retailers consider cost price increase requests from suppliers efficiently and fairly.
The third statutory review of the GCA’s effectiveness in enforcing the Code is currently underway and the Secretary of State’s report on the review will be published and laid before Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 6 October to Question 53356 on Fossil Fuels, what data was the basis for his calculation that production emissions from oil and gas will be compatible with carbon budgets under the 2008 Climate Act; and if he will place a copy of that data in the House of Commons Library.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Net Zero Strategy sets out the UK’s planned emissions pathway with carbon budget targets under the 2008 Climate Change Act. The data set is publicly available.
The Net Zero Strategy pathway considers both emissions from unabated oil and gas consumption and emissions associated with domestic production of oil and gas.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many unplanned hydrocarbon releases at North Sea oil and gas facilities there were in (a) 2021, (b) 2020 and (c) 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
There were 274, 203 and 244 unplanned releases of oil from North Sea oil and gas facilities reported to the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment & Decommissioning (OPRED), in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively. The vast majority were less than 50 litres. Gaseous hydrocarbon releases are reported separately to the Health & Safety Executive.
OPRED undertakes around 100 inspections of offshore installations annually in order to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, which includes the prevention of unplanned releases. OPRED investigates all reported releases and takes enforcement action where appropriate, including issuing financial penalties or referral for prosecution.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to withdraw the UK from the Energy Charter Treaty.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Contracting Parties to the ECT will decide whether to adopt the modernised Energy Charter Treaty at the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November, with decisions regarding Treaty ratification thereafter. The Government is closely monitoring all developments in the Energy Charter Treaty and taking these into account in its own interaction with the modernisation process.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the answer of 28 September to Question 51588 on Coal: Mining, what estimate he has made of how much coal is needed (a) up to and (b) after 2024 for (i) heritage railways and (ii) cement; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department has not produced estimates of future coal use by industry. There are statistics on supply and demand for coal and manufactured solid fuels published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solid-fuels-and-derived-gases-chapter-2-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes.
The Hon. Member may also be interested in the House of Lords debate on the heritage steam sector from May this year: https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2022-05-18/debates/A688680D-19C8-4893-8FE3-2AB9D452F511/HeritageSteamSectorCoal.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
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 new licencing round for 898 blocks in the North Sea, if he will publish a list of the pollutants which could be released into the marine environment from oil and gas exploration, drilling, and transportation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has undertaken an Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (OESEA4) of a draft plan for licensing and leasing areas for future offshore energy developments including offshore oil and gas, offshore gas and carbon dioxide storage, offshore renewables, and offshore hydrogen, in relevant waters of the UK Continental Shelf.
Public consultation on the OESEA4 Environmental Report took place between 17 March and 27 May 2022. The Government response to the OESEA4 was published in September 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-offshore-energy-strategic-environmental-assessment-4-oesea4.
A Written Ministerial Statement adopting the plan was made in September 2022: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-09-22/hcws295.
In advance of any licence award, as part of the 33rd Offshore Oil and gas Licensing Round, a further Habitats Regulations Assessment will be undertaken.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the new oil and gas licensing round for 898 blocks and part blocks in the North Sea on the likelihood of achieving Good Environmental Status for the Underwater Noise descriptor; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has undertaken an Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (OESEA4) of a draft plan for licensing and leasing areas for future offshore energy developments including offshore oil and gas, offshore gas and carbon dioxide storage, offshore renewables, and offshore hydrogen, in relevant waters of the UK Continental Shelf.
Public consultation on the OESEA4 Environmental Report took place between 17 March and 27 May 2022. The Government response to the OESEA4 was published in September 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-offshore-energy-strategic-environmental-assessment-4-oesea4.
A Written Ministerial Statement adopting the plan was made in September 2022: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-09-22/hcws295.
In advance of any licence award, as part of the 33rd Offshore Oil and gas Licensing Round, a further Habitats Regulations Assessment will be undertaken.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
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 new licencing round for 898 blocks in the North Sea, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on whales and dolphins of new seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has undertaken an Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (OESEA4) of a draft plan for licensing and leasing areas for future offshore energy developments including offshore oil and gas, offshore gas and carbon dioxide storage, offshore renewables, and offshore hydrogen, in relevant waters of the UK Continental Shelf.
Public consultation on the OESEA4 Environmental Report took place between 17 March and 27 May 2022. The Government response to the OESEA4 was published in September 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-offshore-energy-strategic-environmental-assessment-4-oesea4.
A Written Ministerial Statement adopting the plan was made in September 2022: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-09-22/hcws295.
In advance of any licence award, as part of the 33rd Offshore Oil and gas Licensing Round, a further Habitats Regulations Assessment will be undertaken.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the three-yearly statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator will be completed; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is currently undertaking the third statutory review of the effectiveness of the Groceries Code Adjudicator in enforcing the Groceries Supply Code of Practice and is considering the results of the public consultation that ended on 11 October. A report on the findings of the statutory review will be published and laid before Parliament in due course.