Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the potential volume of waste water from hydraulic fracturing operations in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the government's energy policy. Choose one
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead and Government encourages this. Further exploration will be needed to determine the amount of waste water which would be created by future shale gas development.
Future treatment capacity, cost and its expansion is a matter for the shale gas and waste water industries. Both businesses proposing to explore for oil and gas using hydraulic fracturing, and operators carrying out treatment of any wastes generated, require environmental permits from the Environment Agency, which are subject to a detailed site-specific assessment. The permits set legally binding conditions on how activities are carried out so that the local environment is protected.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the potential number of waste water facilities that will be needed to (a) treat and (b) dispose of waste water generated from hydraulic fracturing operations in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the Government's energy policy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead and Government encourages this.
Further exploration will be needed to determine the amount of waste water facilities which would be required for future shale gas development.
Future treatment capacity is a matter for the shale gas and waste water industries. Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations shale gas operators are required to check the capacity of appropriate waste disposal facilities. If operators cannot demonstrate an appropriate disposal route to the Environment Agency during the environmental permitting process it is likely to refuse their application.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the potential amount of (a) waste water sludge, (b) sand and (c) filter cake produced from (i) hydraulic fracturing operations and (ii) associated water treatment in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the Government's energy policy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead and Government encourages this. Further exploration will be needed to determine the amount of waste water sludge, sand and filter cake which would be created by future shale gas development. Future waste water treatment capacity and its expansion to meet hydraulic fracturing needs is a matter for the industry.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the number of landfill sites needed to dispose of (a) waste water sludge, (b) sand and (c) filter cake produced from (i) hydraulic fracturing operations and (ii) associated water treatment in the event that the industry develops as proposed in the Government's energy policy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK shale gas industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much shale gas it will be possible to technologically and commercially extract from UK shale reserves. In order to determine the potential of the industry and the benefits it could bring the UK, we need exploration to go ahead, and Government encourages this. Further exploration will be needed to determine the number of landfill sites required to dispose of waste water sludge, sand and filter cake which would be created by future shale gas development. Future waste treatment capacity and its expansion to meet hydraulic fracturing needs is a matter for the industry.
Under Environmental Permitting Regulations, shale gas operators are required to check the capacity of appropriate waste disposal facilities. If operators cannot demonstrate an appropriate disposal route to the Environment Agency during the environmental permitting process, it is likely to refuse their application.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
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 number of universal waste water treatments sites that are (a) capable and (b) permitted to treat all variations of waste water content generated from hydraulic fracturing operations.
Answered by Claire Perry
There are five sites in England with the necessary permits to treat all variations of waste water content generated from hydraulic fracturing. In addition, there are other sites around the country which, subject to obtaining the relevant permits, could accept and treat waste water from hydraulic fracturing.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many waste water facilities in the UK are permitted to treat waste water from hydraulic fracturing operations.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
This is a devolved matter and the below information relates to England only.
There are currently five facilities in England with the appropriate environmental permits that would allow for the treatment of the waste water from hydraulic fracturing. There are a large number of sites around the country which, subject to obtaining the relevant permits, could accept and treat waste water from hydraulic fracturing.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many landfill sites in the UK are permitted to dispose of (a) waste water sludge, (b) sand and (c) filter cake produced from hydraulic fracturing operations.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Any sand or sludge resulting from hydraulic fracturing operations will form in the filter cake that is produced as part of the waste water treatment process. This solid waste needs to be tested to determine if it is hazardous or non-hazardous before it can be disposed of at a landfill site. Depending on the results, the filter cake can be sent to any landfill site that has the necessary permits in place. There are currently 21 hazardous waste landfill sites and 245 non-hazardous waste landfill sites permitted in England.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what process did waste water go through in order to be (a) treated and (b) disposed of following hydraulic fracturing operations in 2018.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The waste water from hydraulic fracturing was treated using a physio-chemical process involving the precipitation and filtration of metal solids. Two waste streams are produced from this treatment process – liquid effluent and solid filter cake. The liquid effluent is tested to ensure it complies with the strict limits of the trade effluent consent, and then disposed of to foul sewer. It then undergoes further treatment at the sewage treatment works, prior to discharge. The filter cake is tested to determine if it is hazardous or non-hazardous, and then sent to a suitably permitted landfill site.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what customs checks are performed at Dover Port on outgoing freight traffic; what the average time taken for such checks is per vehicle; what customs checks he plans to carry out in the event that the UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019 without an agreement for (a) vehicles with no export documentation, (b) vehicles which have completed a customs declaration on the New Computerised Transit System and (c) vehicles operating under the Transports Internationaux Routiers Treaty and with a customs declaration made on the new transit system; and if he will make a statement
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Times for customs checks at Dover will vary depending on the nature of the goods exported. Currently, customs checks are carried out on non-EU goods only which makes up a small proportion of Dover exports. Customs clearance is highly automated and, overall, around 96% of declarations are cleared within 20 seconds.
Border Force is responsible for customs matters at the border, which includes carrying out customs checks on exported goods and goods in transit. For Dover, the majority of customs checks are performed at inland sites away from the port, such as at Stop 24.
The Government has agreed an extension with the EU to the date of EU Exit to the end of October 2019 at the latest. However, the Government’s priority remains to leave, with a deal, as soon as possible.
As a responsible Government we have been working to minimise any disruption in the event of no deal for over 2 years. Due to the extension that has now been agreed, all departments will review their current plans and make appropriate decisions about the timing and pace at which some of this work is progressing. We will continue to prepare for all Brexit scenarios.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the New Computerised Transit System incorporates an interface with Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
There is currently no interface between the New Computerised Transit System and the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system.