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 23 March 2021 to Question 169005 on Biofuels, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had on biomass with (i) NGOs, (ii) Drax and (iii) industry representatives since 1 September 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Sustainable biomass is making an important contribution in our efforts to decarbonise the economy. The Ministerial team have met with a number of organisations to discuss biomass, and biomethane at least 8 times during the period in question. This is a broad and wide ranging area which may also have featured in other ministerial meetings.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy regularly publishes a list of ministerial meetings which can be accessed here, https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings.
The previous answer referred to the forthcoming Biomass Call for Evidence. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has now launched a Call for Evidence to seek the views of interested parties on the future role of sustainable biomass. The Call for Evidence, which closes on 15 June, can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/role-of-biomass-in-achieving-net-zero-call-for-evidence.