Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
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 Governance Code for Public Appointments, whether he has had any discussions with Cabinet colleagues and officials on Lord Deben's suitability as Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change.
Answered by Claire Perry
Lord Deben’s appointment as Chair of the Committee on Climate Change was made in line with Cabinet Office propriety and ethics standards.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
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 publish all correspondence between Lord Deben and his Department on the use of renewable energy and electric vehicles.
Answered by Claire Perry
It is normal practice that the Committee on Climate Change publish their advice to Government, including on the use of renewable energy and electric vehicles, on their website.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has received any assurances from the Chair of the Climate Change Committee on potential conflicts of interests arising from his involvement with Sancroft International.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Chair of the Committee on Climate Change declared his interests with Sancroft International as part of his appointment process in 2012.
We have received assurances from the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change on their processes for managing potential conflicts of interests. These include a clear policy on conflicts of interests, publication of members’ interests, and actively inviting information on actual or perceived conflicts as the first agenda item at each Committee meeting.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received from (a) Members of Parliament, (b) Dorset County Council, (c) Poole Borough Council, (d) Bournemouth Borough Council and (e) district councils in Dorset on the proposal by Corallian Engery Ltd to drill an appraisal well in the Colter Prospect in Bournemouth Bay.
Answered by Claire Perry
Representations were received from my rt. Hon. Friends the Members for New Forest East, South Holland and The Deepings, and Bournemouth East; and my hon. Friends the Members for Bournemouth West, and Meon Valley. The concerns related, in particular, to the perceived sensitivity of the proposed well location, potential effects on tourism and leisure activities and also potential effects on local seahorse populations. Additional concerns cited related to the potential impact of a major oil spill and the policy of continued exploitation of fossil fuels.
A representation was received from Dorset County Council confirming that there was no objection in relation to landscape and seascape impacts, due to the short-term nature of the operations. Representations was also received from the Borough of Poole Council and Bournemouth Borough Council on concerns regarding the effects on tourism, the risk of a vessel collision with the drilling rig in poor weather or storm conditions, and potential impacts on water quality from operational marine discharges that could affect the area’s ‘Blue Flag’ beaches.
No representations were received from district councils in Dorset.