Oral Answers to Questions

Mike Weir Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Amber Rudd]

As I just said, the Government are absolutely committed to helping the most vulnerable. Although we reduced the charges on bills to look after consumers and taxpayers generally, we were absolutely clear that the most vulnerable people would not be affected. The section of the ECO that is dedicated to helping the most vulnerable people remains in place and continues to provide support.

[Mr Mike Weir (Angus) (SNP)]

8. How many licences for onshore oil and gas exploration in Scotland have been granted by his Department in the last five years.

[The Minister for Business and Enterprise (Matthew Hancock)]

In the past five years, the number of onshore licences for oil and gas exploration that have been granted in Scotland is zero.

[Mr Weir]

The Minister is aware that the Smith commission has recommended that the powers in relation to unconventional oil and gas be transferred to the Scottish Parliament where planning permission already rests. Will he press for an early transfer of those powers?

--- Later in debate ---

[Matthew Hancock]

Absolutely. My first act in this job was to strengthen the planning guidance and rules on the extraction of onshore oil and gas in national parks, AONBs and other places. That is an important reassurance to those who live in the most beautiful parts of our country that planning considerations for onshore oil and gas will be extremely tight.

[Mr Mike Weir (Angus) (SNP)]

Many offshore wind developers have expressed concern that owing to the structure of the current contracts for difference allocation round, only one development will be given a CfD, imperilling many of the others. Can the Secretary of State give them any reassurance that there will be greater consideration of offshore wind in future CfD allocations?

[Mr Davey]

First, it is worth putting it on the record, as it is Christmas, that Britain leads the world in offshore wind, with more offshore wind farms installed than in the rest of the world combined. In the current round of CfD allocations—of course, it has not been completed yet, so I cannot talk about the details—we have ensured that we have sufficient allocation for offshore wind, but we have also ensured that the levy control framework includes further allocations for it, so that the consumer can benefit from dropping prices.