Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many requests his Department has received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for documents submitted by his Department in support of the Government's application for State Aid Approval for Hinkley Point C; and what the response of his Department was to each such request.

The Department has received two information requests for documents that DECC provided to the European Commission to assist with their investigation into the State aid case for Hinkley Point C. The requested information was withheld as its release would damage and adversely affect international relations, the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information and the commercial interests of the UK Government in the ongoing discussions on the potential Contract for Difference for Hinkley Point C.

However, all of the relevant information is available in the Commission’s Closing Decision on the Hinkley Point C State aid case, which was published on 22^nd January 2015. This sets out how the UK Government responded to the issues that were raised in the Opening Decision in December 2013 and in the Commission’s consultation with interested parties http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/cases/251157/251157_1615983_2292_4.pdf

Any Contract for Difference agreed for Hinkley Point C must be published in line with the requirements of the the Contracts for Difference (Allocation) Regulations 2014. In addition, for Hinkley Point C the Government has also committed to publishing summaries of its value for money assessment.