2014 Autumn Statement funding for evidence of the robustness of shale gas regulation

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,

The 2014 Autumn Statement (paragraph 1.121) said:
"The government is taking steps to ensure that the UK leads the way with shale gas regulation. Shale gas could increase the UK’s energy security, support thousands of jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and generate substantial tax revenue. The government will therefore provide a new £5 million fund to provide independent evidence directly to the public about the robustness of the existing regulatory regime. This will also ensure the public is better engaged in the regulatory process."
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy...

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy confirmed in response to a Freedom of Information request that it had received £1.7m and that DEFRA also received part of the £5m. (https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/3...)

I should be grateful if you would confirm:
- How much money went to DEFRA and how this money was spent

Please also provide:
- Links to the resulting independent evidence funded by money received by DEFRA
- Information about how this evidence has been disseminated to the public

I have already made this request to HM Treasury. It said it does not hold this information.

Yours faithfully,

Ruth Hayhurst

Helpline, Defra (MCU), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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Best wishes,
Ministerial Contact Unit
 
 

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

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Dear Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,

I made an FOI request which should have received a response by 3 April 2017.
The response is now overdue and I should be grateful if you would respond promptly.

Yours faithfully,

Ruth Hayhurst

Helpline, Defra (MCU), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Thank you for your email. We have a target of replying to emails within 15
working days where a response is required, and 20 working days where a
case is handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the
Environmental Information Regulations 2004. If you need a reply before
then, please call the Defra Helpline on 03459 33 55 77, or visit
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati....
We often receive thousands of identical emails each month from organised
campaigns. Ministers and officials are made aware of these campaigns, but
unfortunately we cannot reply to each email when such large volumes are
received.
Best wishes,
Ministerial Contact Unit
 
 

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

This email and any attachments is intended for the named recipient only.
If you have received it in error you have no authority to use, disclose,
store or copy any of its contents and you should destroy it and inform the
sender.
Whilst this email and associated attachments will have been checked for
known viruses whilst within Defra systems we can accept no responsibility
once it has left our systems.
Communications on Defra's computer systems may be monitored and/or
recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other
lawful purposes.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisati...