To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had on the Natural Environment Research Council’s funding of a new innovation programme in oil and gas; if he will write to the Natural Environment Research Council on the measures it has taken to assess whether its funding of this programme is compatible with (a) the UK’s statutory domestic carbon reductions targets as set out in the Climate Change Act 2008 and (b) the UK’s international commitments as set out in the Copenhagen Accord and the Cancun and Camp David agreements; if he will place in the Library a copy of such correspondence; and if he will make a statement.

I have not had any recent discussions with the Natural Environment Research Council regarding a new innovation programme for oil and gas and so I do not intend to write on this matter. There is good co-operation between Government and NERC, and I would anticipate that their schemes will be aligned with the aims of my Department which include the development of the UK’s hydrocarbon resources.