Asked by: Baroness Griffin of Princethorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all future use of hydrogen in the UK is of green hydrogen.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government encourages a range of hydrogen production technologies, including CCUS-enabled ‘blue’ and electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen technologies, provided they can meet the Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard, they fit within our broader strategic approach to hydrogen, and that we understand the system and environmental impacts.
‘Blue’ hydrogen is an important tool for scaling up the hydrogen economy while electrolytic hydrogen costs fall and the power system decarbonises. It is well-suited to provide continuous predictable 'baseload' supply of hydrogen to industrial clusters as both hydrogen storage and electrolytic production increase.
‘Green’ hydrogen is likely to be a core long-term hydrogen production technology as it is expected to be able to operate flexibly, responding to the availability of electricity inputs, and when paired with renewable electricity, can deliver zero carbon hydrogen.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish their response to the findings of the Competition and Markets Authority's report into the subsidy regime for Drax.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We welcome the report from the Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) regarding government support for large-scale biomass generation. This report makes clear that DESNZ has given detailed consideration of how the Low Carbon Dispatchable CfD is in line with the principles within the Subsidy Control Act and relevant environmental regulations.
We have carefully considered the recommendations in the report and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has determined that the subsidy is compliant with the requirements under the Subsidy Control Act. The publication of a response to the SAU report is not required.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of its current consultation on changing the inflation measure for long-term renewable energy pricing from the retail prices index to the consumer prices index, what assessment it has made of the impact of this change on the future willingness of companies to invest in long-term UK infrastructure projects.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has consulted on proposed changes to how support provided through the Feed-in Tariffs and Renewable Obligation schemes is adjusted for inflation. The consultation was accompanied by an analytical annex which set out the potential impacts of the policy. Updated analysis will be published alongside the Government Response next year.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, who is the Chief Risk Officer for national security risks relating to the work of their Department.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not have a designated post of Chief Risk Officer. Instead, the role is assigned to the SCS who manage the departmental risk team and, therefore, are responsible for the development and implementation of department’s Risk and Issue Management Framework, in line with government’s Orange Book.
The Permanent Secretary is responsible for the risks DESNZ owns in the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA). DESNZ is the Lead Government Department for 16 of the 122 risk scenarios in the current NSRA cycle.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many members of (1) the Mineworkers Pension Scheme, and (2) the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, have pensions in payment valued at (a) under £5000 a year, (b) between £5000 and £15,000 a year, (c) between £15,000 and £30,000 a year, (d) between £30,000 and £50,000 a year, and (e) over £50,000 a year.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The information requested is set out in the table below:
Number of members in payment | ||
Annual pension | Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme | British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme |
Under £5,000 | 40,716 | 5,871 |
£5,000 - £15,000 | 49,038 | 11,662 |
£15,000 - £30,000 | 12,869 | 11,858 |
£30,000 - £50,000 | 2,321 | 4,973 |
Over £50,000 | 124 | 2,577 |
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Vallance of Balham of 9 December (HL12318), whether the 70 per cent of United Kingdom content applies to only offsite manufactured plant or includes on-site construction costs and materials.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out on 9 December (HL12318), Great British Energy-Nuclear's (GBE-N) ambition is for 70% British built products across the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) fleet. GBE-N’s ambition encompasses both on-site and off-site activity.
While it would not be appropriate to speculate at this time on specific commercial contracts, subject to final government approvals and contract signature with Rolls-Royce SMR, GBE-N will continue to consider how the UK supply chain can support the deployment of SMRs.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether Drax is contractually required to disclose to the Government where the trees used in the pellets it purchases were cut down.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Biomass generators must currently comply with the reporting requirements of the Renewables Obligation and Contract for Difference (CfD). These include reporting sustainability profiling data for biomass which includes the country of purchase of each fuel consignment. From 2027 under the new Low-Carbon Dispatchable CfD, enhanced reporting obligations will require Drax to report the country of origin, including the identification of each processing plant within the supply chain.