Jul. 14 2025
Source Page: UK and Czechia to lead global race on small modular reactorsAsked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's energy capacity to ensure that energy prices remain stable despite the increasing use of artificial intelligence.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to including data centres as part of its strategic energy plans and has established the AI Energy Council. The Council will continue to identify any barriers to the growth of AI and data centres in the UK, and ensure the growth supports our clean power mission, which includes a commitment to protect consumers.
In general, the way to keep energy prices stable with increasing demand for electricity is to make the electricity wholesale price reflect the much cheaper wholesale price of clean energy. Over this Parliament the Government will be working relentlessly to achieve that.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to reduce electricity costs.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Over this Parliament the government will be working relentlessly to translate the much cheaper wholesale costs of clean power into lower bills for consumers. This will be core to every decision we make.
Asked by: Lord Lilley (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield on 27 June (HL 8452), whether the analysis by the National Energy System Operator drew directly on (1) information published in audited accounts of special purpose vehicles (SPVs), (2) Gordon Hughes' analysis of 247 SPVs for wind projects published in Wind Power Economics: Rhetoric and Reality, Volume 1 – Wind Power Costs in the United Kingdom published in 2020, or (3) Gordon Hughes' analysis of 301 SPVs for solar projects published in The economics of utility-scale solar generation published in 2022; and if not, what was the source for their estimates of the capital and operating costs of wind and solar projects
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is an operationally independent public body, and the Department does not hold information on the methodology used in their analysis. I have instructed officials to contact NESO to request a response to the noble Lord, and a copy of their reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking with the transport and logistics industry to identify where new energy infrastructure will be required to support the transition to electric vehicles in (a) commercial freight, (b) delivery and (c) other networks.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is introducing new strategic spatial planning processes, at national level (the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan) and regional level (Regional Energy Strategic Plans), to help ensure energy infrastructure meets future demand, including that of transport. The Government is encouraging transport stakeholders, such as the Freight Energy Forum (an expert advisory body led by the Department for Transport), to engage with the producer of these plans (the National Energy System Operator) and Ofgem to provide clarity and evidence on transport and electric vehicle requirements.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) wood pellets and (b) other biomass has been imported from North Korea in the last 10 years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK does not import wood pellets or biomass from North Korea for fuel or electricity generation. There are no plans to import wood pellets or biomass from North Korea.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to incentivise the uptake of heat pumps.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) provides grants to property owners to enable them to transition away from fossil fuel to low carbon heating. The grant available under the scheme for air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps is £7,500.
Support is also available to low-income households and social housing tenants under the Energy Company Obligation, Warm Homes: Local Grant, and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund to install low-carbon heating measures, including heat pumps.
This is in addition to the 0% rate of VAT on the installation of heat pumps, which will last until March 2027.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment on solar radiation modification.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). Given the significant uncertainty around the possible risks and impacts of deployment on the climate and environment, the Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so.
The Department works closely with the research community to evaluate the latest research on the potential risks and impacts of solar radiation modification.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) heat batteries as low-carbon heating systems and (b) including those batteries in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 30 April, the Government launched a consultation on potential changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, including proposals to support air-to-air heat pumps and alternative electric heating technologies such as heat batteries. The consultation closed on the 11 June, and a government response will be set out in due course.
The Department will continue to review our position on heat batteries, and other alternative electric heating technologies, as the supporting evidence base develops.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to appoint a new Minister with responsibility for nuclear energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Yes, in the meantime I am covering nuclear as part of my portfolio. The appointment of Ministers is a matter for my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister.