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 his Department has made an estimate of the carbon footprint of importing wood pellets in the last 10 years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Emissions from importing wood pellets are constrained by biomass sustainability requirements. The supply chain emissions threshold for large scale biomass electricity generators to receive support is capped at 55.6gCO2e/MJ. This threshold will be tightened further under proposed future arrangements with Drax to 36.6 gCO2e/MJ.
Compliance with sustainability criteria under the Renewables Obligation and Contracts for Difference schemes are a matter for Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, and LCCC, as the counterparty to the CfD.
Large scale biomass generators, such as Drax, do also publish emissions data as part of their annual ESG reports.
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 the UK has imported (a) wood pellets and (b) other biomass from Afghanistan 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 Afghanistan for fuel or electricity generation. There are no plans to import wood pellets or biomass from Afghanistan.
Asked by: Kirsteen Sullivan (Labour (Co-op) - Bathgate and Linlithgow)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to repurpose national infrastructure originally used in the fossil fuel sector for new green technology sectors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Repurposing existing offshore and onshore infrastructure could make a significant contribution to the UK’s drive to net-zero. In 2022, analysis by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) identified more than 100 pipelines which could be suitable for CCS or hydrogen projects.
The NSTA supports government and others to identify opportunities for repurposing, including for carbon dioxide or offshore hydrogen transportation and storage projects.
We are already seeing this in practice. HyNet will be served by a combination of new and existing infrastructure, with more than 90 miles of offshore and onshore pipeline being repurposed.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much (a) has been spent to date and (b) he expects to spend on measures to continue the operation of the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As I sent out in my Written Ministerial Statement on 1 July 2025, the Government is providing the Official Receiver with short-term funding to cover the essential operating costs of the refinery as a result of the unexpected insolvency of the company. The final operating cost will depend on market conditions and the strategy adopted by the Official Receiver, and this will be subject to close scrutiny and governance by the Government and the insolvency office holders. This funding is necessary to provide the Official Receiver with the necessary tools to fulfil their statutory duties and to avoid an immediate, unsafe shutdown of the refinery.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 proportion of overall household spending by lower income households on energy costs.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ’s fuel poverty statistics include an affordability measure of the number of households in England required to spend over 10% of income on energy costs. In 2024, this was estimated at 8.99 million households (36.3%).
The review of the fuel poverty strategy consultation document includes a version of this measure limited to households on a low income, in the ‘Measuring fuel poverty’ section. An estimated 6.6 million low income households spent over 10% of income on energy costs in England in 2023.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 help mitigate the environmental impacts of AI data centres in relation to the target of Net Zero by 2050.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s forecasts for data centre demand to 2030 are consistent with its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The Government expects to be able to meet this demand through its plans to increase renewable power capacity, other low carbon generation and flexible and dispatchable power.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what contribution GB Energy has made to reducing (a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) fuel bills since its establishment in May 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy (GBE) is a key part of our plan to protect bill payers from volatile international fossil fuel markets by accelerating clean power deployment. By investing in and developing clean energy projects GBE will ensure UK taxpayers and billpayers reap the benefits of homegrown energy.
The Great British Energy Act gained Royal Assent on the 15th May and the company is now setting up its headquarters in Aberdeen and recruiting the team that will deliver its work. The Secretary of State will set out a Statement of Strategic Priorities in due course but in the meantime GBE has made initial investments in community energy and working alongside other government departments to deliver a programme of solar power for schools and hospitals across the country.
Jul. 10 2025
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