Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Clean energy funding to be tied to stronger workers’ rights, published on 4 February 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the introduction of new employment practices linked to clean energy funding on levels of employment.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to provide access to trade unions and to strive for best practice Health and Safety. The associated Impact Assessment , published on GOV.UK, highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus scheme are expected to be positive. The Government estimates that the offshore wind sector will support up to 100,000 jobs by 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Clean energy funding to be tied to stronger workers’ rights, published on 4 February 2026, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of requiring offshore wind developers to sign up to the Fair Work Charter on workers’ rights.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to provide access to trade unions and to strive for best practice Health and Safety. The associated Impact Assessment , published on GOV.UK, highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus scheme are expected to be positive. The Government estimates that the offshore wind sector will support up to 100,000 jobs by 2030.

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 to help ensure the accuracy of small businesses' energy bills in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is overseeing the roll out of smart meters to small businesses in Surrey Heath and across GB, and our latest data shows that almost two thirds of meters in non-domestic premises are smart or advanced meters. These meters enable accurate billing by automatically recording energy use at regular intervals, allowing bills based on actual rather than estimated usage.

Ofgem’s licence conditions require all suppliers to take all reasonable steps to reflect accurate meter readings in bills or statements sent to customers where these have been provided by a customer or obtained by the supplier.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Clean energy funding to be tied to stronger workers’ rights, published on 4 February 2026, what mechanisms his Department will use to (a) monitor and (b) enforce compliance with the Fair Work Charter by offshore wind firms.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Signing the fair work charter will be a condition of Clean Industry Bonus eligibility at the point of application. Enforcement during the delivery phase will be set out in the Charter’s governance chapter. It will set out the dispute resolution process agreed by industry and trade union representatives.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to help improve GP access to decarbonisation schemes in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to supporting the decarbonisation of the GP estate. Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, GP facilities can receive £7,500 for heat pumps and £5,000 for biomass boilers. We also help fund the UK Business Climate Hub, an online resource supporting SMEs identify and implement changes to their energy use.

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 support the green energy sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Local power generation is an essential part of the UK’s energy generation and increasing support will ensure local communities to benefit from clean energy projects as the UK supercharges its mission to become a clean energy superpower.

This is why backed by up to £1 billion, Great British Energy aims to support more than 1,000 local and community energy projects by 2030. This is not the pinnacle of our ambition but the start.

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 resilience of the electricity distribution network in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government works closely with industry, including Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, the Distribution Network Operator for Surrey Heath, to continually improve and maintain the resilience of electricity infrastructure, networks and assets. This is to reduce vulnerabilities and ensure an effective response to actual or potentially disruptive incidents.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether consenting determinations for critical energy transmission infrastructure in Scotland will be made in line with the 52 week process needed to support the delivery of Clean Power 2030.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Consenting in Scotland is devolved to Scottish Government. The guidance at Priority Applications for Transmission Infrastructure guidance: Section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 - gov.scot is owned and implemented by Scottish Government.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent progress his Department has made towards the publication of the Local Power Plan; and when he plans to publish that plan.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

On 10 February 2026, Great British Energy and the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero published the Local Power Plan which sets out the UK’s largest ever public investment in locally owned clean energy.

Backed by up to £1 billion, the Local Power Plan aims to support more than 1,000 local and community energy projects by 2030.

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 support other combined authorities and local councils to replicate the Liverpool City Region’s programme to decarbonise public buildings.

Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the essential role that local government, including combined authorities and local councils, play in accelerating to net zero. Support for local government includes funding to deliver net zero through their core settlement, grant funding schemes and strengthened collaboration such as through the Local Net Zero Delivery Group.

Over the period 2025-2028 more than £190 million in public sector decarbonisation funding is being invested in local authorities through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. Over the same period £67.6 million is being invested on decarbonisation of public buildings through the Integrated Settlements with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester Combined Authorities.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the carbon savings achieved by connecting buildings to district heating networks, such as the Mersey Heat network in Liverpool.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government's assessment of carbon emission savings associated with various policies is set out in its Carbon Budget Growth and Delivery Plan, most recently published in October 2025.

The policies specifically associated with heat networks are estimated to save 3.02 MtCO2e per annum on average over Carbon Budget 6, which is the 5-year period from 2033 to 2037.

Heat networks will also be expected to contribute to emissions savings from other policies aimed at decarbonising heat and buildings.

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 to ensure households in rural communities that cannot receive smart meter connections via (a) long-range radio and (b) 4G are able to access alternative connectivity, including Wi-Fi-enabled smart meters.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is working closely with the DCC and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being trialled, will involve Virtual WAN (VWAN) - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 110095, whether the Department plans to publish route-specific or island impact assessments before domestic maritime is brought into scope of the UK ETS in 2026.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Impact Assessment set out that it is not possible to robustly break down compliance costs to the level of individual routes or service types, as ticket prices, fare structures and commercial operating decisions vary widely. The Assessment therefore considers impacts at the sector and scheme level.

The Authority consulted extensively with all operators, including those serving island mainland and shortsea routes, to ensure all perspectives informed policy development.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Department has considered expanding the remit of the Warm Homes programme to provide impartial and reliable guidance on electric vehicle adoption and associated technologies, similar to the support provided by the Home Energy Scotland service for energy efficiency and heating.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

One of the main objectives of the Warm Homes Agency is to provide reliable, impartial advice to support consumers through their home decarbonisation journey and the Government will be taking learnings from other trusted sources to aid its design of the Agency. The full scope of the Agency, including the design and contents of its advisory function, is being finalised and will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Clean energy upgrades for hospitals and military sites, published on 5 February 2026, whether any of the funding for new batteries and solar panels will go to (a) Basildon hospital and (b) other hospitals in Essex.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Basildon Hospital was not one of the hospitals to receive funding for batteries or solar PV as part of the announcement on 5 February 2026. However, it did receive £246,460 of funding for LED lighting energy efficiency upgrades.

As for other hospitals in Essex, Colchester Hospital received £137,940 for solar PV as part of the announcement.

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 impact of the Clean Industry Bonus on driving private investment in British manufacturing including in coastal and industrial communities.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Clean energy upgrades for hospitals and military sites, published on 5 February 2026, whether (a) Basildon hospital and (b) any hospitals in Essex will receive funding to improve energy efficiency.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Basildon Hospital will receive £246,460 of funding for LED lighting energy efficiency upgrades.

Other sites from the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust to receive funding for LED lighting energy efficiency upgrades are:

• Braintree Community Hospital - £130,680
• Broomfield Hospital - £1,976,876
• Orsett Hospital - £330,532
• Southend Hospital - £620,965
• St Michael's Hospital – £354,777

Colchester Hospital is also receiving £137,940 for solar PV and is part of the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for devolved Administrations and Scottish local authorities for low-carbon retrofit programmes.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) provided grant funding to public sector organisations in England, and to bodies with reserved functions operating in the devolved administrations, to install heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures in public sector buildings. The scheme is closed to new applications with no further phases planned.

We encourage public sector bodies operating in the devolved administrations to check the respective devolved government websites for information on the support available to them.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the requirement for offshore wind firms to sign the Fair Work Charter on (a) trends in the level of private investment and (b) creating skilled secure jobs in Scotland’s coastal communities.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

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 requirement for offshore wind firms to sign the Fair Work Charter on trade union recognition and collective bargaining in the sector.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what rights and workplace standards will offshore wind workers receive under the Fair Work Charter.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

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 take steps in response to the CMA Road Fuel Monitoring Annual report 2025.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government notes the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) annual road fuel monitoring report, which found that competition hasn’t strengthened since the CMA’s Market Study published in July 2023, and that fuel margins remain consistently high and are not explained by operating costs.

The Government has implemented the recommendations made by the CMA, including the launch of Fuel Finder, which now requires all petrol stations in the UK to report their prices within 30 minutes of a change. This scheme aims to increase price transparency and help drivers to compare prices easily and make more informed decisions on where to buy their fuel.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Clean energy upgrades for hospitals and military sites, published on 5 February 2026, whether the £9 million to be delivered in partnership with Great British Energy is separate from the £74 million energy upgrades.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The £9 million is part of the £74 million of funding for clean energy upgrades announced on 5 February 2026. Solar PV and battery installations are being delivered in partnership with Great British Energy.

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 ensure that the new skills funding pot required by 2027 will effectively (a) train and (b) transition oil and gas workers to careers in offshore renewables.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The skills investment fund will allow for a collaborative approach to skills development in offshore wind, enabling interventions that target industry-level challenges. The Government will work with the offshore wind industry and Devolved Governments in 2026 to implement the fund in 2027.

The Department is delivering a suite of measures to deliver a fair and prosperous transition for the oil and gas workforce. This includes up to £20 million from the UK and Scottish Governments to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, which funds retraining to support their transition, as well as a new North Sea Jobs Service to provide end-to-end transition support.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 109699, what proportion of the estimated revenue from domestic maritime will result in direct emissions abatement within the maritime sector.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s Impact Assessment estimates that including domestic maritime in the UK ETS will increase allowance purchase revenue by around £1.9 billion over the 20-year appraisal period, averaging roughly £95 million a year.

Revenue from the UK ETS is not currently hypothecated, but is used to fund the government’s spending priorities, including spending and subsidies supporting the Net Zero transition.

The Government continues to support the maritime sector’s decarbonisation through existing funding, guidance and policies that support the uptake of cleaner technologies.

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 planning to take to (a) monitor and (b) enforce compliance with the Fair Work Charter among offshore wind developers participating in Contracts for Difference auctions.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Signing the fair work charter will be a condition of Clean Industry Bonus eligibility at the point of application. Enforcement during the delivery phase will be set out in the Charter’s governance chapter, which will be published later this month. It will set out the dispute resolution process agreed by industry and trade union representatives.

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 powers given to the Competitions and Marketing Authority on the adequacy of competition in the fuel market sector for rural communities consumer.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government provided statutory powers to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to monitor the road fuel market and assess whether competition is working effectively for consumers, including those in rural communities.

The CMA’s recent annual report found that fuel margins remain high and are not explained by operating costs. In line with the CMA’s recommendations, the Government has implemented the statutory Fuel Finder scheme, which requires all petrol stations in the UK to report their fuel prices within 30 minutes of a change, and is intended to improve price transparency, increase competition and lower prices across the UK including for rural consumers.

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 considered using GB Energy to invest in reducing the carbon footprint of the general practice estate.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Energy has funded rooftop solar for 250 schools and around 260 NHS sites. This is cutting bills for schools and hospitals, releasing money for frontline services.

For GPs that aren’t part of these NHS sites, they can access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme accessing £7,500 towards a heat pump and £5,000 towards a biomass boiler.

As set out in the Local Power Plan (Local Power Plan | Great British Energy) published on 10 February 2026 GBE will be announcing their new support schemes in Spring 2026. You can sign up on their website to find out more.

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 ensure that Scotland is supported through the commitments made in the Hamburg Declaration and its associated Action Plan.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State signed a clean energy security agreement, the Hamburg Declaration, with European energy ministers at the North Sea Summit to progress build out of renewable energy in the North Sea and incentivise further investment.

Scotland is at the very heart of our Clean Energy Superpower mission. And in preparation for the North Sea Summit, the Department has engaged with UK industry, including Scottish companies, who have also attended the Summit. Officials regularly engage with and involve the Scottish Government in all relevant work related to the Hamburg Declaration and associated documents.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timetable is for the implementation of the cross-border wind energy projects agreed under Annex B of the Hamburg Declaration.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Hamburg Declaration sets a collective ambition of 100 GW of offshore wind cooperation projects by 2050. Future GB co-ordinated projects will be guided by domestic strategic energy planning conducted by our National Energy System Operator (NESO), which is due to be consulted on in Q1 2027.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what funding mechanisms will be utilised to support cross-border offshore renewable energy projects between the UK and neighbouring North Sea countries.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government and Ofgem are developing a future approach to interconnection including offshore hybrid assets, and expect to publish further details in the spring. This will include consideration of delivery and finance models.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) environmental and (b) ethical standards required for the continued provision of support to Drax.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In February 2025, DESNZ concluded a consultation on a “transitional support mechanism for large-scale biomass generators”. This included a comprehensive assessment of sustainability criteria for biomass used in the UK, as well as broader environmental and ethical considerations:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67a9f462699d77bee014847c/transitional-support-mechanism-large-scale-biomass-generators-consultation-government-response.pdf

Following this consultation, the new Low-Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference (LCD CfD) with Drax, finalised in November 2025, has increased the proportion of biomass that must come from sustainable sources to 100%, tightened the supply chain emissions threshold to 36.6 mgCO2eq/MJ, and excluded material sourced from activities within primary forests and old growth forest areas from receiving subsidy support.

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 improve the physical and cyber security of the UK’s offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department works closely with the energy industry, NESO, regulators and National Technical Authorities to strengthen the physical and cyber resilience of offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

Recognising the risks to subsea and offshore assets, including vulnerabilities from accidental, negligent or intentional disruption, the Department is focused on proportionate measures to reduce opportunities for interference; with physical protection a key area of emphasis, reinforced by strengthened monitoring, detection and restoration arrangements.

Government has set robust regulatory standards for cyber security through the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018, with the forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill set to enhance and modernise these protections. This includes working with regulators to ensure these regulations cover critical operators as the sector evolves towards Net Zero targets.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his proposed timeline is for implementing community energy generation and storage across the UK.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

This Government is hugely ambitious about the role that local and community energy will play in achieving our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

On 10 February 2026, Great British Energy and the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero published the Local Power Plan which sets out the UK’s largest ever public investment in community energy.

Backed by up to £1 billion, GBE aims to support more than 1,000 local and community energy projects by 2030.

DESNZ will issue a Call for Evidence in 2026 to assess the role of community batteries in the transition and identify measures to scale deployment.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of Ofgem’s ability to scrutinise Drax.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We work closely with Ofgem to seek continuous improvement to scrutiny processes.

Under Drax’s Low-Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference from 2027, day-to-day scrutiny of biomass sustainability will be provided by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC). LCCC will implement significantly bolstered assurance standards, including audits across Drax’s global supply chain, an increased audit sample size, and a raised assurance standard from ‘limited’ to ‘reasonable’. There are also significant financial penalties available should Drax’s compliance fall short.

Ofgem will continue to regulate compliance with Drax’s licence conditions, with the powers to launch investigations and issue fines for breaches.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take with European partners to ensure the UK supply chain can maximise opportunities from the Joint Offshore Wind Investment Pact.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State signed a clean energy security agreement, the Hamburg Declaration, with European energy ministers at the North Sea Summit to progress build out of renewable energy in the North Sea and incentivise further investment. This includes an Action Plan, published on Gov.uk, which sets out concrete steps and timelines over the next months and years for both governments and industry to take in order to achieve the objectives agreed.

Working with our European neighbours and industry to develop joint offshore wind will enable us to maximise the clean energy potential for the North Sea, drive investment and job creation, and ensure energy security and resilience.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment has been made of the impact of the Hamburg Declaration on the UK’s targets for offshore wind capacity in the North Seas.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Hamburg Declaration sets a collective ambition of 100 GW of offshore wind cooperation projects by 2050. This builds on the UK’s own ambitious Clean Power target where we aim to deploy 43-50GW of offshore wind by 2030 and accelerate to net zero.

Further delivery targets will flow from strategic planning work such as NESO's Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, due to be consulted on in Q1 2027.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to exempt listed properties from their proposals for rented homes to achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or equivalent by 2030.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Currently, listed buildings are generally able to register exemptions from energy efficiency requirements where compliance would unacceptably alter the character or appearance of the existing building. The aim should be to improve energy efficiency as far as reasonably practicable without prejudicing the character of the host building or risking the long-term deterioration of the fabric or fittings. Government recognises there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to tackling the UK’s diverse building stock, and we will continue to engage with various stakeholders including those from the historic and listed buildings sector.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how UK maritime decarbonisation efforts will be impacted by the expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The inclusion of the maritime sector in the UK ETS will, in combination with other enabling policies, strengthen the effectiveness of the scheme in incentivising investment in decarbonisation across the covered sectors.

Specifically, the scheme provides a clear price signal that supports investment in cleaner vessels, operational efficiency and emerging low carbon fuels.

The policy is expected to deliver a net reduction of approximately 645,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the next 20 years.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the regional organisation of the proposed Warm Homes Agency will be.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Warm Homes Agency will seek to operate and optimise delivery at a local level, across the whole of the UK, subject to agreement with Devolved Governments. The Agency will work closely with local partners, supporting and bolstering excellent work already being delivered by many strategic and local authorities. The specifics of the scope of the Agency, including where it will operate and how it will be organised, are being finalised.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department does not currently offer payroll deductions for Credit Unions, and there are no immediate plans to introduce this facility.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they will allocate the £2 billion fund to support zero and low-interest loans for solar panels, batteries, and other technologies proposed in the Warm Homes Plan, published 21 January.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Working with the finance industry, government will allocate up to £1.7 billion of the up to £5 billion allocation to our new Warm Homes Fund to new low and zero interest consumer loans, to help more households meet the upfront costs of improving their homes. This funding would be made available to lenders who apply to participate in the scheme and will be combined with up to £300 million of other government funding to lower the cost of loans for consumers.

We will launch a Call for Evidence in early 2026 to identify where else in the market the Fund can deliver the greatest impact, for example in supporting private and social landlords, investors or supply chains, alongside homeowners.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK maritime decarbonisation efforts are supported by revenues raised by the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Receipts from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme support the Government’s wider priorities, including spending to support decarbonisation.

The Government recognises that decarbonising the maritime sector requires a suite of policies and is providing funding and policy support to facilitate this transition.

For example, between April 2022 and March 2026, the Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions programme has allocated £240m to the research and development of clean maritime solutions.

In September 2025, the Government announced a further £448m R&D funding for the programme for the period to 2030. This represents the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime industry.

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 expand hydrogen storage and transport facilities in the North Sea region following the 3rd North Sea Summit.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government is designing the Hydrogen Transport and Storage Business Models to establish the UK’s first regional hydrogen network to be in operation from 2031. To enable delivery, government has confirmed over £500m of support for hydrogen infrastructure following the June 2025 Spending Review The location of this network will be carefully chosen to maximise the benefits to UK industrial sectors and create a pathway for hydrogen as a clean power source.

We recognise that offshore technologies have the potential to provide large-scale hydrogen storage and will continue to assess how different storage technologies may meet our strategic objectives.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime on cruise operations in the UK.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK Emissions Trading Scheme will only include emissions from domestic voyages and emissions within UK ports.

Emissions from voyages within the European Economic Area (EEA) and emissions within EEA ports are already in scope of the EU Emissions Trading System, which also applies to 50% of international voyage emissions.

The Government therefore expects no net loss of competitiveness for cruise visits to UK ports relative to EEA ports as a result of the inclusion in the UK ETS of the domestic maritime sector.

On this basis, the Government considers the impact on the cruise sector to be minimal.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) onshore oil developments in the UK on areas of significant housing growth such as the Ardingly Reservoir catchment and (b) those developments on drinking water.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Local planning authorities and the Environment Agency are responsible for assessing the impact of onshore oil and gas developments on housing and drinking water respectively.

The North Sea Transition Authority regulates exploration and development licensing for England’s onshore oil and gas resources on behalf of the Secretary of State. Licence holders require further consents and permits before any operations take place.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance his Department provides to energy suppliers on prioritising households in rural areas, such as those in North Yorkshire where neither radio nor 4G smart meter connectivity is viable, for participation in trials of Wi-Fi-enabled smart meters.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is working closely with the DCC and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being trialled, will involve Virtual WAN (VWAN) - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of localised connectivity limitations on rural households; and what steps he is taking to ensure that rural communities are not disadvantaged in comparison with urban areas.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is working closely with the DCC and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being trialled, will involve Virtual WAN (VWAN) - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made towards phasing out gas boilers by 2035; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that timeframe in meeting the UK’s carbon reduction targets.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan sets out the government's proposals and policies to enable carbon budgets to be met. In doing so, it provides an assessment of the impact of the government’s expectation that the vast majority of heating system replacements will be low-carbon by 2035.

We are making significant progress towards this objective. Demand for heat pumps and other clean technologies is soaring, while our Warm Homes Plan sets out ?15 billion of investment and a range of interventions to ensure that clean heating technologies are the most attractive and natural option for consumers.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) oversight, (b) accountability and (c) redress mechanisms with home energy efficiency schemes; what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of errors; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of processes for households to (i) challenge and (ii) seek review of decisions.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises that the system of quality assurance and consumer redress that we inherited needs reform.

We have improved the quality assurance and consumer protection systems since identifying the issues with solid wall insulation under ECO4 and GBIS, including but not limited to enhanced checks by energy suppliers and greater oversight of TrustMark and certification body operations.

We are committed to reforming the consumer protection system, as set out in the Warm Homes Plan, to one that can command public confidence.

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 risk of carbon leakage for refineries before and after January 2028, compared to other industrial sectors.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK ETS Authority recently concluded a review into free allocation policy which confirmed refining is at risk of carbon leakage and will continue to be eligible to receive support through free allocation, measured against an efficiency standard. The review also determined that the efficiency standard used to set free allocations would be maintained in 2027, providing operators in the sector with the necessary certainty to plan for the forthcoming allocation period. This will provide continuity and additional time for industrial sectors to plan for future benchmark updates, which are expected in 2028. Ahead of this the UK ETS Authority will perform and assessment of impacts on businesses, including those in the Refining sector.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of extending a specific price cap, comparable to that applying to domestic customers, to landlords of vacant residential properties supplied under deemed energy contracts following the end of a tenancy.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Price Cap was established to protect existing and future domestic customers who pay standard variable and default rates from a ‘loyalty penalty’. The non-domestic energy market is significantly more complicated, with considerable variation in consumption levels, so the domestic cap could not be extended to cover deemed rates for non-domestic contracts.

Ofgem published updated guidance on the rules for deemed rates in November 2023. This prohibits suppliers from profiting significantly more from deemed rates than from their wider contracts, alongside a broader protection against unduly onerous contract terms. Last year Ofgem also approved improvements to the Retail Energy Code, standardising how supplier’s manage changes of occupancy involving landlords and other non-domestic consumers.

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 considered flexible or compensatory approaches to EPC compliance, where upgrades are not technically or financially viable.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Having an EPC is a requirement for property owners selling or renting a property. Landlords of rented homes may also need to upgrade their properties to meet minimum energy efficiency standards. There are a number of existing exemptions for the private rented sector, who, since 2020, have been required to meet an EPC E standard or have a valid exemption. The government recently confirmed the standard will be increased for privately rented homes, and a new standard will be introduced for the social rented sector.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether local authorities will be able to access the £2 billion fund to support zero and low-interest loans for solar panels, batteries, and other technologies proposed in the Warm Homes Plan, published 21 January.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We will look to use our new Warm Homes Fund to help local authorities accelerate their existing consumer offers for low carbon technologies. In addition, Crown Commercial Services and Great British Energy are testing approaches to aggregating demand for these technologies to drive down unit costs for both social housing landlords and the public sector estate.

The Government will also provide support to local government, enabling successful delivery at the local level, including through the new Warm Homes Agency which will play a pivotal role in supporting local partnerships, convening, facilitating and supporting where necessary to build capacity within local government. Government is also funding five Local Net Zero Hubs which support local authorities to develop decarbonisation projects and attract commercial interest.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to provide financial incentives to support the adoption of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government is committed to supporting the rapid development and adoption of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology as it has the potential to reduce the cost of electric vehicle (EV) ownership whilst supporting the rapid decarbonisation of our energy system and lowering energy bills for all.

The 2025 Clean Flexibility Roadmap highlights actions that government, Ofgem and NESO are taking to support the roll out of V2G beyond innovation investments to date. This includes steps to make it more financially rewarding for EV drivers to utilise V2G through introducing legislation when parliamentary time allows to remove levies from being charged on electricity exported back to the grid. We are also considering incentivising vehicles with V2G capability, such as using innovative credit models within the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to improve GPs access to decarbonisation schemes to help them meet NHS Net Zero targets.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to supporting the decarbonisation of the GP estate. Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, GP facilities can receive £7,500 for heat pumps and £5,000 for biomass boilers. We also help fund the UK Business Climate Hub, an online resource supporting SMEs identify and implement changes to their energy use.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they arrived at the estimate in the Clean Energy Campaign that it costs approximately £2,000 a year to heat a typical three-bedroom house with a gas boiler; and what assessment they have made of the accuracy of Ofgem’s estimate of the cost of heating a typical three-bedroom house with a gas boiler.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The cost estimates used in the Clean Energy Campaign are based on the total energy for a home with a gas boiler including both gas and electricity costs (e.g. for lighting and appliances). Details for the assumptions behind the analysis are provided in the section marked “*How we calculated heat pump savings” on the campaign web page https://cleanenergy.campaign.gov.uk/heat-pump/. The analysis in the campaign assumed an annual gas demand of 12,200kWh, which is well aligned to OFGEM’s ‘Medium’ typical domestic consumption value of 11,500kWh.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how the commitments to workforce training in the Hamburg Declaration will be implemented to ensure a skilled workforce for Scotland's offshore renewables sector.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In the Hamburg Declaration, the North Sea countries have committed to deepen collaboration on enhanced availability of skilled workers, knowledge and expertise transfer, and upskilling.

Although skills is devolved to the Scottish Government, the UK Government is investing in programmes to support those workers transitioning from oil and gas into renewables.

As set out in the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, up to £20m in joint UK and Scottish Government funding is being provided to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, supporting North Sea workers to retrain into renewable roles. This builds on the successful pilot launched in July 2025 in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

The Government is also supporting the expansion of the industry-led Energy Skills Passport and introducing a North Sea Jobs Service.

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 accelerate planning and permitting processes for offshore wind developments in Scotland.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Scottish consenting reforms taken forward by the Planning and Infrastructure Act will make the electricity infrastructure consenting system more efficient, more predictable, and look to reduce overall consenting timescales. The Government also aims to adopt reforms to environmental legislation for offshore wind in Spring 2026. Collectively these measures will enable the rapid deployment of clean power which is vital for our energy security. Ultimately planning decisions in Scotland are the responsibility of the Scottish Government.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the relationship will be between the proposed Warm Homes Agency and Combined Authorities.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Warm Homes Agency will play a critical role in place-based delivery and work closely with local partners, including combined authorities. The Agency will seek to build on their good practice in local delivery, convening and supporting where necessary to build capacity to enable delivery to be led at a local level. The full scope of the Agency, including how it will work with combined authorities, is being finalised and will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the proposed Warm Homes Agency will allocate funding to Combined Authorities.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The full scope of the Warm Homes Agency, including any role in funding allocation, is being finalised and will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 110095, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absence of route-level ferry fare modelling risks on consumer price impacts for ferry-dependent communities.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has not undertaken route level ferry fare modelling for the UK ETS domestic maritime expansion. This is because, as we set out in the Impact Assessment, operators’ commercial decisions, vessel utilisation and fare structures vary widely. The qualitative assessment indicates that any passthrough to consumers is likely to be modest.

The Government will review the maritime element of the UK ETS in 2028 with further consideration of regional or distributional impacts.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much money they retained from the sale of part of the Atomic Energy Authority to a private sector operator in 1996.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

A National Audit Office (NAO) report published on 20^th March 1998 on the sale of AEA Technology sets out that then Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sold AEA Technology (formerly part of the UK Atomic Energy Authority) in 1996 for £224 million. In addition, DTI received a dividend of £3.75 million giving total gross proceeds of £227.75 million.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the deployment of AI technologies in the energy sector, for example in smart grids, fusion research and wider energy transition efforts.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Embracing the opportunities that AI offers to drive economic growth and productivity is a core government objective. As per the government funded AI for Decarbonisation Virtual Centre of excellence’s annual report, AI can support delivery of Clean Power by 2030 by enabling low carbon electricity generation, improving grid access, and enhancing the efficient operation of the energy system. As part of the government’s wider AI-and-decarbonisation programme, we are launching a review led by the AI Champion for Clean Energy. This will provide an expert assessment of the opportunities, risks, and enablers for AI technologies, aligning government, regulators, and industry.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the protocol agreed between Great British Energy and solar companies operating in the UK regarding supply chain validation from China.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Solar purchasing thus far has been undertaken by Devolved Governments, Other Government Departments, and relevant Mayoral Combined Authorities and the terms are commercially confidential. However, there have been clear expectations that they must comply with UK procurement rules, including requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Procurement Act 2023.

Great British Energy will lead the way in ethical supply chains by engaging with stakeholders to raise standards and explore alternatives to diversify high-risk supply chains.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential role of artificial intelligence and smart data technologies in modernising energy networks and forecasting operational capacity; and how this assessment informs policy on national energy resilience and industrial competitiveness.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Embracing the opportunities that AI offers to drive economic growth and productivity is a core government objective. As per the government funded AI for Decarbonisation Virtual Centre of Excellence’s annual report, AI can support delivery of Clean Power by 2030 by enabling low carbon electricity generation, improving grid access, and enhancing the efficient operation of the energy system. As part of the government’s wider AI-and-decarbonisation programme, we launched a review of the grid by the AI Champion for Clean Energy. This will provide an expert assessment of the opportunities, risks, and enablers for AI technologies, aligning government, regulators, and industry.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken routine checks under the Great British Energy Act 2025 of all shipments of components from China required for solar panel installation in the UK since the date on which Great British Energy began installing solar panels on 250 schools across England.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Education are procuring the solar panels for schools under the Solar Partnerships Scheme and have done so under the requirements set out by the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and UK procurement controls, as well as making use of Crown Commercial Service frameworks where appropriate.

As a publicly owned company, Great British Energy is expected to lead by example when adhering to the UK’s legislation and guidance on modern slavery, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the sources of all imports of polycrystalline silicon into the UK from China associated with the construction and assembly of solar panels during 2025.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government does not hold or publish data on the specific sources of polycrystalline silicon imported into the UK from China for use in solar panel manufacturing.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government which UK-registered firms imported component parts for solar panels that include polycrystalline silicon from China; and how many of these components were sourced from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government does not hold or publish data identifying which UK‑registered firms imported component parts for solar panels containing polycrystalline silicon from China, nor data on how many of these components may have originated from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to his Answers of 26 January and 4 February 2026 to Questions 106583 and 109831 on Energy Supply: Expenditure, if he will publish (a) monthly data collected during the year from departmental management accounts that were incorporated into the OSCAR database for the financial year 2024-5 and (b) adjustments made at year-end 2024-5 to align final outturn with the published annual report and accounts in spending areas associated with sources of reliable energy.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The final monthly data collected during the year is already published in the OSCAR annual release dataset with the TYPE_LONG_NAME of “IN-YEAR RETURN” and the adjustments to align final outturn with the published annual report and accounts is shown against “FINAL OUTTURN”.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will amend the electricity fixed-cost banding rule to permit evidence-based band migration based on actual usage and capacity within the permitted band limits.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

By law, network charging is a matter for Ofgem, the independent regulator.

Fixed charge banding rules, including migration, are set out in the DCUSA industry code (Schedule 32). They limit migration to exceptional circumstances, including significant change in capacity or consumption. There are some proposals to change banding rules (DCPs 412, 420, 454, and 466), which will be subject to final Ofgem approval. The DCUSA Secretariat can provide information about these rules/ proposals.

Ofgem has launched the Cost Allocation and Recovery Review (CARR), which is assessing whether there are more efficient and fairer ways to allocate and recover system costs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a social energy tariff.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government understands the need to target support to those who need it most. That is why on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills every winter until 2030/31. This means that millions of households every year who need support with their energy bills will receive the Warm Home Discount for the rest of the decade.

We also committed to exploring additional improvements to the scheme. While we consider options for future bill support, we are working across Government to improve access to and sharing of data to target support more effectively in the future. Specifically, the ‘Kickstarter’ programme under the National Data Library will test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to government programmes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of energy support for (a) ill and (b) other vulnerable people.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government understands the need to target support to those who need it most. That is why on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills every winter until 2030/31. This means that millions of households every year who need support with their energy bills will receive the Warm Home Discount for the rest of the decade.

We also committed to exploring additional improvements to the scheme. While we consider options for future bill support, we are working across Government to improve access to and sharing of data to target support more effectively in the future. Specifically, the ‘Kickstarter’ programme under the National Data Library will test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to government programmes.

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 impact of UK carbon pricing on the refinery sector; and whether her has made an assessment of the potential merits of carbon price linkage to the EU.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK’s refining capacity is very important to our energy security, resilience, as an industrial base to the continued growth of our regions. This government recognises the wider challenges facing the sector and know that tackling these together is vitally important.

Under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, free allocations are provided to the refining sector to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and reduce exposure to the carbon price.

Linking the UK ETS and EU ETS is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including a cheaper path towards decarbonisation by providing businesses with access to a larger, stable carbon market and creating the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK firms.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the Clean Energy Partnership Memorandum of Understanding, agreed with the government of China in March 2025, has not been published.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition. There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have commissioned independent audits and data tracking on Chinese imports of all products, services and components required for the roll-out of the UK's Warm Homes Plan.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is introducing sustainable supply chain requirements in contracts and grants. The Procurement Act 2023, now in force, allows contracting authorities to exclude suppliers, helping prevent government contracts from being awarded to those who cannot meet ethical and industry-specific standards. The Overseas Business Risk Guidance highlights regional risks and urges companies to carry out strong due diligence. The Trade Strategy published last year launched a review of responsible business conduct policy.

The Warm Homes Plan is backing British manufacturing, with £140million of investment including through the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator to strengthen supply chains, drive innovation, support workforce training and create high-quality jobs across the UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of (a) energy suppliers and (b) the National Grid to provide power for the cooling systems for proposed new AI data centres.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department’s energy and emissions projections include growth in power demand from computing services such as data centres. However, to ensure a comprehensive view of the energy system, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.

The Capacity Market ensures supply meets demand. It operates by securing most of the required capacity four years in advance, with additional capacity secured one year ahead based on updated forecasts. This approach ensures Great Britain meets the Reliability Standard, which balances cost and reliability to maintain adequate electricity security.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Local Power Plan funding for projects in Wales will be delivered through the Internal Market Act.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the Local Power Plan, Great British Energy will invest up to £1 billion to support at least 1,000 local and community energy projects across the country by 2030.

Funding for the Plan will be administered by Great British Energy. It will not be delivered through the Internal Markets Act.

GBE will work with the devolved governments to complement existing support and identify new opportunities for collaboration.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to lower electricity prices in the UK following the uplift of the Network Charging Compensation Scheme.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In February the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published a response to consultations on proposals to amend the inflation indexation of the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff schemes. Lowering levy costs through reforms such as these forms part of the work that government is doing to bear down on costs across the energy system to ensure that consumers do not see a net increase in their electricity bills as a result of this measure. More widely, at the last Budget government took an average of £150 of costs off household energy bills from this coming April.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025 included commitments by the UK government to maintain and increase current levels of supply of Chinese sourced parts, equipment and finished products throughout our energy supply infrastructure.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition.

There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Clean Energy Partnership Memorandum of Understanding with China, signed on 17 March 2025, included commitments on representations to China on the source of labour in the supply chains of Chinese manufactured solar panels.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition.

There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025 included commitments to share data related to energy supply and demand patterns across the United Kingdom.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition.

There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

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Found: key government departments and bodies, including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: We urge DfT to work with closely with DESNZ and MHCLG on planning and land access reforms to help DNOs

Found: Stronger coordination between DfT, DESNZ, Ofgem and network operators is needed so that local charging

Found: This body should bring together the Department for Transport (DfT), HM Treasury, DESNZ, NESO, local authorities

Found: , planning policy and freight needs alongside building on the growing close alignment between DfT, DESNZ

Found: Develop a cross-departmental EV strategy aligning DfT, DBT, Treasury and DESNZ policies across the full

Found: remaining barriers: Lack of joint-up planning with the energy system: A siloed approach between DfT and DESNZ

Found: Chris McDonald MP Minister for Industry Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

Found: , in order to avoid scenarios like the Australian case of ACCR v Santos (Dimitrova et al., 2025) (DESNZ

Found: - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Clive Maxwell CB CBE Interim Permanent Secretary Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

Found: I know that DESNZ has established a dedicated team to work with stakeholders across Government and

Found: from different government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, DBT, DESNZ

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department is working with other departments to coordinate delivery of the Government’s methane reduction commitments.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are working closely with other departments to coordinate delivery of the Government’s methane reduction commitments. Alongside the Carbon Budget Growth Delivery Plan, we published our Methane Action Plan detailing historic progress on methane abatement and key abating policies, building on the £63 billion announced at the 2025 Spending Review for clean energy, climate and nature.

Through these plans, we are working closely with DESNZ and are exploring ways to reduce livestock emissions including through methane suppressing feed products (MSFPs). Reducing methane emissions in the waste sector is also a key focus. As we move away from the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme, we will work with DESNZ to increase methane capture from landfill gas sites and are exploring a long-term methane capture scheme with a suitable transition plan.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions his Department has had with German counterparts concerning lessons from the January Berlin power outage for the UK's civil preparedness.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has not directly engaged with German counterparts regarding the January power outage in Berlin. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is the Lead Government Department for energy resilience.

DESNZ officials have closely engaged with the British Embassy Berlin regarding this incident to understand what happened and what lessons can be learnt.

Found: DESNZ ODA expenditure relates to International Climate Finance.

Found: documents were produced to fulfil a request from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: Inter-entity recharge - Digital JUL-2025 Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: provides the context for government oversight by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: [44 ] Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, “2022 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Final Figures

Found: Nuclear Technologies Page 1 of 108 Glossary AGR ALARA ALARP AMR BAT BPM C&M CO2 BEIS DESNZ

Found: Strategy was submitted to the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: operations, to the NDA group, subject to further approvals from the NDA, Submarine Delivery Agency, MOD, DESNZ

Found: [23] Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, “2022 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Final Figures,

Found: SÜD Nuclear Technologies Page 3 of 88 Glossary AGR ALARA ALARP BAT BPM C&M CO CO2 DESNZ

Found: Space

Found: DSIT - Science, Innovation and Growth - DSIT - Space Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: Underpinning the 2026/27 Hourly Rates _____________ 13 4 Introduction The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

Found: united-kingdom/home/where-we- operate/reimagining-teesside/h2teesside.html Accessed October 2024. 34 DESNZ

Found: responsibility of the government, specifically the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: Fuel Costs DESNZ publish quarterly energy prices data on the price of key fuels which enables us to

Found: Type 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Carbon Emissions: DESNZ

Found: Energy Efficiency and Income Indices 2012 - 2024 Drivers and Trends 2026-02-24 00:00:00 Figure FP4 DESNZ

Found: know, Scottish Government has made a grant offer to Acorn of £3.6 million to support it to access DESNZ

Found: Renewable Energy Planning Database maintained by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ

Found: Statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) (formally known as Department

Found: and ➢ £185k for Digital Inclusion; • Transfers in totalling £1,132k from the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero