Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that one million households are now falling behind with their energy bills.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we delivered the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households last winter. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from next winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs.

The Government's review of the 2021 fuel poverty strategy and the latest fuel poverty statistics confirm that a new plan is needed to accelerate progress to alleviate fuel poverty. The consultation closed on 4 April and we are considering the responses received. We are committed to publishing a new fuel poverty strategy this year. Our new fuel poverty strategy will be developed alongside our Warm Homes Plan and clean power mission, and our work to make the energy market fairer.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government which nuclear sites that have been in the process of decommissioning are being considered for new nuclear projects, including radioisotope production, as set out in the Interim Report 2025 of the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, published on 11 August.

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

The Government is designating a new National Policy Statement for nuclear energy generation, EN-7, which will empower developers to identify suitable sites for new nuclear projects using a robust set of siting criteria.

Separately, last year Great British Energy - Nuclear acquired the Oldbury and Wylfa sites. No decisions have yet been taken on specific projects at these sites. Any nuclear project would require development consent, subject to EN-7 once designated.

The Government is also aware of developer or community interest in nuclear projects at several other sites, including those being decommissioned. These include Pioneer Park (Moorside), Trawsfynydd (via Cwmni Egino), Hartlepool, and Dungeness.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reform the grid connections queue in order to remove "zombie scheme" energy applications.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is working closely with the National Energy System Operator, Ofgem and the network companies to deliver fundamental reform of the grid connections process. The reforms will prioritise connections for viable and strategically aligned projects needed for clean power, helping unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure. They will ensure only projects that are ready and needed are offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project strategically aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many "shovel-ready" energy applications have secured grid connections in Scotland since 2021, broken down by local authority area.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department does not hold this data however, through reforms to the connections process, only projects that are ready and needed will be offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Interim Report 2025 of the Nuclear Regulation Taskforce, published on 11 August, what consideration they are giving to re-examining the UK’s approach to risk management in the nuclear sector to ensure delivery of projects in a timely manner.

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

The Government is actively considering the findings of the Interim Report to help inform reforms that support timely delivery of Nuclear Projects.

'This includes working with industry and regulators to look at how regulation is applied in a proportionate way to support faster deployment of projects while maintaining safety levels at UK sites and continuing to meet internationally recognised standards. The government awaits the independent Taskforce’s final report, due in the Autumn, and will respond to its recommendations in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to discourage energy companies from lodging speculative "zombie scheme" energy applications.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is working closely with the National Energy System Operator, Ofgem and the network companies to deliver fundamental reform of the grid connections process. The reforms will prioritise connections for viable and strategically aligned projects needed for clean power, helping unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure. They will ensure only projects that are ready and needed are offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project strategically aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many "zombie scheme" energy applications have secured grid connection offers in Scotland since 2021, broken down by local authority area.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department does not hold this data however, through reforms to the connections process, only projects that are ready and needed will be offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 15 September (HL Deb cols 1885–88), whether they will provide assurance to private landlords that the cost cap to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will not be raised, and that a higher energy efficiency will not be required.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C by 2030. In the consultation, government set out proposals on maximum spend required from landlords and the exemptions regime to manage the cost burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market, whilst still achieving our ambition to deliver significant bill savings for tenants and lift households out of fuel poverty. No final decisions have been made and a government response to the consultation with be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a two-way contract for difference to provide competitive wholesale electricity prices to the steel industry.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We recognise the importance of competitive electricity prices in enabling the UK steel sector to thrive.

We are developing a comprehensive steel strategy, to be published this year, which will set out the conditions needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK. This strategy aims to attract new private investment and expand UK steelmaking capability in alignment with our Net Zero goals. As part of this, we launched the Plan for Steel Consultation in March to examine long-term challenges facing the industry, including how domestic producers can meet more UK demand.

To support decarbonisation and growth, the Government will renew the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, providing long-term confidence for industry to invest in low-carbon technologies. We remain committed to our manifesto pledge to invest up to £2.5 billion in steel through the National Wealth Fund and other routes.

The UK steel industry has a long-term future under this Government. We are determined to work towards a bright future for steel—protecting jobs, driving growth, and ensuring our industrial heartlands remain at the forefront of a competitive, low-carbon economy.

Found: reported to the House for publication: Correspondence from the Minister for Energy, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

Found: "govuk-table__cell">2025-04-08

Found: DESNZ conversion factors are used to calculate annual greenhouse gas emissions statistics and government

Found: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) issued a consultation on the implementation

Found: £315,700 Total - £704,332 474 £63,200 £1,894,000 Note:  Energy bill savings estimates are based on DESNZ

Found: Message: [redacted s.38(1)(b)] 18/03/2025 16:15 Forthcoming publication on NWF/GBE from HMT DESNZ