Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of curtailment costs to electricity billpayers in 2026.

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

Data on the aggregate impact of curtailment payments to electricity billpayers is calculated by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and can be found in NESO Annual Balancing Report, the next of which will be published later this year. The most recent NESO Annual Balancing Report was published in June 2025, covering the 2024/25 financial year, and can be found via this link: neso.energy/document/362561/download

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the expected completion dates are for major new transmission projects intended to reduce renewable curtailment.

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

The Clean Power Advice to Government, published by the National Energy System Operator in 2024 set out the list of over 80 transmission projects needed to meet Clean Power 2030, and their required delivery dates. These projects will alleviate curtailment and allow more renewable power to serve homes and businesses across the country. Updates on the expected completion dates of these projects is a matter for the Transmission Owners which design, run and build the high voltage network.

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 whether curtailment payments create incentives to locate generation in areas with insufficient grid capacity.

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

The revenue that generators can make from curtailment payments is regulated by Ofgem through the Transmission Constraint Licence Condition. This regulation limits the revenue generators can make from being curtailed to the value of the revenue lost through not being able to generate plus reasonable costs. Ofgem can and does take enforcement action against generators that it believes are not complying with this regulation.

The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will optimise the siting of new sources of electricity generation across Great Britain. The Government’s Reformed National Pricing programme will have the SSEP at its heart, and reforms will be designed to ensure incentives for generation projects encourage siting and investment in areas that align with the SSEP.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of funding in the consolidated low income household energy efficiency scheme will be allocated to (a) private sector homes and (b) social housing properties.

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

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan includes £5 billion targeted investment for home upgrades for low-income and fuel poor households. This will initially be delivered via the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG), which support social housing tenants and low-income homeowners respectively. The WH:SHF has been allocated up to an extra £295 million for 2026/27, in addition to the £1.3billion previously committed. £500 million has been allocated for the WH:LG.

From 2027/28 onwards the Government intends to integrate these schemes into a single low-income capital scheme, shifting towards area-based delivery. The Government will say more about the evolution of our low-income schemes in Spring 2026.

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 recommendations 11 and 12 of the Nuclear Regulatory Review on the level playing field provisions in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

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

We will present a full government response and implementation plan by end of February 2026, taking account of our national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes. The Review acknowledges that when reviewing the recommendations in detail and in considering implementation, we may conclude that some recommended outcomes could be better achieved by alternative means, or that delivery timescales must necessarily be adjusted.

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 proportion of curtailment costs borne by domestic consumers.

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

Data relating to curtailment caused by constraints including costs is provided in the National Energy System Operator (NESO) Annual Balancing Report at this link: neso.energy/document/362561/download. Constraint costs, as with other interventions taken by NESO to balance the electricity system, are recovered from consumers through Balancing Service Use of System Charges. Both domestic and non-domestic consumers pay these balancing costs, in proportion to their energy consumption. Although the most energy intensive industries receive additional support with these costs.

The current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation. We are already taking action to reduce constraints with the biggest upgrade to Great Britain’s electricity network in decades.

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 introducing zonal electricity pricing on (a) consumer energy bills in regions with high renewable generation, such as those with significant offshore wind capacity, (b) the cost to the public purse of constraint payments to wind generators and (c) future private-sector investment in energy infrastructure in areas of high demand, including the South East.

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

In July 2025, we announced that we would not be implementing zonal pricing as part of the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) and had decided instead to retain a single Great Britain wide wholesale electricity market. We plan to set out the potential impact of zonal pricing − with respect to areas such as consumers, generators and investment, including South East England – in the REMA Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), which will be published later this year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment has the department made of the potential impact of the government’s Warm Homes Plan on levels of fuel poverty in North East Somerset and Hanham.

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

DESNZ’s annual sub-regional fuel poverty statistics estimate the rates of fuel poverty in constituencies within England, and will therefore reflect the impacts of the Warm Homes Plan in time.

The Department will publish monitoring statistics and evaluation of policies announced in the Warm Homes Plan. DESNZ currently publishes statistics covering the uptake and impacts of energy efficiency measures here.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much funding within the consolidated low income household energy efficiency scheme will be ringfenced for community level low carbon heat technologies, including (a) Shared Ground Loops and (b) heat networks.

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

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan includes £5 billion targeted investment for home upgrades for low-income and fuel poor households. As part of this offer, from 2027/28 the Government intends to integrate the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant into a single low-income capital scheme, which will shift toward area-based delivery. The Government will say more about the evolution of our low-income schemes this Spring, including the scope of funded technologies.

In addition to any forthcoming funding from these schemes the Government is investing £1.1bn in low-carbon heat networks over this Parliament, and accelerating their rollout through Heat Network Zoning. We have also taken action to strengthen consumer protection through appointing Ofgem as the Heat Network regulator.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how often gas-fired power stations were used to replace curtailed renewable generation in 2025.

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

The Department does not hold the requested information. It is owned by NESO and published on the Elexon data portal.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress her Department has made to help improve the energy efficiency of homes in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

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

The recently published Warm Homes Plan, backed by £15 billion, represents biggest investment in home upgrades ever. Households, including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, will be able to benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can cut energy bills and improve energy efficiency.

The Warm Homes Plan makes an offer to every household, and we will reach up to 5 million homes by 2030, through direct support for those on low incomes and in fuel poverty, and innovative low-interest finance available to all. New energy efficiency standards in the private and social rented sectors will also lift around 650,000 households out of fuel poverty.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many workers applied to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund during the pilot programme; and what estimate he has made of the number of workers who will be supported by the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund in the next 12 months.

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

As of 6^th February, the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has received 980 applications and of these 402 have been approved so far. Following the success of the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund pilot in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire UK and Scottish Governments plan to significantly scale up this and will extend the reach of the Transition Training Fund, enabling thousands more highly skilled oil and gas workers to access tailored careers advice and training to transition to new sectors.

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 the crude oil and diesel spill from the Piper Bravo Platform on 6 January 2026 on the marine environment.

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

The crude oil and diesel spills on the Piper Bravo Platform on 6^th January 2026 were reported to the Health & Safety Executive in accordance with their hydrocarbon release reporting requirements. Both spills were contained on the installation with no spill to the marine environment.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the environmental impact of high-carbon advertising.

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

The government is committed to reducing emissions from high carbon products and will continue to bring forward proposals to do so. For example, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is assessing the potential for voluntary ecolabels. Ecolabels provide information on the carbon intensity and environmental impact of products and services, to help inform consumers’ purchasing decisions.

The Committees of Advertising Practice and Advertising Standards Authority regulate the content and targeting of advertising in the UK, and the advertising codes include rules on environmental claims. The ASA system operates independently of the government.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including on how we deliver our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department provides (a) funding and (b) any other support for increasing (i) grid capacity and (ii) enabling electrification at the Port of Southampton.

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

The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, published in March 2025, sets out domestic goals and commitments to decarbonise maritime transport, and a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports was launched to assess future energy demand at ports such as Southampton and Portsmouth International.

While the Government does not directly fund increases in electricity network capacity, we support Ofgem in their work to incentivise electricity network companies to invest strategically, ensuring plans reflect emerging demands from electrifying sectors. Through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions, Portsmouth International Port received nearly £20m of R&D funding to support a shore power trial.

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 the potential impact of alternative rooftop land uses, including solar panels and energy infrastructure, on the (a) valuation of properties hosting telecommunications equipment and (b) landowners’ willingness to continue hosting mobile network infrastructure.

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

No assessment has been made.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using wasted and stranded renewable energy to mine bitcoin as an alternative DSR capability.

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

No such assessment has been made.

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 assessed the potential impact of the removal, relocation and temporary decommissioning of rooftop telecommunications equipment as part of programmes to install rooftop solar panels, heat pumps and other energy infrastructure on mobile network coverage, including 5G.

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

No assessment has been made.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many nights were spent in hotels by Departmental staff in financial year 2024-25 by the star rating of the hotel.

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

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not hold this information centrally. The information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues and the Northern Irish Government on using funds raised by the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime to support maritime decarbonisation projects in Northern Ireland.

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

Revenue raised through the UK Emissions Trading Scheme support the Government’s wider priorities, including spending that helps deliver decarbonisation.

The Government is providing funding to support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, including in Northern Ireland.

For example, the first phase of funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions saw £19 million provided to businesses and projects based in Northern Ireland.

This includes a project to demonstrate a fully electric crew transfer vessel in Belfast Harbour and feasibility studies for a zero-emission shipping corridor between Northern Ireland and England, involving trials at Larne Harbour.

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 109392, what engagement his Department undertook with ferry operators and representative bodies serving island and coastal communities in assessing the risk of traffic diversion arising from the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to domestic maritime.

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

The UK ETS Authority consulted extensively with the maritime sector, including ferry operators and island and coastal communities, to ensure all perspectives informed policy development.

During the consultation period, the Government provided online engagement sessions with operators and industry, as well as bespoke engagement sessions for island communities.

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 4 February 2026 to Question 109240, what proportion of the estimated costs of extending the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to domestic maritime are attributable to administrative compliance.

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

The Impact Assessment estimates £201 million in additional costs over 20 years, with about £179 million, from administrative compliance and around £22 million from emissions reduction investment.

Administrative costs are initially higher because around 2,000 maritime operators enter the scheme in 2026 due to the inclusion of emissions at berth.

The emissions introduced initially are relatively small, and estimates are conservative given overlap with existing UK and EU MRV requirements. On a per operator basis, the admin burden is low. The planned expansion to international maritime is expected to bring far more emissions into scope without increasing administrative burden.

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 implications for his policies of the recent announcement by the International Energy Agency that the UK's domestic energy costs are significantly higher than those of comparable nations.

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

High UK energy costs have been driven by our dependence on global fossil fuel markets. The Government’s clean energy mission is the best way to break this dependence and protect billpayers permanently. The Government also acted at Budget to take an average £150 of costs off domestic bills in Great Britain from April, and it continues to work with the NI Executive on measures to bring down energy costs for households in Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Salford of 11 September 2025 on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

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

The letter in question was transferred to this Department and issues raised were addressed in a response issued on 15 October.

The 15 October letter was a response to correspondence received from my hon Friend on 11 September 2025 and 17 September on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

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 implications for UK energy grid procurement policies of the Strider report on US grid dependency on Chinese components.

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

The protection and security of the energy sector is an absolute priority of this Government. My department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure. Investment in the energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny – we take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

As an open economy, we welcome foreign trade and investment where it supports growth and jobs in the UK, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had discussions with the Foreign Secretary on the comments made by the US Ambassador on the suitability of the Wylfa site for gigawatt-scale nuclear production.

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

My Rt Hon friend has regular discussions with cabinet colleagues on a number of issues.

The government has selected Wylfa as the site to host Britain’s first small modular reactors. Meanwhile, to pursue the option of further large-scale nuclear, Great British Energy - Nuclear has been tasked with identifying suitable sites that could potentially host such a project.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what regulatory mechanisms exist to require installers to carry out corrective works where insulation products installed under publicly funded energy efficiency schemes are found to be (a) defective and (b) improperly installed.

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

Insulation installations under energy efficiency schemes must be carried out by TrustMark registered and PAS 2030 certified businesses, in accordance with PAS 2035. A guarantee must be purchased for each installation. Solid wall insulation installations attract a 25 year guarantee up to a value of £20k.

In the event that installers do not remediate work, TrustMark and PAS 2030 certification bodies have the ability to suspend a business until works are rectified. TrustMark’s complaint handling process offers access to a Dispute Resolution Ombudsman which offers registered businesses and customers an impartial and flexible way of reaching a resolution. Where an installer business ceases to trade, a claim can be made on the guarantee.

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 consumer redress mechanisms for when installers do not engage with households following defective insulation installations.

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

The consumer can escalate issues to the installer’s certification body, and TrustMark provide access to a Dispute Resolution Ombudsman. All measures installed under our current schemes have a guarantee against which a claim can be made.

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

We will change the current, failed protections system to one that can command public confidence and consult this year on options for bringing the oversight of energy efficiency and microgeneration installations for government schemes under closer government control and on the role of the Warm Homes Agency.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures are in place to limit curtailment costs during the period before new grid infrastructure becomes operational.

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

The Government, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) are pursuing measures which will reduce constraint costs in the short term. These include making best use of the existing network, deploying smart grid technologies and taking measures to reduce the amount of time networks need to be out of service for essential new build and maintenance. NESO is also progressing other technical measures at pace via the Constraints Collaboration Project. We intend to announce further measures in the Reformed National Pricing (RNP) Deliver Plan which will be published shortly.

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 expansion of renewable generation does not lead to higher electricity bills for consumers.

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

At a systems level, the prize of a renewables-based system, supported by nuclear and other technologies, is clear: it gets us off the fossil fuel rollercoaster, reducing our exposure as a country. The role of gas generation is already changing in GB’s electricity system and, as renewable deployment continues, its impact on the electricity price will reduce. Clean power 2030 will mean volatile gas sets the wholesale electricity price much less often than today.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of constraint payments and balancing actions in each year since 2020; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of this on domestic energy bills.

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

The breakdown of curtailment and balancing action costs borne by domestic consumers and other data relating to constraints is provided in the National Energy System Operator (NESO) Annual Balancing Report. The most recent of these reports was published in June 2025 which can be found via this link: neso.energy/document/362561/download. We recognise that actions are needed to reduce system constraints. The current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation. We are already taking action to reduce constraints with the biggest upgrade to Great Britain’s electricity network in decades.

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 a just transition and economic fairness for communities when reducing air pollution from the energy sector.

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

The government’s approach to the transition is built on the principle of fairness – for households by ensuring energy security and protecting billpayers, and for workers by ensuring decarbonisation is a route to reindustrialisation.

The transition will unlock a range of social and health benefits from lower energy bills and cleaner air for people across the country, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

Working towards net zero and adapting to climate change is essential to prevent widening inequalities, because we know that if we do not act, the impacts of climate change will more severely impact vulnerable groups.

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 merits of implementing measures similar to those adopted in other European countries to help reduce electricity prices for (a) consumers and (b) industry.

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

Tackling the affordability crisis is Government’s number one priority. At the last Budget, we took an average of £150 of costs off household energy bills from this coming April. The main driver of high energy bills is gas, and we are taking action to reduce electricity prices for consumers and industry by taking back control with homegrown clean power. In designing and implementing energy policy, we take account of approaches adopted successfully in other countries.

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 compatibility of his Clean Power 2030 target with current grid capacity constraints.

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

The Clean Power Action Plan set out the actions needed to deliver the Clean Power target, including the generation assets required and the network projects needed to transport homegrown power to homes and business across the country. This was based on advice from the National Energy System Operator that is informed by its analysis of current and expected future grid capacity constraints.

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 impact of curtailment payments on average household energy bills in 2025.

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

This information can be found in the NESO Annual Balancing Report, the next of which will be published later this year. The most recent NESO Annual Balancing Report was published in June 2025, covering the 2024/25 financial year, and can be found via this link: neso.energy/document/362561/download

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what lessons his Department has learnt from other countries that have reduced curtailment while expanding renewables.

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

We use evidence from comparable countries to support our decision making and policy thinking on curtailment. Constraint payments are a natural part of operating an electricity system and are used in many countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany and Denmark. However, the current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation. We’re finally changing that, with the biggest upgrade to Great Britain’s electricity network in decades, which will minimise both curtailment and constraint costs, and help deliver clean power by 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what types of building will be exempt from the proposed new energy performance certificate standards for rental properties.

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

The private rented sector minimum energy efficiency standard regulations apply to all privately rented homes that are let on specific types of tenancy agreement and legally required to have an Energy Performance Certificate. There are a number of exemptions available through the current regulations. We recently consulted on the suitability of current exemptions and will make some amendments and additions to improve the exemptions regime when the new standard applies.

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 role of battery storage in reducing renewable curtailment.

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

Electricity storage has an important role to play in decarbonising the power sector by helping to balance the electricity system at lower cost. Electricity storage achieves this by charging when electricity is abundant and discharging when it is scarcer, thereby mitigating the need for grid reinforcement and reducing the curtailment of renewable generation. Efficient use of storage therefore offers opportunities for reducing constraint costs. The Government, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) are currently investigating options aimed at maximising the benefits of storage technologies in reducing system costs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the new energy performance certificates methodology will take into account higher-rated water heaters and infrared heating.

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

Technologies for which we have already obtained sufficient evidence – including heat batteries for water heating – will be supported at launch of HEM: EPC. Other technologies will be added over time via the new innovative product recognition process.

Government is working with manufacturers to ensure that infrared systems can be represented fully and accurately. To enable this, further work is required from industry to develop a robust, validated test method for measuring their operative temperature.

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.

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 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: 12] Data on bioethanol and biodiesel feedstocks has been removed from Tables 2.1 and 2.2, following DESNZ

Found: /26 -0.01 -0.01 (Section A) Transfer in funding from 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: Space

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

Found: Simon Webb, Claire Corkhill, Clare Bond, Barry Lennox, Ray Kemp, Derek Lacey, Malcolm Joyce DESNZ

Found: Simon Webb, Claire Corkhill, Clare Bond, Barry Lennox, Ray Kemp, Derek Lacey, Malcolm Joyce DESNZ

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: 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: Table 11: DESNZ carbon values, £/tCO2e, uplifted to £2025 prices Year 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031