Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 for battery storage technologies to enhance grid stability.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Battery storage technologies play an important role in ensuring grid stability through balancing the power system in real time and have the potential to support grid stability through grid-forming capabilities, depending on the type of technology used and their location on the network. The National Energy System Operator completed a trial of grid-forming batteries on the Stability Pathfinder programme and these technologies can now apply into the Stability Markets to provide these services through a transparent and competitive process.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what due diligence is required of energy transmission developers to assess the presence of protected military remains on proposed development sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
When a developer applies for consent for a new development, the Planning Guidance is clear that they must do a thorough assessment of all likely impacts.
This will include talking to relevant bodies about specific issues. Relevant bodies may include Historic England and Historic Environment Scotland for military heritage issues.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 rising domestic energy prices on low-income households.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The cost of living is the single biggest issue families are facing, and tackling affordability is this government’s number one priority. That is why the Chancellor has taken urgent action on the cost of living.
On 30 January, we also announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.
However, we recognise that there is much further to go if we are to end the era of high energy bills for good and permanently bring down the cost of living. That’s why we are sprinting for clean power by 2030, so we can end our reliance on international fossil fuel markets we do not control and deliver long-term energy security. We are also investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan – the biggest home upgrade plan in British history – to help lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much funding has been allocated to the Grangemouth workers Training Guarantee scheme; how much funding has been (a) distributed and (b) committed; and whether any (i) unallocated and (ii) unused funds remain within the scheme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK and Scottish Governments are investing up to £2 million to help workers directly impacted by the cessation of refining at Grangemouth transition into new jobs. The Grangemouth Training Guarantee has already supported over 290 workers through training.
The Training Guarantee is still in active delivery, led by Forth Valley College as the training provider and scheme administrator. Eligible workers continue to be able to access targeted training to support their return to employment in line with the established eligibility criteria. These criteria help ensure consistency and fairness, to ensure that all eligible workers can benefit from the Guarantee.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much funding has been distributed from the Grangemouth workers training guarantee.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK and Scottish Governments are investing up to £2 million to help workers directly impacted by the cessation of refining at Grangemouth transition into new jobs. The Grangemouth Training Guarantee has already supported over 290 workers through training.
The Training Guarantee is still in active delivery, led by Forth Valley College as the training provider and scheme administrator. Eligible workers continue to be able to access targeted training to support their return to employment in line with the established eligibility criteria. These criteria help ensure consistency and fairness, to ensure that all eligible workers can benefit from the Guarantee.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether any unused funds remain in the Grangemouth workers Training Guarantee scheme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK and Scottish Governments are investing up to £2 million to help workers directly impacted by the cessation of refining at Grangemouth transition into new jobs. The Grangemouth Training Guarantee has already supported over 290 workers through training.
The Training Guarantee is still in active delivery, led by Forth Valley College as the training provider and scheme administrator. Eligible workers continue to be able to access targeted training to support their return to employment in line with the established eligibility criteria. These criteria help ensure consistency and fairness, to ensure that all eligible workers can benefit from the Guarantee.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
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 issued guidance to energy companies on engagement with local historians, museums, and independent researchers with specialist knowledge of wartime crash sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
When a developer applies for consent for a new development, the Planning Guidance is clear that they must do a thorough assessment of all likely impacts.
This will include talking to relevant bodies about specific issues. Relevant bodies may include Historic England and Historic Environment Scotland for military heritage issues.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will set out which month in 2026 he will publish the Energy Resilience Strategy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with industry, the National Energy System Operator, and the regulator to develop the Energy Resilience Strategy to ensure it is comprehensive, robust and reflects the full range of risks and opportunities facing the energy system. We expect to publish the strategy in Autumn 2026.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
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 Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of taking steps to ensure that that fossil fuel companies fund the costs of climate recovery.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial Colleagues on a number of issues.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 for community battery schemes to reduce energy bills for households in Fylde constituency.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department recognises the potential for community batteries to help households access cheaper, clean electricity, including those without the up-front capital required for a home battery, those living in flats, and households that lack the space needed for installation.
Evidence from existing schemes suggests that community batteries can reduce energy bills by reducing peak electricity use and enabling export to the grid.
However, the Department has not made a final assessment of the scale of these savings. It has therefore launched a Call for Evidence to gather further information on this and other issues.