Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 people with oil heated homes in Devon.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For most oil-heated homes transitioning to clean heat will include installing a heat pump. Grants of £7,500 are available through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). As hydronic heat pumps may not be suitable for every property, BUS supports biomass boilers in rural homes with a £5,000 grants and we will offer £2,500 grants to support air-to-air heat pumps from 2026.
Government has recently published a consultation exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions. The consultation opened on 18 November and will run for 12 weeks.
Finally, we are undertaking research to collect data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes and expect to receive results early next year.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in the next two years, how many new oil and gas licences his Department will examine and what proportion he estimates will be approved; and what assessment he has made of the impact of licensing policy on the future viability of existing North Sea infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will legislate to meet its landmark manifesto commitment to end new licences to explore new oil and gas fields.
To support existing fields and infrastructure, the Government will introduce new Transitional Energy Certificates for a managed, prosperous and orderly transition.
The evidence suggests that even if new licenses were issued it would have only a marginal impact on overall production in the North Sea given it is a super mature basin which has been in decline for more than two decades.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a timeline for the transfer of the £2.3bn investment reserve to BCSSS members.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Chancellor announced in the budget the transfer of the full reserve of £2.3bn which will increase member incomes by 41%. The transfer has been completed and the required amendments to the scheme rules agreed and signed.
Implementation is a matter for the Trustees but we understand they have put processes in place so that the first payments will be made on 23 December.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
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 of green levies on utility bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The key to bringing down energy bills in the long term is clean power. With gas prices still significantly higher than historic levels, our exposure to international fossil fuel markets is still the main driver of high energy bills.
Taken together, the actions announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor at the Budget take an average £150 of costs off people’s energy bills and deliver on funding more of the investment we need in our energy system through public expenditure rather than levies. £7 billion worth of the historic Renewables Obligation levy has been moved into public expenditure and the ECO scheme has been scrapped. The government is delivering the biggest public investment in home energy efficiency ever, increasing the settlement we received at the Spending Review.
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, what was the budget for a) security and b) cyber security in the National Gas business plan each year for the past five years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Funding for National Gas Transmission is set by Ofgem’s RIIO (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs) framework for each five-year regulatory period.
For security reasons, Ofgem does not publish the specific allowances awarded for physical or cyber security. These investments are designed to strengthen resilience, often for Critical National Infrastructure, and disclosure could increase risks to individual companies and the wider energy sector.
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
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 review access to energy efficiency schemes for households in (a) properties over 100 years old and (b) otherwise classified as difficult to insulate.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero, supplying solutions that work for all buildings. The Warm Homes Plan will transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes fit for the future.
Research was commissioned by the Department to develop a definition for housing stock where the presence, and combination, of attributes and contextual factors, including age, can add complexity to improving energy efficiency.
The government is currently carefully considering the findings, which can be found at: (www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.) These will inform any future decisions.
For tailored recommendations on home upgrades consumers should visit the government’s home retrofit tool: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency
Asked by: Stuart Andrew (Conservative - Daventry)
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 linking eligibility for (a) boiler replacement and (b) heating repairs to the completion of insulation measures in cases where properties are unsuitable for insulation on vulnerable households; and whether he plans to review that requirement.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Eligibility for government home improvement schemes is based on factors such as the household income, vulnerability and the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of the property. Information on government support including eligibility criteria can be found at www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-to-heat.
Consumers can also visit the government’s home retrofit tool on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency to get tailored recommendations for home improvements and upgrades. There is a phoneline service available on 0900 098 7950.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
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 international progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Before the Paris Agreement policies put the world on track for up to 4°C of warming by 2100. The latest Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), published in October 2025, estimates that current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) put the world on course for 2.3°C to 2.5°C, or 1.9°C if all countries meet their NDC and net zero commitments in full.
Following COP30, the UK will continue to push for greater ambition globally to limit temperature increase to 1.5°C.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
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 promote limestone insulation as an energy efficiency measure.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government does not promote one measure over another, instead energy efficiency measures installed under current Government energy efficiency schemes must be compliant with PAS 2035/2030 to ensure installations are done to the highest quality and the risk of unintended consequences, such as condensation or damp, are minimised.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to support people suffering with a terminal illness with their energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The affordability crisis is the biggest issue facing this country. That is why I am proud that the recent Autumn Budget acts to take an average £150 of costs off people’s energy bills.
This support comes on top of the £150 off energy bills that we are providing for around 6 million families under the Warm Home Discount this winter, cutting fuel poverty.
The Government has been clear with suppliers that they should do all that they can to support their customers – including vulnerable consumers – who may be struggling with their bills. I would urge any consumers who are struggling to pay their bills to speak to their supplier, local authority, or Citizens Advice who may be able to provide help and support. They can also visit the GOV.UK website, where extra cost-of-living support can be found - www.gov.uk/cost-of-living.