Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 made an estimate of the projected carbon emissions resulting from steel imports in the next three years.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department estimates future greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide) on a territorial basis, meaning emissions that occur within UK borders. This is the approach required by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008. The latest estimate is published here: Energy and emissions projections - GOV.UK.
Defra publishes consumption-based emissions statistics, calculated by the University of Leeds, which include emissions associated with imported goods and services. This can be found here: Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
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 implement the second phase of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for non-domestic private rented buildings.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have analysed the responses to our consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the non-domestic private rented sector and we are reviewing the policy design to ensure it remains fair and appropriate for landlords and tenants, and plan to publish our response in the first half of 2025.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) direct and (b) indirect jobs have been created through (i) platform electrification, (ii) CCUS and (iii) hydrogen between 2021-2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not currently have information on jobs created in platform electrification, CCUS and hydrogen between 2021-2024.
In 2024, the Government confirmed funding for 11 HAR1 projects, which are estimated to support around 760 direct jobs during construction and operation.
The £21.7 billion of funding for Track 1 announced last year is intended estimated to support up to 4,000 direct jobs and the industry as a whole will support up to 50,000 jobs as the sector develops into the 2030s
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
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 solar radiation modification technologies on the atmosphere.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Given the significant uncertainty around the possible risks and impacts of deployment on the climate and environment, the Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) direct and (b) indirect supply chain jobs have been created under the North Sea Transition Deal.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The North Sea Transition Deal remains an important partnership between Government and industry, but job creation is based on many factors. Attributing direct or indirect job creation to the Deal alone is not possible and the Department does not track these figures.
The Government and industry continue to work together to deliver on the commitments in the North Sea Transition Deal. This includes actions to support workers and the supply chain to build on the opportunities the transition presents, to create high quality, well-paying jobs in existing and future energy industries, with no community left behind.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's original budget for the construction of Hinkley Point C was; how much his Department has spent since that project started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Hinkley Point C is not a UK Government-funded project. The financing of Hinkley Point C is the responsibility of EDF (Électricité de France) and China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN). The latest update from EDF on costs of Hinkley Point C can be found here (on page 29):
https://www.edf.fr/sites/groupe/files/2025-03/annual-results-edf-2024-presentation-2025-03-07.pdf
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what role the Treasury holds in approving new oil and gas fields.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Oil & Gas Authority (operating as the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA)) are the licensing authority for offshore oil & gas. The NSTA are also responsible for granting consents and authorisations for subsequent activities (including development consents) under the Petroleum Act 1998. The NSTA requires Secretary of State’s agreement under relevant environmental regulations prior to granting any licence, consent or authorisation.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
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 incentivise small businesses in the (a) computing and (b) AI sector to generate their own renewable energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring the growth of AI and data centres in the UK is done in a way that supports our clean power mission and longer-term decarbonisation goals. The department has funded the AI for Decarbonisation Programme which supports the development of innovative AI approaches to address critical challenges in decarbonisation. The department is also running a Business Energy Advice Service pilot in the West Midlands. This provides free energy assessments and match-funded grants to small businesses to support them to decarbonise and reduce their energy demand. The scheme has been extended to 31 March 2026.
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, if he will take steps to prevent solar panels from being placed on agricultural land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Planning guidance makes clear that, wherever possible, solar developers should utilise brownfield, industrial, contaminated, or previously developed sites. Where the development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, lower-quality land should be preferred to higher-quality land.
The total area of land devoted to solar panels is very small. As of the end of September 2024, ground-mount solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares (52,000 acres), which is only around 0.1 per cent of the total land area of the UK.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many large area solar proposals going through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process are requesting planning approval to acquire freehold land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An application for development consent can include a request for the granting of rights to compulsorily acquire or temporarily possess land to facilitate the development of the proposal.
Each application for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP), including solar NSIPs, has a dedicated webpage on the Planning Inspectorate’s website which sets out its intention to acquire land or not: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.
As part of the application process, a ‘Book of Reference’ is uploaded to the relevant proposal’s webpage listing the Classes of Rights which are being sought over each plot, including acquiring freehold, if applicable.