Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks associated with importing electricity from Europe.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Electricity imports enhance security of supply by providing access to a more diverse generation pool that complements our domestic energy mix. They provide system flexibility by responding to changes in supply and demand, which is vital as we continue to integrate more renewable energy sources with intermittent generation.
In their Winter Outlook, the National Energy System Operator expects full interconnector availability for most of this winter, with 6.6GW of capacity obliged to import if needed through the Capacity Market. This is up 1.5GW from last winter and underpinned by comprehensive legal and treaty protections to ensure the market remains open.
Winter Outlook | National Energy System Operator
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the (a) potential implications for his policies and (b) the Government's net zero strategy of discussions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on determining its methodology for calculating bioenergy with carbon capture and storage emissions including imported biomass.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An assessment is made on the potential implications of any policy by the civil service and is provided to ministers to allow an informed decision to be made. The 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories provide a methodology for the reporting of emissions from bioenergy with carbon capture and storage that the UK is intending to follow once the technology is operating at sufficient scale.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 new RdSAP10 Energy Performance Certificate methodology on EPC ratings.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises EPCs as crucial for informing consumers about energy costs, emissions, and supporting Net Zero goals. An updated assessment methodology, RdSAP 10, will be introduced in early 2025. Developed with the EPC industry, this update aims to enhance the accuracy of energy performance evaluations by including detailed measurements like window sizes and battery storage. These changes ensure EPCs better reflect actual energy performance, aiding consumers in making informed decisions. The revised methodology will offer more reliable energy ratings and a clearer understanding of home efficiency.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 timetable is for making a decision on how much funding the Government will make available for bioenergy carbon capture and storage technology.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Following the announcement in October 2024 of funding for the initial Track 1 cluster configurations, further funding decisions for continued CCUS deployment will be taken as part of the Spending Review concluding in late Spring 2025.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Independent - Liverpool West Derby)
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 implications for his Department's polices of UN Secretary-General António Guterres's call for every country to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies, dated 5 June 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for regulating advertising in the UK across traditional forms of media and takes environmental issues into account. The ASA operates independently of Government, and I would encourage the Hon. Member to reach out to the ASA to discuss this issue further.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
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 carbon capture and storage technology.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on Tuesday 12th October, to Question 901221. On 4th October, the government announced up to £21.7bn of available funding over 25 years to launch the UK’s Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage industry. We will provide further details on the next steps on CCUS, including Track-2 projects, following Phase 2 of the Spending Review.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 making heat networks subject to the energy price cap.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Heat network suppliers commercially contract for the fuel that powers heat networks and so they are not subject to the domestic energy price cap.
The Government is however, introducing heat network regulation in January 2026 which aims to provide consumers with comparable protections to existing gas and electricity regulations.
The heat network regulator, Ofgem, will have powers to investigate and intervene where heat network prices charged to consumers appear to be disproportionate or unfair.
Regulatory oversight will be supplemented by statutory redress through the Energy Ombudsman who will have the same powers to hear complaints and make legally binding decisions as they do in gas and electricity markets.
Asked by: Alison Hume (Labour - Scarborough and Whitby)
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 cellular smart meters to create a fully functioning smart meter network in the north of England.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under its licence, the Data Communications Company (DCC) is obligated to provide Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage to at least 99.5% of premises across its ‘North’ region.
DCC's work on its Future Connectivity strategy includes consideration of a full range of technical solutions including cellular options.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 effectiveness of the smart meter network in North East Scotland.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that too many households across GB are currently unable to send automatic readings to their energy suppliers, including meters without access to WAN coverage. We will set out new plans to improve the rollout and the consumer experience, alongside Ofgem, in due course.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
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 regulate communal heating systems.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is introducing heat network regulation in January 2026 which aims to provide consumers with comparable protections to existing gas and electricity regulations.
Ofgem will be appointed heat network regulator, and they will administer the Market Framework which will introduce consumer protections and a licensing regime for operators. Ofgem’s powers will include the ability to investigate unfair pricing and ensure that consumers’ heat supply is maintained if their supplier goes out of business.
Regulatory oversight will be supplemented by statutory redress through the Energy Ombudsman who will have the same powers to hear complaints and make legally binding decisions as they do in gas and electricity markets. Citizens Advice and Consumer Scotland will also be empowered to provide advice and advocacy on behalf of heat network consumers.