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, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102835, under what conditions would a contract be terminated.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Where the generator is found to be non‑compliant with the conditions of public support, enforcement action is available, including the withholding of subsidy and contract termination. The Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference (LCD CfD) contains various rights of termination for the contract Counterparty (LCCC) in the event the Generator (Drax) breaches key obligations. This includes the ability to terminate the CfD in the event of repeated and material breaches of the sustainability requirements. For the full text setting out the LCD CfD Termination rights, see Termination - Part 12 (p.186) here: Low Carbon Dispatchable Contracts for Difference Terms and Conditions - Low Carbon Contracts. Any such action would be taken on the basis of evidence and in line with the relevant statutory and contractual frameworks.
Asked by: Claire Coutinho (Conservative - East Surrey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) his Department and (b) the arms length bodies sponsored by his Department are compliant with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025].
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have set out our expectation that all duty bearers, including Departments and arm’s-length bodies, follow the law as clarified by the Supreme Court ruling and seek specialist legal advice where necessary. The Prime Minister has underlined this recently.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has submitted a draft Code of Practice on services, public functions and associations to Ministers, and we are reviewing it with the care it deserves. This will provide further guidance to duty bearers.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how community energy organisations will be involved in the development of the Community Energy in a Box Toolkit.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In developing the Local Power Plan, DESNZ and Great British Energy (GBE) engaged with Local Government and the community energy sector. GBE will continue to use these existing forums and build their own relationships, such as through conferences, events, workshops.
GBE will produce a “community energy in a box” toolkit to support people – including those new to community energy – by providing guidance on awareness raising, project origination and project development support as well as standardised documents and templates.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the terms of the concessional loans to community energy organisations will be, as announced in the Local Power Plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy (GBE) is currently developing its schemes and projects for 2026/27 and beyond, which includes criteria for upcoming grants and loans.
GBE will set out further funding options in summer 2026.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what is the planned generating capacity of the Local Power Plan's target of supporting over 1,000 local and community projects by 2030.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in its Strategic Plan in December 2025, Great British Energy (GBE) has a 15GW clean energy target over the next 5 years.
This will allow GBE to unlock the potential of emerging technologies while supporting the continued build out of more established technologies, like solar, wind and hydro.
Backed by up to £1 billion, GBE has committed to support at least 1000 local and community energy projects by 2030. These projects will form an integral part of that overall ambition to deliver at least 15GW.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many community energy schemes in England are projected to make up the Local Power Plan's target of supporting over 1,000 local and community projects to 2030.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Backed by up to £1 billion, Great British Energy (GBE) has committed to support at least 1000 local and community energy projects by 2030. GBE will prioritise smaller projects across the country and the communities that benefit from them.
GBE will account for different levels of demand across regions when designing its funding offer.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much and what proportion of the Local Power Plan funding will be directed to the GB Energy Community Fund.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy (GBE) is currently developing its schemes and projects for 2026/27 and beyond, which includes criteria for upcoming grants and loans.
GBE will set out further funding options in summer 2026.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much and what proportion of the Local Power Plan funding will be made up of concessions loans.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy (GBE) is currently developing its schemes and projects for 2026/27 and beyond, which includes criteria for upcoming grants and loans.
GBE will set out further funding options in summer 2026.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how many (a) public engagements and (b) private meetings Ministers in their Department have undertaken related to the national conversation on defence and security.
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 officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.
As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is actively supporting this work.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
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 policies of trends in the backlog of grid connection; and what steps he is taking to help reduce connection times for businesses.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government has worked closely with the National Energy System Operator and network companies on their programme of connections reforms which have already reduced the queue for generation and storage connections by over half.
Government is also developing further reforms to the grid connection process for demand, to manage the backlog of speculative data centre applications and enable prioritisation of available capacity for strategically important demand projects.