Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of the regulatory framework for ensuring public consultation on energy transmission projects and (b) take steps to ensure that statutory consultations on such projects include consultation on construction options.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For England and Wales, the Planning Act 2008 sets out the consultation requirements that developers of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), including electricity transmission projects, are required to follow. In April 2024, new guidance was published for NSIPs which sets out the consultation milestone that requires developers to demonstrate that they have consulted adequately with communities. The developer’s statutory consultation needs to show compliance with the energy National Policy Statements, including in relation to construction. In Scotland, the Scottish Government’s good practice guidance sets out the expectations and requirements for consultation.
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 increasing clean energy generation on energy efficiency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Investing in clean energy at speed and scale is the only way to deliver energy security and protect families from future energy shocks.
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, if he will take steps to help people who are living (a) in rural areas and (b) off the energy grid with the cost of energy.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy. New, clean renewable generation reduces our exposure to the volatile gas market.
In the short-term, we will continue to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 annual rebate on energy bills for eligible low-income households. We will invest an extra £6.6 billion in energy efficiency funding over the next Parliament to upgrade 5 million homes and cut bills for families.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to make an assessment of the impact of his plans for (a) new onshore wind and (b) other renewable energy sources on household bills.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers from future energy shocks is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards home‑grown clean energy. Through supporting the transition to clean energy, Great British Energy will save families money by ensuring electricity bills are no longer exposed to the kinds of gas price shocks which helped drive increases in the electricity price cap of over £1,300 for a typical household during winter 22/23.
Asked by: Lord Frost (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding has been provided to the Green Finance Institute in each of the past five fiscal years; and whether any of the directors of the company are appointed by the Government.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Green Finance Institute was launched in 2019 to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy. They are an independent private company that partner with financial organisations, corporates, NGOs, policymakers, academics and civil society experts. Their output supports several Government priorities across climate change, nature, international development, and economic growth.
Government has provided the following funding to the Green Finance Institute for a range of specific outputs to support Government policy making. Between 2019-2022 the Government provided a grant to support the establishment of the Green Finance Institute.
FY 2019-2020: £650,000
FY 2020-2021: £650,000
FY 2021-2022: £890,000 of which £650,000 was the core grant, and £240,000 was for specific projects
Since 2022 the Government has provided a grant to support specific projects through the Green Finance Institute.
FY 2022-2023: £1,565,500
FY 2023-2024: £1,460,467
TOTAL FY 2019-2024: £5,215,967
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provide funding directly to a separate entity, called the GFI PMO Ltd, which was set up to host the Secretariat for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. To date, this funding amounts to:
FY 2021-22: £801,855
FY 2022-23: £1,155,000
FY 2023-24: £910,000
No directors of the Green Finance Institute Ltd (previously known as the Green Finance Initiative Ltd) or the GFI PMO have been appointed by the Government.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
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 meet with the Durham Miners' Association to discuss the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Scheme Rules and their operation are agreed between the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees and the Government. I will be meeting the Trustees shortly to discuss how best to deliver on our manifesto commitments.
Asked by: Alice Macdonald (Labour (Co-op) - Norwich North)
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 increase (a) levels of home insulation and (b) access to renewable energy sources in (i) Norwich North constituency and (ii) Norfolk.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is committed to increase home insulation and renewable energy sources in all parts of the country, including in Norwich North and Norfolk.
The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation and other improvements to cut bills. We will announce policy details of the Warm Home Plan soon.
Delivering on our renewable electricity ambitions is integral to delivering our clean power by 2030. We are working in collaboration with the private sector to radically increase the deployment of onshore wind, solar and offshore wind.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comparative energy conversion efficiency of onshore and offshore wind turbines.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has internal software tools that it uses to model the performance of a specific wind turbine located in a defined location since the comparative energy conversion efficiency depends on the turbine design and the available wind resource rather than if a turbine is used offshore or onshore. The maximum energy conversion efficiency is theoretically 59.26% (The Betz Limit), but practical turbines have efficiency factors around the 40% range.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which Ministers will attend COP29 in November 2024.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
COP29 will be a major moment in the international climate and diplomatic calendar. The UK will be well represented at Ministerial level – exact attendance across Government Departments is still being determined.
From the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, I look forward to attending as Minister for Climate, alongside Ed Miliband MP as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) former miners and (b) former miners' widows are in receipt of a mineworkers' pension in (i) City of Durham constituency and (ii) the North East of England.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As at June 2023, there were 756 Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme members in the City of Durham constituency and 17,483 members overall in the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme North East of England. The breakdown between former miners and widows is not available.