Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are supporting the proposed P441 modification to the Balancing and Settlement Code; and if so, what changes they expect local energy generators and consumers to experience as a result.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is hugely ambitious about the role that local energy will play in achieving our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

The Department – with Great British Energy – are looking at the issue of local supply and the options available.

In parallel, Elexon have been progressing the P441 code modification through a series of workgroup roundtables and have recently concluded a consultation to gather wider sector responses on proposed P441 changes. These changes if supported would clarify and simplify balancing and settlement arrangements for complex metering sites, such as those used by some community energy schemes.

The Government will continue to monitor these developments closely.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how consumers are influenced to become more aware of their energy consumption patterns; and what assessment they have made of how consumers can be encouraged to change their energy consumption patterns.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Smart meters are helping households manage their energy consumption patterns so that they can improve their efficiency and save money on their bills.

The half-hourly consumption information recorded by smart meters unlocks innovative products and services such as smart ‘time of use’ tariffs which allow customers to save money by using energy when demand is low or when there is excess clean electricity available. The In-Home Display (IHD), which households are offered when they have smart meters installed, gives accurate information about energy consumption costs in near-real time.

To promote the benefit of heat pumps and encourage consumers to adopt low carbon heating technologies the government has recently relaunched its ‘Warm and Fuzzy’ campaign.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of possible actions that could be taken to encourage local energy clubs.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is hugely ambitious about the role that local energy will play in achieving our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

The Department – with Great British Energy – are looking at the issue of local supply and the options available.

Under the Local Power Plan, Great British Energy will provide support to local and community energy projects by partnering with community energy groups and providing commercial, technical and project planning assistance.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely costs of the investor-state arbitration being brought against them by Woodhouse Investment Pte; and what assessment they have made of their exposure to further fossil fuel-linked investor-state dispute settlements in future.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.

The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the aims of the investor-state dispute settlement process are in conflict with the UN sustainable development goals.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. ISDS does not remove governments’ right to regulate in the public interest, including with respect to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Government is aware of the interest in this important policy area and, in line with HMG’s Trade Strategy, the UK will continue to work with trading partners multilaterally, such as the OECD and the UN, to pursue opportunities to improve ISDS practice.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Coaker on Wednesday 10 December (HL Deb col 236), whether they plan to review their decision not to join the UN panel on the physical and societal effects of a nuclear war; and if so when.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer given on 17 February 2025 to Question 28881, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:

The UK voted against the United Nations General Assembly Resolution "Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research", which proposed establishing an independent scientific panel on the effects of nuclear war, because the devastation that would be caused by nuclear war has been long understood. The UK questioned the benefit of further research in that area, which could not change our collective understanding of the horror of a nuclear war.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 3 November (HL Deb col 1768), what issues the review of the existing protections of open spaces will examine; and whether there will be a public consultation before changes are proposed to those protections.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Open and green spaces are an essential part of local social infrastructure and must be protected for future generations. The review of existing protections will examine the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections for public recreational green spaces, assess how these protections complement those in the planning system, and consider the lack of central records on protected land.

We intend to analyse the effectiveness and usability of existing protections, to simplify the system, ensure consistency for developers and local authorities and empower communities to protect valued spaces.

We intend to engage widely to ensure stakeholder views are considered before recommending any changes are made to these protections.

Further details about the review will be released in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 3 November (HL Deb col 1768), what criteria they plan to use to decide which categories of open space should be included in the review of the existing protections of open spaces, and whether they will include covenanted land or land held in trust.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Open and green spaces are an essential part of local social infrastructure and must be protected for future generations. The review of existing protections will examine the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections for public recreational green spaces, assess how these protections complement those in the planning system, and consider the lack of central records on protected land.

Further details on the review of protections for public recreational green spaces, and on the timetable of the review will be shared in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 3 November (HL Deb col 1768), what is the timetable for the review of the existing protections of open spaces.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Open and green spaces are an essential part of local social infrastructure and must be protected for future generations. The review of existing protections will examine the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections for public recreational green spaces, assess how these protections complement those in the planning system, and consider the lack of central records on protected land.

Further details on the review of protections for public recreational green spaces, and on the timetable of the review will be shared in due course.

Found: Hanworth No relevant interest declared Baroness Janke No relevant interest declared Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

Found: of Haslemere (Crossbench; Life peer) Lord Meston (Crossbench; Excepted Hereditary) Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

Found: of Haslemere (Crossbench; Life peer) Lord Meston (Crossbench; Excepted Hereditary) Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

Found: Cameron of Dillington; Lord Faulkner of Worcester; Viscount Hanworth; Lord Mawson; Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

Found: of Haslemere (Crossbench; Life peer) Lord Meston (Crossbench; Excepted Hereditary) Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer