Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the impending European Union carbon border adjustment mechanism on clean energy investment on the island of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is in an implementation period and applies to exports of electricity to the EU but not electricity for the UK market. The EU Commission has said that it intends to finalise the regulation via legislation ahead of the CBAM entering its definitive period.
The UK will continue to engage closely with the EU as it finalises the CBAM and will continue to raise the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the CBAM for trade in electricity, given the challenges involved.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the impending European Union carbon border adjustment mechanism on the functioning of the single electricity market on the island of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government plans to apply the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism across the whole UK, including in NI. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the EU, to ensure our approach is implemented in a way that works for businesses.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism could only apply in Northern Ireland with the agreement of the UK and in line with the democratic safeguards of the Windsor Framework.
For goods moving from Northern Ireland into the EU, guidance is a matter for the European Commission and EU Member States. The UK have raised with the EU Commission the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for trade in electricity.
The EU Commission website is the most up to date source of information and guidance.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to discuss linking the respective emissions trading schemes of the UK and the European Union at the UK–EU leaders' summit on 19 May.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has committed to improving the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU, and tackle unnecessary barriers to trade. Under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to cooperate on carbon pricing and give serious consideration to linking respective emissions trading schemes (ETSs). Ahead of the UK-EU Summit on the 19th May, the UK Government is actively considering the case for linking ETSs. This does not prejudge the outcome of any potential discussions with the EU on ETS linking.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss linking the respective emissions trading schemes of the UK and EU at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on 19 May 2025.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to give serious consideration to linking our respective carbon pricing schemes and to cooperate on carbon pricing. As part of our reset with the EU the Government continues to explore all options to improve trade and investment.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on clean energy investment in Northern Ireland of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is in an implementation period and applies to exports of electricity to the EU but not electricity for the UK market. The EU Commission has said that it intends to finalise the regulation via legislation ahead of the CBAM entering its definitive period.
The UK will continue to engage closely with the EU as it finalises the CBAM and will continue to raise the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the CBAM for trade in electricity, given the challenges involved.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 1 September 2023, the UK announced it would be reviewing its membership of the ECT if the modernised Treaty was not adopted by November 2023. The Government is considering the views of stakeholders in business, civil society, and Parliament as part of this process.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to remain a member of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 1 September 2023, the UK announced it would be reviewing its membership of the ECT if the modernised Treaty was not adopted by November 2023. The Government is considering the views of stakeholders in business, civil society, and Parliament as part of this process.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the regulations governing the transport of nuclear material within the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Transport regulations are enforced by expert independent regulators, the Office for Nuclear Regulation in Great Britain and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland. The Government invited the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission to assess the UK’s regulatory framework for radiological and nuclear safety in 2019, including for transport. The mission team found that the transport regime met all international standards and did not make any recommendations for improvement.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to including provisions on carbon leakage as part of the Energy Bill.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is delivering the landmark Energy Bill which will liberate private investment in clean technologies and deliver the crucial transformation of the energy system for the long term.
The UK recognises the importance of addressing the risk of carbon leakage to ensure that its ambitious policy of decarbonisation is not undermined through the transition to Net Zero.
Whilst the Energy Bill does not contain explicit provisions relating to carbon leakage, the Government committed to consult on a range of potential mitigations for carbon leakage in the spring.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what environmental monitoring will form part of future carbon capture and storage projects beneath the seabed.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Upon receiving an application for a carbon dioxide storage permit, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) is required by law to ensure (amongst other requirements) that the storage complex and surrounding area have been sufficiently characterised and assessed to ensure there is no significant risk of leakage, or of harm to the environment or human health. As part of the storage permit application, the operator will be required to set out a monitoring plan to demonstrate conformance and containment, detection, and measurement of a significant irregularity or leakage event.