Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comparative availability of emissions-reducing technologies in (1) Scottish island ports, and (2) English island ports, including shore power, alternative fuels and port-side grid capacity; and how that assessment informed decisions to exempt only Scottish routes from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.

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

The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s island and peninsulas due to unique challenges they face in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and employment. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

The Government will continue to work with industry to support the development of infrastructure and technologies needed to facilitate decarbonisation across the UK.

In September 2025, the Government announced £448m R&D funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) between 2026 and 2030. This represents the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime industry.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the whether absence of a UK Emissions Trading Scheme exemption for English island lifeline ferry routes will result in higher fares and freight increases compared to protected Scottish routes; and whether they will publish that assessment.

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

The Domestic Maritime Final Impact assessment was published on the 25^th November 2025.

The Government has not undertaken route-level, ferry fare modelling. This is because, as set out in the Impact Assessment, operators’ commercial decisions, vessel utilisation and fare structures vary widely. The qualitative assessment indicates that any passthrough to consumers is likely to be modest.

The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s island and peninsula communities because of the unique challenges they face in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and employment. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce a temporary or time-limited exemption from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for English island lifeline ferry services.

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

There are no plans for temporary or time-limited exemptions from the UK ETS for English island ferry services.

Any potential impacts of the scheme on ferry services to English islands will be considered in a review of the effectiveness of the maritime regime in 2028.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with shipping companies serving Northern Ireland about higher emissions coverage on routes between Northern Ireland and Great Britain under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) than on routes between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain under the EU ETS; and what further discussions they plan to have with affected operators before July.

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

The Government is applying a 50% deduction in surrender obligation for voyages between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This removes any disparity between the UK ETS and EU ETS, ensuring equivalent carbon pricing within the Irish Sea.

The Government consulted extensively with the maritime sector, to ensure all perspectives informed policy development.

During consultation, the Government provided bespoke engagement sessions including a roundtable for Northern Ireland stakeholders.

Government officials continue to engage and have subsequently held individual meetings with key stakeholders and industry bodies. Regulators are running a voluntary onboarding period which will help the sector engage with the ETS ahead of July.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not extended the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) lifeline ferry exemptions to English islands, including the Isle of Scilly and the Isle of Wight; and what assessment they have made of the risk that increased ferry costs under the UK ETS will impact healthcare accessibility and affordability for island residents.

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

The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s islands and peninsulas given the unique and pressing challenges they face in accessing essential goods healthcare, education and employment, in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

The Government will be evaluating any impacts of the scheme on consumers and businesses, including on the Isle of Wight, as well as the existing exemptions, in a review of the maritime regime in 2028.

Ferries serving the Isles of Scilly are out of scope of the UK ETS, as they are below the 5000 gross tonnage threshold.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support ocean sciences and the growth of the blue economy.

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

The government has a strong track record of supporting marine science, including through the £10 million ‘Biological influence on future ocean storage of carbon’ (BIO-Carbon) programme, funded by UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which aims to better understand the role of ocean life in climate sequestration. NERC also supports and partners with the National Oceanography Centre and other marine delivery partners to underpin the UK’s marine science capabilities.

More widely, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) supports the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, supporting global efforts to tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and food security. DEFRA also works to foster international ocean science co-operation on ocean sustainability issues, and is working closely with our fishing and seafood sectors to ensure they are profitable and sustainable. In addition, the investment provided by the £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, which will support the next generation of fishermen and coastal communities over the next 12 years.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the ocean sciences sector in protecting coastal areas; and what assessment they have made of the research opportunities such protection creates, particularly in relation to (1) climate change adaptation, (2) energy security, and (3) developing new and innovative technology.

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

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Defra have funded a £14.8 million Resilient Coastal Communities and Seas Programme which will fund projects to enhance our knowledge of how to strengthen the resilience, health and wellbeing of UK coastal communities.

UKRI has also invested in the coastal economy, for example through the ECOflow and ECOWind programmes, supporting the rollout of clean energy in offshore wind, and an £11 million programme to build resilience to climate change in coastal communities and support their economic development.

More widely, Defra is working with the sector to help establish support it in the establishment of Marine Science UK (MSUK). MSUK acts as a collective voice for marine science across UK universities and research organisations, to champion the ocean and to communicate robust and coherent marine science evidence to government, industry and the wider community.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have that including emissions at berth in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme will deliver measurable abatement of emissions before shore power and alternative fuel infrastructure are available at scale in UK ports.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Including emissions at berth in the UK ETS targets a major source of maritime pollution. In 2019, vessels over 5,000 GT produced 1.9 MtCO₂e at berth in UK ports, around 58% of domestic maritime emissions, so bringing these emissions into scope drives operators to cut them now. This also aligns with the EU ETS approach, therefore providing operators a predictable and consistent framework.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from shipping operators about concerns about the absence of sufficient shore-power infrastructure, limited port grid capacity and lack of alternative fuels at scale; and what plans they have to address those concerns before the commencement of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for the maritime sector.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Following the launch of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy in March 2025, the Government has extensively engaged with shipping operators, ports, and the wider maritime sector. This includes engagement on shore power availability, grid capacity constraints and alternative fuels. We ran a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports that gathered evidence on current and future grid capacity at ports, as well as drivers of that future energy demand, and will continue working with industry to understand their needs.

This Government has worked with the National Energy System Operator and Ofgem to implement bold new reforms to the grid connections process. We are committed to ensuring ports future energy needs are taken into account as part of reforms and future planning of the network, and to working with industry to understand wider challenges such as energy costs.