Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of data centres on local energy infrastructure, particularly during periods of extreme temperature.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy resilience is a top priority for the Government, which works continuously with industry to improve and maintain the resilience of energy infrastructure to a range of risks, including extreme weather events.
The Government is committed to ensuring electricity networks can meet rising electricity demand, including from data centres, throughout the year.
Government is also looking at how AI can improve resilience in the network. AI offers a way to run the electricity grid more intelligently, shifting from overbuilding and manual intervention towards real-time risk management, autonomous optimisation and consumer-led flexibility.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to incentivise collaboration between community energy organisations and local authorities in order to deliver renewable energy targets at a local level.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
DESNZ is supporting local government capacity work, including funding Regen to deliver training and guidance for planners on renewable energy and storage technologies. This will provide invaluable capacity support when partnering with community energy groups on projects.
In addition, the Local Power Plan, backed by up to £1 billion of funding from Great British Energy (GBE), sets out plans to support local projects. This includes GBE’s Partnerships Grant which will fund joint Local Government and Community Energy Projects – more detail expected later this year.
Alongside direct investment, GBE will also provide a team of experts to help communities plan and build their projects. GBE will act as a convener and coordinator to connect communities, community energy groups, local government and others to help projects to be developed.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support early pipeline renewable energy generation projects to move into construction and operation.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Government is supporting early-pipeline renewable projects by pulling every lever to move them into construction and operation faster. The Government is taking multiple actions to speed up the planning process and grid connections, while providing greater investor certainty through regular Contracts for Difference auctions and measures to strengthen supply chains, so projects can be delivered swiftly.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a minister will attend the High-Level Segment of the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels from 28 to 29 April.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the right reverend Prelate.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what their policy priorities are in enacting the transition away from fossil fuels.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the right reverend Prelate.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to increase investment in renewable energy produced in the UK, following the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas carrying vessels.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the right reverend Prelate.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to support the COP29 Collective Quantified Goal of at least $300 billion per year from the developed world by 2035.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
COP29 agreed a collective goal to provide at least $300bn from a broad range of public and private sources, with developed countries taking the lead.
The UK is committed to providing International Climate Finance now and in the future, and to playing our part alongside other developed countries and climate finance providers to deliver our international commitments. The UK is on track to deliver £11.6bn in International Climate Finance by the end of this financial year. Future spending plans will be set out following the completion of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocation process.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards mandating UK-regulated financial institutions and FTSE 100 companies to implement transition plans aligned with the Paris Agreement; and what timetable they intend to set for introducing such requirements.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The government ran a consultation from June to September 2025 seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements. We received extensive feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and are currently reviewing responses. The Government will set out next steps, including any decisions on the introduction and timing of future requirements, in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the proposed extension of existing gas and oil drilling in the North Sea aligns with calls arising from the Global Stocktake to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The North Sea Future Plan sets out the Government’s globally standard setting, 1.5°C and climate science aligned approach to future oil and gas production, including how we will deliver our commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields.
The Government is also introducing new Transitional Energy Certificates to enable some oil and gas production in areas adjacent to already licensed fields, to ensure existing fields can be managed for their lifespan. Developers will not be permitted to carry out new exploration on these areas.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made on their stated ambition to deliver £11.6 billion of International Climate Finance between April 2021 and March 2026, of which £1.5 billion should be adaptation and resilience finance for 2025.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Government is on track to deliver £11.6 billion in International Climate Finance by the end of the financial year 2025/26. To support the most vulnerable who are experiencing the worst impacts of climate change, the Government is also on track to triple funding for adaptation from £500m in 2019 to £1.5 billion in 2025.
The UK’s International Climate Finance has helped 137 million people adapt to the effects of climate change, provided 89 million people with improved access to clean energy, and helped to mobilise billions in private investment.