Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the role of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Commonwealth Affairs is regarding the development and production of oil in new offshore fields within Falkland Island waters in light of the Offshore Minerals Ordinance (Rectification) Order 2011.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government maintains a consistent position on the right of the Falkland Islands to develop their natural resources. It is integral to their right of self-determination, which this Government will resolutely uphold. Any new hydrocarbons licences require the consent of the Secretary of State, who acts in accordance with applicable Falkland Islands legislation, we do not comment on individual licences.
The Government of the Falkland Islands is responsible for hydrocarbon development and the relevant regulatory framework, which includes provision for safety and environmental protection. The Falkland Islands Government have followed their own domestic legal processes in relation to the Sea Lion oil field, including in respect of assessing environmental impact.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Commonwealth Affairs has consented to the development and production programme for the Sea Lion Northern oil field.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government maintains a consistent position on the right of the Falkland Islands to develop their natural resources. It is integral to their right of self-determination, which this Government will resolutely uphold. Any new hydrocarbons licences require the consent of the Secretary of State, who acts in accordance with applicable Falkland Islands legislation, we do not comment on individual licences.
The Government of the Falkland Islands is responsible for hydrocarbon development and the relevant regulatory framework, which includes provision for safety and environmental protection. The Falkland Islands Government have followed their own domestic legal processes in relation to the Sea Lion oil field, including in respect of assessing environmental impact.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the role of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has been in the approval of oil production licenses in the Falkland Islands in the last thirty years; and whether they anticipate any imminent changes to that role.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government maintains a consistent position on the right of the Falkland Islands to develop their natural resources. It is integral to their right of self-determination, which this Government will resolutely uphold. Any new hydrocarbons licences require the consent of the Secretary of State, who acts in accordance with applicable Falkland Islands legislation, we do not comment on individual licences.
The Government of the Falkland Islands is responsible for hydrocarbon development and the relevant regulatory framework, which includes provision for safety and environmental protection. The Falkland Islands Government have followed their own domestic legal processes in relation to the Sea Lion oil field, including in respect of assessing environmental impact.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impact of new oil fields in Falkland Island waters; and whether they support the development of new oil fields in those waters.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government maintains a consistent position on the right of the Falkland Islands to develop their natural resources. It is integral to their right of self-determination, which this Government will resolutely uphold. Any new hydrocarbons licences require the consent of the Secretary of State, who acts in accordance with applicable Falkland Islands legislation, we do not comment on individual licences.
The Government of the Falkland Islands is responsible for hydrocarbon development and the relevant regulatory framework, which includes provision for safety and environmental protection. The Falkland Islands Government have followed their own domestic legal processes in relation to the Sea Lion oil field, including in respect of assessing environmental impact.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of the Falkland Islands regarding whether oil extraction from the Sea Lion oil field is targeted for 2028; and on which occasions the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has offered advice and assistance to the government of the Falkland Islands with their licensing process to drill and produce oil from the Sea Lion oil field and related developments offshore the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government maintains a consistent position on the right of the Falkland Islands to develop its natural resources. This is integral to its right of self-determination, which is grounded in international law. UK oil and gas licensing policy does not apply in the Falkland Islands.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering introducing statutory zero-carbon building standards.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In March 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published an update to the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations: the Future Homes Standard (FHS).
Under this new standard, which will come into force from March 2027, all new homes will need to have excellent insulation, low carbon heating systems, and in most cases, solar panels to boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power. New homes built to these standards will be zero carbon ready, meaning they will become zero carbon once the national grid is fully decarbonised and will require no further retrofitting to meet net zero.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering bringing forward their net zero target to 2035.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and is focused on delivering that commitment in a way that reduces costs for households, strengthens energy security, and supports economic growth across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering introducing quotas for the use of fossil fuel energy.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This government will not introduce quotas on the use of fossil fuel energy.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering capping the amount of credit that can be used to support investment in carbon-intensive activities and setting quotas for the amount of finance that should flow to low-carbon investment.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government does not have a quota for the amount of finance that should flow to low-carbon investment, but since the government came to office more than £100 billion in clean energy investment announcements has been secured. Net zero is the economic and industrial opportunity of the 21st century, and economic modelling undertaken by the CBI suggests the UK's net zero economy generated £36.7 billion in gross value added in 2025 and supported 308,000 jobs directly, with a further £51.2 billion in gross value added and 520,000 jobs supported through supply chains
The UK government no longer provides new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, which includes support provided by UK Export Finance and British International Investment PLC, with limited circumstances set out in public guidance. The National Wealth Fund also does not invest in projects involving extraction, production, transportation, and refining crude oil, natural gas or thermal coal with very limited exemptions.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to introduce a free basic energy allowance for all households.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The cost of living is a top priority for this Government. That is why the Prime Minister announced a tax cut to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills for 6 months from October 1. This immediate action on electricity bills is expected to take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October. This comes on top of the actions at last year’s Budget which removed an average of £150 of costs from household energy bills for the years to come, by moving 75% of the domestic costs of the Renewables Obligation to the Exchequer and ending the Energy Company Obligation. Without this action, the price cap would be significantly higher.