Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government which projects from the International Climate Finance fund will now receive a loan rather than a grant; and if the loans are not in the recipient country’s own currency, whether they will absorb the currency exchange rate risk for those loans.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is switching £400 million of grant funding set aside for future international climate finance projects into loans, which could include projects such as the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. This provides more flexible ways to meet the Government’s international climate objectives.
The terms of any loan including the currency denomination and the treatment of any associated exchange rate risk, will depend on the final design of individual investments and will be considered in line with normal value for money and Official Development Assistance requirements.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the independent review into allegations regarding risk of blackouts during heatwaves make by whistle-blowers from the National Energy System Operator in July.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes this matter very seriously and welcomes both the independent review into whistleblowing allegations and the separate review into grid performance during the recent period of extreme heat. Transparency will be a central principle throughout.
The Minister for Energy wrote to the Chair of NESO urging the key findings of the independent report to be published once the investigation has concluded.
Separately, NESO's post-event analysis, and Ofgem's conclusions, will be published. This will be subject to limited redactions required to protect the anonymity of individual staff members, commercially sensitive information, national security matters, or other legitimate confidentiality considerations.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Prime Minister on 2 July (HCWS180), what safety protections are in place for the functioning independence of the Office for Nuclear Regulation after its transfer to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, recognising that as it is not a non-ministerial department, ministerial directions can be issued.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office for Nuclear Regulation was established under the Energy Act 2013 and will remain an independent public corporation. This change does not affect their statutory basis, legal powers or regulatory decisions.
Ministers do not intervene on matters of regulatory decision making. The extent to which Ministers can direct the ONR is set out in the Act and under Section 108 of that Act, any Ministerial direction is reported to Parliament on an annual basis.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of the Sea Link Project.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Sea Link project has submitted its Development Consent Order application. Given the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in taking consenting decisions for energy infrastructure proposals, it would not be appropriate to comment on specific matters related to the project, as this could be seen as prejudicing the decision-making process.
Electricity network reinforcements are only approved where they are in the interests of consumers and help reduce overall system costs. Ofgem reviews proposed project costs and ensures that network companies spend efficiently.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many responses were received for the Alternative Routes to Market for New Nuclear Projects consultation.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero received 82 responses from across the public realm, including industry and academia. The government will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to respond to the Alternative Routes to Market for New Nuclear Projects consultation.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The Government intends to ensure the long-term security of the nuclear sector including advanced nuclear. We will publish a response to the Alternative Routes to Market Consultation in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 27 February (HL5005) is consistent with his Written Answer on 6 February (HL4366) that clause 3 of the Great British Energy Bill would, if enacted, be considered ‘environmental law’.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The answers are consistent with one another. Whilst the Great British Energy Bill is considered environmental law, it is not proposing any changes to environmental law so there is no basis for the minister to form a view on the need for advice from the Office for Environmental Protection on any matter relating to the natural environment.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Office for Environmental Protection intends to give advice to a Minister of the Crown with regard to the Great British Energy Bill on its own initiative, in line with section 30(3) of the Environment Act 2021.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Section 30(1) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) must give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any proposed changes to environmental law, or any other matter relating to the natural environment, on which the Minister requires it to give advice.
Section 30(3) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the OEP may give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any changes to environmental law proposed by a Minister of the Crown.
The Great British Energy Bill does not propose any change to environmental law. Therefore, as there is no basis for the minister to form a view on the need for advice from the OEP on any matter relating to the natural environment, the OEP is not providing advice.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a Minister of the Crown asked the Office for Environmental Protection for advice with regards to the Great British Energy Bill, in line with section 30(1) of the Environment Act 2021; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Section 30(1) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) must give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any proposed changes to environmental law, or any other matter relating to the natural environment, on which the Minister requires it to give advice.
Section 30(3) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the OEP may give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any changes to environmental law proposed by a Minister of the Crown.
The Great British Energy Bill does not propose any change to environmental law. Therefore, as there is no basis for the minister to form a view on the need for advice from the OEP on any matter relating to the natural environment, the OEP is not providing advice.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government which provisions of the Great British Energy Bill would, if enacted, constitute environmental law.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Clause 3 of the Great British Energy Bill, if enacted, would be considered ‘environmental law’.