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Written Question
Nuclear Power: Public Consultation
Friday 11th April 2025

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 - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

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.


Written Question
Nuclear Power: Public Consultation
Wednesday 9th April 2025

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 - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

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.


Written Question
Great British Energy Bill: Environment Protection
Monday 17th March 2025

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 - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

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.


Written Question
Great British Energy Bill
Thursday 27th February 2025

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 - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

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.


Written Question
Great British Energy Bill
Thursday 27th February 2025

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 - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

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.


Written Question
Great British Energy Bill: Environment Protection
Thursday 6th February 2025

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 - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Clause 3 of the Great British Energy Bill, if enacted, would be considered ‘environmental law’.


Written Question
Great British Energy Bill: Environment Protection
Thursday 6th February 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish their assessment which informed their statement under section 20 of the Environment Act 2021 that the Great British Energy Bill will not have the effect of reducing the level of environmental protection provided for by any existing environmental law.

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

The advice received by the Department regarding the Secretary of State’s statement under section 20 of the Environment Act 2001 is legally privileged. Therefore, this information will not be released.


Written Question
Great British Energy: Biodiversity
Wednesday 5th February 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend the duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as amended by section 102 of the Environment Act 2021 to apply to the proposed Great British Energy company.

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

The biodiversity duty, set out in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as amended by section 102 of the Environment Act 2021 applies to public authorities. As Great British Energy is being established as a non-departmental public body, the company will be required to comply with the biodiversity duty.


Written Question
Great British Energy: Environment Protection
Wednesday 5th February 2025

Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend the environmental principles duty to apply to the proposed Great British Energy company.

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

Under the environmental principles duty set out in the Environment Act 2021, ministers and policy makers must consider the environmental principles when making policy. Ministers and Officials working on the establishment of Great British Energy (GBE) have considered the potential environmental impacts of establishing the company. GBE’s projects will also be subject to relevant environmental regulation as with any similar projects.


Written Question
Energy Company Obligation: Suffolk Coastal
Friday 26th April 2024

Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2024 to Question 21031 on Carbon Emissions: Suffolk Coastal, if her Department will provide a breakdown of funding granted through Energy Company Obligation Schemes to residents of Suffolk Coastal constituency.

Answered by Amanda Solloway

The ECO scheme is not funded directly by government, rather it is funded by obligated energy suppliers who then recoup the cost from their domestic customers. Government does not hold data on the geographical distribution of ECO spending.

To end of December 2023 (the latest available data) ECO schemes have supported the installation of 2,668 measures in 2,069 homes in the Suffolk Coastal constituency.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/household-energy-efficiency-statistics-headline-release-april-2024.