Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has plans to introduce minimum community compensation funding for communities impacted by (a) Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project solar developments and (b) solar developments assessed through the local planning system.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Clean Power Action Plan, we have made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. There are many options in this area, and we are exploring all options to ensure communities can benefit from our clean power mission.
In the meantime, Solar Energy UK, the main trade body for the solar sector, will publish later this year a voluntary community benefits protocol and guidance for solar.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce community benefit measures for solar developments as part of the Plan for Change.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Clean Power Action Plan, we have made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. There are many options in this area, and we are exploring all options to ensure communities can benefit from our clean power mission.
In the meantime, Solar Energy UK, the main trade body for the solar sector, will publish later this year a voluntary community benefits protocol and guidance for solar.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of delaying the requirement to replace gas boilers with heat pumps whilst the minimum EPC rating is being increased.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government launched a consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector on 7th February 2025, this includes proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030.
The Government will not force anyone to rip out a working boiler. Instead, Government is focused on incentivising moves to cleaner, affordable heating and making this attractive and easy for the public. Our Warm Homes Plan will support investment in heat pumps and other energy efficiency upgrades to help cut bills. Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Solar Stewardship Initiative Traceability Standard on helping to tackle forced labour in solar supply chains.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), developed by Solar Energy UK in partnership with Solar Power Europe, works across the global value chain to ensure responsible production and sourcing of materials. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its Environmental, Social, Governance and traceability standards, while encouraging its adoption throughout their supply chain. The Government is closely monitoring the Initiative’s progress as it carries out its first round of traceability audits.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a plan to help tackle the use of Uyghur slave labour in solar supply chains.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government opposes all forms of slave labour. The Government is clear UK businesses should monitor their supply chains and do everything in their power to remove any instances of forced labour they may find.
Through the reconvened Solar Taskforce, the Government is working across Whitehall and closely with industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative, and free from forced labour. Further information will be set out in the Solar Roadmap, to be published in Spring 2025.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many solar companies based in the UK his Department has assessed to have supply chain links to forced labour.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government does not hold data about the supply chains of individual companies.
The Solar Roadmap, to be published in Spring 2025, will outline the actions required develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, and free from forced labour.
The UK’s main solar industry trade association – Solar Energy UK, who co-chair the Solar Taskforce - is leading the industry’s response on this matter by developing and launching the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), in partnership with Solar Power Europe. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its traceability standards and audits, while encouraging its adoption throughout their supply chain.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment process his Department uses to determine if solar companies operating in the UK have supply chain links to forced labour.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government opposes all forms of forced labour and is determined to ensure that all UK business do everything in their power to remove any instances of it from their supply chains. However, the UK Government does not hold data about the supply chains of individual companies.
Solar Energy UK, who co-chair the Solar Taskforce, is leading the industry’s response on this matter by developing and launching the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), in partnership with Solar Power Europe. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its traceability standards and audits, while encouraging its adoption throughout their supply chain.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Solar Taskforce plans to take steps to (a) assess the prevalence of and (b) tackle the use of Uyghur forced labour in solar supply chains.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No company operating in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. We are working with colleagues across Government to tackle the issue of Uyghur forced labour in supply chains.
The Solar Taskforce is focussed on identifying and taking forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable and free from forced labour. This will support the significant increases in deployment of solar panels needed to meet our ambition of radically increasing solar deployment by 2030. Recommendations from the Solar Taskforce will be contained in the Solar Roadmap, which will be published in due course.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to respond to the consultation entitled Home Energy Model: Future Homes Standard assessment which closed on 27 March 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero officials are analysing the responses received for the Home Energy Model: Future Homes Standard assessment consultation. The Government will publish the government response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to (a) help tackle reductions in the effectiveness of loft insulation during its lifetime and (b) increase (i) awareness of and (ii) access to new technologies to help improve energy efficiency within homes.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Loft insulation installed under government schemes must be compliant with the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030 and 2035 standard documents to reduce the risks and unintended consequences associated with poor-quality installations. The British Standards Institute (BSI), who publish PAS 2030 and 2035, will consider how to address more innovative products that do not fit within existing annexes in their next update.
Independent impartial government advice in relation to energy efficiency measures and clean heat technologies is available at https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency, a national phoneline and over 30 in-person advice projects across England.