Andrew Bowie

The 2025 conference was funded by learning and development budgets from across government.

Currently, the market price varies strongly based on fossil fuel prices, which we do not expect to impact the delivery of Clean Power 2030.

As the action plan makes clear, homegrown renewable energy is the key to energy independence. Clean Power 2030 will reduce our exposure to volatile international gas markets and the leverage of hostile petrostates like Russia.

The Department does not hold this information. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for managing constraints and publishes yearly breakdowns by cost and volume, which can be found here: Constraint Breakdown Costs and Volume | National Energy System Operator. This is aggregate data and does not show which companies have received constraint payments.

Increasing the capacity of Great Britain’s electricity network is essential for reducing curtailment and constraint payments. This is why the Government is working to accelerate the build of new network infrastructure, so more cheap, homegrown energy can power up our homes and businesses.

Grid expansion will be dependent on equipment manufacturers securing the materials required to produce grid components to meet global demand. The UK Critical Mineral Intelligence Centre (CMIC) recently published a study into requirements of our national grid infrastructure to reach net zero. The cumulative material demand between 2023-2050 for upgrades is expected to be between 1.1m-1.6m tonnes of copper and 200,000-300,000 tonnes of aluminium.

As part of the Government’s upcoming Plan for Steel, we are working to better understand domestic demand and explore what can be done to ensure our steel sector is best positioned to capitalise on it.

The Civil Service Climate + Environment Network is run by volunteers across government who typically dedicate around 5% of their time to network activities, often as part of their learning and development. The annual conference is delivered primarily through this voluntary commitment, with minimal impact on departmental resources.

This is the second such conference, with the inaugural event in 2023 attended by Ministers from the previous administration in which the HM was a Minister.

The Civil Service Climate + Environment Network is run by volunteers across government who typically dedicate around 5% of their time to network activities, often as part of their learning and development. The annual conference is delivered primarily through this voluntary commitment, with minimal impact on departmental resources.

This is the second such conference, with the inaugural event in 2023 attended by Ministers from the previous administration in which the HM was a Minister.

Under the default tariff cap, Ofgem has capped the profits of energy suppliers in the retail market to ensure excessive profits aren’t made. There are different costs included in the price cap and any changes to these costs affect how much the price cap will increase or decrease each time it is reviewed. For the period 1 April to 30 June 2025, the main cost increase is due to an increase in the wholesale price of energy that suppliers buy from global fossil fuel markets.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

Information on departmental expenditure is made publicly available the usual way through the Department's annual report and accounts.

The Department is a strategic partner of the Energy Skills Passport project in collaboration with industry stakeholders and the Scottish Government. The initial version of the passport launched on 22^nd January 2025.

The project has wide support amongst the Oil and Gas and Offshore Wind sectors, and DESNZ continues to monitor the impact of the Passport.

The initial version of the digital passport was launched in January 2025. This first phase will help oil and gas workers identify routes into several career roles in the offshore wind sector.

The Department and Scottish government are working with RUK/OEUK industry partners to identify how best to expand the scope and functionality of passport in the future.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.

Considering the importance of the two entities’ remits, Great British Nuclear and Great British Energy will remain independent sister companies for the time being to ensure that both organisations are best placed to deliver on the government’s ambitions for energy security and our pathway to net zero. The Government will provide further detail in due course.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK nuclear industry has the necessary skills needed to deliver our nuclear ambitions.

Recognising the need to act now to grow the workforce, the nuclear sector across civil and defence are collaborating to deliver sustained long-term action that will develop a robust nuclear skills base, including through the delivery of the National Nuclear Strategic Plan for Skills.

The Department commissioned the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB) to produce a report on the Research Development & Innovation required for a UK High Temperature Gas Reactor Demonstration in October 2024. This can be found at https://www.nirab.org.uk/our-work/publications and explores both the technical and commercial areas for development to enable an Advanced Modular Reactor in the UK.

In August, in light of the Supreme Court Finch Judgment, the government accepted that the previous Environmental Impact Assessment decisions were unlawful. That decision was made following the taking of legal advice, the contents of which are privileged.

In any event, all parties to Rosebank and Jackdaw claims, including the operators themselves, agreed that the previous decisions were unlawful. The Court has now confirmed this, and made provision for fresh decisions to be made in due course.

In August, in light of the Supreme Court Finch Judgment, the government accepted that the previous Environmental Impact Assessment decisions were unlawful. That decision was made following the taking of legal advice, the contents of which are privileged.

In any event, all parties to Rosebank and Jackdaw claims, including the operators themselves, agreed that the previous decisions were unlawful. The Court has now confirmed this, and made provision for fresh decisions to be made in due course.

We have already consulted on revised environmental guidance for development consents to take into account emissions from burning extracted oil and gas to provide stability for industry.

In December 2024 the Government carried out a Strategic Review of the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-nuclear-laboratory-strategic-review .

The review concluded UKNNL is deeply valued by the sector, with its scientific capability being repeatedly praised as world leading, but there is a requirement for core government funding to ensure UKNNL retains and develops its critical capabilities, and continues specialist research and development. The optimal long-term model, that ensures UKNNL can deliver outcomes for Government and support sector growth, remains under consideration. The Government is currently working through a spending review and decisions will be made in due course.

The review sets out UKNNL’s important role supporting Government as its trusted technical advisor, and it is crucial the laboratory engages internationally to further its research and development. Government is taking forward the review’s recommendation for a more proactive and strategic approach to UKNNL sponsorship, this will include assessing the scope of UKNNL’s role in international relationships.

In August, in light of the Supreme Court Finch Judgment, the government accepted that the previous Environmental Impact Assessment decisions were unlawful. That decision was made following the taking of legal advice, the contents of which are privileged.

In any event, all parties to Rosebank and Jackdaw claims, including the operators themselves, agreed that the previous decisions were unlawful. The Court has now confirmed this, and made provision for fresh decisions to be made in due course.

Public funding provided by DESNZ is laid out in DESNZ annual reports and accounts.

In August, in light of the Supreme Court Finch Judgment, the government accepted that the previous Environmental Impact Assessment decisions were unlawful. That decision was made following the taking of legal advice, the contents of which are privileged.

In any event, all parties to Rosebank and Jackdaw claims, including the operators themselves, agreed that the previous decisions were unlawful. The Court has now confirmed this, and made provision for fresh decisions to be made in due course.

The department regularly engages with the public on nuclear energy policy matters.

This government is committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the transition to net zero, supporting people and communities to take action and realise the benefits.

For large-scale renewable electricity developments, we encourage developers to engage with local communities at the earliest opportunity. We will integrate best practice principles of engagement into planning guidance, so that when developers consult with the local community on a proposed project, they do so in a considered, inclusive and responsive manner. We also use the Public Attitudes Tracker to poll the public on their views regarding renewable technologies on a quarterly basis.

We will publish a Net Zero Public Participation Strategy in 2025, which will set out how we will support people to adopt new technologies, as well as opportunities to ensure that public views are considered in policy development.

Government can’t achieve this alone. People also look to businesses, charities, scientists and local communities for advice and support. We have an opportunity to work in partnership to provide information, help people access grants and wider support and ensure that benefits of the net zero transition can be realised by all.

The initial version of the Energy Skills Passport was launched on 22^nd January 2025. As with all policies, DESNZ will be assessing the impact of the project and will use these findings to inform how the project evolves going forward.

The initial version of the Energy Skills Passport was launched on 22^nd January 2025 with DESNZ having come onboard as a project partner to accelerate delivery in October 2024. The passport is a tool which can be accessed by workers across the country, but the initial version focuses on oil and gas workers looking to transition into certain roles in offshore wind.

As with all policies, DESNZ will be assessing the impact of the project and will use these findings to inform how the project evolves going forward.

Our priority is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea, which drives towards our clean energy future of energy security, and good, long-term jobs.

Across this Parliament, we expect Great British Energy (GBE) will create 200-300 roles in Aberdeen. In the longer term, through its activities, GBE will support thousands of jobs across the country.

Government-backed training, and the Energy Skills Passport for oil and gas workers, that we delivered in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, will ensure workers have the right skills to benefit from the jobs GBE creates.

We have said that Great British Energy (GBE) will support thousands of jobs. This includes opportunities at its Aberdeen Headquarters, and through its activities and investments across the country.

As an operationally independent company, GBE will be responsible for its own workforce planning, to ensure the right skills, across the right locations, that enable GBE to deliver maximum impact for the whole of the UK.

The Department continues to work quickly to set GBE up for success and ensure the British people feel the benefits, including new jobs.

Over the next five years, in the early stages of Great British Energy, we expect that the company will employ 200-300 people at its Aberdeen headquarters. Through its activities and investments, GBE will also support thousands of jobs across the country, including in Aberdeen.

Our ambition is to build GBE up to the size and scale of the world’s leading publicly owned energy companies, creating significantly more jobs in the longer term.

Details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly on gov.uk.

Great British Energy (GBE) will be capitalised with £8.3 billion over the parliament. GBE will begin its work with £125 million to spend in 2025, boosting jobs through its own investments, and by crowding in billions more from the private sector.

Government-backed training, and the Energy Skills Passport for oil and gas workers, that we delivered in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, will ensure workers have the right skills to benefit from the thousands of jobs GBE creates.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.

Delivering jobs and investment is at the heart of Great British Energy’s (GBE) mission to drive clean energy deployment, to create jobs, boost energy independence, to ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers, and communities reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy.

GBE will be held accountable through regular reporting to the Department. Parliament will also be presented with a copy of the annual report and accounts of Great British Energy which will include details of GBE’s performance in delivering its mission, such as supporting jobs and projects across the country, including Scotland.

Details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly on gov.uk.

The Government is still considering the Court’s decision, and the responses to the recent consultation on updated Environmental Impact Assessment guidance, and will engage further with all relevant stakeholders as soon as possible.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority.

The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority.

The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority.

The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority.

The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

The Department has not carried out any sector-specific assessment of this type. However, we recognise the importance of striking the right balance between ensuring ongoing access to justice and protections against genuine issues of propriety.

That is why we have worked at speed to consult on updated environmental guidance so we can resume assessments as quickly as possible. We will also publish a consultation on our commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields in due course. Our aim is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition that provides certainty to industry.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority.

The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority.

The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

etails of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.