Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including the preservation of nature as priority in the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is fully committed to protecting nature. That’s why as part of the SSEP we are requiring NESO to give due consideration to environmental impacts and statutory environmental duties throughout all stages of its production. This will include environmental data sets, a robust governance framework and stakeholder engagement. The SSEP will also be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and plan-level Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA).
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
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 30 January 2025 to Question 25957 on North Sea Oil: Carbon Emissions, whether he plans to appeal the Edinburgh Court of Session's ruling of 30 January 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is carefully considering the Court of Session's judgment to inform its decisions on next steps.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
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 Rosebank oil field development on the UK's net zero obligations.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the Hon Member to the regulatory decision documents on the environmental effects of the Rosebank project published in September 2023. Those regulatory decisions are currently subject to two Judicial Reviews. In August 2024, the Government announced that it would not be challenging the Judicial Reviews.
At COP28, the UK and others agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in an orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade. This is essential to keep the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach. The Government has acted swiftly to consult on new environmental guidance for oil and gas firms to ensure that the impact of burning oil and gas is considered in the Environmental Impact Assessment for new projects.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
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 reduce energy bills for businesses.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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, including business consumers, permanently.
In the short term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into expensive energy contracts and more redress when they have a complaint. We closed a consultation in November regarding the regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers, aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers. A government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.
From 19 December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees can now access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of UK businesses can now access this service, with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards.
The Government recognises that some businesses may be struggling to pay their bills. These businesses should contact their supplier to discuss their options, including ‘blend and extend’ contracts, where the higher unit rate is blended with a new lower rate, spreading the cost over the course of a long contract.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
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 help ensure Great British Energy creates jobs in industrial communities.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through its investment and development activities, Great British Energy (GBE) will support companies to provide opportunities for high quality, well-paid work, in the projects the company supports, in supply chains and in local communities through the Local Power Plan. As an operationally independent company, GBE will choose the projects it supports across the UK. I am confident that the benefits will be felt in local and national economies, including our industrial heartlands. The decision to headquarter GBE in Aberdeen has already given confidence to industry, as Sarens PSG has announced the opening of a Centre of Excellence in Aberdeen that will train wind farm workers.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
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 adequacy of the UK offshore oil and gas industry’s investment in renewable energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Making Britain a clean energy superpower is one of the five missions of this Government, and oil and gas companies will have an important role to play in the energy transition.
We have begun the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and are moving ahead with new industries including carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen which will attract further private investment. A number of integrated energy companies already invest across a range of clean energy technologies in the UK and elsewhere. The department does not provide a commentary on these investments.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help prepare for COP29.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
COP29 is a crucial moment for global action on climate change. The UK is working closely with the incoming COP29 Presidency and other partners to make it a success. Shared priorities include agreeing a new global climate finance goal, encouraging ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and delivering on the outcomes from the Global Stocktake at COP28.