Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of utilising the undistributed surplus in the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme to fund a pension bonus to members in 2026-2027 financial year.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I recently met the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees and discussed the proposed changes that Trustees have put forward. Work is underway to assess the benefits and risks of the Trustees’ proposals. We are aiming to implement changes as swiftly as possible.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to ensure that all of the future surpluses accrued by the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme can be used to increase the pensions of members of that Scheme.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I recently met the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees and discussed the proposed changes that Trustees have put forward. Work is underway to assess the benefits and risks of the Trustees’ proposals. We are aiming to implement changes as swiftly as possible.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
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 merits of removing the standstill feature from the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I recently met the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees and discussed the proposed changes that Trustees have put forward. Work is underway to assess the benefits and risks of the Trustees’ proposals. We are aiming to implement changes as swiftly as possible.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Department for Transport and (b) offshore helicopter transport operators on advice that HM Coastguard has supplied to the oil and gas industry on Search and Rescue helicopter winching systems.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the value of offshore catering contracts awarded in the oil and gas sector since 2019 to date.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the UK Hydrogen Strategy will consider the strategic potential of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government continues to consider a range of potential hydrogen carriers, including Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs), and their role in the transport, storage and trade of hydrogen. While we cannot comment on the contents of the Hydrogen Strategy ahead of its publication, we welcome further evidence and engagement from stakeholders on the strategic potential of LOHCs.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the costs of (a) Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers and (b) geological storage for hydrogen in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government continues to develop its evidence base on the costs of hydrogen storage and consider the potential role of using hydrogen storage across the hydrogen value chain. The previous Government’s Hydrogen Transport and Storage Cost Report (2023) includes a comparative assessment of the expected levelised cost of above ground and geological storage. The International Energy Agency’s Global Hydrogen Review (2023) includes an assessment of the potential levelised cost of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers used for international trade.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department plans to amend its Hydrogen Storage Business Model to include Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier storage.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Whilst chemical storage technologies such as liquid organic hydrogen carriers may have a role to play, such as for users with limited access to large-scale storage, there are no plans to include this type of storage in the initial allocation of the storage business model.
The business model focus on large-scale geological storage is because we consider this type of storage essential to establishing the UK’s first regional hydrogen network as it can provide greater storage capacity and best support energy security. This type of storage is unlikely to be built without government support.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
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 support businesses to invest in (a) Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers and (b) other chemical hydrogen storage, including revenue certainty.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers, and other chemical hydrogen storage, is a nascent technology that the Government has previously supported through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.
As the Government considers geological storage to be the most strategic value to the hydrogen economy in the near-term, this will be the focus of the Hydrogen Storage Business Model. The Government will however continue to review technological developments and in the long-term, a mix of storage technologies with complementary characteristics may be required to support the development of the hydrogen economy.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier conversion projects being eligible for Net Zero Hydrogen Fund grant funding.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Net Zero Hydrogen Fund was designed to bring forward the first UK low carbon hydrogen production projects, and was not intended to support other parts of the hydrogen value chain, such as hydrogen carriers. It made its final funding allocations in 2023.