Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 to Question 88054 answered on 17th November 2025, how involve is defined with regard to consulting Fire and Rescue Services during public consultation.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The relevant part of the Planning Practice Guidance on expected interactions between local planning authorities and local fire and rescue services with respect to grid-scale batteries is at paragraph 35.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 to Question 88051 answered on 17th November 2025, if he will consider publishing interim data on this topic.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel poverty statistics are based on the English Housing Survey which is collected annually. The department does not hold interim statistics or data on fuel poverty collected between English Housing Survey samples. The date for the next publication in 2026 will be pre-announced in line with the standards for official statistics.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take to ensure local communities are consulted on the safety of proposed battery storage sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Developers of standalone grid-scale batteries must seek planning approval as outlined in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This requires local planning authorities to undertake a formal period of public consultation for at least 21 days. Those living near to the proposed site may offer views or detailed information relevant to the application, including on safety measures.
Planning Practice Guidance recommends that developers should also engage with local fire services ahead of submitting their planning application.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's plans are for the future of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households to cut energy bills for good and will publish more details soon.
On 18 November, the Government published the response to the recent consultation, which closed on 11 June. This provides detail on amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which will be implemented from next year.
These changes are designed to increase access, stimulate further demand, and enhance existing consumer protections, making low carbon heating technologies more accessible to a wider range of property owners and small businesses.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 31 October 2025 to Question 84891 on Fuel Poverty: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, when he plans to publish regional fuel poverty figures for Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency for 2024.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Subregional fuel poverty statistics are normally published annually in April. The date for the next publication in 2026 will be pre-announced in line with the standards for official statistics. These statistics will provide data for 2024 for regions, local authorities, parliamentary constituencies, and Lower Super Output Areas.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department last made an assessment of the effectiveness of the (a) planning practice guidance and (b) other aspects of the safety framework for grid-scale batteries.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In August 2023, the government updated its Planning Practice Guidance to encourage battery storage developers to consult Local Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) before submitting applications and for planning authorities to involve FRSs during public consultation. The guidance also advises authorities to refer to National Fire Chiefs Council recommendations. The government has committed to updating planning practice guidance on renewable and low carbon energy development.
The government monitors the safety framework for grid-scale batteries closely. In October, I hosted a roundtable discussion with regulators including the Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency on the safety framework. My department works closely with regulators through the industry-led Health and Safety Governance Group to ensure that the framework remains robust and future proofed.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 27 October 2025 to Question 83177 on Batteries: Storage, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Planning Practice Guidance in ensuring that battery developers consult fire services.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government engages regularly with the National Fire Chiefs Council, representatives of local authorities and other key stakeholders to gather feedback on the effectiveness of the safety framework for grid-scale batteries, including the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG).
The PPG sets a clear expectation that developers engage with fire and rescue services before they submit a planning application for a grid-scale battery site. It also encourages local planning authorities to engage with fire services as part of the formal period of public consultation and before reaching a planning determination. As such, government considers the PPG to be effective in setting out clear expectations for developers and decision-makers on grid-scale planning applications.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 20 October 2025 to Question 80134 on Fuel Poverty: Ely and East Cambridgeshire, if he will make an assessment of trends in the level of fuel poverty in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency in 2024.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel poverty estimates at sub-regional level are official statistics in development. Since they are modelled estimates, they should not be used to identify detailed trends over time.
However, regional fuel poverty figures calculated from the English Housing Survey are comparable over time. The latest statistics (Trends table 4) show that the proportion of households in fuel poverty in the wider region East of England, containing Ely and East Cambridgeshire, has decreased from 18.8% in 2010 to 9.0% in 2024. This is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency metric.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 17 October 2025 to Question 77318 on Batteries: Storage, for what reason he does not plan to make fire services statutory consultees on planning applications involving battery energy storage sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Planning Practice Guidance strongly recommends that battery developers engage with fire services ahead of the submission of their planning application. However, further to dialogue with the National Fire Chiefs Council, government is of the view that making fire services statutory consultees would risk creating disproportionate administrative burdens for the fire services.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what economic analysis his Department has conducted on the potential impact of non-price factors in decisions on whether sub-100MW bioenergy power stations currently supported by Renewable Obligation Certificates will receive transitional support from 2027.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Small scale biomass generators have received many years of subsidy support under the Renewables Obligation scheme. These assets begin to roll off the scheme from 2027. Any assessment of further support must fully take into account value for money (including consumer bill impacts), electricity system and broader considerations – such as environmental impacts, which are a matter for Defra.
Biomass electricity generation is often more expensive than alternatives and reducing energy bills is a priority for this Government.