Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 adequacy of protections for landowners entering into option agreements with renewable energy developers.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that landowners are appropriately protected when entering into commercial agreements with renewable energy developers.
Option agreements are private contractual arrangements between landowners and developers, and as such are governed by general contract and property law, including requirements around fairness and transparency.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government supports changes to the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme rules to ensure that bonus pensions awarded to members cannot subsequently be withdrawn.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is keen to reach agreement with the MPS Trustees on their proposed changes to the arrangements to benefit scheme members. The Government is mindful of the need to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible, and will make an announcement once agreement has been reached.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential fiscal implications of reforming the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme surplus sharing arrangements.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I have conversations with my colleagues on a range of issues. The Government is keen to reach agreement with the MPS Trustees on their proposed changes to the arrangements to benefit scheme members. The Government is mindful of the need to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible, and will make an announcement once agreement has been reached.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is considering proposals from the Trustees of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme to distribute the £1.1 billion of undistributed surplus currently held within the Scheme to members.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is keen to reach agreement with the MPS Trustees on their proposed changes to the arrangements to benefit scheme members. The Government is mindful of the need to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible, and will make an announcement once agreement has been reached.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 considered the introduction of full inflation linking for Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme pensions as part of the Scheme's next valuation.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is keen to reach agreement with the MPS Trustees on their proposed changes to the arrangements to benefit scheme members. The Government is mindful of the need to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible and will make an announcement once agreement has been reached.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 estimate of the potential additional pension income that would be received by Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme members in Wales if the Trustees’ proposals on the distribution of undistributed surplus were implemented.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is keen to reach agreement with the MPS Trustees on their proposed changes to the arrangements to benefit scheme members. The Government is mindful of the need to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible, and will make an announcement once agreement has been reached.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 economic merits to former coalfield communities of distributing the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme's undistributed surplus to members through higher pension payments.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I recognise the benefits to coalfield communities of higher pension payments. The Government has already transferred £3.8bn to members of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme and British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme which has already made a significant impact.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Trustees of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme regarding the review of the Scheme’s surplus sharing arrangements; and what his planned timetable is for that review to conclude.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is keen to reach agreement with the MPS Trustees on changes to the arrangements to benefit scheme members. I met the Trustees on 30 April for a constructive discussion of the proposals and how they might be taken forward. The Government is mindful of the need to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible, and will make an announcement once agreement has been reached.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) GB Energy has made of the capability and capacity of the UK steel industry to provide products for the UK’s renewable energy transition.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government commissioned a report on the UK steel demand forecast to 2050, to inform the UK steel strategy. The strategy highlights the importance of steel in the clean energy transition.
Great British Energy (GBE) is committed to growing the UK’s manufacturing base and delivering enduring, sovereign capabilities in the clean energy technologies of the future. The Energy, Engineered in the UK (EEUK) programme is designed to unlock industrial opportunities from the energy transition and support GBE’s overall ambition to support at least 10,000 jobs through projects funded by 2030.
As part of delivering EEUK, GBE are working closely with Make UK and their membership to assess opportunities for UK steel within the energy transition and are actively engaging with the sector. This has included presenting on the EEUK programme to the UK steel committee in March.
More information about future funding opportunities will be available to the market in due course.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will consider bringing the Contracts for Difference Scheme under the remit of the Procurement Policy Note for Steel, and the national security clauses of the Procurement Act 2023.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the recent UK Steel Strategy, the Clean Industry Bonus element of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme rewards offshore wind developers if they use UK steel in their projects. There are currently no plans to bring the CfD scheme under the remit of the Procurement policy note for steel, and the National clauses of the Procurement Act 2023.
The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure.