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 impact of ending the Energy Company Obligation on private sector investment in home energy efficiency in Wales.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To bring energy bills down for all, the decision has been made not to continue the Energy Company Obligation when the current scheme ends.
We recognise that the decision will be unwelcome news to those working within the supply chain for these schemes. The government has instead committed to additional grant funding of £1.5bn to be directed to upgrading low-income households, benefitting those in fuel poverty. Details of this will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan.
We also intend to implement the manifesto commitment to increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the private and social rented sectors.
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, how much the average household in Wales is expected to save on energy bills as a result of the Budget’s Renewables Obligation measure, compared with households in England and Scotland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the Budget, the Chancellor announced an average £150 of costs off people’s energy bills from April next year. £88 of that comes from the decision to fund 75% of the domestic Renewables Obligation from the Exchequer. The measures announced at Budget apply to the whole of Great Britain, and a household in Wales will see the same level of benefit as an equivalent household in England or Scotland that consumes the same levels of electricity and gas.
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 introduce a social tariff for energy to help lift people at the end of life out of fuel poverty.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We recognise that for many households energy bills remain too high. That's why on 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from this winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs.
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 representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the transfer of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme’s Investment Reserve to its Welsh scheme members.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is engaging with HM Treasury with a view to agreeing a way forward on the transfer of the reserve to members.
The Government is aiming to reach agreement on an outcome that can be implemented later this year which will benefit scheme members.
As at 30 October 2024, there were 3,650 members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in Wales. Any transfer of the reserve would be used to enhance member benefits.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2025 to Question 76666 on British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, if it remains his policy to reach an outcome on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme’s investment reserve that can be implemented this year.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s aim remains to reach an outcome that can be implemented this year.
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 impact of returning the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Investment Reserve to members on the Welsh economy.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As at 30 October 2024, there were 3,650 members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in Wales. Any transfer of the reserve would be used to enhance member benefits.
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 (a) he and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury have held recent meetings with representatives of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme on the future of the Investment Reserve.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I met the Trustees on 12 November 2025 to discuss the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and the proposed transfer of the reserve.
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 take steps to ensure that the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme’s Investment Reserve is returned to members before the Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is aiming to reach agreement on an outcome that can be implemented later this year which will benefit scheme members.
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, when his Department expects the Crown Estate and developers participating in the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 to announce the locations for turbine manufacturing, assembly and maintenance facilities; and if he will publish details of the bidding or selection process for those supply-chain contracts.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Crown Estate has announced that Equinor and Gwynt Glas have now entered into agreements for lease to develop two new 1.5GW floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea, which could be operational by the mid-2030s.
The Crown Estate has estimated that full delivery of the Round could support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4bn boost to the UK economy.
While timing and allocation of contracts for manufacturing, construction and maintenance of the windfarms are commercial decisions for the companies involved, the Government is engaging with ports and public finance institutions to support development of supply chain and infrastructure needed for these projects and future floating wind development.
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 information his Department holds on the planned timeline for (a) the first turbines to become operational and (b) other aspects of the projects awarded leases under the Crown Estate’s Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round Five.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Crown Estate has announced that Equinor and Gwynt Glas have now entered into agreements for lease to develop two new 1.5GW floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea, which could be operational by the mid-2030s.
The Crown Estate has estimated that full delivery of the Round could support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4bn boost to the UK economy.
While timing and allocation of contracts for manufacturing, construction and maintenance of the windfarms are commercial decisions for the companies involved, the Government is engaging with ports and public finance institutions to support development of supply chain and infrastructure needed for these projects and future floating wind development.