Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
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 ensure that large electricity users such as data centres contribute to system investment and operation through flexibility and demand management when connecting to the electricity network.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government, NESO and Ofgem have worked together with industry to identify specific actions to support an increase in large non-domestic consumer-led flexibility, setting those actions out in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap, published in 2025.
Data centres, like other non-domestic users, can play a role in being flexible with their usage, generating system benefits that will help all energy users. Government is currently consulting on whether some categories of large demand users should be required to provide a minimum level of demand flexibility as a condition of connection.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration his Department has given to requiring new data centres seeking electricity network connections to assess opportunities to utilise waste heat.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is looking at how waste heat from data centres can be used to support the development of large scale, strategic heat networks.
Through heat network zoning, certain buildings and heat sources, including data centres, can be required to connect to a network within set timeframes.
Additionally, the Green Heat Network Fund provides £195m p.a. in capital grants up to 2029–30 for low‑carbon heat networks in England. One supported project is a major new network in North-West London that will utilise data centre heat, powering 10,000 new homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
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 impact of the volume of data centre projects in the electricity transmission connections queue on network capacity and system costs.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is aware of the volume of data centre projects in the connections queue, and on 12 March, published a consultation on measures to manage oversubscription and secure capacity for viable data centre projects, while meeting the needs of the energy system. These include increasing financial requirements on data centres to obtain or retain a connection agreement and moving to a strategically aligned process for data centre connections in future.
The consultation also asks about the impact of flexible connection agreements on data centres to further secure system operability and protect consumers from unnecessary costs while supporting timely connections.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to Ofgem's call for input entitled Demand Connections Reform, published on 13 February 2026, how many of the 140 data centres are located in Scotland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem's Call for Input draws on data collected by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) in which 140 prospective data centres self-reported their presence in the pipeline for connections. 19 of these were located in Scotland. However, these responses were voluntary and represent developer intent rather than confirmed deliverability. NESO is undertaking further work to validate the results including issuing a mandatory Information Request Notice to demand connection customers on 11 March.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish the data centre strategy; and whether that strategy will include measures on managing electricity network capacity, energy system and environmental impacts.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is working closely with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology to understand the strategic need for data centres in Great Britain, including their energy system and environmental impacts. Government will say more on this in due course.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration he has made of the potential merits of blending up to 20% of hydrogen by volume into existing GB gas networks.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are building the evidence base to determine if blending into the transmission network meets the required safety standards, is technically feasible, economic, and supports government’s broader strategic and net zero ambitions. This consultation will help inform the case for and volume of transmission-level blending.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
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 Offshore Energies UK and the Health and Safety Executive regarding the safety evidence underpinning the Industry Safe Weight Limit Policy for offshore helicopter travel; what assessment his Department has made of (a) the proportionality of the proposed 124 kg clothed weight limit in relation to existing offshore safety standards and evacuation equipment capacity and (b) the feasibility of upgrading offshore evacuation and rescue equipment to accommodate a wider range of body weights as an alternative to implementing personal weight restrictions; and what consultation took place with offshore workers, recognised trade unions and employers prior to the introduction of that policy.
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: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will implement the recommendations of the Social Tariff Working Group’s final report, published 23 April 2025.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government understands the need to target support to those who need it most. That is why on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills every winter until 2030/31. This means that millions of households every year who need support with their energy bills will receive the Warm Home Discount for the rest of the decade.
We also committed to exploring additional improvements to the scheme. I welcome the report’s contribution to the consideration of the future of targeted bill support schemes. While we consider options for future bill support, we are working across Government to improve access to and sharing of data to target support more effectively in the future. Specifically, the ‘Kickstarter’ programme under the National Data Library will test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to government programmes. This project will help pave the way for better targeted help to ensure those who are struggling to pay their bills get the support they need.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Golden age of nuclear delivers UK-US deal on energy security, published on 15 September 2025, what estimate his Department has made of the cost, including (a) new rail infrastructure and (b) armed security cost of transporting nuclear fuel to and from the proposed nuclear power stations.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In line with the regulator’s outcome-focused approach to security, each licensed operator must submit a security plan for approval by the ONR that ensures risks are identified and mitigated effectively and meet the robust security standards expected by HMG. It would therefore not be appropriate for the Government to pre-suppose the use of armed security for new infrastructure.
Any costs associated with meeting the security outcome requirements set by the Regulator are met by industry.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what routes of travel are undertaken to transport nuclear waste within the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There are a number of proven routes to transport nuclear waste.
On the grounds of national security, the Government does not publish information on specific routes taken.