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, whether the £9.3 million community energy funding for devolved governments announced on 21 March 2025 is funding from GB Energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy is committed to working with the Devolved Governments to help enhance community energy across the UK, whilst respecting the devolution settlements. £9.3 million is being provided to the devolved governments to support clean energy projects and may be combined with existing or new funding from the three governments to support specific clean energy projects in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This funding is part of the £100m announced in October 2024 to kick-start GBE’s work investing in clean energy project development.
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, how much GB Energy has invested in renewable energy projects in each of the nations of the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy (GBE) has announced £300 million to invest in offshore wind supply chains, and £700 million to help build manufacturing facilities in the UK. That totals £1 billion in funding, available across all four nations.
GBE is also providing £4.85 million for Scotland, £2.88 million for Wales, and £1.62 million for Northern Ireland to support clean energy projects. This may be combined with existing or new funding from the three governments, which host their own community energy schemes.
In England, GBE is providing £90 million for solar panels on schools and hospitals. A further £10 million is committed for the Mayor Renewables Fund.
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 he is taking to ensure that (a) energy companies and (b) energy company contractors in Scotland replace household meters before the phase out of the Radio Teleswitch Service.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with the RTS Taskforce, industry and Ofgem to ensure the phase out process of RTS is planned effectively and consumers are appropriately protected.
The Government has made clear to industry that energy suppliers must fulfil their obligations to customers and must increase the rate of Radio Teleswitch (RTS) meter replacements. We expect suppliers to be taking measures, such as deploying roaming teams of installers, to ensure consumers receive replacement meters in a timely manner.
I am meeting with Energy UK and Ofgem on a fortnightly basis to discuss progress.
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 he has made of the potential merits of prioritising upgrades to the National Grid at (a) major visitor attractions and (b) areas of high public footfall to support the expansion of (i) electric vehicle charging infrastructure and (ii) on-site renewables.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The electricity networks in Great Britain are owned and operated by private companies and regulated independently by Ofgem, who ensure the network companies are investing to operate, maintain and upgrade their infrastructure. To enable the Government’s Clean Energy Superpower and Growth missions, significant investment in new capacity ahead of need is required. This will be based on, among other considerations, strategic planning and projections of future demand across the network and will support the connection of new on-site renewable generation and demand projects, including electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
As of 1 May 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 79,326 publicly available charging devices (including 15,856 rapid charging devices). This reflects a year-on-year percentage increase of 30%. Policy on charging infrastructure is devolved in Scotland.
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 he has had with (a) OFGEM and (b) energy companies on VAT inclusion in (i) energy billing documents and (ii) online quotes for consumers.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular meetings with Ofgem on a range of issues.
Quotes on energy pricing and how those quotes are broken down for customers are a matter for energy suppliers. However, the Government takes the issue of accurate billing very seriously. All suppliers must take all reasonable steps to reflect accurate meter readings in bills or statements sent to customers where these have been provided by a customer or obtained by the supplier. This is laid out in the Supplier Licence Conditions (SLCs) for both electricity and gas.
Under 31E.10 of both sets of SLCs where the licensee provides a Domestic Customer with any information about the Charges for the Supply of Electricity, gas or any other type of charge or fee (the “Applicable Charges”), the licensee must inform the Domestic Customer of whether the Applicable Charges include or exclude value added tax.
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, whether the status of a managing factor as a limited company affects the classification of a communal electricity supply as domestic or business; and what guidance his Department provides to Ofgem and energy suppliers on this matter.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The classification of whether a communal electricity supply is considered domestic or business depends on whether the organisation or individual who manages the building has a domestic or commercial energy contract. Businesses are required to have a commercial energy contract, even if they provide electricity to domestic properties.
Ofgem provides guidance to consumers on whether they need a business energy contact on its website - https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-businesses/get-energy-your-business.
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 he has taken to protect residential consumers from being charged Business Rate electricity tariffs for communal areas; and what mechanisms exist to challenge such classifications.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Communal areas in apartment blocks are charged on a non-domestic energy contract as the organisation who is responsible for them is a business.
A Call for Evidence regarding domestic customers with a non-domestic energy supply was published in July 2023 and explored the advantages and disadvantages of these arrangements. The responses highlighted the complexity of energy supply and contract arrangements, and due to the physical set-up of these residences, the majority of these consumers will continue to receive their energy via a non-domestic contract. The Call for Evidence is now closed, and a summary of responses was published in April 2024.
Ofgem is taking action to ensure these consumers are protected by raising awareness of the Maximum Resale Price direction, and planning work with network companies to produce a clear route for vulnerable consumers to be added to the Priority Services Register.
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, whether his Department plans to review the practice of applying business energy tariffs to communal electricity supplies in residential buildings.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Communal areas in apartment blocks are charged on a non-domestic energy contract as the organisation who is responsible for them is a business.
A Call for Evidence regarding domestic customers with a non-domestic energy supply was published in July 2023 and explored the advantages and disadvantages of these arrangements. The responses highlighted the complexity of energy supply and contract arrangements, and due to the physical set-up of these residences, the majority of these consumers will continue to receive their energy via a non-domestic contract. The Call for Evidence is now closed, and a summary of responses was published in April 2024.
Ofgem is taking action to ensure these consumers are protected by raising awareness of the Maximum Resale Price direction, and planning work with network companies to produce a clear route for vulnerable consumers to be added to the Priority Services Register.
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 implications for his policies of practice of classifying communal electricity meters in residential buildings as business rather than domestic; what steps he has taken to ensure fair and consistent application of tariffs; whether energy suppliers are permitted to override a meter’s designation as Domestic in the National Database when setting tariffs; and what steps his Department is taking to prevent incorrect classification.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Communal areas in apartment blocks are charged on a non-domestic energy contract as the organisation who is responsible for them is a business. As such, domestic consumers living in the apartment block are usually charged a non-domestic energy rate for these areas. Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Direction protects tenants from being charged inflated electricity costs from their landlord. It sets a maximum price that can be charged for electricity and gas which has already been bought from a licenced supplier.
Suppliers are ultimately responsible for correctly classifying the customers they contract with as domestic or non-domestic, in line with Ofgem criteria. Suppliers are also responsible for the correct classification of electricity meters, in accordance with ‘meter profile classes’ managed by Elexon in the Balancing and Settlement Code (BSC).
Ofgem has made clear in guidance on this subject that ‘meter profile class’ should not be the deciding factor in whether a customer is domestic or non-domestic, this should be based on the intended purpose of consumption at the premises (i.e. domestic or non-domestic) Bespoke contracts should be offered where needed
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 hydrogen production on land-locked bodies of water.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero works collaboratively with other government departments and relevant regulators to understand the water impacts of a developing hydrogen economy, including the potential impact of abstraction on water bodies.
The Government expects all planned hydrogen production projects to have robust plans in place for sustainable sourcing of water that comply with relevant regulations.