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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking regulate the advertisement of nicotine pouch products.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to protecting children from the risks of nicotine addiction. Evidence suggests that awareness and use of nicotine pouches is growing amongst young people.

There are currently no advertising restrictions on nicotine pouches. To address this, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop the advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of all nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, mirroring the effective restrictions on tobacco. This will include a ban on television, radio, and online adverts, as well as printed advertisements such as traditional billboards. The advertising ban will be commenced by commencement order once the bill has received Royal Assent, and we have committed to giving industry 12 months’ notice of when the ban will come into force.

Additionally, the bill will also provide the Government with new powers to restrict the packaging and display of nicotine products, including nicotine pouches. These powers will further limit the marketing and promotion of these products to young people.

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