Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Invite to Offer stage of negotiations will open before the end of 2026 for businesses shortlisted under the second Hydrogen Allocation Round.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are working hard across government to start the Invite to Offer stage of the second Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR2) as soon as possible and will be in touch with projects when this commences. Contract awards for successful projects will follow shortly afterwards.
We understand that many projects are at critical stages, and that certainty is important to support business planning, resource management and engagement with third parties.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish the full list of energy projects whose funding has been delayed, reduced or cancelled to meet the capital reductions required to finance the Defence Investment Plan, together with the value of the reduction in each case.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The savings are a small part of DESNZ’s overall budget, which saw a significant uplift at Spending Review.
Our aim is for a large proportion of the savings to be found through efficiencies. We will set out more details in due course.
The UK clean energy economy is booming, with over £100bn of private sector investment announced since July 2024 thanks to the government’s clean energy mission.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 delays to the renewed Hydrogen Strategy on the UK hydrogen technology supply chain.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We understand the importance of providing clarity to businesses across the hydrogen sector, including those in the supply chain. Hydrogen is backed in the Industrial Strategy Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan as a frontier technology, with a public finance offer designed to crowd private investment into UK supply chains.
We plan to publish the Hydrogen Strategy, alongside a package of other hydrogen policy documents, as soon as possible this year. The renewed strategy will set out Government’s vision and objectives for hydrogen, and how we intend to work with industry to continue to transform ambition into action.
In the meantime, we remain focused on delivery, with projects that were successful in HAR1 now moving to the final investment decision and our recent investment in UK electrolyser manufacturing with ITM Power in South Yorkshire.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to move projects shortlisted under the second Hydrogen Allocation Round to the Invite to Offer stage of negotiations.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are working hard across government to start the Invite to Offer stage of HAR2 as soon as possible and will be in touch with projects when this commences. We understand that many projects are at critical stages, and that certainty is important to support business planning, resource management and engagement with third parties.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 the timely delivery of the Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 scheme by end of 2026.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are working hard across government to start the Invite to Offer stage of HAR2 as soon as possible and will be in touch with projects when this commences. We understand that many projects are at critical stages, and that certainty is important to support business planning, resource management and engagement with third parties.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, that the consent based model for determining the location of GDFs for storing nuclear waste remains government policy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government remains committed to delivering a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) as the long-term solution for the safe and secure management of the UK’s most hazardous radioactive waste. The process for identifying a suitable location for a GDF remains consent-based, requiring both suitable geology and a willing host community.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 launch the allocation rounds for the Hydrogen Transport Business Model and Hydrogen Storage Business Model.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are progressing the design of the business models and the first allocation round at pace. We will award the first contracts for the Hydrogen Transport Business Model and Hydrogen Storage Business Model through the Regional Hydrogen Network competition.
Further clarity on publication timings will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 the Humber supporting industrial decarbonisation through the development of hydrogen infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Humber is the UK’s largest industrial cluster and is home to a number of hydrogen and industrial decarbonisation projects, which aim to supply low-carbon hydrogen to local industrial users, supporting decarbonisation, skilled job creation and regional economic growth across the Humber region. Proposals for hydrogen infrastructure in the Humber will be able to participate in the proposed Regional Hydrogen Network when launched.
Three projects in the Humber area were shortlisted in Hydrogen Allocation Round 2. If successful, these projects will produce low-carbon hydrogen to power gas turbines and help decarbonise oil refineries and lime kilns in the Humber area.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 the Humber’s hydrogen production capacity on UK hydrogen targets.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Hydrogen has the potential to support decarbonisation and economic growth across the UK. The Government recognises the Humber as one of several regions that could supply, as well as benefit from, low‑carbon hydrogen production.
As part of the Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 (HAR2), three projects in the Humber area were shortlisted in April 2025, specifically Aldborough Hydrogen Pathfinder, Humber H2ub, and Singleton Birch Kilns. If successful, these projects will produce low-carbon hydrogen which will power gas turbines and help to decarbonise an oil refinery and lime kiln in the Humber area, as well as generate low carbon power.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 a core hydrogen network on linking hydrogen production in the Humber to other industrial clusters.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In the early hydrogen economy, we expect that most hydrogen demand will be located within our existing industrial clusters. Government is therefore prioritising the development of regional network infrastructure. Government continues to assess the economic and system benefits that could be presented by a core hydrogen network. However, determining the determining the needs case for inter-regional networks, as well as the location, scale and timing for any such networks requires further evidence.