Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
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 26 March 2025 to Question 38961 on British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and Mineworkers' Pension Scheme, if he will set out the differences between the (a) Mineworkers Pension Scheme and (b) British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme referred to in that Answer.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The schemes operate in different ways. A key difference is that there is no surplus sharing arrangement in the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS).
The Government is considering proposals put forward by the BCSSS Trustees and needs to understand their impacts for both scheme members and the Government, in the same way as we are doing for the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme. The Government and BCSSS Trustees are working together to jointly commission analysis so that we can gain that understanding and work towards reaching agreement on a way forward.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a mine water heating grant scheme for community heat networks.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The water from coal mines shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks.
The government’s capital schemes for heat network construction, the Heat Networks Investment Project and its successor, the Green Heat Network Fund, have supported heat networks that use mine water.
To date, the Gateshead District Energy Scheme and the Seaham Garden Village network in County Durham have both received funding.
The ninth application round of the Green Heat Network Fund is currently open and projects which aim to use mine water are welcome to apply.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the process is for signing off the transfer of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme investment reserve fund back to the trustees to uplift pensions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Any future agreement on changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme would require agreement from His Majesty’s Treasury, the Trustees and my Department.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he expects discussions with Mineworkers' Pension Scheme trustees to conclude on the future of the surplus sharing arrangements.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Discussions with the scheme Trustees are ongoing and any announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to meet with British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme trustees again to discuss progress on the transfer of the investment reserve fund.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Further work on the future of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme will require close working with the scheme Trustees.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
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 29 January 2025 to Question 25410, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on release of the investment reserve of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme to uplift pensions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this matter and we will continue to work closely with His Majesty’s Treasury on aspects related to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he expects discussions with British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme trustees to conclude on the transfer of the investment reserve fund.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I met with the Chair and Trustee representatives of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) on 16 December where they outlined their proposals for changes to the Scheme. We will work with the BCSSS Trustees to consider their proposals once the new Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme arrangements have been agreed.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
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 29 January 2025 to Question 25410, what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on release of the investment reserve of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme to uplift pensions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this matter and we will continue to work closely with His Majesty’s Treasury on aspects related to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the recommendation 10.4 of the report entitled Road fuel market study, published by the Competitions and Markets Authority on 8 July 2023, if he will take steps to introduce a statutory fuel finder scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government response to the road fuels consultation published on 30 October 2024 confirmed that the Government will implement the recommendation made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in its Final Road Fuel Market Study to set up a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices, called Fuel Finder.
Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and help drivers easily compare prices and find the best deals. This will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract customers. Subject to legislation and parliamentary timings, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
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 the pricing mechanism for electricity reflects the lower generation costs of renewables.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Unabated gas generation is increasingly being displaced on the system by the rollout of renewables, setting the marginal price less frequently. The most effective mechanism for driving renewable generation is a Contract for Difference-type scheme that includes key features such as competitive auctions to minimise costs to consumers, alongside a mechanism wherein generators pay back when wholesale prices are high. The Government is committed to retaining this type of scheme and as part of the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements programme, is also considering what further steps can be taken to protect consumers from the impacts of potential price spikes.