Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 15 October 2026 to Question 33981, what criteria her Department uses to determine whether a gas consumer is classed as a critical customer for the purposes of gas load shedding during a national gas supply emergency.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As referenced in DESNZ’s National Emergency Plan for Downstream Gas and Electricity, priority customers have their supplies prioritised for as long as practicable during a Network Gas Supply Emergency.
Priority customers include those where loss of gas could put lives at risk or cause significant damage to major industrial sites, as assessed by gas transporters; and those where loss of gas could cause serious harm to human welfare, the environment or UK security that cannot reasonably be mitigated, as assessed by DESNZ in consultation with relevant government departments.
Domestic customers are disconnected as a last resort.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of new nuclear development at (i) Torness and (ii) Hunterston on civil nuclear employment in Scotland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy - Nuclear’s study of Scotland's potential for new nuclear, published on 30 June, indicates that Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development in the future. The assessment found high potential in the area around Torness, with the area around Hunterston also showing technical potential.
New nuclear projects can deliver billions of pounds of investment and thousands of high-quality jobs to a region. UK Ministers remain open to discussions with the Scottish Government on deploying new nuclear technologies in Scotland.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the hierarchy is for loadshedding or supply curtailment in the event of a National Gas Supply Emergency; and what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications of that hierarchy for electricity generation and domestic consumption.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great Britain has a highly resilient energy system and has never seen the declaration of a Network Gas Supply Emergency.
The procedures for Gas and Electricity Emergencies are set out in detail in DESNZ's Downstream Gas and Electricity National Emergency Plan, which is reviewed on a regular basis. National Gas Transmission have a range of tools to balance the system, and 'Load Shedding' of gas connections is a carefully considered process only required when all other commercial and emergency mechanisms have failed. To mitigate impacts as far as possible in the event of loadshedding, the most critical customers have supplies prioritised for as long as practicable and domestic consumers are disconnected only as a last resort.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to visit Aberdeen to meet representatives of the oil and gas sector.
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.
The Secretary of State visited Aberdeen on the 23rd of July as one of her first engagements.
Aberdeen remains central to the UK's home-grown energy sector and North Sea oil and gas will continue to play an important role in the UK's energy mix for years to come.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her policy is on the future licensing of new oil and gas fields in the North Sea.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The North Sea remains a vital national asset, supporting jobs, growth and the UK's energy security. We have always been clear that oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, alongside renewables, nuclear and other low-carbon technologies.
The Government stands by the commitment in its manifesto not to issue new licences to explore new fields.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she met with representatives of the UK oil and gas sector during the summer recess.
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 on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 economic impact of changes in North Sea oil and gas activity on the north-east of Scotland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The North Sea basin is mature and in long-term decline, with oil and gas production falling by around 75% between 1999 and 2024. This has affected employment and investment in oil and gas, particularly in north-east Scotland.
Britain is well-placed to mobilise our natural advantage, using the skills and expertise of our offshore workforce and supply chain to get ahead in the global race for new jobs and industries.
The North Sea Future Plan sets out how the government will deliver end to end support, including North Sea Jobs Service, helping workers, communities and businesses benefit from clean energy opportunities.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 impact of government policy on employment in Scotland's offshore oil and gas sector since July 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The North Sea is a mature basin, and production has been in natural decline for many years. Employment in oil and gas has therefore been declining over a prolonged period. Office for National Statistics data shows direct oil and gas employment fell by around a third between 2014 and 2024.
Since 2024, the Government has set out measures to support workers and communities through the transition, including through the North Sea Jobs Service and the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which of his Departmental projects will be (a) reduced and (b) ended due to departmental funding being reallocated to the defence budget; and how much they will be reduced by.
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: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment has been made, through Great British Energy – Nuclear’s siting study into new nuclear development in Scotland, of Scotland’s suitability to host both Small Modular Reactors and gigawatt-scale nuclear reactors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In autumn 2025, Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) was commissioned by Department Ministers to assess Scotland’s potential for new nuclear power, whilst the government has also tasked GBE-N with identifying suitable sites that could host a potential large-scale new nuclear project.
The government believes that areas of Scotland that have previously hosted nuclear power stations will have many positive attributes for new nuclear.