Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 ending funding for the Energy Company Obligation scheme in March 2026 on small and medium-sized businesses.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government recognises that the closure of the supplier obligation schemes will present challenges for companies in the supply chain and is committed to supporting businesses to transition to new opportunities for delivering clean heat and energy efficiency measures. The Warm Homes Plan will set out the Government’s plans to invest nearly £15 billion in home upgrades. The number of UK jobs supported in clean energy industries and their supply chains is estimated to increase from around 440,000 today to around 860,000 by 2030 and we are working closely with the sector to support its growth.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has to support SMEs that rely on the Energy Company Obligation scheme for predictable work after March 2026.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have committed £1.5 billion in new grant funding to help low-income households with upgrades, taking total investment under the Warm Homes Plan to almost £15 billion. UK clean energy and related supply chain jobs are projected to rise from around 440,000 in 2023 to around 860,000 by 2030, offering transition opportunities for businesses currently installing measures under ECO4. Further details will be provided in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 the ending of funding for the Energy Company Obligation scheme in March 2026 on energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To bring energy bills down for all, the decision has been made not to continue the Energy Company Obligation and associated Great British Insulation Scheme when they end next year. This will save on average £60 on energy bills per household. Combined with other essential support delivered through the Budget, this will reduce energy costs by £150 from next April.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 all submissions made to the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The taskforce aimed for maximum transparency, publishing its terms of reference and interim findings. Stakeholders were invited to submit evidence on a non-attributed basis, encouraging frank and open disclosure. The final report provides a clear summary of the process and sets out the evidence underpinning each recommendation.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how his Department plans to meet its target of 9.3 million heat pumps by 2035.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government will continue to provide financial support to households through our support schemes and by growing the market for green finance, and we will set out more details in the Warm Homes Plan.
The government is supporting supply chain growth through the reformed Clean Heat Market Mechanism, investing in manufacturing capacity through the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator, and helping installers train through the Heat Training Grant.
Our expectation is that the vast majority of heating system replacements will be with heat pumps and other low-carbon technologies, as these become the natural, affordable choice for consumers at the point of replacing an existing heating appliance at the end of its life.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 done on the impact of energy bills in the event of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme being scaled back.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring that the costs of the UK’s transition to Net Zero are fair and affordable, and the potential impacts on consumers are being fully considered. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not funded by a levy on energy bills and will be funded as part of the Warm Homes Plan. As set out in the Budget, the Government will provide an additional £1.5bn for those in fuel poverty, exceeding the £13.2bn commitment set out in the manifesto.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has a committed budget of £295 million for this financial year, and has been extended to 2030, with funding increasing each year. Further details will be set out soon. On 18 November, the Government published the response to a recent consultation providing detail on amendments to the scheme which will be implemented from next year. These changes are designed to increase access, stimulate further demand, and enhance existing consumer protections
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will protect the Boiler Upgrade Scheme through any changes to the Warm Home Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Warm Homes Plan, the Government is making the biggest ever capital investment in home retrofit with an additional £1.5bn of new funding announced in the budget to tackle fuel poverty, in turn exceeding our manifesto commitment of £13.2bn. Further details will be set out soon.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has a committed budget of £295 million for this financial year, and has been extended to 2030, with funding increasing each year.
On 18 November, the Government published its’ response to a consultation on potential changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, providing detail on amendments to the scheme which will be implemented from next year.
These changes are designed to increase access, stimulate further demand, and enhance existing consumer protections.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what quantity of plutonium was added to the civil plutonium stockpile in the last year.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK is no longer adding to the inventory of separated civil plutonium through reprocessing spent fuel. The Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) at Sellafield is now closed, having ceased reprocessing operations in November 2018 and the Magnox reprocessing facility ceased reprocessing operations in 2022.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what quantities of unprocessed plutonium remain within discharged irradiated spent nuclear fuel at (a) nuclear reactor sites and (b) Sellafield.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Plutonium is a by-product of nuclear fission, and it is present in small quantities in spent irradiated fuel. However, the quantities would vary based on the fuel and reactor type.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation publishes annual figures on estimated amounts of plutonium contained in spent civil reactor fuel in the UK. The most recently published data can be found at the following link: 2023 annual figures for holdings of civil unirradiated plutonium | Office for Nuclear Regulation
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the current volume is of the civil plutonium stockpile in tonnes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of 31 December 2023, the total holding of separated civil plutonium in the UK was 140.9 tonnes.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation publishes annual figures on the UK's separated plutonium inventory. The most recently published data can be found at the following link: 2023 annual figures for holdings of civil unirradiated plutonium | Office for Nuclear Regulation