Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 implications for his policies of the report by Midlands Engine entitled Energy Security White Paper, published in December 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government welcomes this paper as a strong example of regional leadership in the energy space and the commitment of the Midlands Engine Partnership to look to align its actions with Great British energy’s priorities and functions. The Midlands is a crucial region to the UK’s clean energy transition and the paper identifies many important issues that need to be addressed, including grid connections and reform of the planning system, where we set out our approach in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 implications for his policies of the report by Midlands Engine entitled The nuclear industry in the Midlands, published in February 2025; and whether he is taking steps to help support nuclear-related economic growth in the (a) East Midlands and (b) West Midlands.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is supporting rapid development of the nuclear fission and fusion energy sectors.
For fusion this includes investing in cutting edge research capabilities and facilities, and implementing a proportionate regulatory framework to cement the UK as a global hub for fusion investment and commercialisation. This includes the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) prototype fusion energy power plant which aims to prove the viability of commercial fusion and catalyse fusion sector development.
We are determined to work with these sectors to ensure they continue to be economic engines for communities across our country, including the Midlands, and the Government is grateful for the excellent work Midlands Engine has done to highlight the opportunities in these areas.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of regulating the price of liquefied petroleum gas for (a) park homes and (b) other properties that depend on that energy source.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply market does not use a fixed network so there is no natural monopoly as seen for gas and electricity.
The supply of domestic LPG is subject to competition law and consumer protection through a regulatory scheme under the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). More details, including a consumer guide to the operation of that regime, can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/liquefied-petroleum-gas-lpg-market-orders-and-calculator.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 merits of developing high-temperature superconducting magnet technology in the UK.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
High Temperature Superconducting magnets will not only be critical for fusion energy machines such as STEP, but have potential to revolutionise aviation, trains, marine propulsion, medical scanners, wind turbines, materials processing, big science facilities, and more. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and the private sector, to support the establishment and growth of the UK’s HTS magnet capabilities, to capture the benefits of this growing market, and ultimately enable the delivery of commercially viable fusion energy.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to support the fusion energy sector to commercialise its technologies.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 16 January 2025, the Government announced a record £410m for fusion R&D to fund world leading new facilities and provide support for the UK’s thriving industry and skill provision across the UK.
The Government is supporting rapid development of the fusion energy sector, investing in cutting edge research capabilities and facilities, and implementing a proportionate regulatory framework to cement the UK as a global hub for fusion investment and commercialisation. This includes the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) prototype fusion energy power plant which aims to prove the viability of commercial fusion and catalyse fusion sector development.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
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 taking (a) legislative and (b) regulatory steps to help improve lithium-ion battery safety; including in the planning application process for new battery energy storage systems.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive within a robust framework which requires battery designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures to ensure health and safety through all stages of the system’s deployment.
Government has updated planning practice guidance to encourage BESS developers to engage with local fire services and for local planning authorities to refer to guidance published by the National Fire Chiefs Council.
Government has considered the merits of taking further steps, and in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan committed that Defra will consult by June 2025 on including BESS within the Environmental Permitting Regulations.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government (a) participates in and (b) funds geoengineering activities; what information his Department holds on organisations in the UK which participate in geoengineering; and whether he plans to introduce regulations on geoengineering.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Geoengineering can be considered to include both greenhouse gas removal technologies (GGRs) and solar radiation modification (SRM). GGRs are important for achieving Net Zero. Government is developing GGR Business Models to incentivise private investment in large-scale projects, and funds small-scale demonstrator projects [1] All projects are subject to relevant Environment Agency and local government regulations. The Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so however it funds modelling research to understand the potential impacts of SRM deployment. Currently there are no UK or international laws specifically governing SRM, but numerous relevant legal frameworks and principles exist [2]
[2] https://co-create-project.eu/publication/scoping-note-on-applicable-legal-frameworks/
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his timeline is for (a) the consultation on the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard and (b) implementation of the new standard following the consultation.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will shortly consult on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation will include proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We will consult on introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it is his Department's policy to introduce a UK low carbon hydrogen certification scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are considering the role of a UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Certification Scheme in achieving clean power by 2030. Further detail on the Government's approach will be announced in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his keynote speech at the Energy UK conference 2024 on 17 September 2024, what steps he plans to take to help protect communities with an above-average number of substations resulting from high volumes of large projects being simultaneously submitted by different developers.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The strategic network planning processes led by the Government’s new National Energy System Operator ensures community impact is considered when recommendations for new transmission infrastructure are made and that new infrastructure locations are considered strategically and sensitively. Where such infrastructure is needed, developers seek to reduce impacts through its design.
It is also important to this Government that, where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should directly benefit from it, and we are considering how to most effectively deliver this. This includes developing guidance on community benefits for electricity transmission network infrastructure, which we will publish in due course.