Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made on the adequacy of (a) national policy and (b) regulatory frameworks on enabling (i) local, (ii) regional, (iii) national and (iv) devolved governments to work more effectively in partnership towards Net Zero and adapting to climate change.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government’s net zero target covers the whole UK, and all four parts of the UK have an integral role to play in delivering the Government’s carbon budgets.
The UK Government is working closely with local government and partners in the devolved administrations to achieve its carbon emission reduction ambitions and net zero targets.
The Domestic and Economic Affairs (Energy, Climate and Net Zero) Cabinet Committee leads on bringing together departments to consider matters relating to energy, and to ensure the effective delivery of the United Kingdom’s domestic and international climate strategy leading up to the net zero 2050 target.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with oil and gas companies on the potential impact of proposed developments in the North Sea on the UK's climate targets.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has regular wide-ranging discussions with the oil and gas industry.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to further develop a market for investment in green industry.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Driving investment into UK green energy and industries is a priority for this Government.
Since March 2021, the Government has committed £30 billion of domestic green investment. The Government is establishing the regulatory frameworks that will spur investment into green projects – such as through the Energy Bill. The Government is also working closely with DIT to communicate its plans more effectively to private investors. Over the course of this year, the Government has published net zero roadmaps tailored to the investment community for example on Hydrogen and carbon capture as well as hosting the UK’s inaugural Green Trade and Investment Expo.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of UK100's Skills for Local Net Zero Delivery insight briefing, published 11 November 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government welcomes UK100’s report and will consider its recommendations. The Government recognises that local areas, as well as national government, have a key role to play in ensuring we have the skills needed for the transition to Net Zero.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report by UK100 entitled End the wait, Insulate: Social housing energy efficiency and the energy crisis, published on 16 November 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In the Autumn Statement the Government announced £6 billion of new Government funding that will be made available from 2025 to 2028 for energy efficiency. The design of future waves of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund will consider all relevant evidence to ensure effective delivery.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Energy Efficiency Taskforce takes into account local government voices.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Autumn Statement announced a new national ambition to reduce the UK’s final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030, against 2021 levels.
To support the delivery of this target, a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce will be established. More details on the scope and membership of the Taskforce will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether local government representatives will form part of the Energy Efficiency Taskforce.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Autumn Statement announced a new national ambition to reduce the UK’s final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030, against 2021 levels.
To support the delivery of this target, a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce will be established. More details on the scope and membership of the Taskforce will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to negotiate greater protections for the environmental rights of vulnerable minorities at COP27.
Answered by Graham Stuart
COP26 saw strengthened language on Indigenous Peoples, urging Parties to actively involve Indigenous Peoples in designing and implementing climate action and engage with the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) three year work plan.
Throughout our Presidency year we have continued to work closely with vulnerable minorities including Indigenous Peoples. At COP27, the UK not only engaged with the activities under the LCIPP work plan, but also funded seven Indigenous young people to attend COP27 to ensure their voices and expertise were heard in Sharm-el-Sheikh.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of progressing nuclear energy for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Graham Stuart
As outlined in the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government’s long-term ambition is to increase Its plans for the deployment of civil nuclear power by 2050. To facilitate this, the Government has committed to a number of nuclear ambitions, including developing an overall siting strategy for the long term.