Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 implications for his policies of the level of methane emissions in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024; and what steps he is taking to reduce those emissions to help the UK meet its 2030 net zero targets.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has committed to the fastest reduction in GHG emissions between 1990 and 2030 of any major economy. Between 1990 and 2022, UK methane emissions dropped by 62%. As part of the Clean Energy Superpower Mission, we are leading the way towards rapid national and global action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, including methane, and are taking domestic action across the waste, agriculture and energy sectors.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on steps to increase awareness among young people of potential education and training opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department understands that more needs to be done to improve awareness and promote opportunities for young people in the clean energy sector, as these jobs can offer secure, well-paid careers. We are working closely with the Department for Education, Skills England, as well as industry and Trade Unions, to explore what can be done to improve this to encourage the uptake of skills and training provisions on offer for young people.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with his Northern Ireland counterpart on strengthening the grid in the North West and Mid Tyrone under the Transmission Development Plan 2023-2032.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy policy is a transferred matter to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive. DESNZ holds regular discussions with NI Executive on broader energy matters, including through our Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-ministerial Group, which last met on 17th October.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with regulators on potential changes in the level of energy prices.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Energy Price Cap is set by Ofgem and there are different costs included in the price cap, such as the wholesale cost of energy. Any changes to these costs will affect how much the price cap will be each time it is reviewed.
As such, the Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy and reduce our reliance on volatile international fossil fuel markets.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with large energy companies in Northern Ireland on funding for onshore wind farms in (a) Strangford and (b) rural areas.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy policy is devolved to Northern Ireland but our ambition for onshore wind covers the UK and Northern Ireland will hopefully be a major contributor, already hosting a tenth of UK onshore wind capacity.
More widely, collaboration between the UK Government and Devolved Governments is essential to accelerate Net Zero and deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission. The Government is working closely with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help work towards delivery of our respective climate targets and carbon budgets and Ministers from this department and the Devolved Governments met recently in Edinburgh to discuss this.
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Department for Communities on extending the warm homes plan to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are committed to engaging with all Devolved Governments on our ambitious energy security and net zero plans going forward, while respecting the devolution settlements.
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on potential energy bill increases.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Collaboration between the UK Government and Devolved Governments is essential to accelerate Net Zero and deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission. The Government is working closely with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help work towards delivery of our respective climate targets and carbon budgets.
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many businesses in the UK have Government funded solar panels.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar power is at the heart of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. The funding of solar panels is typically levied on billpayers rather than through direct taxation. Mechanisms have included the Feed-in tariff, Renewables Obligation and annual Contracts for Difference Allocation Rounds. Given the complex financial environment we are unable to provide an estimate as to how many businesses benefit from Government funding.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support households switch to low carbon heating where heat pump installation is not (a) economically or (b) practically possible.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is taking a range of steps to make heat pumps more affordable and remove barriers to their installation. This includes providing grants of £7,500 under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), supporting innovation and reviewing permitted development rights.
For the small number of homes where a heat pump is not suitable, we expect other technologies to play a role in the transition to clean heat. We continue to build the evidence base on alternative technologies and this research will inform future policy development.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help make decarbonisation (a) affordable and (b) feasible for consumers who are not connected to the mains gas grid.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. It will be focused on making it economically worthwhile for people to transition to clean sources of heating, including for those living in properties off the gas-grid.
We will announce further policy detail of the Warm Homes Plan in due course. Currently, alongside consumer advice sites, the Home Upgrade Grant and Boiler Upgrade Scheme are in place to support those not connected to the gas grid to decarbonise.