Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many households used the radio teleswitch service for their energy meter connections in Lincolnshire in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department does not hold unitary authority or county level data on the number of remaining RTS meters. However, we are regularly engaging with energy suppliers, Ofgem and the industry body Energy UK to review local plans for the switch-off.
Energy suppliers have contacted all premises with RTS meters and Ofgem is encouraging customers to book an appointment to ensure they are provided with a replacement meter ahead of the switch-off.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 impact of Great British Energy on household energy bills in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee energy security and protect billpayers is to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. That is why government has a mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.
We have a sustainable, long-term plan to protect all UK billpayers, including households in South Hollands and the Deepings, and in Lincolnshire more widely, from volatile international gas markets. Backed by £8.3 billion, Great British Energy is part of this plan, driving the deployment of the clean, homegrown energy we need to boost our energy independence. As a publicly-owned company, Great British Energy will ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers, and communities reap the benefits of this.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of food procured by his Department is sourced in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA is the landlord or building manager at the Department’s office occupations, where the space is often shared with several other tenant organisations. The Department buys catering services, or a share of, from GPA alongside all other building services. This information is therefore not held by the Department.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the cost to the public purse was of expenditure by Ofgem on consulting services in each of the last three years.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ofgem is an independent regulator and while DESNZ works closely Ofgem, it is directly accountable to Parliament for its performance.
Ofgem’s expenditure on other consultancy services for the past three years was:
• 2023-24: £18.8m
• 2022-23: £29.6m
• 2021-22: £23.4m
Ofgem attempts to minimise its reliance on external support by running targeted recruitment for the skills required to deliver its functions. Information on Ofgem’s expenditure is available in its annual reports (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/ofgem-annual-reports).
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of off-grid properties in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire that will receive the Warm Homes local grant.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Warm Homes: Local Grant will deliver upgrades to low-income homes both on and off the gas grid. Local Authorities (LAs) in receipt of the Grant will choose which homes to prioritise for upgrades, based on local needs and resident interest.
LAs have submitted Expressions of Interest to participate in the Grant, which included non-binding indications of the proportion of off-gas grid properties to be treated. At the time of writing, LAs have not yet been allocated funding. Until allocations have been confirmed, we cannot estimate the number of off-gas grid properties that will benefit from the scheme.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what purposes the UK Atomic Energy Authority has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) participates in the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) to accelerate deployment of robotics and AI in fusion engineering and nuclear decommissioning. Furthermore, to support the use of AI in fusion research, the first of the UK’s AI Growth Zones is proposed to be located at the headquarters of the UKAEA in Culham, Oxfordshire. AI will be critical in further developing fusion technology by processing complex calculations that will accelerate the R&D that is needed to make fusion a reality.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 impact of the proposed Grimsby to Walpole National Grid pylon project on house prices in affected areas in Lincolnshire.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not assess the impact of new transmission network infrastructure on house prices.
However, landowners, businesses, and homeowners that have electrical equipment, such as pylons or towers, sited on their land have the right to compensation for the value of their land, as well as for any losses or expenses incurred. Acquiring authorities can also put in place discretionary schemes offering additional compensation.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what purposes Ofgem has used AI in the last 12 months.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ofgem is currently trialling applications of AI, though it is currently in the early stages of exploring the benefits, risks and appropriateness of AI. Ofgem adheres to the Government AI Principles.
Trials initiated in the last 12 months include:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many properties are not connected to the national (a) gas and (b) electricity grid in South Holland and The Deepings constituency.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by constituency. In 2023, an estimated 12,000 domestic properties (23%) in South Holland and The Deepings constituency were not connected to the gas network. Equivalent figures for the electricity network are not published.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much grade (a) one and (b) two farm land has been replaced by ground mounted solar in England in the last five years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Data on the land occupied by solar projects is contained in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). The Government does not currently categorise the data based on land type. However, work is underway to expand the REPD to include this feature.