Oral Answers to Questions

Katie White Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dr Kieran Mullan (Bexhill and Battle) (Con)]

2. What steps he is taking to help support the development of deep geothermal energy.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Katie White)]

I pay tribute to the hon. Member for championing deep geothermal. This Government recognise the potential that deep geothermal represents, particularly as a source for heat networks. Our priority is building out heat network infrastructure, which can then connect to any heat source. The green heat network fund and contracts for difference offer opportunities for geothermal projects to demonstrate the potential to de-risk both heat and power.

[Dr Mullan]

Deep geothermal has great potential for left-behind communities in this country, and it is a first-class transition industry for our oil and gas workforce. I welcome the Minister’s comments and the positive engagement with the Minister in the other place, who is a huge champion of deep geothermal, but the message from industry is that that is not enough, and that the funds that the Minister mentions are not doing the job. A deep geothermal strategy, giving the Government’s vote of confidence in deep geothermal, could go a long way, and would not necessarily cost very much. Industry tells us that that in itself would drive growth. Will the Government consider a strategy for deep geothermal?

[Katie White]

I thank the hon. Gentleman once again for championing this issue. I know he has been calling for it, and I welcome the engagement. It was exciting to see the first deep geothermal project being opened in February, as a result of the contracts for difference, and more projects are coming online as a result. We are prioritising the heat network, but I would welcome more conversations with him to ensure that we are making all the right choices.

[Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)]

West Fife has huge potential for geothermal. In particular, the Comrie colliery development, at a former mining site, is now being regenerated to create leisure facilities, housing and other mixed-use development. It has been exploring the possibility of using deep geothermal from the former mine. Will the Minister meet me to discuss this in more detail, and perhaps come to visit the site to see its huge potential?

[Katie White]

I welcome my hon. Friend’s question. The opportunity to visit sounds fabulous, and I look forward to it.

[Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)]

3. What steps he is taking to ensure the clean energy transition supports people in work.

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[Sarah Coombes (West Bromwich) (Lab)]

5. What steps he is taking to ensure the effective implementation of his Department's climate-related transition plan.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Katie White)]

I thank my hon. Friend for her leadership in West Bromwich, in this place, and internationally. This Government have consulted on our manifesto commitment to introduce transition plan requirements for UK regulated financial institutions and large companies, and my Department will publish our response to that consultation shortly.

[Sarah Coombes]

Britain has been overly reliant on oil and gas for decades, and fossil fuel companies have profited hugely from that. I was glad to see the CBI report today, which said that the net-zero economy is now worth more than £100 billion to the UK. Given that electrification is essential to the UK’s energy future, what role will different types of energy company, who will eventually reap the profits of electricity use, have in investing in infrastructure for that transition?

[Katie White]

Electrification is key—that is something we can agree on across the House and outside. As my hon. Friend rightly says, since July 2024 we have secured £90 billion of investment in the UK within the clean energy sector, and it is fabulous to see the CBI report today that says that that sector is now supporting nearly 1 million jobs in the UK. Those are real jobs and lives across the country.

[Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con)]

The people of Skidby, Little Weighton and Walkington are not opposed to the clean energy transition, yet 90% of them are opposing the 2,500-acre clean air solar farm that is swamping that area, in conjunction with other such farms. They are against multiple large-scale solar developments industrialising productive farmland, including grade 2 and 3a land, undermining food security, and permanently altering rural communities. Will the Minister give the House an undertaking that, if the Secretary of State will stop chuntering, he will look at the issue with an open mind and listen, properly, to the people of that area?

[Katie White]

I am glad to see the right hon. Member’s agreement on the direction of travel. We must ensure that we involve local communities in decisions, but choices need to be made. I was honoured to work with one of his colleagues in the other place—they were formerly in this place—who spoke to me as a farmer about the value of solar projects for farmers. We must ensure that we protect that land. That is why my colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs introduced the “Land Use Framework”, and we must ensure a strategic approach. In all our plans less than 1% of land will be used for solar, but I am keen to continue the conversation and I am glad we agree on the direction of travel.

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[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

15. When he plans to publish the Government’s response to the consultation entitled “Voluntary carbon and nature markets: raising integrity”.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Katie White)]

May I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her leadership on this issue? The UK is a global leader on carbon pricing and nature recovery. We are committed to strengthening carbon markets to help us achieve our climate and nature goals. At London Climate Action Week, we will set out our work to centre integrity and build scale in these markets through the coalition to grow carbon markets, and the consultation response will be published later this year.

[Kerry McCarthy]

I thank the Minister for her response, and I welcome the UK’s leadership. Investors are concerned that the role of nature-based solutions in carbon market frameworks is not being fully recognised. With London Climate Action Week fast approaching, can she reassure investors that the Government see nature-based solutions as crucial to our collective efforts to tackle climate change, and that we will pursue this endeavour during upcoming article 6 negotiations?

[Katie White]

I assure my hon. Friend and investors that nature-based solutions are central to our response to this issue. London is the centre of carbon markets, and we want to protect that. We have been focusing on the coalition to grow carbon markets, which we will work on at London Climate Action Week, but I would love to work with her to make sure that we give reassurance, act with integrity and come forward with the necessary proposals.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Does the Minister plan to allow clean community energy companies to sell power directly to households and businesses?

[Katie White]

We are pursuing that through the local power plan, and we intend for that to happen.

[Adam Dance (Yeovil) (LD)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Katie White)]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this incredibly important issue. We need to make sure, when pushing forward with our planning developments, that they are undertaken with communities, and that the commitments made are delivered. I would very much welcome hearing more about the case that he raises, and I will talk to my colleagues and to him to take this forward.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

--- Later in debate ---

[Katie White]

We are grateful for the Severn Estuary Commission’s work, and we recognise the benefits that tidal range can bring to our energy system. For now, the Government remain open to considering well developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy in the bays and estuaries around our coastline. I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this further.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Ayoub Khan. Not here. I call Sir Julian Smith.

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[Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome the contracts for difference for geothermal and the fact that the Secretary of State has been down to see deep geothermal in Cornwall. A policy indication from the Government that deep geothermal could form part of our energy mix would be useful to grow confidence in the industry.

[Katie White]

I thank my hon. Friend for her continued championing of this matter. It was exciting to see the opening of the first project in February. We are focusing on the local heat networks, but we will continue to engage and are glad to see the CfD projects coming to fruition.

[Richard Tice (Boston and Skegness) (Reform)]

Once again, those on the Government Front Bench have inadvertently misled the House in saying that there is a single price internationally for gas—gas is 80% cheaper in the US than it is here in the UK. When will the Secretary of State grant oil and gas licences in Jackdaw, Rosebank and other fields in the North sea to increase supply and bring down bills?