Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to reduce fuel poverty.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce electricity prices.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the Autumn Budget, we committed to taking money off energy bills to tackle the cost of living. The measures taken reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter. The two actions we took are (a) Removal of ECO home insulation scheme; and (b) Moving 75% of the domestic costs of the Renewables Obligation to the Exchequer from April 2026/27-28/29. These actions are designed to provide immediate savings for households, support the transition to clean energy, and ensure that future investments in the energy system are funded in a way that is fair and sustainable.
In addition, we will bring forward plans later this year to offer legacy low carbon generators, which provide about a third of our power today, the option of fixed price arrangements, with an intention to run an allocation process in 2027. This will be a voluntary decision for those generators. This will help protect families and businesses from higher bills when gas prices spike, with contracts offered only where they deliver clear value for money for consumers.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through our Clean Power 2030 mission, we are reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed by a supply of gas.
Our work to date - reforming the connections queue, taking a clear decision on REMA and publishing roadmaps for key technologies like Solar and Clean Flexibility - has given a clear signal to industry. And we have now delivered the most successful renewables auction in history, with AR7 securing a record-breaking 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind, which will power the equivalent of around 12m homes.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration he has given to embedding independent architectural design expertise as a key pillar in developing retrofits funded through the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that good retrofit design is essential to high-quality home upgrades. The Warm Homes Plan takes a whole-house approach, supporting packages of measures including clean heat, solar, batteries and insulation, according to what is most appropriate and cost-effective for each property.
Product designers and installers will take architecture into account. The Government is also supporting improved skills, standards, and oversight across the sector to drive better outcomes for households and reduce bills.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress has been made towards the goal of delivering a 75% reduction in emissions from public sector buildings by 2037, compared to a 2017 baseline.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The goal of delivering a 75% reduction in emissions from public sector buildings by 2037 compared to a 2017 baseline was a target set by the previous Government.
Direct emissions from public sector buildings in the UK were 8.6 MtCO2e in 2017 and 8.8 MtCO2e in 2025 (provisional statistics).
Since 2020 the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has supported, and continues to support, over 1,400 projects to help public sector organisations decarbonise their estates, with funding allocated up until 2028.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help support the decarbonisation of non-domestic buildings.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is supporting public sector organisations in England to install low carbon heating and energy efficiency measures across their estates up until 2028. The Department is also working with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), which is leading cross-Whitehall work on the potential role for private finance to support public sector decarbonisation.
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, commercial, public and voluntary sector buildings can receive £7,500 for heat pumps and £5,000 for biomass boilers. The Department also helps fund the UK Business Climate Hub, an online resource supporting SMEs identify and implement changes to their energy use.
The department also consulted strengthening non-domestic minimum energy efficiency standards to EPC B and will publish its government response in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his department is taking to address a) accreditation, b) oversight and c) verification failings of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and other previous programmes, and to ensure that these failings are not repeated in the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has taken action to improve the oversight and quality of installations in the current system. This includes increased oversight of TrustMark, tighter certification rules limiting installers to one PAS 2030 certification per measure and updated PAS 2035/2030:2023 standards mandating site visits and higher professional qualifications.
We are committed to reforming the consumer protection system, as set out in the Warm Homes Plan. We will consult this year on options for bringing the oversight of energy efficiency and microgeneration installations for government schemes under closer government control.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his department is taking to help improve the energy efficiency of homes in rural areas.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households– including in rural areas and off gas grid- to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps.
All eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to support low-carbon heating installations, funded with ?2.7 billion to 2030. There is a strong uptake of BUS grants in rural areas, with 49% of all grants given to rural properties to date.
Additionally, the government has consulted on alternative heating solutions to ensure every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation is now closed. A government response will follow in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 implications for his policies of recent increases in petrol and diesel prices at forecourts following changes in global oil prices.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Energy Minister and the Secretary of State recently met with the CMA who are considering what options they have available if there is evidence of unfair practices. We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, and there are no issues with fuel supply.
This government has also introduced the Fuel Finder scheme, which will increase price transparency so drivers can compare prices to find the best deal and incentivise greater competition.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered the potential merits of moving existing renewable energy projects supported through Renewable Obligation Certificates onto Contracts for Difference.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have looked at proposals to move generation assets supported by the Renewables Obligation Scheme onto Contracts for Difference. We keep proposals under review and are open to considering measures that will help to lower consumer energy bills.