Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many applications for ECO4 Flexible Route 4 have been approved by Ofgem by local authority.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Applications under Route 4: Bespoke Targeting are not approved by Ofgem, but instead reviewed and approved by a panel at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
To date, there have been no applications approved under this route.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 ensure that households who have invested in small-scale renewable energy production can have smart metering equipment technical specifications 2 meters installed; what information his Department holds on the number of households with solar panels that have been refused a smart metering equipment technical specifications 2 meter by their energy supplier to date; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy companies refusing to install a smart metering equipment technical specifications 2 meter for households with solar panels on the energy bills of those households.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We do not hold the data requested.
Second generation smart (SMETS2) meters are now installed as standard for new smart meter installations. Recent technical eligibility improvements mean that SMETS2 smart meters can now be installed in over 99% of properties. Solar panels are compatible with second (SMETS2) and first (SMETS1) generation smart meters.
Customers should contact their energy supplier if they wish to have a smart meter installed with their solar panel equipment.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the tariffs offered by energy suppliers to homeowners who generate renewable energy on (a) household energy bills, (b) climate targets and (c) energy security.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a cost-reflective and market-led mechanism. It is for suppliers to determine the value of the exported electricity and to take account of the administrative costs associated when setting their tariffs. The Department has made no assessment on the potential impact of raising SEG tariffs, but Ofgem produces an annual report on the SEG that can be found on their website.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made on developing a domestic supply of medical isotopes as part of the Medical Radionuclide Innovation Programme.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero is delivering the up to £6 million Medical Radionuclide Innovation Programme (MRIP) which aims to identify technology and policy options that could support domestic supply of medical radionuclides in the future.
MRIP launched in December 2022 and will run until March 2025.
The programme will deliver an assessment of the UK supply and demand landscape, building on existing research. It will test data against potential future scenarios to inform policy development and future Government decision-making. Officials are currently finalising Phase I of the Landscape Assessment, with Phase II commencing next financial year to focus on modelling future supply and demand scenarios.
In parallel, several feasibility studies are ongoing by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to assess whether the retrieval of radionuclides from legacy material is possible, and whether this material might be useful in supporting domestic supply and research.
The Innovation Project Call aims to spark innovation in the field and the competitive call will commence later this year. The call aims to spark innovation across the supply chain, to develop new radionuclide production capability in the UK.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 recent discussions with the Welsh government on proposals for a national medical isotope centre in Trawsfynydd.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero recognises the importance of maintaining future access to medical radionuclides for UK patients.
No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of developing a nuclear material test reactor in the UK on the domestic supply of medical isotopes. The Department is, however, delivering the up to £6 million Medical Radionuclide Innovation Programme which aims to identify technology and policy options that could secure access to radionuclides for nuclear medicine services. The programme will consider the development of a domestic research reactor as a potential option.
Officials from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department of Health and Social Care continue to meet regularly with their counterparts in the Devolved Governments to discuss medical radionuclide supply, most recently on the 9 March 2023.
The Department will continue to work with Welsh Government as their proposal for a medical isotope centre in North Wales progresses.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of developing a nuclear material test reactor in the UK on the domestic supply of medical isotopes.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero recognises the importance of maintaining future access to medical radionuclides for UK patients.
No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of developing a nuclear material test reactor in the UK on the domestic supply of medical isotopes. The Department is, however, delivering the up to £6 million Medical Radionuclide Innovation Programme which aims to identify technology and policy options that could secure access to radionuclides for nuclear medicine services. The programme will consider the development of a domestic research reactor as a potential option.
Officials from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department of Health and Social Care continue to meet regularly with their counterparts in the Devolved Governments to discuss medical radionuclide supply, most recently on the 9 March 2023.
The Department will continue to work with Welsh Government as their proposal for a medical isotope centre in North Wales progresses.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the National Nuclear User Facility ending in March 2024 on Great British Nuclear; if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending funding for that scheme beyond March 2024; and whether he has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholder on that scheme.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) is funded through UKRI and provides equipment for, and access to, state-of-the-art experimental facilities focused on research and development in nuclear science and technology. This work is very different to more mature commercial reactor technologies expected to engage with Great British Nuclear.
Funding beyond 2024 would be a matter for UKRI and my colleagues in their sponsor department, and would need be considered in the context of future priorities and budget allocations in the next spending review.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 on the development of nuclear fission technology of the reduction in the numbers of Centres for Doctoral Training funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council since 2013.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
According to the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB), more than 400 students have followed the nuclear CDT programmes over the last ten years, with the vast majority following careers in the nuclear sector afterwards. We continue to work closely with the nuclear sector and academia to drive forward the necessary actions to enhance our nuclear capabilities in support of our energy security objectives and net zero ambitions.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 (a) reducing or (b) removing the standing charge on energy bills on levels of fuel poverty in Wales.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
While fuel poverty is a devolved matter, it is an issue that this Government takes very seriously.
The standing charge is a fixed charge that suppliers pass on to their customers to cover the cost of providing a live supply and decisions about standing charges are a commercial matter for energy suppliers subject to the maximum permitted under the price cap.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 recent discussions with the Welsh Government on the delivery of the Alternative Fuel Payment.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Officials have spoken to counterparts in the Welsh Government and will continue to do so. The Government values the insight the Welsh Government can bring, particularly as the Alternative Fuel Payment benefits those in rural areas, with households who use alternative fuels such as biomass, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or heating oil.