Mark Garnier

Data on financing of projects in the connections queue is not available. However, National Energy System Operator estimates that historically, 60-70% of transmission connection projects do not ultimately connect, including those that do not secure financing. NESO is currently consulting on proposals that would, if approved, ensure only viable projects are able to obtain and retain a connection agreement.

The Government does not hold any information on the number of fax machines in use at the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Government, Ofgem and NESO are working to digitalise the energy system. In August the government published a response to the digital spine feasibility study, detailing how NESO and others are improving energy data sharing. Government funds digitalisation innovation, including the Automatic Asset Registration programme which aims to improve visibility of small-scale low carbon technologies. Ofgem approves funding for digitalisation through its decisions on price controls of licenced organisations, and delivers the Strategic Innovation Fund.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The National Policy Statement for electricity networks (NPS EN-5) sets out that overhead lines should be the strong starting presumption for electricity networks developments in general, except in nationally designated landscapes where undergrounding is the starting presumption.

GBE’s workforce planning is ongoing, and we are committed to ensuring we have the right skills, across the right locations, so that GBE can deliver maximum impact. A significant proportion of GBE’s staff will be employed in Aberdeen, including the permanent CEO and most of the senior executive team. The first recruitment campaigns have been launched, with three Director positions advertised in Aberdeen. Once appointed, The Board will regularly spend time in Aberdeen, including with communities and businesses.

Confirmation of the amount of funding will be shared in due course.

Deep borehole technology is at a developmental stage of technical maturity and has not yet been implemented anywhere in the world. It is possible the technology could play a complementary role in managing some radioactive hazardous waste in the future. However, it would not be suitable for the entire UK radioactive waste inventory for which a geological disposal facility will always be required. Nuclear Waste Services, the developer of the geological disposal facility, continues to review radioactive waste management emerging technologies. It will publish its most recent review in the coming months.

Through our Clean Energy Mission the Government will decarbonise the power system by 2030 and accelerate to net zero. Taking action to ensure that our clean energy supply chains are resilient is a priority, both in terms of delivery against our targets and maximizing associated growth benefits.

We have a number of levers to support clean energy supply chains, including the new modern Industrial Strategy, the National Wealth Fund, and Great British Energy. In August, we commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to provide advice on achieving clean power by 2030. The advice will inform the Government’s 2030 Clean Power Action Plan, expected to be published by the end of the year.

On 23 August, the Government commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to provide practical advice on achieving a clean power system by 2030. The Government expects to receive NESO’s advice in early November, which will inform the 2030 Clean Power Action Plan, due for publication by the end of the year. The Action Plan will contain details relating to the costs associated with achieving the Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambitions.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for preparing and submitting proposals for reform of the electricity network connections process to Ofgem, the independent energy regulator. NESO is engaging with stakeholders, including the renewables sector as it develops these proposals. When making its decision, Ofgem will undertake an Impact Assessment of proposals.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for preparing and submitting proposals for reform of the electricity network connections process to Ofgem, the independent energy regulator. NESO is engaging with stakeholders, including the renewables sector as it develops these proposals. When making its decision, Ofgem will undertake an Impact Assessment of proposals.

The National Electricity System Operator is developing proposals for reform of electricity networks in consultation with stakeholders, before final proposals are submitted to Ofgem for decision. As part of its decision-making process, Ofgem will assess legal aspects of the proposals. The Department will support this analysis, where appropriate.

The Government is committed to ensuring that new nuclear power stations, such as Sizewell C and small modular reactors (SMRs), play an important role in helping achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs. On 23 August, the Government commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to provide practical advice on achieving a clean power system by 2030. The Government received NESO’s advice on 5 November, which will inform the 2030 Clean Power Action Plan and included details on the role of nuclear power. The Government’s action plan is due for publication by the end of the year.

Government is committed to slashing fuel poverty and is currently reviewing the Fuel Poverty Strategy, published in 2021. The review will be published in due course and will determine whether an updated strategy is required.

The Government is committed to simplifying the installation process at every stage of the customer journey and is investing up to £42m in the Heat Pump Ready programme to overcome barriers to heat pump deployment and support innovation in product design. The Government is also considering where regulatory improvements can be made, including supporting Ofgem’s end-to-end review of network connections, for which a consultation is expected in Autumn, and reviewing Permitted Development Rights (PDR). The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is analysing responses to the previous government’s consultation on PDR, and announcements will be made in due course.

The current iteration of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), ECO4, began in April 2022 and is scheduled to run until March 2026. ECO supports eligible social housing properties in energy efficiency bands D - F.

We are considering the role of supplier obligations in achieving our fuel poverty and clean power targets post-2026. Future iterations and changes to tenure eligibility would be subject to public consultation.

The Government recognises that access to trusted and impartial information is an important enabler to consumers, when making choices about how to retrofit their homes.

This is why the government delivers a number of digital services on GOV.UK to support consumers to take action.

The government is going further to simplify the user journey for consumers, on GOV.UK, creating a single access point for all homeowners, landlords and tenants at varying points in their retrofit journey. It will bring together information, sources of funding and links to trusted installers, and simplify and expand the current government advice and information offer. We will seek to build on this model as we roll out our Warm Homes Plan.

This Government is committed to CCUS, which will create good jobs in Britain’s industrial heartlands, ensure a just transition for the industries based in the North Sea, and accelerate towards Net Zero. Our National Wealth Fund includes £1 billion to accelerate the deployment of CCUS.

Great British Energy will be an operationally independent company, overseen by a Board. The exact impact and timeline of Great British Energy’s interventions will be determined by detailed development and design of the organisation’s functions. Any discussions around specific project to support would be determined by Great British Energy itself, as an operationally independent company, once fully established.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) manage the estate occupied by DESNZ and is responsible for energy usage reduction in its properties.

DESNZ undertakes an assurance role in this, to ensure the Department achieves the targets in the Greening Government Commitments related to energy usage reduction.

DESNZ recently relocated its HQ to a newly refurbished GPA building, which included a range of energy reduction measures, such as connection to the Whitehall District Heating Network, upgraded heating and ventilation systems, and LED lighting throughout.

DESNZ continues to work with GPA to achieve similar improvements across the wider UK estate.

The Government has committed to making the UK the green finance capital of the world and is exploring requirements in relation to transition plans for companies and financial institutions. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is working with other government departments, including HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade, on these requirements and will provide further information about plans and a timetable in due course.

The Government does not systematically track investments made by specific companies in clean energy. DESNZ analysis of BNEF data shows that between 2010 and 2023 the UK saw £300billion of public and private investment across low carbon sectors.

The Secretary of State announced the relaunch of the Solar Taskforce, which will consider further actions commensurate with the Government’s new clean energy mission. The core membership of the Taskforce will remain unchanged. Updated terms of reference, reflecting the Government’s new ambition, will be published ahead of the Taskforce’s first meeting.

The Government will publish a response to the previous Government’s consultation on the Clean Heat Market Mechanism in due course, which will set out the Government’s plans in this area.

The department is continuing to invest in supported internships by providing up to £12 million to March 2026 to support local areas to sustain their progress and develop their supported internship offers.

This includes funding to expand the department’s pilot that is testing supported internships with young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) but don’t have an education, health and care plan and are furthest from the labour market, to support hundreds more young people with SEND to transition into paid employment.

This will help to build the department’s evidence base and inform our evaluation of the pilot, which will inform future policy planning on supported internships. An evaluation of our wider investment is expected to be published next summer, including some learning from the pilot, and a follow-up report with more detailed learning from the pilot is expected in summer 2027.

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

Additionally, estimates of young people aged 16 to 18 participating in education and training using the department’s administrative data are published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024. This release contains the most robust measure for 16 to 18 year olds NEET.

Both NEET sources are based on status at time of data collection and therefore the definition does not rely on being out of education and employment for a specific length of time before being categorised as NEET.

Neither source can be used to estimate the number of young people who left school/further education before the end of their course. However, they will be included in the statistics as NEET if they had left their course prior to the reporting timeframe and not taken part in any employment or alternative education at that time.

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

Additionally, estimates of young people aged 16 to 18 participating in education and training using the department’s administrative data are published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024. This release contains the most robust measure for 16 to 18 year olds NEET.

Both NEET sources are based on status at time of data collection and therefore the definition does not rely on being out of education and employment for a specific length of time before being categorised as NEET.

Neither source can be used to estimate the number of young people who left school/further education before the end of their course. However, they will be included in the statistics as NEET if they had left their course prior to the reporting timeframe and not taken part in any employment or alternative education at that time.

Further education colleges can decide to retain students who have been absent from their maths or English lessons, but they will have their future funding allocations reduced by half the national funding rate for every eligible student who is not offered the minimum planned teaching hours. This demonstrates the importance of supporting all students to make progress towards and attain level 2 in English and maths. A provider is permitted to opt out up to 2.5% of their 16- to 19 cohort from this requirement without financial penalty, where it is not appropriate to offer a student the minimum planned teaching hours.