Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 (a) transparency and (b) accuracy of the information provided to the Examining Authority by (i) Sunnica and (ii) its related UK registered companies during the trading period for the 12 months ending 30 April 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The full reasons for the Secretary of State’ planning decision on the Sunnica project are set out in the Decision Letter. Given the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in taking such decisions it would not be appropriate to comment further.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 provide revenue support for privately led advanced nuclear technologies as set out in the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out at the Spending Review, the government is providing a pathway for privately led advanced nuclear projects. Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBEN) has been tasked with a new role in assessing proposals within a new framework to be published shortly, the National Wealth Fund exploring potential investment opportunities, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero exploring revenue support for viable projects.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 the deployment of advanced modular reactors in the UK on the (a) economy, (b) industry and (c) environment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Advanced Modular Reactors could support energy-intensive industries by providing scalable, low-carbon energy to industrial consumers. These reactors could be well-suited for hard-to-decarbonise sectors, helping the UK achieve its growth mission and clean energy mission while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has plans to publish a timeline for introducing a (a) faster and (b) more efficient route to market for Advanced Modular Reactors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government will be publishing a pathway for privately-led advanced nuclear technologies shortly. The government has also stood up the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, which has been asked to identify ways to streamline regulatory processes and frameworks. The Taskforce’s report will be published in Autumn 2025.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 adequacy of levels of the UK’s supply chain’s readiness to support the (a) construction and (b) operation of advanced modular reactors; and what steps he is taking to improve domestic capabilities in this area.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recently published its Modern Industrial Strategy. The policies announced will ensure that UK is well positioned to build upon existing strengths and seize opportunities provided by new technologies.
This includes providing a pathway for privately-led advanced nuclear technologies. Great British Energy - Nuclear has been tasked with assessing proposals within a new framework, to be published shortly, with the National Wealth Fund exploring potential investment opportunities and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero exploring revenue support for viable projects.
The Government will also collaborate with the supply chain to mitigate barriers to entry, develop policies that maximise domestic opportunities, and support access to international markets to drive exports.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 discussions with Sumando Ltd on the nine-month delay in submitting its 30 April 2023 financial statements to Companies House in relation to the development consent decision for Sunnica.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he sought further information from (a) Sunnica and (b) its UK registered companies on their finances before making the development consent decision for Sunnica.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The full reasons for the Secretary of State’ planning decision on the Sunnica project are set out in the Decision Letter. Given the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in taking such decisions it would not be appropriate to comment further.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) he and (b) officials have had discussions with (i) Sumando Ltd and (ii) related stakeholders on Sumando Ltd's exclusion from the organogram of funding Statement No 3 when he made the development consent decision for Sunnica.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of Baron Wilson of Sedgefield in the House of Lords on 3 July 2025, Official Report, column 867, what plans he has to take up internationally fuel refining industry margins.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Refining margins differ from site to site and are driven by the prices of the crude oils each refinery buys and of the products that they produce. These prices are largely set by international traded markets.
The Government is determined to work with industry, workers and trade unions to ensure our UK refineries can compete in this international context. That is why, in less than 12 months in office, we have invested in carbon capture, usage and storage, which can help key refineries, such as Phillips 66 and Stanlow, through Viking and HyNet; and we are driving forward with the sustainable aviation fuel mandate, to help the refining sector maximise the opportunities created by the clean energy revolution.
We are also reviewing the methodology for the energy-intensive industries compensation scheme, to help assess whether sectors such as this should be covered in the future, and whether more can be done to help their competitiveness.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) his Department’s and (b) NESO’s estimate of the magnitude in MWh and the aggregate cost of any constraints of embedded solar generation resulting from instructions at the distribution level by Distribution Network Operators in their emerging role as Distribution System Operators for all years in which such constraints and costs have occurred since 2020.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for operating Great Britain’s electricity system, which includes managing constraints. NESO publishes total balancing costs, which can be found here: Constraint Breakdown 2025-2026 | National Energy System Operator. Actions taken in the Balancing Mechanism, including bids taken by individual Balancing Mechanism Units, can be accessed here API documentation | Insights Solution.
Government is working to reduce constraints and improve energy security and resilience by accelerating the building of new electricity network infrastructure to increase capacity on the system.