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, how many large area solar proposals going through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process are requesting planning approval to acquire freehold land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An application for development consent can include a request for the granting of rights to compulsorily acquire or temporarily possess land to facilitate the development of the proposal.
Each application for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP), including solar NSIPs, has a dedicated webpage on the Planning Inspectorate’s website which sets out its intention to acquire land or not: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.
As part of the application process, a ‘Book of Reference’ is uploaded to the relevant proposal’s webpage listing the Classes of Rights which are being sought over each plot, including acquiring freehold, if applicable.
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, how many large area solar proposals going through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process have been initiated by foreign investors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold the information requested.
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, how many ministerial visits he has made to Suffolk since 4 July 2025; and where those visits took place.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State and the Ministerial team conduct visits across the UK on a regular basis including in Suffolk. A central list of every visit conducted is not publicly available.
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 fire prevention policies battery energy storage systems sites are required to follow.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates battery energy storage systems (BESS) under a framework which requires responsible parties to take measures to ensure health and safety throughout all stages of a BESS’s deployment. Of particular relevance to fire prevention, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) sets minimum requirements for the protection of workers and others from fire and explosion risks.
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 his Department has made of (a) the effectiveness of fire prevention policies and (b) potential fire hazards at battery energy storage systems sites following the fire in Liverpool in 2020.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) oversees a robust regulatory framework which covers batteries and requires responsible parties to take measures to ensure health and safety throughout all stages of a battery system’s deployment.
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 battery energy storage systems sites are required to have fire insurance.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) oversees a robust regulatory framework which covers batteries and requires responsible parties to take measures to ensure health and safety throughout all stages of a battery system’s deployment.
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 the design of (a) branding and (b) logos for (i) his Department and (ii) arms-length bodies is outsourced to third parties.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All branding for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is completed in-house by government designers.
The departmental logo was designed with the Cabinet Office to align to Her Majesty’s Government Identity Guidelines, as with all government departments.
Data for arms-length-bodies is not held centrally. However, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has provided design support for the set-up of Great British Energy. All branding and logo design for Great British Energy was done in-house by government designers.
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 the cost was of redesigning GB Energy's (a) branding and (b) logo.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy’s branding and logo were developed in-house with government resources.
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, how many graphic designers work in his Department.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department employs two graphic designers who sit within the Communications directorate. There are no other graphic designers in the Department.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 37979, whether the decision to plug and abandon Preston New Road shale gas well was taken by (a) the company, (b) his Department and (c) the North Sea Transition Authority.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As stated in the answer to question UIN 37979, decisions on whether to abandon wells are ultimately a matter for the relevant company.”