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 the potential impact of reduced energy imports from Norway on energy prices in the UK.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great Britain has a secure and diverse energy system, which has delivered reliable energy supplies this winter and over recent years, despite challenging global conditions. This includes the UK’s homegrown energy from renewables and nuclear.
The UK imports gas through pipelines with Norway and mainland Europe and from the global market via Liquefied Natural Gas ports, and have ten operational electricity interconnectors with Europe. Our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower provide energy security in the long term and help protect billpayers from global markets.
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 discussions (a) Ministers, (b) advisors and (c) officials in his Department have had with the Office for Nuclear Regulation on Small Modular Reactors.
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, what steps his Department is taking to help remove barriers to the development of Small Modular Reactors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could play an important role helping the UK achieve energy security and clean power while securing thousands of good, skilled jobs.
The Department has supported development of SMRs through the Advanced Nuclear Fund and the Future Nuclear Enabling Fund. Separately, Great British Nuclear is running an SMR technology selection process and is on track to make final decisions in spring.
In addition, we recently launched a regulatory taskforce to streamline regulatory processes and published the draft EN-7 National Policy Statement, setting out a refreshed planning framework for new nuclear reactors, including SMRs.
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, if he will take steps to ensure that wind turbines manufactured in China are not vulnerable to foreign espionage.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure extremely seriously with the UK being one of the most reliable and safest energy systems, and one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world. Maintaining a secure energy supply is a key priority for the UK Government. DESNZ works closely with subsea and offshore owners, operators, regulators, and other stakeholders to ensure subsea and offshore energy infrastructure is proportionately protected against a range of threats. The Government will take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. The Government will co-operate where it can, compete where it needs to, and challenge where it must.
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 the potential impact of regulations from the Office for Nuclear Regulation on businesses.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) does not make regulations. Assessments of impacts on businesses of regulations relating to nuclear would be found in the original economic impact assessments for those regulations and, where they have been carried out, in the post implementation review of those regulations.
As the Prime Minister announced, the Nuclear Taskforce will be undertaking a review of nuclear regulation, and it would be unfair to comment further until that review has concluded.
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 discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the security of interconnector data.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes the protection of subsea infrastructure, including interconnectors, seriously and Departments work closely together to ensure infrastructure is protected against hazards and malicious threats. The Secretary of State regularly has discussions with his Cabinet colleagues relating to a range of security matters.
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 average waiting time is for businesses to receive planning approval from the Office for Nuclear Regulation by nuclear reactor types since 1997.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) does not undertake planning approvals. Planning approvals must be sought from the Planning Inspectorate, to whom ONR provides regulatory advice where nuclear sites are involved.
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 pages of paperwork businesses must complete on average to receive planning approval from the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) does not undertake planning approvals. Planning approvals must be sought from the Planning Inspectorate, to whom ONR provides regulatory advice where nuclear sites are involved.
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 made of the potential impact of spatial limits in the North Sea on (a) interconnectors, (b) fisheries, (c) wind farms and (d) other offshore infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Clean Power Action Plan, we need a long term, holistic approach to managing growing demand for use of the seabed. The Crown Estate’s Marine Delivery Routemap will provide an opportunity to positively plan for shared outcomes across different sectors with an agreed set of design parameters that incentivise best environmental practice across the project lifecycle.
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 his Department is taking to help protect the security of sensitive data on multi-purpose interconnectors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Maintaining a secure energy supply is a key priority for the UK Government. DESNZ works closely with subsea and offshore owners, operators, regulators, and other stakeholders to ensure interconnectors are proportionately protected against a range of threats – including cyber threats. This includes working with industry on data security, which is a critical part of a comprehensive approach to security of infrastructure.