Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will take steps to ensure that the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy between the UK and the United States does not adversely impact nuclear (a) security and (b) safety.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy between the UK and United States will support the government's effort to improve our energy security, drive economic growth, and underpin our efforts to deliver of Net Zero.
The paramount importance placed on nuclear safety and security by government remains unchanged. All the nuclear projects announced as part of the Alliance will be subject to the scrutiny of an independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation, and will need to meet the robust standards safety and security standards demanded by government and the public.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to United States' Department of the Interior's letter to Orsted North America Inc, dated 22 August 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that letter on international investor confidence in UK offshore wind projects.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is aware of the US Department of the Interior’s 22 August 2025 letter to Ørsted North America. Overseas regulatory decisions are for those authorities; the UK is a separate market with our own regulatory framework.
The Government remains confident in the UK’s ability to attract international investment in the clean energy mission. We will achieve this by driving investment certainty, delivering targeted catalytic public investment, investing alongside industry where necessary, and breaking down barriers to investment.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy on the Office for Nuclear Regulation’s (a) safety standards and (b) independence and impartiality.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy builds on existing collaboration and will accelerate licensing and reactor design checks, provide certainty to industry and uphold safety standards, while making both the UK and US an attractive place to invest.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the UKs independent regulator, will need to be satisfied that any design to be deployed in the UK meets UK safety standards and complies with UK law.
By working with the US the ONR will streamline processes, while continuing to maintain rigorous UK regulatory standards and its independent decision making.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 United States' Department of Energy's press release entitled Energy Department returns $13 billion in unobligated wasteful spending to American taxpayers, published on 24 September 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that announcement on international investment confidence in UK renewable energy developments.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government remains confident in the UK’s ability to attract international investment in the clean energy mission. We will achieve this by driving investment certainty, delivering targeted catalytic public investment, and breaking down barriers to investment.
Since July 2024, over £50 billion of private investment has been announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to introduce additional regulatory mechanisms to ensure the financial viability of community energy schemes under the Great British Energy Bill.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change. In March, we published a response to a consultation, started by the previous government, on the barriers to community energy. We will learn from the responses to the consultation to inform our future work on community energy.
The Government also recognises requests to take steps to better enable local energy markets. The Secretary of State previously commissioned Ofgem to explore the policy and regulatory barriers and solutions for the community energy sector. The energy industry has also been working to make changes to industry rules to support local trade of energy, including modification P442 of the Balancing and Settlement Code, which came into effect in February 2025. The Department is working closely with Ofgem and other key stakeholders to develop this work further.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of adopting a spatial energy planning approach to better align land use planning with net zero objectives.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In October 2024, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments, jointly commissioned the National Energy System Operator to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP): the first ever spatial energy plan for Great Britain, to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across both land and sea. The SSEP will help bring about an efficient and net zero consistent energy system and provide greater clarity to industry, investors, consumers and the public. The plan’s methodology was published in May 2025, with the SSEP due to be published in 2026.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to publish a national strategy on community energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the importance of communities being at the heart of the energy transition and the benefits of communities owning energy infrastructure in their own community. Great British Energy will take forward the Local Power Plan and working alongside DESNZ to unlock regulatory changes will drive forward an expanded community energy sector across the UK. We will say more about the Local Power Plan in due course.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to publish clear guidance on the definition of community energy; what steps he is taking to tackle (a) capacity and (b) skills shortages in its development; and what steps he is taking to ensure that funding can be (i) accessed and (ii) utilised at local level.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role community energy plays in ensuring that the public benefits directly from the energy transition and, in partnership with Great British Energy (GBE), is taking steps to maximise that role, including exploring a definition for community energy which could provide clarity to a number of relevant stakeholders when engaging with community energy organisations.
GBE will supercharge existing support to local and community energy projects. To support stakeholders in accessing and deploying funding, GBE will also provide commercial, technical and project planning assistance, increasing capacity and capability to build a pipeline of successful projects in local areas.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 rural and off-grid communities are fully integrated into the UK’s grid transition.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) are upgrading local electricity distribution networks to enable the decarbonisation of households and businesses across Great Britain, including in rural areas. For the current electricity distribution price control (2023-2028), Ofgem have allowed £22.2bn of upfront investment, including £3.1bn for network upgrades for low-carbon technologies. Regional Energy Strategic Plans will consider local area energy requirements and will inform DNO investment plans for the next electricity distribution price control (2028-2033), ensuring timely reinforcement of local electricity networks for rural communities.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing statutory Locally Determined Contributions; and what assessment he has made of the resources that would be required by local authorities to deliver them effectively.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy
The Government recognises the important role of local places in driving action to help realise our national net zero targets. Local government has autonomy and flexibility in how they choose to deliver net zero, according to the varying needs and opportunities of each local area.
Government provides a range of support for local government to deliver net zero; for example, Great British Energy, our new publicly-owned energy company, will support local energy generation by partnering with local government to increase the roll-out of renewable energy projects. Government also funds the Local Net Zero Hubs which support local authorities across England to develop net zero projects and attract commercial investment, including through information and knowledge-sharing.