Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to respond to the letter sent by the Moorland Association on 4 July 2025 on concerns that her Department's restrictions on vegetation management are increasing the risk of wildfires.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The points this later raises on peatland management and wildfire have been discussed in subsequent correspondence and meetings with senior officials. The issues were also addressed in the government response to the consultation on amendments to the Heather and Grass etc Burning Regulations (England) 2021.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department will assess the economic and environmental impacts of exporting aluminium scrap to non-EU countries.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade will continue to work with stakeholders to understand the role of aluminium scrap exports in terms of our economic interests and environmental responsibilities. We plan to listen to the perspectives of all involved parties.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the value of hydrogen and fuel cell exports reaches the target set out in the Industrial Strategy.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Strategy Clean Energy Industries sector plan notes the export market for UK manufacturers across hydrogen technologies could range between £800 million and £2.2 billion to 2030. The government has committed targeted support to boost exports of hydrogen technologies by showcasing UK capabilities through our global network and increasing access to international supply chains.

To support these opportunities, the UK's export credit agency, UK Export Finance aims to deliver £10bn in clean growth financing by 2029, alongside options to support overseas sales, including loan guarantees for foreign buyers, and working capital, insurance and bond support products to assist UK suppliers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of farmers and gamekeepers on fighting wildfires.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are the lead Department for wildfire. I refer you to their response of 21 November 2025 to PQ UIN 90164.

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 introduce monitoring and evaluation to determine the health and success of the UK hydrogen supply chain.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Developing domestic supply chains is a government priority, as demonstrated through our Industrial Strategy and comprehensive public financial institution offer which will provide direct support to UK hydrogen supply chains.

DESNZ collects supply chain data through the Hydrogen Allocation Rounds and welcomes the industry’s voluntary 50% local content ambition.

We are developing options to strengthen our approach to domestic supply chains in future allocation rounds and will be launching our HAR3 market engagement exercise setting out our proposals in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of her policies of the recent murder of 20 people following an attack on a Christian-run hospital in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he received on 24 November in response to Question 91327.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to what extent the Critical Minerals Strategy will align with the EU’s Steel and Metals Action Plan.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

While there are certain industrial metals in scope of the new Critical Minerals Strategy (such as aluminium), the strategy focuses on securing the critical minerals the UK needs rather than directly addressing the challenges of decarbonisation and trade in line with the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan. The Government is also bringing forward a Steel Strategy that will set a long-term vision for a revitalised and sustainable steel industry in the UK.

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 increase the levels of UK content used in hydrogen production projects as part of the upcoming Hydrogen Allocation Round 3.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We welcome the industry-led voluntary ambition of 50% UK local content for hydrogen across the value chain from 2030. We will work with industry to introduce monitoring and evaluation to determine the health and success of the supply chain in relation to the existing industry voluntary content ambition, which could include exploring stronger incentives around reporting.

We plan to publish a market engagement exercise setting out our proposals for HAR3 in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he will publish the Hydrogen Allocation Round 3 market engagement exercise.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We plan to publish our Market Engagement on the Third Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR3), alongside the updated Hydrogen Strategy, in due course. This will seek feedback on the proposed design and delivery of HAR3 ahead of its intended launch in 2026, as set out in the Industrial Strategy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of increased prison restrictions for human rights activist Zhang Zhan; and what diplomatic steps she has taken with international partners to help ensure her release.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 October to Question 81324.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she had with international counterparts concerning ongoing reports of (a) detention and (b) killing of the Falun Gong in China.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 April to Question 43452.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on prioritising access to the national grid for port electrification to support ports who wish to offer onshore power supply connection to cruise line customers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Reforming the connections process and investing in the grid is a key Government priority. This includes reforms that are expected to deprioritise over half of the existing queue based on readiness and strategic alignment with our strategy as set out in Clean Power 2030.

Department for Transport ministers and officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. These include discussions on the significance of getting sufficient grid capacity to electrify ports, for cruise and ferries to use shore power and policy options to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, such as critical port sites. This is informed by the Department for Transport call for evidence on Net Zero Ports, published in March 2025, which posed questions on managing future energy demand at ports.

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