Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which industry groups participated in the Warm Homes Plan Stakeholder Panel; what criteria was used for their selection; when the panel has met; and if he will publish the minutes of the meetings.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As part of the development of the Warm Homes Plan, the department has engaged with a broad range of stakeholders through a variety of different fora to ensure a wide range of views were considered through the development of the plan. The Stakeholder Panel, convened earlier this year, is one part of that engagement, and included industry groups, academics, think-tanks and other representatives. To ensure an open and honest exchange of views, details of government discussions with stakeholders are not routinely shared publicly.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 21 October to Question 81636 on Carbon Emissions: Housing, if he will publish a list of industry groups that have been consulted.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The research under consideration was a social research project which used in-person home retrofit assessments to determine the suitability of a range of decarbonisation options in potentially complex to decarbonise properties.
Industry groups have not been directly consulted as part of this specific research project, as the focus was on delivering these bespoke assessments to householders of the potentially complex homes. Energy Saving Trust and consortium (leading the project) recruited independent PAS-certified energy assessors to conduct these assessments, as well as MCS qualified professionals to quality assure a small subset of these assessments.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish analysis on the affordability and availability of renewable liquid fuels.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 18 November, the Government published a consultation exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions, including renewable liquid fuels (RLFs). The consultation, which will run for 12 weeks, seeks further evidence on the affordability and availability of RFLs. Findings from the consultation will be published in the government response in due course.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 21 October 2025 to Question 81636 on Carbon emissions: Housing, what organisation is leading this work; and what are the terms of reference of the research.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The research is being led by Energy Saving Trust in consortium with Taylor McKenzie and Elmhurst Energy.
The research aims to (1) identify the range of archetypes of the UK housing stock that are complex-to-decarbonise (CTD), (2) help householders and industry understand the economic costs and trade-offs associated with different decarbonisation approaches across the different CTD archetypes, and (3) propose the best practice approaches to making low carbon heating viable and affordable for CTD householders.
The research involved ~450 in-person retrofit assessments of homes deemed likely to be complex, and subsequent desk-based evaluation of measure mixes to determine suitability of installation, costs to install and potential savings. Findings are expected to be published in Spring/Summer 2026.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many people with disabilities were employed in his Department on 2 September 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The number of employees who have declared they are disabled as of 31 August 2025 in the department is 535.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps their Department is taking to implement the guidance entitled The government’s approach to rural proofing 2025, published on 15 May 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed. Rural proofing ensures that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas.
Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.
Rural proofing is important because rural communities are an important part of the economy. Rural areas are home to around one-fifth of England’s population and half a million registered businesses.
Policy outcomes in rural areas can be affected by economies of scale, distance, sparsity and demography. That is why it is important that government policies consider how they can be delivered in rural areas. Rural proofing ensures that these areas receive fair and equitable policy outcomes.
Our department takes its obligation to rural proofing seriously and is committed to ensuring there is a suitable low-carbon heat solution for every home, including rural properties, through the Warm Homes Plan. The government recognises that heat pumps may not be the best solution for all buildings. Other low carbon heating technologies are available, and the government offers grants of £5,000 for biomass boilers in off-gas-grid rural homes under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The department has recently consulted on expanding BUS to support other low carbon heating technologies.
The government is offering energy efficiency upgrades to rural low-income homeowners through the Warm Homes: Local Grant, with support available until 2028.
The Local Net Zero Delivery Group convenes Government Ministers and local government leaders, including from rural areas, to discuss net zero strategy, policy and delivery, this provides a forum which supports rural proofing.
Great British Energy, the new publicly owned energy company, will be supporting community energy schemes, including in rural communities, as it delivers its mission to accelerate clean power deployment.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how MEES (minimum energy efficiency standards) took into account properties which are not occupied for less than half of the period between 1 October 2024 and 30 April 2025.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As of April 2020, privately rented homes in England and Wales are required to meet the minimum standard of Energy Performance Certificate E before they can be let, unless a valid exemption applies. The regulations are applicable if a property is let on an assured tenancy, regulated tenancy, or domestic agricultural tenancy, and legally required to have an EPC. There is more information and guidance on the requirement to have an EPC available on gov.uk.
For non-domestic rented buildings, minimum energy efficiency standards only apply where the property is leased on a term certain of 6 months to 99 years.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how minimum energy efficiency standards take into account properties which are not occupied for less than half of the period between 1 October and 30 April.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As of April 2020, privately rented homes in England and Wales are required to meet the minimum standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) E before they can be let, unless a valid exemption applies. The regulations are applicable if a property is let on an assured tenancy, regulated tenancy, or domestic agricultural tenancy, and legally required to have an EPC. There is more information and guidance on the requirement to have an EPC available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of installing solar panels on the roofs of (a) car parks, (b) warehouses and (c) council-owned buildings in Norfolk.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will assess the potential to drive the construction of solar canopies on outdoor carparks over a certain size through a call for evidence this year.
New standards will be introduced this year which will amend the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations in England. This will ensure all new homes and buildings, including warehouses and council-owned buildings, in England are zero-carbon ready.
Further details about how the Government will increase the deployment of solar panels will be set out in the forthcoming Solar Roadmap.