Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 estimate of the potential impact of the expiry of the Renewables Obligation scheme in April 2027 on the number of landfill gas to energy plant closures.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department recognises that the planned expiry of Renewables Obligation accreditation in April 2027 for many landfill gas generators, could affect their commercial viability.
The Government is exploring implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme with appropriate transitional arrangements.
DESNZ, with support from Defra, intend to consult on a potential transitional arrangement later this year. Any support provided will be subject to rigorous value for money and impact assessments.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 merits of carbon capture, utilisation and storage on safeguarding domestic foundation industries, including cement and lime, while meeting the UK’s carbon budgets.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The emissions of some foundational industries, such as refining and cement and lime, are mainly from processes that cannot be reduced by fuel switching. The CCC have said that CCS would be responsible for 62%% of emissions reductions in the cement and lime sectors by 2050.
We have signed a contract with the UK’s first carbon capture-enabled cement plant at Padeswood, which located in the HyNet carbon capture cluster, to receive support under the ICC business model. This will forge a cleaner future with secure, long-term jobs for workers and businesses in the cement industry.
The Peak Cluster project plans to deploy CCS to decarbonise cement and lime sites in the Peak District. This could decarbonise 35% of the UK’s cement and lime emissions, as well as create and protect 3,500 jobs.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 end of the Renewables Obligation scheme on methane emissions from landfills.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ has been working with Defra to consider the potential impact of the end of the Renewables Obligation for landfill gas generation, including impacts on methane emissions.
Government is exploring implementation of a long‑term methane capture scheme with appropriate transitional arrangements.
DESNZ, with support from Defra, intend to consult on a potential transitional arrangement later this year. Any support provided will be subject to rigorous value for money and impact assessments.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 provide transitional support for the landfill gas to energy sector.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government recognises the role that landfill gas generation can play in reducing methane emissions. As set out in the Methane Action Plan, we are committed to exploring the implementation of a long‑term methane capture scheme with appropriate transitional arrangements.
The Department, with support from Defra, intends to consult later this year on transitional arrangements. No final decisions have yet been taken, and any proposals would be subject to consultation outcomes and value‑for‑money considerations.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with the Climate Change Committee on whether projections in The Seventh Carbon Budget include the levels of energy used by data centres.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State regularly engages with the government’s independent adviser, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), on a wide range of issues including the CCC’s Seventh Carbon Budget advice. The government will choose its own pathway and will ensure that this increases energy security, protects billpayers, and creates good, well-paid jobs while also considering future trends in energy demand.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 establish a pathway and timeframe for transition plan disclosure to become mandatory for large companies.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 transition plan disclosure on private sector investment for net zero transition.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether transition plans will be integrated within the UK’s Sustainability Reporting Standards framework.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish his Department's roadmap for implementing mandatory transition plan disclosure for in-scope companies.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
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 ensure that transition plan requirements are proportionate and flexible for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is clear that it wants any future requirements to be proportionate and that the focus will be on economically significant entities where there is likely a significant investor and public interest. As a result, small to medium-sized companies are not envisaged as being within the scope of any future requirements set by the government. The FCA has independent decision-making powers for companies in scope of any future transition plan requirements they set.