Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost of decarbonising the electricity grid by 2030.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
NESO's analysis confirmed delivering clean power by 2030 is deliverable, more secure, and could see a lower cost of electricity, and lower bills.
We are committed to working with industry to grow our clean energy system with once-in-a-generation levels of energy investment – an estimated £40 billion, the vast majority of which will come from the private sector.
The government is leveraging public finance institutions like the National Wealth Fund and Great British Energy to catalyse private investment.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 reduce industrial electricity prices.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our mission for Clean Power by 2030 will get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices, to cut bills for businesses and households for good.
The Government remains committed to supporting industrial electrification and addressing barriers to investment, as highlighted in the 2023 call for evidence on enabling industrial electrification.
We are continuing to develop policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas for the non-domestic sector and intend to consult on options to reduce costs and make low-carbon heat the economically rational choice. Stakeholders will therefore have a voice in shaping future electrification policy.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 Clean Heat Market Mechanism on the costs of installing new gas boilers.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Clean Heat Market Mechanism does not require a change in the price of fossil fuel boilers.
The Government took steps to change earlier proposals for the design of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism ahead of its launch in April 2025 to reduce the potential impact on boiler manufacturers and provide them more time to scale up supply chains.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 support the North Sea oil and gas sector.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In November, the Government published its North Sea Future Plan. The Plan sets out how it will support North Sea oil and gas jobs and supply chains and secure the next generation of good jobs. As part of this, the Government will introduce Transitional Energy Certificates to enable some oil and gas production in areas adjacent to existing fields, to help ensure they are managed for their lifespan.
It also sets out Government plans for investment in new clean energy technologies and a new North Sea Jobs Service to provide end-to-end support for the current workforce.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 Great British Energy on household energy bills.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower will bring energy security, protect billpayers, create good jobs, and help to protect future generations from the cost of climate breakdown. Delivering clean power by 2030 will protect billpayers from volatile international fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good.
Great British Energy is a key part of this plan. It will ensure taxpayers and billpayers reap the benefits of homegrown energy by investing in and developing clean energy projects across the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 accelerate grid upgrades to support energy security and industrial investment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The electricity network companies are responsible for building, owning and operating the grid, and Government is working with them, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator to accelerate the delivery of critical network infrastructure and reform the grid connections process to support energy security and industrial investment.
Grid expansion will be a critical enabler for both the government’s Clean Energy Superpower and Growth missions.
The recent interim publication of the Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan by industry and Government demonstrates the positive impact network expansion will have specifically in the electricity networks supply chain.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of domestic energy production, including North Sea activity, on levels of imported energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The North Sea is a highly mature basin, and its natural decline would not be reversed by further licensing. New licences awarded in the last decade have made only a marginal difference to overall oil and gas production.
Further exploration and production licences would not meaningfully increase UK production levels, nor would they change the UK’s status as a net importer of oil and gas.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 a full impact assessment for ending the Energy Company Obligation scheme.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To bring energy bills down for all, the decision has been made not to continue the Energy Company Obligation when the current scheme ends.
The government does not intend to publish a new impact assessment for ending the scheme. An assessment of their impacts was produced when both the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme were laid.
The government has committed £1.5 billion in additional grant funding to support low-income households and those in fuel poverty. Details of this will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to what extent (a) uranium fuel used at Sizewell B and (b) Britain’s nuclear energy supply chain relies on imports from (i) Rosatom and (ii) its subsidiaries; and what steps he is taking to ensure that sanctions placed on Rosatom are enforced in relation to UK nuclear power stations.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The procurement of nuclear fuel, including uranium and enrichment services, is a commercial matter for reactor operators. The Government works closely with these operators to ensure a secure and resilient supply for the UK fleet but does not routinely collect information relating to any fuel contracts held by UK operators. This information is commercially sensitive, and disclosure would be at the discretion of the operator.
The Government is committed to removing Russian nuclear fuel from UK supply chains by the end of 2028. All current and future reactor operators must comply with UK legal obligations, including any sanctions or trade measures in place against Russia.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 Great British Energy on reducing household energy bills.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower will bring energy security, protect billpayers, create good jobs, and help to protect future generations from the cost of climate breakdown. Delivering clean power by 2030 will protect billpayers from volatile international fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good
Great British Energy is a key part of this plan. It will ensure taxpayers and billpayers reap the benefits of homegrown energy by investing in and developing clean energy projects across the United Kingdom.