Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will carry out a review of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to ensure alignment with the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate; and if he will take steps to ensure that the ETS is reviewed in time to facilitate the deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Aircraft operators that use eligible sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can currently claim a reduction in their UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) obligations. In June 2023, the UK ETS Authority committed to review its approach to SAF, acknowledging the significance of the SAF Mandate to the decarbonisation of the aviation sector. The Authority will consult on a range of options in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of malpractice in the third-party intermediary energy retail market and (b) the potential impact of the policies within the consultation entitled Regulating Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) in the retail energy market, published on 20 September 2024, on levels of malpractice.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Third-party intermediaries (TPIs) like price comparison websites, energy brokers, and auto-switching services are vital in helping consumers navigate the retail energy market, acting as intermediaries between energy suppliers and customers. However, not all TPIs offer optimal services. While most operate ethically and responsibly, there are exceptions. Several consumer harms have been reported, such as TPIs prioritising their own commercial interests over consumers', opaque contracting practices (including verbal contracts in the non-domestic market), instances of mis-selling, inadequate dispute resolution, and poor customer service.
The Government consultation on regulating TPIs in the retail energy market closed on 15 November. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 respond to the consultation entitled Regulating Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) in the retail energy market, published on 20 September 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Third-party intermediaries (TPIs) like price comparison websites, energy brokers, and auto-switching services are vital in helping consumers navigate the retail energy market, acting as intermediaries between energy suppliers and customers. However, not all TPIs offer optimal services. While most operate ethically and responsibly, there are exceptions. Several consumer harms have been reported, such as TPIs prioritising their own commercial interests over consumers', opaque contracting practices (including verbal contracts in the non-domestic market), instances of mis-selling, inadequate dispute resolution, and poor customer service.
The Government consultation on regulating TPIs in the retail energy market closed on 15 November. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 make an assessment of the potential impact of adding carbon capture, utilisation and storage costs onto household bills.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have created several business models to fund CCUS projects, designed to ensure value for money whilst providing long term sight of revenue streams for investors. CCUS will be funded by a mixture of exchequer and levy sources, the exact split to be determined in due course. Negotiations with projects are ongoing and therefore commercially confidential. Final awards will be published on the UK subsidy database. We will continue to learn from the first clusters as they approach Final Investment Decisions and apply these lessons to further development of CCUS to ensure that it delivers value for money.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has for increased (a) funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and (b) support for additional low-carbon heating technologies.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 21 November the Government announced £30 million of additional budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for this financial year in response to increased uptake to the scheme. It was also confirmed that the scheme budget for the next financial year will be almost doubled to £295 million. Budgets for subsequent years will be confirmed in the second phase of the Spending Review.
The Government has also announced support for social housing and lower income households through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant which includes support for low carbon heating.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many civil servants in his Department are working on (a) demand flexibility, (b) Great British Energy, (c) hydrogen, (d) carbon capture and storage, (e) nuclear energy, (f) the review of electricity market arrangements, (g) heat electrification and (h) biomass.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has around 4500 full time equivalents (FTE) working across multiple policy areas and programmes. These include demand flexibility, Great British Energy, Carbon capture, utilisation and storage, hydrogen, nuclear, the review of electricity market arrangements, heat electrification and biomass, amongst others. The Department’s resourcing is recorded and aligned to its organisation structure, rather than to portfolios. This means we are unable to provide a detailed breakdown for each of the areas mentioned.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to allow large-scale development consent order solar projects to bid for future Contracts for Difference auctions.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar projects over 5MW were eligible to apply for Allocation Round 6. The Government is committed to accelerating solar deployment to meet clean power 2030 and reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver this and other objectives. We will confirm details for Allocation Round 7, including eligibility, in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 (a) restoring a three-year window for solar photovoltaics and (b) allowing solar Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects to bid in future Contracts for Difference auctions.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar projects over 5MW were eligible to apply for Allocation Round 6. The Government is committed to accelerating solar deployment to meet clean power 2030 and reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver this and other objectives. We will confirm details for Allocation Round 7, including eligibility, in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of funding from the public purse for Sizewell C has been (a) spent on and (b) committed to companies with headquarters in (i) the UK and (ii) what foreign countries.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The details of contracts agreed by Sizewell C with its suppliers are commercially sensitive. The project has made a commitment to spend 70 per cent of the construction value in the UK.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's timetable is for making a decision on how much funding the Government will make available for bioenergy carbon capture and storage technology.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Following the announcement in October 2024 of funding for the initial Track 1 cluster configurations, further funding decisions for continued CCUS deployment will be taken as part of the Spending Review concluding in late Spring 2025.