Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government’s support for (a) Carbon capture and storage and (b) Hydrogen technologies.

At Spring Budget 2020, the Chancellor committed to spend at least £800m for the deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in the 2020s.

Furthermore, in 2019, the Government announced a £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund to incentivise future private sector investment in low carbon hydrogen, while earlier this year, the Government published a response to a consultation on CCS business models, including for low carbon hydrogen production.

Officials at HMT have been working closely with BEIS officials and key industry stakeholders to understand the type and quantum of support required to advance CCS. This includes engaging in a number of boards with industry, such as the Hydrogen Advisory Council.