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 Crown Estate's auctions for seabed leases on the cost of offshore wind contracts.

The Crown Estate own and manage the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They run transparent, competitive processes that treat bidders equally and balance commercial outcomes alongside its wider environmental, social and economic objectives.

Delivering value for money is our top priority. The Government has made reforms to the Contracts for Difference auction to maximise competition between bidders and reduce the costs to consumers.

The Government won’t buy at any price and if specific projects or technologies aren’t competitive, we will look elsewhere.