Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of Crown Estate leasing costs on the strike prices for future Contracts for Difference auctions for offshore wind.

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 the Government’s 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.