Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the report published in May 2021 by the Renewables Infrastructure Development Group entitled Charging The Wrong Way, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding in that report that EU electricity generators pay £0.46 per megawatt hour (MWh) in transmission system charges while the average payment in Scotland is £6.42 per MWh.

Transmission charging is a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator, and it is currently reviewing some aspects of these charging arrangements, with plans to consult on proposals this year. The Department is in close touch with Ofgem to understand how its proposals can help support delivery of a secure, net zero energy system at lowest cost for consumers. Most major investment in new renewable generation projects continues to be underpinned by Contracts for Difference arrangements introduced by the UK Government, and for which overseas generators are not eligible to bid.