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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the impact of his proposals for the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty on the transition to a fully decarbonised power sector over the next decade.

The modernised Energy Charter Treaty reaffirms and strengthens Contracting Parties' right to introduce measures for legitimate policy objectives, including to mitigate climate change. It extends the Treaty scope to protect investments in green technologies required for the global energy transition and allow Contracting Parties to phase-out their investment protection for fossil fuels, which the UK opted to do in line with our decarbonisation target.

At the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November, the decision to adopt the modernised Treaty was postponed. The UK will continue to monitor the situation surrounding the modernisation process, including positions taken by other Contracting Parties.