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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the National Grid on its investment portfolio and its plans for future investment in the UK.

The Government has regular discussions with National Grid across a range of energy matters, including investment in the UK. As the electricity Transmission Owner for England and Wales, National Grid is investing approximately £9 billion over the current RIIO price control period of 2013-21. Over the same period, National Grid is investing £2 billion in the gas transmission network. National Grid Ventures, National Grid’s commercial development arm separate from the core regulated business, is investing around £2 billion in new electricity interconnectors, including the 1 gigawatt (GW) Nemo Link to Belgium, the 1 GW IFA2 link to France, and the 1.4 GW North Sea Link to Norway. It is also planning further links, including the 1.4 GW Viking Link interconnector to Denmark.