Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to energy infrastructure planning application fees on (a) network operator costs and (b) consumer bills.

The Government has proposed a fully cost-reflective charging regime for its energy infrastructure planning application fees, in order to place this function on a sustainable footing for the future as application volumes increase. The Government is currently assessing the responses to the public consultation that ran from 16 December 2025 to 1 February 2026, which included specific questions on cost impacts.

This assessment will pay particular regard to the evidence provided by respondents on network operator costs and impacts on bills.