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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many applications have been made to the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme as of 24 January 2023; and how much and what proportion of that scheme's funding had been allocated by that date.

The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES), the Government's £32m grant programme, will be opening for applications in early February 2023 with the first funding round closing to applicants on 31^st March 2023. As of 24 January 2023, the Government has not received any applications, nor allocated any funding.