Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the extent to which current regulation of heat networks provides equivalent protections to those available to domestic gas and electricity consumers, including guaranteed standards of supply and price protection.

The introduction of Ofgem’s regulatory powers in January 2026 aimed to introduce similar protections for heat network customers to domestic gas and electricity customers. However, there are some important differences between these sectors, for example: there are many more heat network operators and suppliers than in gas and electricity markets and they, typically, supply fewer consumers. This dictates a different approach to rules that have the potential for cost pass through to consumers, including Guaranteed Standards of Performance, which Ofgem has said it aims to consult on in due course.