Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has issued a response to BBC Panorama’s reports that the Drax powerplant has burned wood from primary forest sites.

Following the Panorama reports, Ofgem, as the independent regulator, conducted a comprehensive investigation into Drax’s sustainability arrangements and concluded that, whilst no subsidies were issued for unsustainable biomass, there was an absence of adequate data governance and controls. We are confident in Ofgem’s conclusion, and Drax accepted the findings of the investigation and made a voluntary redress payment of £25m.

Further to this, we have tightened the sustainability criteria under the new Contract for Difference, including strict provisions to exclude material sourced from primary and old growth forests under the contract.