Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the potential role of Wales in the UK's hydrogen strategy; and what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the UK's hydrogen strategy.

I regularly discuss a range of issues with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. BEIS ministers and I met earlier this month with companies looking to expand hydrogen production in Wales. Last month I also visited the hydrogen car manufacturer, Riversimple in Powys.

Wales has the potential to lead in hydrogen generation technology and the UK Government is committed to ensuring that Wales plays its full part in delivering the UK’s future energy mix. For instance, the South Wales Industrial Cluster which is being supported by UK Research and Innovation’s £170m Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge is looking at options for decarbonising the region’s industrial base, including the use of hydrogen.

The Government aims to consult on a preferred business model for low-carbon hydrogen production in 2021. This will be key to stimulating the deployment of hydrogen across the UK, including in Wales.