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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of electricity usage by digital advertising boards and shop signs in England; and what plans they have (1) to promote, or (2) to legislate for, switching off these boards during periods when the electricity system is under pressure.

The Government does not hold data on electricity usage by digital advertising boards and shop signs in England.

National Grid has launched the electricity Demand Flexibility Service, a voluntary service to reward users who reduce their electricity demand at peak times. This is open to a variety of consumers, primarily through their supplier.

The Government continues to work closely with industry to develop our response options for when the system is under pressure, and National Grid has standard, long-standing procedures in place in the extremely unlikely event of an emergency on the energy network.