Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to take steps to help reduce variations in fuel prices between regions.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government will implement Fuel Finder, a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices, to increase price transparency and help drivers make more informed decisions on where to buy petrol and diesel. This will increase pressure on retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering prices. Subject to legislation and Parliamentary time, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) received statutory information gathering powers on 1 January 2025 through the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumer Act 2024 so it can monitor and scrutinise fuel prices. Once launched, Fuel Finder will provide the CMA with the appropriate data to adequately consider issues such as regional pricing variations.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps to help increase (a) competition and (b) the transparency of road fuel pricing.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government will implement Fuel Finder, a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices, to increase price transparency and help drivers make more informed decisions on where to buy petrol and diesel. This will increase pressure on retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering prices. Subject to legislation and Parliamentary time, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) received statutory information gathering powers on 1 January 2025 through the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumer Act 2024 so it can monitor and scrutinise fuel prices. Once launched, Fuel Finder will provide the CMA with the appropriate data to adequately consider issues such as regional pricing variations.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to implement the Fuel Finder open data scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government aims to implement Fuel Finder by the end of 2025, subject to legislation and parliamentary time. The Data (Use and Access) Bill will provide the legislative basis to set up Fuel Finder to increase price transparency for UK drivers.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he is having with retailers on fuel prices for drivers, the context of progress on (a) implementing Fuel Finder and (b) the Competition and Markets Authority's monitoring of that market.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government aims to implement Fuel Finder by the end of 2025, subject to passage of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which will provide the legislative basis to set up the scheme. Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and drive down prices by encouraging greater retailer competition.
Following an in-depth procurement process, we have appointed VE3 Global as the aggregator of Fuel Finder. Appointing the aggregator is an important milestone to launching by the end of 2025, and we will work closely with VE3 as it engages with retailers throughout Fuel Finder’s development.
The CMA continues to monitor and scrutinise fuel prices using the statutory information gathering powers it received on 1 January 2025 through the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumer Act 2024.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it is policy to commit to the pump watch petrol price comparison platform.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government response to the road fuels consultation, published on 30 October 2024, confirmed that the Government will implement the recommendation made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in its Final Road Fuel Market Study to set up a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices, called Fuel Finder.
Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and help drivers easily compare prices and find the best deals. This will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract customers. Subject to legislation and parliamentary timings, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of full electrification on (a) fish and chip shops, (b) other businesses and (c) economic growth.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Fuel switching from fossil fuels to electricity has the potential to significantly reduce emissions, making a central contribution to our carbon budget commitments. Clean, homegrown energy is the best way to protect billpayers and boost Britain's energy independence. This will allow the UK to build an energy system that can bring down bills for households and businesses for good.
Many electric technologies are more efficient than their gas counterparts, and therefore electrification has the potential to lower energy requirements for sites. The Government remains committed to supporting electrification and addressing the barriers to investment in electric technology. This includes further development of policy options to address the high cost of electricity relative to natural gas, and the implementation of planning reforms to speed up infrastructure development and unblock issues on grid connection delays.
Taking the points specified in the hon Member’s question in turn:
A) Fish & chip shops: Alongside the electrification of heating and cooling, a key approach for full electrification of a fish & chip shop could be switching from a gas fryer to an electric fryer. An electric fryer is more energy efficient and generally requires less maintenance than a gas fryer, but also tends to require higher upfront costs, and currently results in higher operating costs due to the higher price of electricity compared to gas.
B) Businesses: For many businesses based in commercial units or offices, full electrification would require an electric source of heating and cooling, such as heat pumps or electric boilers. Heat pumps are highly efficient, reducing carbon emission significantly, and can provide both heating and cooling. As with the gas fryer, greater energy efficiency from heat pumps and electric boilers would reduce energy consumption, however upfront costs and operating costs are generally higher than gas alternatives. Some businesses with high temperature heat requirements, such as those involved in manufacturing, amy also require more specialised electrification technologies.
C) Economic growth Electrification is the future for most UK industries, and brings with it a range of economic benefits. These include boosting the domestic supply chain, and supporting UK businesses to be more productive. Electrification will reduce the UK’s reliance on volatile fossil fuel prices, making the UK a more attractive place to do business leading to increased growth and jobs.
At present, government provides grants of up to £7,500 for low carbon heating systems through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which are available to small commercial buildings.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help reduce energy prices for energy intensive industries.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government recognises high energy prices are a key challenge for UK businesses. Our Clean Power 2030 target is the key to long-term sustainable price reductions. Our mission is for clean power by 2030 because clean, homegrown energy is the best way to protect billpayers and boost Britain's energy independence. This Government is also already bringing energy costs for UK industries closer in line with other major economies through the British Industry Supercharger. This fully exempts eligible firms from certain costs linked to renewable energy policies, particularly those exposed to the high cost of electricity.
UK businesses using more electricity and less fossil fuels is the future. The latest advice from the Climate Change Committee expects electricity to meet 61% of industrial energy demand by 2040. My department is developing options to enable them to do that.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of UK energy security.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great Britain’s energy system is diverse and reliable, with the annual Statutory Security of Supply Report 2024 assessing that GB is expected to have sufficient supplies of electricity and gas to meet consumers’ demands over the short and long-term. However, our dependence on fossil fuels has left us vulnerable to global supply shocks and unstable energy prices. The Government's Clean Energy Superpower Mission, supported by the largest investment in home-grown clean energy in British history, will enhance energy security by boosting our energy independence, protecting billpayers, and reducing exposure to global supply shocks.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of treating biomethane in the same way as (a) other renewable fuels and (b) renewable electricity under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises biomethane as a practical and cost-effective way of contributing to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) applies a zero emissions factor to combustion of biomethane where supplied directly to ETS installations. Where biomethane is injected into the gas grid, there is not currently a mechanism to ensure biomethane is accounted for separately.
The ETS prices emissions from electricity generation but not from electricity use as emissions are only priced at the point of combustion.
As outlined in the future policy framework for biomethane production call for evidence, the Government is working with the ETS Authority to consider whether the ETS could account for biomethane injected into the gas grid and will provide an update on this in due course.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the availability of feedstocks for the production of renewable fuels.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
British farmers are world-leaders and know their own land best - carefully planning their planting to suit the weather, their soil type, and their long-term agronomic strategy.
The demand for UK produced crops is subject to global market prices and supply. Crop varieties grown in the UK can be of a specification for food, feed and/or bioenergy standards. This provides an in-built flexibility for farmers seeking an end-use market for their product. For farmers, the opportunity to sell into bioenergy often offers a secondary market for their surplus or lower quality crops and associated agricultural residues. The production of biofuels also produces valuable by-products including protein rich animal feed which is used by livestock farmers.
In 2023, 133 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for bioenergy. This area represents 2.2% of the arable land in the UK. 36% of land used for bioenergy was for biofuel (biodiesel and bioethanol) in the UK road transport market with the remainder mostly used for heat and power production.