Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement on 21 October of measures aimed at accelerating innovation and cutting bureaucracy, what specific measures they are taking to support AI infrastructure development.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This government has consistently supported the build out of AI infrastructure through supporting the growth of the data centre sector. Last year we designated data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), underscoring their strategic importance.
Shortly after the election, we reformed the National Planning Policy Framework to reference data centres and secondary legislation is underway to enable data centre developers to seek planning consent through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime in England. We are also reforming the National Grid connections process, making it easier for datacentres to secure a timely grid connection.
This Government has created AI Growth Zones - dedicated hubs designed to fast-track AI infrastructure development, support planning approvals, and unlock energy access. So far, this government has announced two of these zones, one in Culham in Oxfordshire and the other in the North East.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83177 on Batteries: Storage, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Planning Practice Guidance in ensuring that battery developers consult fire services.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government engages regularly with the National Fire Chiefs Council, representatives of local authorities and other key stakeholders to gather feedback on the effectiveness of the safety framework for grid-scale batteries, including the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG).
The PPG sets a clear expectation that developers engage with fire and rescue services before they submit a planning application for a grid-scale battery site. It also encourages local planning authorities to engage with fire services as part of the formal period of public consultation and before reaching a planning determination. As such, government considers the PPG to be effective in setting out clear expectations for developers and decision-makers on grid-scale planning applications.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government by what date they expect the National Grid to have sufficiently updated capacity to use or store the power available from renewable sources.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are working closely with Ofgem and National Energy System Operator (NESO) to deliver an electricity network ready for clean power by 2030 and beyond, accelerating infrastructure delivery by reforming planning, regulation and supply chains. The same is true for electricity storage where government has set out capacity ranges in the Clean Power Action Plan and has introduced measures to support this, such as the long duration electricity storage (LDES) cap and floor investment support scheme.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
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 whether the National Energy System Operator needs to approve additional grid connection for the final phase of the rebuild of Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to him on 20 October to question UIN 82445
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help support the (a) development and (b) adoption of vehicle to grid technology.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to supporting the rapid development and adoption of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology as it has the potential to reduce the cost of electric vehicle (EV) ownership while supporting the decarbonisation of our energy system.
Whilst the technology is still nascent, it is quickly commercialising. The Government is currently providing industry with over £10m innovation funding support through its V2X Innovation Programme (2022-2025). This is in addition to the funding support of over £28m previously provided through its Vehicle-to-Grid innovation programme (2018-2022).
The Government and Ofgem outlined collective ambitions and further actions relating to Vehicle-to-Grid technology in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap published in July 2025. These include removing financial barriers, such as the double charging of levies on re-exported electricity, as well as improving grid connection processes and enabling technical interoperability for V2X.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
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 equitability of National Grid's transition from the purchase of wayleaves to the purchase of easements with one-off payments for hosting grid infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government encourages voluntary agreements between electricity network developers and landowners as they can support enduring relationships. The government has not carried out an assessment of the equitability of paying landowners regularly under a wayleave versus a one-off easement payment and it is up to the parties involved in the agreement to assess whether the terms are equitable.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
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 meet the future energy demand placed on the grid by electrifying heavy goods vehicles.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is delivering a major expansion of electricity networks to ensure there is sufficient grid capacity to meet future electricity demand, including from the electrification of heavy goods vehicles.
We are working with Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator to speed up delivery of new network infrastructure through reforms to planning and regulation, support for communities and strategic network design. We are radically reforming the grid connections process to ensure that both generation and demand can connect in a timely manner.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
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 potential merits of receiving approval from NESO for additional grid connection for the final phase of Hinchingbrooke Hospital’s rebuild.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of the requirements for individual connections to the electricity network are held in private connection contracts between the relevant parties.
Faster grid connections are crucial to the Government's clean energy superpower and growth missions. We announced plans in the Industrial Strategy on a series of measures to accelerate connections for strategically important demand projects.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
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 potential impact of electrifying heavy goods vehicles on future demand on the energy grid.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The zero emission HGV sector is at early stages of deployment, but the demand is expected to grow as more trucks come to market. Government is taking a range of short and long-term actions, including new national and regional strategic planning processes, to ensure electricity infrastructure meets future demand.
This includes working with Ofgem and NESO to input into these actions and raise the awareness of future transport requirements, as well as encouraging a direct dialogue with transport stakeholders to provide clarity and evidence on electricity requirements to ensure strategic planning can properly prepare for future demand.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 capacity of the national grid to support projected growth in electric vehicle charging demand over the next decade.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with Ofgem to ensure that its price control framework supports the necessary investment in the electricity network to deliver our clean energy and growth missions. This includes ensuring that the distribution network has sufficient capacity to meet projected demand from electric vehicles into the future.
The current price control, RIIO-ED2 (2023–2028), enables forward-looking investment aligned with and incorporates uncertainty mechanisms to allow networks to respond flexibly to rising demand. The next price control, RIIO-ED3 (2028–2033), will be informed by Regional Energy Strategic Plans to support more strategic, anticipatory and coordinated investment.