Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his expected timetable is for when the Norwich to Tilbury Great Grid upgrade will be fully operational.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
National Grid Electricity Transmission has now submitted its Development Consent Order application to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration. Government does not comment on the merits of live planning applications, which will be subject to rigorous, independent assessment and advice by the Examining Authority, to inform a final Ministerial decision.
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, when his Department last made an assessment of the effectiveness of the (a) planning practice guidance and (b) other aspects of the safety framework for grid-scale batteries.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In August 2023, the government updated its Planning Practice Guidance to encourage battery storage developers to consult Local Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) before submitting applications and for planning authorities to involve FRSs during public consultation. The guidance also advises authorities to refer to National Fire Chiefs Council recommendations. The government has committed to updating planning practice guidance on renewable and low carbon energy development.
The government monitors the safety framework for grid-scale batteries closely. In October, I hosted a roundtable discussion with regulators including the Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency on the safety framework. My department works closely with regulators through the industry-led Health and Safety Governance Group to ensure that the framework remains robust and future proofed.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households not on the national grid for (a) gas and (b) electricity in each constituency in Scotland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by country, English regions, local authority and constituency.
For Northern Ireland, data on the total number of gas connections is available via the Annual Retail Energy Market Monitoring Report.
Equivalent figures for the electricity network are not published.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households not on the national grid for (a) gas and (b) electricity in Scotland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by country, English regions, local authority and constituency.
For Northern Ireland, data on the total number of gas connections is available via the Annual Retail Energy Market Monitoring Report.
Equivalent figures for the electricity network are not published.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households not on the national grid for (a) gas and (b) electricity in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by country, English regions, local authority and constituency.
For Northern Ireland, data on the total number of gas connections is available via the Annual Retail Energy Market Monitoring Report.
Equivalent figures for the electricity network are not published.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the percentage of electricity supplied to the national grid from renewable forms of energy and (b) how much of this is generated from sources in Wales.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Data for electricity generated in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, by fuel, is published in Energy Trends: December 2024, special feature article - Electricity generation and supply in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, 2019 to 2023 - GOV.UK. Data for 2024 will be published on 18th December 2025.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
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 an estimate of the proportion of electricity supplied to the national grid that was generated in Wales.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Data for electricity generated in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, by fuel, is published in Energy Trends: December 2024, special feature article - Electricity generation and supply in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, 2019 to 2023 - GOV.UK. Data for 2024 will be published on 18th December 2025.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of difficulties in connecting remote communities to the national electricity grid on rural depopulation.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not made an assessment of any relationship between connecting to the electricity network and changes in rural populations.
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.