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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the reduction of CO2 emissions in tonnes as a result of Drax being in receipt of £832 million in direct Government subsidies to biomass in 2020.

The Renewables Obligation and Contracts for Difference Scheme currently requires that solid biomass used to generate electricity does not exceed a greenhouse gas emission of 200 kg per MWh. Emissions from coal generation in 2020 were equivalent to 997 kg per MWh, so biomass currently delivers at least an 80% greenhouse gas saving over coal.