Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing Government and EU-funded low-carbon innovation projects to support small businesses which wish to transition to low-carbon practices.

Government support is needed both for net zero innovation and for small businesses to adopt low carbon measures.

Research and innovation is a key enabler for net zero, driving down the costs of key technologies and processes and creating economic opportunities for innovative UK businesses, including SMEs. This is underpinned by £4.2 billion of government support for net zero research and innovation for 2022-2025.

For supporting businesses to adopt low carbon measures, the Government has launched a campaign aimed at increasing the energy efficiency in businesses, charities and public sector bodies. It is also supporting UK businesses to meet their net zero commitments via the UK Business Climate Hub. SMEs are also encouraged to join the UN’s ‘Race to Zero’ initiative and over 4,200 UK small businesses have joined so far.