Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

The Government has been actively engaging with the Welsh Government on the Warm Homes Agency since Spring 2025, including discussions on how future arrangements of the Agency would work with Devolved Governments. The Agency will only operate in Wales with agreement from the Welsh Government, and discussions to secure this agreement are ongoing.

We have been clear that the original installer is responsible for remediating issues with their work and for the costs of doing so. Where an installer ceases to trade or in some cases fails to rectify an issue, protections under the guarantee should be invoked. TrustMark require a guarantee to have been issued, which for Solid Wall Insulation will cover up to £20k.

If consumers have a separate complaint about their installation, they can follow the steps set out in the TrustMark complaints process here. This includes the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman if the consumer wishes to progress with legal actions.

Government action at the Budget, to end the ECO scheme and shift 75% of the domestic Renewables Obligation to the exchequer, will remove an average of £150 of costs from energy bills from April. In addition, expanding the Warm Home Discount means around six million low‑income households will receive £150 this winter.

Through the Warm Homes Plan, the Governemt has also announced £15 billion to upgrade up to five million homes and help lift up to one million families out of fuel poverty by 2030.

I am meeting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees next month to discuss future surplus sharing arrangements. No decisions have been made yet.

The impact assessment for the response to the consultation on expansion to domestic maritime emissions can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692591b59fd433badebc3140/uk-ets-domestic-maritime-authority-response-ia.pdf

We will publish a full impact assessment on the expansion to international voyages alongside the Authority Response to the consultation.

The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) 2023 Market Study assessed whether measures making it easier for new or existing retailers to open new petrol filling stations (PFSs) would address competition issues identified in the market.

It concluded that removing barriers to opening new PFSs would not have a significant impact on the number of PFSs, or materially affect competition in the market.

This government is implementing the CMA’s recommendations to increase competition by launching Fuel Finder, and the CMA road fuels monitoring function.

Competition law for fuel markets was recently amended through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. This legislation gave powers to the Competition and Markets Authority in January 2024 to monitor the road fuel retail sector and provide recommendations to government where necessary. The government also introduced separate legislation for Fuel Finder, an open data scheme for fuel prices to improve transparency and increase competition in the fuel retail market which comes into force on 2 February.

There are no roles in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero primarily focussed on transgender policy. The Department has fewer than five staff in roles primarily focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The total annual salary cost is in the range of £163,800 - £183,500.

The department has spent £84 on X and £0 on xAI. The X spending is for a Premium subscription in order to use X Pro, a social media monitoring tool.

As part of the development of the Warm Homes Plan, the Department has engaged with a broad range of stakeholders through a variety of different fora to ensure a wide range of views were considered.

On 8 December 2025 Minister McCluskey met with the Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Association Dave Sowden to listen to their proposals for decarbonising homes. The Department has also corresponded with a number of other industry groups, academics, think-tanks and other representatives, including the UK Green Building Council. These proposals have been considered as part of the policy development process.

The recently published Warm Homes Plan is the biggest investment in home upgrades ever, with £15 billion of investment to cut energy bills, bring households out of fuel poverty, increase our energy security and make our homes warmer and more efficient.

Due to commercial confidentiality, we are unable to release this information.

An electricity agreement with the EU will cut the cost of trading electricity with the EU - this means lower wholesale costs and ultimately lower bills. Any agreement will naturally involve a balance of rights and obligations to ensure a level playing field in the trade of electricity between the Parties.

In line with the outcome of exploratory discussions, we will discuss the relevant rules on the promotion of renewables. The detail of commitments in this area, as with other areas, is a matter for negotiations.

Members of the Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission were asked to declare political activity during the application process and none were declared. We do not publish their conflicts of interest.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The Government is taking clear steps to strengthen the resilience of electricity networks serving rural areas, including those in South Basildon and East Thurrock. Following the Storm Arwen Review, network operators have made a significant number of improvements to both customer communications and the resilience of Great Britain’s electricity network during severe weather events.

Ahead of winter, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) provided assurance that industry had suitable arrangements in place, and we continue to work closely with them to monitor readiness. The Government will also publish an Energy Resilience Strategy in 2026 to set longterm priorities for maintaining a secure and resilient energy system.

Noise from electricity network infrastructure is not regulated by Ofgem. Ofgem’s remit covers the economic regulation of network operators and the protection of consumers.

Noise from electricity network infrastructure is not regulated by Ofgem. Ofgem’s remit covers the economic regulation of network operators and the protection of consumers.

The Department publishes annual estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by country, English regions, local authority, constituency, middle layer super output area and lower layer super output area.

For operational infrastructure, in England and Wales any noise concerns should be raised to local planning authorities in line with the Environmental Protection Act 1990. You can report an noise nuisance via: Report a noise nuisance to your council - GOV.UK. For Scotland, powers in this act relating to noise and statutory nuisance are devolved to Scottish Government.

In England and Wales where a project meets the threshold for an Environmental Impact Assessment, developers are required to assess and mitigate noise impacts. They are similarly required to do so at the planning stage in accordance with the National Policy Statement EN‑5 and the National Planning Policy Framework.

The detail of commitments for a future agreement for the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market is a matter for negotiations.

As the Chancellor set out at Budget, the government will present a full response to the Nuclear Regulatory Review within three months, taking account of our international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.

The government will complete implementation of the Nuclear Regulatory Review within two years, subject to legislative timelines on elements requiring primary legislation.

The body in question is the Warm Homes Agency, which is a new public body being set up to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan. The Agency will provide trusted consumer advice, support the supply chain, and consolidate some existing delivery organisations into an Executive Agency. The Government has committed £15 billion in the wider Warm Homes Plan. Specific operational budget allocations for the Agency will be determined in due course and are subject to standard Government approval processes.

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero works extensively with the energy sector to continually improve and maintain the resilience, preparedness and security of energy infrastructure against risks including severe weather events.

Ofgem provides a specific Worst Served Customers allowance through the RIIO-ED2 price control to provide funding to electricity Distribution Network Operators to improve the service experienced by those customers who receive the poorest levels of performance. Worst Served Customers are classified as being worst served because they experience interruptions caused by faults on the high voltage network. This often occurs in rural areas where the cost of improving the reliability of this part of the network is particularly high, in part due to the low volume of customers served by that part of the network.

We are also taking action to upgrade and expand electricity networks, including in rural areas, to ensure the network is ready to meet increasing demand. We are increasing capacity in the network by accelerating infrastructure build through our reforms to planning, regulation, supply chains regulation and a reformed connections process.

The Clean Energy Superpower Mission Board is chaired by the DESNZ Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP. The board does not have a fixed list of internal or external members, rather we engage with other government departments, external organisations and industry experts depending on the issues for discussion.

The departmental Trade Union Facility Time Guidance sets out a provision for paid activity time to be requested and approved, by exception. This is managed/agreed locally by management from a day to day perspective. The overall levels of activity time are monitored by HR and any concerns are dealt with on behalf of the Secretary of State/Permanent Secretary.

The department engages regularly with the Scottish Government to maximise the positive impacts from energy infrastructure investments on local economies and skills. Engagement is both at the ministerial and official level through formal fora such as the Interministerial Group on Net Zero, Energy & Climate Change, Grangemouth Investment Taskforce and ad-hoc when useful. This includes coordinated work on workforce needs such as our joint approach and funding on reskilling Grangemouth employees; coordinating work between the governments on ensuring developers provide community benefits and discussions on network connections.

The Government has not ruled out a future investment. We will continue to work together to explore options.

Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices at forecourts reflect fixed and variable costs, including international traded prices, distribution, staff and other forecourt costs. Vehicles powered by LPG benefit from a reduced fuel duty rate of 28.88 pence per litre (ppl) versus the main rate of 52.95 ppl. The Government’s Fuel Finder scheme will require all UK petrol filling stations to report if they stock LPG for consumer access. Motor LPG is subject to general consumer and competition law. The Government works with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to monitor competition in the market and address any evidence of anti-competitive behaviour.

I am meeting the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme Trustees next month to discuss future surplus sharing arrangements. The outcome will be published once agreement is reached.

The Warm Homes Plan will lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty through public investment and new minimum energy efficiency standards for private landlords and proposed standard for social landlords. These changes do not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help tenants cut their energy bills by delivering more energy efficient homes.

There is support available for landlords, financing options, as well as new protections for renters in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 to challenge above-market rent increases. As now, landlords will still be able to increase rents to market price for their properties and an independent tribunal will make a judgement on this, if needed.

Landlords will have discretion between meeting the heating system standard and the smart readiness standard so that they can choose what is most appropriate for their property.

We estimate the new private rented sector MEES could lift approximately 415,000 households out of fuel poverty by 2030. A cost cap of £10,000, compared to £15,000, reduces the risk of cost pass through to tenants whilst still delivering substantial improvements to homes.

The affordability crisis is the biggest issue facing this country, that is why the Autumn Budget acted to take an average £150 of costs off people’s energy bills. This support comes on top of the £150 off energy bills provided for around 6 million families under the Warm Home Discount this winter, cutting fuel poverty.

The Government is also driving forward with home upgrades, through the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan.

The Government recognises the East of England’s contribution to clean energy generation and the Clean Power 2030 mission. It is the home of Sizewell C. The region has also secured the highest offshore wind capacity allocation in AR7, with just over 6GW, driven by the large-scale Dogger Bank South and Norfolk Vanguard developments, building on an existing 3.7GW of offshore wind capacity.

Our pathway to clean power was set out in the Clean Power Action Plan, published in December 2024. It made clear that solar power, across rooftop and ground-mounted solar farms, will be crucial to achieving our mission.

The plan calls for the rapid acceleration of solar deployment, from around 21.5GW at present, to 45–47GW by 2030, with scope to exceed this, subject to system need.

We do not hold specific targets for the proportion of this capacity that should be split between ground-mounted solar farms and other types of solar.

The Advanced Nuclear Framework is being developed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with Great British Energy-Nuclear supporting on the assessment process. This framework will set out a pathway for privately led advanced nuclear projects and will be published early this year.

A detailed breakdown of the Resource and Capital Departmental Expenditure limit spending in 2024-25 under Delivering Affordable energy for households and businesses and Ensuring that our energy system is reliable and secure is held on the HM Treasury database OSCAR and published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-annual-release-november-2025.

A detailed breakdown of the Resource and Capital Departmental Expenditure limit spending in 2024-25 under Delivering Affordable energy for households and businesses and Ensuring that our energy system is reliable and secure is held on the HM Treasury database OSCAR and published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-annual-release-november-2025.

The Euroclusters initiative is an online hub funded by the EU and targeted at industry stakeholders across Europe and globally. There are currently 145 UK organisations in the Euroclusters directory. UK companies and cluster organisations are free to make their own assessments of the benefits of joining the platform.

The Government has made no such estimate. The information requested is not held.

The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and recently published a new fuel poverty strategy for England outlining our plan to lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.

The Treasury has not yet confirmed the specific Barnett consequential appointments of the Government’s spending commitment for the Warm Homes Plan.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have unique devolution settlements. The age, tenure, type and size of building stock varies across different parts of the UK. Therefore, some aspects of the Warm Homes Plan will apply equally in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland while other parts will not be relevant in all nations of the UK.

The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Devolved Governments in delivering the Warm Homes Plan.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not hold this information centrally. The information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Government’s policy on new build regulation is driving down the use of gas in new build homes, contributing to our energy independence. MHCLG has developed statistics on energy efficiency characteristics of new dwellings and will publish them shortly. Under the Future Homes Standard, to be published in early 2026, we expect new homes to be built with low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks, as well as solar panels by default. This, along with increased wider renewable generation, will boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power and increase our energy independence.

The Government’s policy on new build regulation is driving down the use of gas in new build homes, contributing to our energy independence. MHCLG has developed statistics on energy efficiency characteristics of new dwellings and will publish them shortly. Under the Future Homes Standard, to be published in early 2026, we expect new homes to be built with low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks, as well as solar panels by default. This, along with increased wider renewable generation, will boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power and increase our energy independence.

This KPI relates to a contract with DAI Global UK for the delivery of an overseas development assistance (ODA) funded programme to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries. The KPI aims to encourage delivery through downstream partners based in developing countries in order to build local leadership and expertise, reducing long-term reliance on UK aid. The headline contract was competitively tendered and awarded to a UK-based supplier.

Professor Swenja Surminski was appointed to the CCC's Adaptation Committee in 2022 following a fair and open competition. She was subsequently appointed as a member of the Climate Change Committee to enhance collaboration between the two Committees, as allowed for under the Climate Change Act 2008. The Commissioner for Public Appointments was consulted, in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The applicant must carry out a consultation in compliance with the Planning Act 2008 as part of the pre-application procedure for any nationally significant infrastructure project such as this. Applicants, the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State must also ensure compliance with the relevant secondary legislation made under the Planning Act 2008, and have regard to the requirements in the Equality Act 2010 (such as Section 149 ‘Public sector equality duty’), providing accessible engagement opportunities for potentially affected parties, including those in vulnerable groups.