Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

The actual costs of delivering the Seventh Carbon Budget will be determined by the choices that government makes. The costs and funding scenarios set out in the CCC’s Seventh Carbon Budget report are illustrative and do not represent government policy and Government is not bound to accept their recommendations. We will set the level of Carbon Budget 7 by June 2026, in line with our statutory duties.

We have recently consulted on reforms to Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to ensure these are better aligned with our key policy objectives of achieving Clean Power by 2030 and accelerating to Net Zero, and effectively delivering the Warm Homes plan to reduce peoples bills and address fuel poverty.

The consultation has now closed, and we are analysing the responses. As part of this we will consider the impact on relevant groups including homeowners and will publish the Government response in due course.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. In February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million.

Fire service coverage is considered during the examination and determination of any Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. It is for the applicant to demonstrate satisfactorily that this issue has been addressed, which will include the view of the relevant fire service, Local Authority, and health and safety experts.

Fire service coverage is considered during the examination and determination of any Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. It is for the applicant to demonstrate satisfactorily that this issue has been addressed, which will include the view of the relevant fire service, Local Authority, and health and safety experts.

The Department publishes the government’s responses to consultations on GOV.UK. In line with the Cabinet Office consultation principles, these documents explain the responses that have been received from consultees and how they have informed the policy.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

In the short-term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. Last year, the Government launched a consultation on introducing regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This is aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers.

The consultation has now closed, and a Government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.

There is support in place through the British Industry Supercharger to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices for eligible energy intensive industries (EIIs), including compensation for indirect emission costs of the UK ETS and Carbon Price Support and reductions in the indirect cost due to the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation and small-scale feed-in-tariffs.

In March, the government launched a consultation setting out the next steps in its overarching objective to make the North Sea a world leading example of an offshore clean energy industry. Britain is well-placed to use the skills and expertise of our existing offshore workforce and supply chain to get ahead in the global race for new jobs and industries.

We are working with industry to explore public awareness campaign options promoting the opportunities from clean energy jobs (including those in the North Sea), as announced in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not produce their own figures on the number of welders in the United Kingdom.

Standing charges recover ‘fixed’ costs that do not vary by energy use. This includes suppliers’ fixed operational costs of serving each customer, the cost of network upgrades and maintenance necessary to keep all consumers connected and fund investment in clean energy infrastructure. It also includes the cost of providing Warm Home Discount payments to eligible customers. However, we are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue.

As part of their update on standing charges, Ofgem announced it will be undertaking a broad review of system costs considering how costs are allocated and recovered across domestic and non-domestic consumers. On 20 February, Ofgem launched a consultation ‘Introducing a zero standing charge energy price cap variant’ - https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/introducing-zero-standing-charge-energy-price-cap-variant.

The consultation seeks views on the introduction of an option - within the price cap – for a tariff that does not have a standing charge, providing households with more choice over how they pay for their energy. It also explores different ways a zero standing charge tariff could work, with options on a single unit rate, as well as block tariff options where the unit rates go up or down once a certain amount of energy is consumed.

Ofgem has not proposed moving people automatically onto a zero standing charge tariff because of the risks to vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, who have high energy use. We were clear that we would not support changes to standing charges that would disproportionately affect people with higher energy costs.

The consultation closed on 20 March and we stand ready to continue to work with Ofgem on this matter.

The forthcoming Warm Homes Plan will set out the Government’s vision for upgrading and decarbonising buildings so that they are fit for the future, including through heat networks.

In January 2026, Ofgem will assume its role as heat network market regulator, within a regulatory framework which will provide similar levels of protection available to consumers on gas and electric networks.

Ofgem will have the powers to investigate and intervene in cases where prices appear to be unfair or disproportionate.

They will enforce guaranteed standards of performance to ensure a minimum quality of service is provided at all times, and regulations will include mandated technical standards to improve network reliability.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, with £1 billion of this allocated to 2025/2026.

The Government has published a consultation on improving energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector in England and Wales.

The Government is also exploring the role of incentives and private finance for households to support homeowners with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heating.

The Government is consulting on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation includes proposals for rented homes to achieve EPC C or equivalent by 2030, unless a valid exemption applies, and is accompanied by the Department’s impact assessment. The assessment makes clear that we are unable to quantify the extent to which this will impact the supply of properties as landlords may take different approaches. We encourage stakeholders to feed in views and evidence on the potential impact of these proposals. Following the consultation process, a government response and full impact assessment will be published.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. We will partner with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants to property owners, including holiday lets, to enable them to transition away from fossil fuel to low carbon heating.

Advice for energy efficiency support in Wales is available at: https://www.gov.wales/home-energy-fuel-poverty

Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out in due course.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations consider the energy efficiency of buildings to ensure they are futureproofed for any usage, irrespective of the occupant. MHCLG also recently published a consultation on EPC reform to ensure they are a more effective tool for understanding a buildings energy performance in future.

Non-domestic MEES regulations currently only require buildings, including industrial buildings, below EPC E to improve their energy efficiency. We consulted on strengthening this to EPC B by 2030, and plan to publish our government response in the first half of 2025.

In regard to support for small manufacturers, government publishes various schemes on gov.uk, both local and national, that help with the costs of energy efficiency measures. This includes the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund which has offered up to £500 million. Our Business Energy Advice Service Pilot operates in the West Midlands also provides energy demand reduction and decarbonisation recommendations for SMEs with the provision of free match-funded grants available to support implementation. We also encourage SMEs to visit the UK Business Climate Hub, which provides information and advice on how to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

The Government recognises biomethane as a practical and cost-effective way of contributing to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) applies a zero emissions factor to combustion of biomethane where supplied directly to ETS installations. Where biomethane is injected into the gas grid, there is not currently a mechanism to ensure biomethane is accounted for separately.

The ETS prices emissions from electricity generation but not from electricity use as emissions are only priced at the point of combustion.

As outlined in the future policy framework for biomethane production call for evidence, the Government is working with the ETS Authority to consider whether the ETS could account for biomethane injected into the gas grid and will provide an update on this in due course.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority have 4 roles that include "diversity and inclusion" as their job title’

The CNC have 5 roles with the acronym EDI in the job title (Equality Diversity and Inclusion).

The UKAEA manages Equality, Diversity and Inclusion alongside Wellbeing, and there are 3 members of staff who have the words 'equality,' 'diversity' and 'inclusion' plus wellbeing in their job titles.

There are no roles with the words gender, LGBT or race in the job titles.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has fewer than five staff with job titles that include the words equality, diversity, inclusion gender, LGBT or race. These roles play an important part in the Department’s commitment to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion.

The Department publishes annual estimates of the impact of installing insulation measures through government schemes on domestic gas consumption in England and Wales.

The Government is consulting on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation includes proposals for rented homes to achieve EPC C or equivalent by 2030, unless a valid exemption applies, and is accompanied by the Department’s impact assessment. The assessment makes clear that we are unable to quantify the extent to which this will impact the supply of properties as landlords may take different approaches. We encourage stakeholders to feed in views and evidence on the potential impact of these proposals. Following the consultation process, a government response and full impact assessment will be published.

The Government is consulting on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation includes proposals for rented homes to achieve EPC C or equivalent by 2030, unless a valid exemption applies, and is accompanied by the Department’s impact assessment. The assessment makes clear that we are unable to quantify the extent to which this will impact the supply of properties as landlords may take different approaches. We encourage stakeholders to feed in views and evidence on the potential impact of these proposals. Following the consultation process, a government response and full impact assessment will be published.

Requirement 3 of the Cleve Hil Solar Park Order 2020 made Swale Borough Council responsible for approving the Battery Safety Management Plan after consulting with the Health and Safety Executive and Kent Fire and Rescue Service. There is no requirement for Swale Borough Council to consult with the Environment Agency. Following an appeal by the developer, The Battery Safety Management Plan was approved by the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State on 5 July 2024 after Swale Borough Council refused an application for its approval.

The Government is committed to supporting the growth and scaling-up of green technologies, including through the creation of GB Energy, as part of its Clean Energy Superpower Mission. The Government will set out its full approach to seizing the growth opportunities from clean energy industries in the forthcoming Industrial Strategy.

The Government has robust powers under the National Security & Investment Act 2021 to scrutinise and intervene in acquisitions that pose a national security risk to critical national infrastructure.

The National Security & Investment Act requires mandatory notification of some of the most sensitive acquisitions, including some acquisitions in the UK’s civil nuclear sector.

The Scheme was introduced on 1 October 2015 and is intended as a last resort to help renewable generators who have an Investment Contract or Contracts for Difference (CFD) contract, who cannot get a PPA through the usual commercial means. Ofgem administer the Offtaker of Last Resort and publish an annual report on the scheme’s operation.

Tackling deforestation is vital to meeting UK goals on climate, nature and growth. If tropical forests are lost, food prices will rise, including for UK consumers. While rates of deforestation are falling in some countries such as Brazil, drivers of forest loss are complex and will require collective global effort.

The UK is driving progress through political leadership and diplomatic engagement, and through our international climate finance, working with partner governments to improve forest governance, sustainable trade and unlocking private finance.

We recognise we must also do our bit domestically. We are working towards our Environment Act targets, including to halt nature’s decline by 2030 and to reach 16.5% tree canopy cover in England by 2050. We have pledged up to £400 million for tree planting and peatland restoration over the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26. Total tree planting and woodland creation reached over 5,500 hectares in England last year [2023/2024].

The Department recognises the importance of anaerobic digestion plants. Where low carbon energy infrastructure, including anaerobic digestion plants, meets the threshold for being a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, the National Policy Statements already define such projects as being of Critical National Priority.

The Government is aware that the expiration of Renewables Obligation accreditation may affect the commercial viability of generators from a range of technologies, including anaerobic digestion plants.

We are continuing to assess the situation to understand the impact that the end of Renewables Obligation support will have on security of supply, clean power 2030, carbon budgets and the environment.

No decisions have been made yet on potential further support.

The Government is aware that the expiration of Renewables Obligation accreditation may affect the commercial viability of generators from a range of technologies, including anaerobic digestion plants.

We are continuing to assess the situation to understand the impact that the end of Renewables Obligation support will have on security of supply, clean power 2030, carbon budgets and the environment.

No decisions have been made yet on potential further support.

Requirement 3 of the Cleve Hill Solar Park Order 2020 made Swale Borough Council responsible for the regulation of the Battery Safety Management Plan. The plan was informed following consultation with the Health and Safety Executive and Kent Fire and Rescue Service. Swale Borough Council will be responsible for providing regulation and oversight of the construction and operation of the development.

Tackling methane emissions is a priority for the department including as part of the Global Methane Pledge's target (to collectively reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030), and under the Climate Change Act. Resource is spread across a number of domestic and international teams in accordance with the priority areas and sectors set out in the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan and Global Methane Pledge.

The UK and Brazil recently co-chaired the first Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Board meeting of 2025. Taking ambitious action on methane remains a key focus for the CCAC and the UK and Brazil are working closely together on this shared objective, including ahead of COP30.

Annex O of the Energy and Emission Projections [1] presents Net Zero consistent scenarios for the power sector, including estimates of the low carbon power sources required to ensure security of supply out to 2050.

[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6464ac150b72d30013344604/annex-o-net-zero-power-sector-scenarios.pdf

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon Friend the Minister for Climate gave on 12 February to the Urgent Question tabled by the hon Member for Edinburgh West (Christine Jardine).

We cannot comment on individual investment cases, but investment into the energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny, and we will continue to work closely with industry to build secure supply chains and ensure the UK remains one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world.

The Clean Energy Partnership, signed by the Energy Secretary, allows UK officials to engage with the equivalent Chinese ministry to share policy best practice and technical knowledge in support of enabling the UK and China’s respective energy transitions, which is key in tackling the climate crisis. It also provides a platform to address any concerns we may have around energy security directly with China.

This partnership is a private document, consistent with the precedent agreed by the previous government and China’s National Energy Administration.

We will always take a consistent, long-term strategic approach to managing relations with China, ensuring that we have the appropriate measures in place to mitigate any risks.

Since 5th July 2024, officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have reported the loss of 78 phones and 6 laptops. No other electronic devices have been reported as lost.

The actual costs of delivering the Seventh Carbon Budget will be determined by the choices that government makes. The costs and funding scenarios set out in the CCC’s Seventh Carbon Budget report are illustrative and do not represent government policy and Government is not bound to accept their recommendations.

In 2022, the Government published the Electricity Networks Strategic Framework which included an estimate of cumulative 2021-2050 load-related total expenditure for net zero of £100-120bn for onshore transmission and £70-90bn for distribution network.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. We will upgrade up to 5 million homes across the country by accelerating the installation of efficient new technologies like heat pumps, solar, batteries and insulation.

Under Requirement 3 of the Cleve Hill Solar Park Order 2020 the matters raised are matters for Swale Borough Council after consulting with the Health and Safety Executive and Kent Fire and Rescue Service. Following an appeal by the developer, on 5 July 2024 the Planning Inspectorate, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, approved the Battery Safety Management Plan after Swale Borough Council had refused an application for its approval.

The issues raised are matters for Swale Borough Council acting in consultation with the Health and Safety Executive and Kent Fire and Rescue Service as set out in Requirement 3 of the Cleve Hill Solar Park Order 2020. Following an appeal by the developer, on 5 July 2024 the Planning Inspectorate, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, approved the Battery Safety Management Plan after Swale Borough Council had refused an application for its approval.

Earlier this year we announced plans to extend the Warm Homes Discount to an extra 2.7 million families, meaning a total of 6 million households will get £150 off their bills next winter. We are taking these short term steps whilst we progress our mission to deliver a clean power system by 2030. This is the way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

Earlier this year we announced plans to extend the Warm Homes Discount to an extra 2.7 million families, meaning a total of 6 million households will get £150 off their bills next winter. We are taking these short term steps whilst we progress our mission to deliver a clean power system by 2030. This is the way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not currently support air-to-air heat pumps, as heat pump installations must provide both space heating and hot water heating, using liquid as a medium for delivering that heat. We want to target support at technologies that offer the greatest potential to decarbonise our buildings.

The Government is committed to incentivising moves to cleaner, more affordable heating, and will keep its position on alternative heating technologies under review and make further assessments as the supporting evidence base develops.

Great British Nuclear (GBN) is driving forward its small modular reactor (SMR) competition for UK deployment. Following a period of detailed negotiation, bidders have now submitted final tenders, which GBN is evaluating. Final decisions will be taken this Spring.

GBN is working to a timeline that enables a robust process underpinned by fairness and transparency, and which can deliver value for the British taxpayer.

I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member’s correspondence about the oil and gas industry in Scotland, reference SL01756/dw. I issued a response to the hon. Member on 23 April.