Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure the effectiveness of funding for renewable energy projects through the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An initial budget of £900 million is available for fixed-bottom offshore wind in Allocation Round 7, which is the largest ever initial budget for OFW. The Government has the ability to view unsuccessful bids and adjust the budget later, if it is good value for consumers. The Government has also confirmed budgets of £180m for floating offshore wind projects, £295 million for established technologies such as solar PV and onshore wind, and £15 million for emerging technologies. We expect the budgets and competitive bidding to drive a value for money outcome for billpayers.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to reduce constraint payments to renewable energy producers.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The majority of the costs of constraints are driven by turning on expensive gas plants to replace curtailed generation. The current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation.
We are already taking action to reduce constraints, with the biggest upgrade to Great Britain’s electricity network in decades, which will also help deliver clean power by 2030.
Upgrading the grid is not a choice, it needs to happen to make sure the grid stays resilient and to get power from where it is generated to where it is needed, so we can connect homes, businesses and industry to generate growth.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Vallance of Balham of 9 December (HL12318), whether the 70 per cent of United Kingdom content applies to only offsite manufactured plant or includes on-site construction costs and materials.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out on 9 December (HL12318), Great British Energy-Nuclear's (GBE-N) ambition is for 70% British built products across the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) fleet. GBE-N’s ambition encompasses both on-site and off-site activity.
While it would not be appropriate to speculate at this time on specific commercial contracts, subject to final government approvals and contract signature with Rolls-Royce SMR, GBE-N will continue to consider how the UK supply chain can support the deployment of SMRs.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many members of (1) the Mineworkers Pension Scheme, and (2) the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, have pensions in payment valued at (a) under £5000 a year, (b) between £5000 and £15,000 a year, (c) between £15,000 and £30,000 a year, (d) between £30,000 and £50,000 a year, and (e) over £50,000 a year.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The information requested is set out in the table below:
Number of members in payment | ||
Annual pension | Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme | British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme |
Under £5,000 | 40,716 | 5,871 |
£5,000 - £15,000 | 49,038 | 11,662 |
£15,000 - £30,000 | 12,869 | 11,858 |
£30,000 - £50,000 | 2,321 | 4,973 |
Over £50,000 | 124 | 2,577 |
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating an emissions trading scheme linkage with the European Union to reduce the costs of achieving net zero.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Linking the UK and EU Emission Trading Schemes (ETSs) is expected to reduce costs for UK businesses by providing a cheaper path to net zero. Access to a larger, more liquid and stable carbon market will provide UK business with greater price certainty which will support investment.
Linking will also deliver a reduction in costs for UK businesses and lower barriers to trade through providing the conditions for an exemption from the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
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 Drax is contractually required to disclose to the Government where the trees used in the pellets it purchases were cut down.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Biomass generators must currently comply with the reporting requirements of the Renewables Obligation and Contract for Difference (CfD). These include reporting sustainability profiling data for biomass which includes the country of purchase of each fuel consignment. From 2027 under the new Low-Carbon Dispatchable CfD, enhanced reporting obligations will require Drax to report the country of origin, including the identification of each processing plant within the supply chain.
Dec. 23 2025
Source Page: Ground mounted solar energy plants: predicted land useDec. 23 2025
Source Page: Pension boost for mineworkers lands before ChristmasAsked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of an increase in energy costs on businesses in North Yorkshire.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not made such an assessment specific to North Yorkshire. While the Government is tackling energy costs at every avenue, to drive growth, we also understand that some UK industries are struggling with the cost of energy.
The Government has a variety of schemes, already in place or due to be launched soon, that either directly support businesses by reducing energy costs or support them to reduce costs by making energy efficiencies and decarbonising.
Schemes that directly reduce energy costs include the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which will reduce electricity prices by up to 25% for eligible businesses in electricity intensive manufacturing sectors in the Industrial Strategy and foundational sectors in their supply chain, and the British Industry Supercharger, which includes a series of targeted measures to bring down electricity policy costs for businesses in key energy intensive industries.
The Government is also providing funding to improve the UK Business Climate Hub (UKBCH), an online resource which will support SMEs to identify and implement changes to their energy use, resulting in decarbonisation and energy bill savings. Funding is also being provided to support a Zero Carbon Services Hospitality trial, which will deliver a trial of online tools and services to support SMEs in hospitality across England to decarbonise and reduce their energy demand.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on household energy bills of the £28 billion electricity and gas infrastructure investment approved by Ofgem over the next five years.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, the regulator, sets funding and investment allowances for gas and electricity transmission and gas distribution networks through its price control process. As confirmed in their Final Determinations for RIIO-3, covering 2026-2031, there will be an estimated net increase in bills by 2031 of around £30 a year, or less than £3 per month, though these are costs expected to decline further over time. This investment is essential to maintain a safe, reliable network, that provides energy security, whilst we move to a cleaner, and ultimately more affordable, energy system.