Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the report by the North Sea Transition Authority Reserves and Resources as at end 2024 published 17 October, whether they plan to review their policy not to issue any new drilling licences.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has committed not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields. In the ‘Building the North Sea’s Energy Future’ consultation, it sought views on how to implement that commitment.
The Government is considering evidence from a wide range of sources as part of that process, including the latest evidence from the North Sea Transition Authority.
The Government will issue a response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the cost of subsidies for the installation of heat pumps in the UK in the financial year 2024–25.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Between April 2024 – March 2025, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme paid out 25,144 vouchers for heat pumps (air source and ground source), to the cost of ~£189 million.
Other schemes delivered by the department such as the Home Upgrade Grant and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, do not provide a breakdown of funding costs specific to heat pump subsidies alone, as these schemes support a range of retrofit energy efficiency measures. The Government does publish data showing the average contribution costs for measures under these schemes, including for heat pumps.
This data is available at: Heat pump deployment statistics: June 2025, Home Upgrade Grant statistics: August 2025 and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund statistics: September 2025
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the cost of oil and gas imports for the financial year 2024–25.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The value for crude oil imports into the UK in 2024 was £22,745 million, and the value for natural gas imports in 2024 was £13,615 million. These are on a calendar year basis and financial years are not available. These data are sourced from Table 1.2 of the Department's Digest of UK Energy Statistics which are published annually and available via the internet.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are reviewing the policy of not allowing companies to drill for oil and gas in the North Sea.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has committed to not issue new licences to explore new fields while managing existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan.
Our ‘Building the North Sea’s energy future’ consultation, which closed earlier this year, sought views on how we should implement these commitments. We are analysing responses to the consultation and will issue a response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they plan to dispose of the plutonium stockpile at Sellafield.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The Government took the decision to immobilise the UK’s civil separated plutonium inventory based on strategic, economic, technical and safety and security considerations. Immobilisation will put the material into a form which both reduces the long-term safety and security burden during storage and ensures it is suitable for disposal in a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). Implementing a long-term solution for plutonium is essential to dealing with the UK’s nuclear legacy and leaving the environment safer for future generations. Furthermore, all current and planned UK reactors use uranium-based fuels.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with advanced modular reactor developer Newcleo, who previously stated their intention to use UK plutonium in their technology.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
DESNZ has engaged with several nuclear companies seeking to invest in the UK, including having discussions with Newcleo on their ambitions to deploy their nuclear reactor technology in the UK. The department is currently reviewing Newcleo’s application to enter the Generic Design Assessment regulatory process.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how a decision about the plutonium stockpile at Sellafield was made; and what work has been done to establish the potential of technology that could produce mixed oxide fuel from plutonium.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The Government decided to immobilise the UK’s civil separated plutonium inventory based on analysis of strategic, economic, technical and safety and security considerations. This included both immobilisation and re-use in mixed oxide (MOX) fuel options. No UK reactor projects use plutonium-based fuel and the UK’s MOX fuel plant closed in 2011.
Immobilisation will deliver the Government’s objective to put this material into a safer and more stable form for long-term storage and ensure it is suitable for disposal in a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any assessment has been made of the impact of the plutonium stockpile at Sellafield on the long-term national interest by anyone other than the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; and if so, who.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The decision to immobilise the UK’s civil separated plutonium inventory was taken by the Government, based on consideration of strategic, technical, economic and safety and security factors. A substantial component of this analysis was delivered by NDA, and the Government also engaged with international partners and relevant experts in a range of organisations.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to pursue nuclear power if they permanently immobilise and entomb underground the stockpile of plutonium at Sellafield.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
All current and planned UK reactors use uranium fuels. Through the Nuclear Fuel Fund the Government has invested over £35m to develop new domestic uranium fuel production capabilities to ensure security of supply for the UK and our international partners. The Government is further investing up to £300m to establish a high assay low enriched uranium supply chain in the UK to support advanced nuclear technologies in the UK and overseas.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in the domestic heating market with the use of blends of hydrogen up to 20 per cent by volume in Great Britain's gas network.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
The Government remains committed to examining the case for hydrogen heating and is reviewing plans. This work aims to gather evidence on the feasibility, costs and benefits of hydrogen heating that can inform decisions on its potential role.