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Written Question
Power Stations: Carbon Emissions
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the System Operator favoring high carbon power stations over low carbon options in the balancing mechanism.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Electricity System Operator (ESO) has a licence obligation to operate the system in the most economic and efficient way possible. The main factors that influence operating decisions are cost, system conditions, network constraints, generators’ technical capabilities, and the ESO’s own operational capabilities.

The ESO has an ambition to operate the transmission system with 100% zero carbon for short periods in 2025. It therefore has an extensive programme of work to extend its ability to operate a zero-carbon transmission system across more market and system scenarios.


Written Question
Energy: Private Rented Housing
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many private rented properties have a registered exemption from minimum energy efficiency standards as of 28 February 2024.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

On 28 February 2024, there were a total of 15,222 registered exemptions from the minimum energy efficiency standard regulations for both domestic and non-domestic private rented properties.


Written Question
Carbon Emissions
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of implementing a carbon border adjustment mechanism.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and Chancellor of the Exchequer engage regularly on matters related to business and trade objectives, including supporting businesses to invest, grow and export.

In December 2023 the Government set out its intention to implement a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism by 2027, explaining that further details on its design and delivery will be subject to consultation this year.


Written Question
Energy: Prices
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress her Department has made on the fairness and affordability review on consumer energy bills.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government recognises the challenges posed by cost-of-living pressures, including the impact of energy bills, and is already providing extensive financial support to households which includes a £104 billion package, or £3,700 per household on average, over 2022-2025.

We are continuing to support households with the cost of living past April 2024. In the Autumn Statement the Government announced the biggest increase to the National Living Wage, which will benefit around 2.7 million workers and is worth £1,800 to a full-time worker. We also announced an increase to benefits of 6.7% which is worth around £470.


Written Question
Energy Supply: Radio Frequencies
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and (b) Ofcom on energy networks' access to the radio spectrum in the context of the (i) smart meter rollout and (ii) implementation of a smart energy network.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT Ministers have not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero or Ofcom on either of these topics.

DSIT officials are currently discussing the connectivity needs for future energy networks with officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero working together to analyse the associated use cases and options for the connectivity solutions. The Departments are also working with Ofcom, should additional spectrum be required to support this.


Written Question
Energy Supply: Radio Frequencies
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that energy networks have the radio spectrum access they need to deliver smart energy networks.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Ofcom are carrying out a review of the future communication needs of the utilities (electricity, gas, and water) that is due for publication in Q4 2023-2024. The Department will draw on the recommendations of that report and, if a spectrum solution is recommended, work with the Department for Science Innovation and Technology to assist industry partners in securing the relevant spectrum allocation.


Written Question
Renewable Energy: Archaeological Sites
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of trial trenching requirements on (a) the delivery of new low-carbon generation projects and (b) associated costs for renewable energy developers.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Planning consents will set requirements for pre-construction archaeological surveys where appropriate, and techniques used may include trial trenching. The most appropriate technique is likely to depend on the specific circumstances in each case.


Written Question
Electricity Generation: Contracts
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will publish (a) the estimated cost to the public purse of contracts for difference payments to electricity generators in financial year 2022-23 and (b) the actual (i) cost and (ii) savings to the public purse of contracts for difference payments to electricity generators in financial year 2022-23.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is funded by the Supplier Obligation, a statutory levy on all GB-based licensed electricity suppliers. Typically, we expect these costs to be passed through from suppliers to consumers via electricity bills. The Office for Budget Responsibility publishes outturn and forecast of Environmental Levies, which includes the Contracts for Difference Scheme. In the year 2022-23, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that the outturn cost of the scheme was -£0.1 billion, i.e. a saving to electricity consumers.


Written Question
Electricians: Training
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she is taking steps to help increase the number of skilled electricians able to support the (a) installation and (b) maintenance of low-carbon technologies.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Government will publish the Green Jobs Plan in the first half of 2024. This will outline the actions government and industry will take to ensure we have the skilled workforce at the right time and place, to deliver our net zero, nature, and energy security targets.

We are aware of the need to increase the number of appropriately skilled electricians for installation and maintenance of low carbon technologies. The Green Jobs Delivery Group is utilising workforce assessments to understand the scale of demand in different sectors; actions are being developed to address this demand within the Green Jobs Plan.


Written Question
Renewable Energy: Archaeological Sites
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of different electricity generation technologies on archaeological sites; and whether she has plans to ensure that such factors are taken into account in trial trenching requirements.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Section 5.9 of the Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1) sets out policy relevant to the Secretary of State’s consideration of impacts on the historic environment, including archaeological sites as part of the development consent process for nationally significant energy infrastructure projects. In considering any application for development consent, the Secretary of State considers all relevant matters including policy related to the historic environment.