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 support other combined authorities and local councils to replicate the Liverpool City Region’s programme to decarbonise public buildings.

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

The Government recognises the essential role that local government, including combined authorities and local councils, play in accelerating to net zero. Support for local government includes funding to deliver net zero through their core settlement, grant funding schemes and strengthened collaboration such as through the Local Net Zero Delivery Group.

Over the period 2025-2028 more than £190 million in public sector decarbonisation funding is being invested in local authorities through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. Over the same period £67.6 million is being invested on decarbonisation of public buildings through the Integrated Settlements with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester Combined Authorities.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the carbon savings achieved by connecting buildings to district heating networks, such as the Mersey Heat network in Liverpool.

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

The Government's assessment of carbon emission savings associated with various policies is set out in its Carbon Budget Growth and Delivery Plan, most recently published in October 2025.

The policies specifically associated with heat networks are estimated to save 3.02 MtCO2e per annum on average over Carbon Budget 6, which is the 5-year period from 2033 to 2037.

Heat networks will also be expected to contribute to emissions savings from other policies aimed at decarbonising heat and buildings.

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 the Clean Industry Bonus on driving private investment in British manufacturing including in coastal and industrial communities.

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

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for devolved Administrations and Scottish local authorities for low-carbon retrofit programmes.

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

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) provided grant funding to public sector organisations in England, and to bodies with reserved functions operating in the devolved administrations, to install heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures in public sector buildings. The scheme is closed to new applications with no further phases planned.

We encourage public sector bodies operating in the devolved administrations to check the respective devolved government websites for information on the support available to them.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Scottish stakeholders regarding the Joint Declaration of Intent on the development of an interconnected offshore renewable energy grid.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

In preparation for the North Sea Summit, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero engaged with the UK energy industry, including Scottish companies, on the development of agreements and deliverables. Scottish Power and SSE were amongst the UK companies that attended the Summit in Hamburg on 26 January, where the Joint Declaration was signed.

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 impact of the requirement for offshore wind firms to sign the Fair Work Charter on (a) trends in the level of private investment and (b) creating skilled secure jobs in Scotland’s coastal communities.

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

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

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 requirement for offshore wind firms to sign the Fair Work Charter on trade union recognition and collective bargaining in the sector.

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

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what rights and workplace standards will offshore wind workers receive under the Fair Work Charter.

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

The Clean Industry Bonus will ensure public funding supports high quality jobs in offshore wind by requiring firms to sign a Fair Work Charter. The Fair Work Charter commits signatories to early implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025, supporting access to trade unions across the sector. Additionally, it will commit signatories to strive for best practice health and safety at work.

The associated Impact Assessment highlights that the overall impact of changes to the Clean Industry Bonus are expected to be positive.

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 that the new skills funding pot required by 2027 will effectively (a) train and (b) transition oil and gas workers to careers in offshore renewables.

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

The skills investment fund will allow for a collaborative approach to skills development in offshore wind, enabling interventions that target industry-level challenges. The Government will work with the offshore wind industry and Devolved Governments in 2026 to implement the fund in 2027.

The Department is delivering a suite of measures to deliver a fair and prosperous transition for the oil and gas workforce. This includes up to £20 million from the UK and Scottish Governments to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, which funds retraining to support their transition, as well as a new North Sea Jobs Service to provide end-to-end transition support.

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 planning to take to (a) monitor and (b) enforce compliance with the Fair Work Charter among offshore wind developers participating in Contracts for Difference auctions.

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

Signing the fair work charter will be a condition of Clean Industry Bonus eligibility at the point of application. Enforcement during the delivery phase will be set out in the Charter’s governance chapter, which will be published later this month. It will set out the dispute resolution process agreed by industry and trade union representatives.

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 that Scotland is supported through the commitments made in the Hamburg Declaration and its associated Action Plan.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State signed a clean energy security agreement, the Hamburg Declaration, with European energy ministers at the North Sea Summit to progress build out of renewable energy in the North Sea and incentivise further investment.

Scotland is at the very heart of our Clean Energy Superpower mission. And in preparation for the North Sea Summit, the Department has engaged with UK industry, including Scottish companies, who have also attended the Summit. Officials regularly engage with and involve the Scottish Government in all relevant work related to the Hamburg Declaration and associated documents.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timetable is for the implementation of the cross-border wind energy projects agreed under Annex B of the Hamburg Declaration.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Hamburg Declaration sets a collective ambition of 100 GW of offshore wind cooperation projects by 2050. Future GB co-ordinated projects will be guided by domestic strategic energy planning conducted by our National Energy System Operator (NESO), which is due to be consulted on in Q1 2027.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what funding mechanisms will be utilised to support cross-border offshore renewable energy projects between the UK and neighbouring North Sea countries.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government and Ofgem are developing a future approach to interconnection including offshore hybrid assets, and expect to publish further details in the spring. This will include consideration of delivery and finance models.

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 improve the physical and cyber security of the UK’s offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department works closely with the energy industry, NESO, regulators and National Technical Authorities to strengthen the physical and cyber resilience of offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

Recognising the risks to subsea and offshore assets, including vulnerabilities from accidental, negligent or intentional disruption, the Department is focused on proportionate measures to reduce opportunities for interference; with physical protection a key area of emphasis, reinforced by strengthened monitoring, detection and restoration arrangements.

Government has set robust regulatory standards for cyber security through the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018, with the forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill set to enhance and modernise these protections. This includes working with regulators to ensure these regulations cover critical operators as the sector evolves towards Net Zero targets.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take with European partners to ensure the UK supply chain can maximise opportunities from the Joint Offshore Wind Investment Pact.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State signed a clean energy security agreement, the Hamburg Declaration, with European energy ministers at the North Sea Summit to progress build out of renewable energy in the North Sea and incentivise further investment. This includes an Action Plan, published on Gov.uk, which sets out concrete steps and timelines over the next months and years for both governments and industry to take in order to achieve the objectives agreed.

Working with our European neighbours and industry to develop joint offshore wind will enable us to maximise the clean energy potential for the North Sea, drive investment and job creation, and ensure energy security and resilience.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment has been made of the impact of the Hamburg Declaration on the UK’s targets for offshore wind capacity in the North Seas.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Hamburg Declaration sets a collective ambition of 100 GW of offshore wind cooperation projects by 2050. This builds on the UK’s own ambitious Clean Power target where we aim to deploy 43-50GW of offshore wind by 2030 and accelerate to net zero.

Further delivery targets will flow from strategic planning work such as NESO's Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, due to be consulted on in Q1 2027.

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 expand hydrogen storage and transport facilities in the North Sea region following the 3rd North Sea Summit.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government is designing the Hydrogen Transport and Storage Business Models to establish the UK’s first regional hydrogen network to be in operation from 2031. To enable delivery, government has confirmed over £500m of support for hydrogen infrastructure following the June 2025 Spending Review The location of this network will be carefully chosen to maximise the benefits to UK industrial sectors and create a pathway for hydrogen as a clean power source.

We recognise that offshore technologies have the potential to provide large-scale hydrogen storage and will continue to assess how different storage technologies may meet our strategic objectives.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how the commitments to workforce training in the Hamburg Declaration will be implemented to ensure a skilled workforce for Scotland's offshore renewables sector.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In the Hamburg Declaration, the North Sea countries have committed to deepen collaboration on enhanced availability of skilled workers, knowledge and expertise transfer, and upskilling.

Although skills is devolved to the Scottish Government, the UK Government is investing in programmes to support those workers transitioning from oil and gas into renewables.

As set out in the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, up to £20m in joint UK and Scottish Government funding is being provided to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, supporting North Sea workers to retrain into renewable roles. This builds on the successful pilot launched in July 2025 in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

The Government is also supporting the expansion of the industry-led Energy Skills Passport and introducing a North Sea Jobs Service.

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 accelerate planning and permitting processes for offshore wind developments in Scotland.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Scottish consenting reforms taken forward by the Planning and Infrastructure Act will make the electricity infrastructure consenting system more efficient, more predictable, and look to reduce overall consenting timescales. The Government also aims to adopt reforms to environmental legislation for offshore wind in Spring 2026. Collectively these measures will enable the rapid deployment of clean power which is vital for our energy security. Ultimately planning decisions in Scotland are the responsibility of the Scottish Government.