Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made representations to the Foreign Secretary on the potential for British International Investment to contribute funding to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to be supportive of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility and has reviewed a range of options to support an investment, including the potential of BII to contribute to funding the Facility.
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and his officials have been working closely with their counterparts across government, including in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will impose a duty on the National Energy System Operator to inform hon. Members of connection applications in their constituencies.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Network connection applications are confidential to the parties involved before the point of a contract being signed, but details of generation and storage transmission connection agreements are published in the Transmission Entry Capacity Register TEC Register | National Energy System Operator. The equivalent for Interconnector projects is at Interconnector Register | National Energy System Operator.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled What does the Autumn Budget mean for your energy bills?, published on 27 November 2025, what the cost will be of funding the Renewables Obligation from general taxation.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of the cost of this measure are set out in Table 4.1 of the supporting documents for the Autumn Budget: Supporting documents for Budget 2025 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many visas a) his Department, b) the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, c) the National Energy System Operator and d) the Low Carbon Contracts Company have sponsored since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) consultations and (b) reviews conducted by his Department since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There has been no spend by the communications team at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on promoting (a) consultations and (b) reviews since the department formed in 2023.
It is not possible to distinguish time and resource spent by other staff on (a) consultations and (b) reviews from the wider routine work of a policy-making department. Further data is therefore not held.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Plan for wind developers to pay for skilled job training, published on 23 August 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the measures referred to in that press release on energy prices.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recently consulted on proposals under the Clean Industry Bonus which aim to incentivise developers to provide routes to high-quality employment. The Government will analyse responses and set out its proposed next steps in the response due to be released this winter. An impact assessment will also be published before relevant secondary legislation is laid.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a lessons learned review relating to the decision of Newcleo not to pursue its investment in nuclear reactors in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Newcleo Ltd’s decision to suspend its advanced nuclear activities in the UK was a commercial decision for the company. Government will not be publishing a lessons learned review into this matter.
It was announced in the 2025 Spending Review that the Government would provide a pathway for privately-led advanced nuclear projects, with Great British Energy - Nuclear having a role in assessing proposals, the National Wealth Fund exploring potential investable opportunities and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero exploring revenue support for viable projects. This will be published in a framework document shortly.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact for his policies of Newcleo’s decision not to provide funding for clear reactors in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out at the Spending Review, the Government’s policy is to develop a new framework for privately-led advanced nuclear projects to be published shortly. The framework will have a new role for Great British Energy – Nuclear assessing proposals, with the National Wealth Fund exploring potential investment opportunities and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero exploring revenue support for viable projects.
Newcleo LTD’s decision to suspend its advanced nuclear activities in the UK was a commercial decision for the company.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the causes of Newcleo’s decision not to pursue its investment in nuclear reactors in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is aware that Newcleo Ltd has taken the decision to suspend its activities in the UK. While it is disappointing to see a company scale back UK activities, this is ultimately a commercial decision for the company.