Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77318 on Batteries: Storage, for what reason he does not plan to make fire services statutory consultees on planning applications involving battery energy storage sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Planning Practice Guidance strongly recommends that battery developers engage with fire services ahead of the submission of their planning application. However, further to dialogue with the National Fire Chiefs Council, government is of the view that making fire services statutory consultees would risk creating disproportionate administrative burdens for the fire services.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what economic analysis his Department has conducted on the potential impact of non-price factors in decisions on whether sub-100MW bioenergy power stations currently supported by Renewable Obligation Certificates will receive transitional support from 2027.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Small scale biomass generators have received many years of subsidy support under the Renewables Obligation scheme. These assets begin to roll off the scheme from 2027. Any assessment of further support must fully take into account value for money (including consumer bill impacts), electricity system and broader considerations – such as environmental impacts, which are a matter for Defra.
Biomass electricity generation is often more expensive than alternatives and reducing energy bills is a priority for this Government.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 trends in the level of fuel poverty in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The latest sub-regional fuel poverty statistics, published in April 2025, provide data for 2023. In the Ely and East Cambridge constituency, it is estimated that 4,487 households were in fuel poverty in 2023, equating to 9.6% of all households in the area.
As these sub-regional fuel poverty statistics are modelled estimates, we advise against making comparisons over time.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East 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 tackle fuel poverty in rural areas.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tackling fuel poverty is a priority for this Government. We are committed to publishing a new Fuel Poverty strategy for England, which will ensure that many more fuel poor households achieve affordable warmth by 2030, alongside the Warm Homes Plan.
We are currently supporting rural and off gas grid homes through schemes including the Homes: Local Grant, which is aimed at low income and vulnerable consumers.
Support is also available through the Warm Home Discount which has been expanded for this winter, – increasing the total number of households that will receive the discount from 3.2 million to around 6 million.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to introduce a social tariff for energy.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I know that more needs to be done to support vulnerable households that are struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power.
The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off winter energy bills for eligible low-income households. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from next winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs.
On 25 September we published a consultation setting out our intention to continue support for those 6 million households. The consultation sets out proposals for the next scheme period (up to winter 2030/31), after current regulations expire on 31 March 2026. Government is gathering feedback from stakeholders on the design of the core elements of the scheme, options for delivery of the scheme in Scotland, proposals to change some elements of the scheme for suppliers, a call for evidence on Industry Initiatives, and a call for suggestions for future improvements during the next scheme period. The consultation closes on Thursday 20 November.
In the interim, I appreciate that one of the biggest practical barriers to providing help to households that need it, is the availability of the right data to target financial support and advice. The Department for Net Zero and Energy Security is working closely with other Government Departments to unlock the data that will enable us to target support more effectively to those who need help with their energy bills.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support he plans to provide to households in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency with energy bills in winter 2025-26.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.
We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we delivered the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households last winter. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from this winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bills.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East 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 help reduce regional inequalities in energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy prices vary regionally due to differences in the costs of local electricity and gas distribution networks, which are influenced by factors like population density and infrastructure maintenance. The energy price cap accounts for these differences in regional network costs by adjusting unit rates and standing charges.
The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. The Government is committed to reducing consumer bills and bearing down on the standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 decoupling electricity prices from wholesale gas prices on household energy bills.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As unabated gas generation is displaced and transitions to a reserve role, wholesale electricity prices will increasingly decouple from the price of gas. Accelerating the deployment of renewable generation, as we are through our Clean Power 2030 Mission, will reduce the frequency with which gas sets the marginal price, helping to rapidly decouple electricity from gas prices without the need for more complex arrangements. This will in turn reduce consumer exposure to volatile international gas prices.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to make (a) local fire services and (b) the Environment Agency statutory consultees for battery energy storage sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This government takes fire safety extremely seriously. In GB, fires at battery sites are rare and are mitigated by a regulatory framework overseen by the Health and Safety Executive. The latest available 5-year annual average fire incidence rate for GB batteries is 0.7% (2020/21 to 2024 to 2025), lower than for wider non-domestic building fires in England at 0.8% (2019/20 to 2023/24).
We do not intend to make fire authorities or the Environment Agency statutory consultees on planning applications involving Battery Energy Storage Solutions (BESS). However, DEFRA is currently consulting on the principle of including batteries under the scope of the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR). EPR requires sites to demonstrate to the Environment Agency that harms are avoided or controlled and would provide for ongoing regulatory inspections.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
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 adequacy of safety regulations for battery energy storage sites.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In GB, battery fires are rare and are mitigated by a robust framework overseen by the Health and Safety Executive, requiring responsible parties to ensure safety throughout a battery’s deployment. The latest available 5-year annual average fire incidence rate for GB batteries is 0.7% (2020/21 to 2024 to 2025)1, lower than for wider non-domestic building fires in England at 0.8% (2019/20 to 2023/24).2
To complement this regulation, DEFRA is consulting on including batteries within the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR). EPR requires sites to demonstrate to the Environment Agency that harms are avoided or controlled and provides for ongoing regulatory inspections.
[1] https://modoenergy.com/indices/industry-metrics?r=gb&m=operationalSites
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-statistics-monitor