James Naish

The UK government does not own the oil and gas infrastructure in the North Sea and does not dictate where the commodities are sold or the price. Oil and gas are traded on international markets, therefore domestically produced oil and gas does not mean cheaper prices.

The UK's diverse gas supplies allow exports to continental Europe while meeting domestic demand. This enables reciprocal imports when needed, supporting European allies in reducing dependence on Russian gas and undermining Putin's influence.

As long as consumers remain exposed to international energy markets through dependency on oil and gas, wherever it is produced, they will be vulnerable to shocks impacting energy costs which drove the cost-of-living crisis.

The Government welcomes this paper as a strong example of regional leadership in the energy space and the commitment of the Midlands Engine Partnership to look to align its actions with Great British energy’s priorities and functions. The Midlands is a crucial region to the UK’s clean energy transition and the paper identifies many important issues that need to be addressed, including grid connections and reform of the planning system, where we set out our approach in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

The Government is supporting rapid development of the nuclear fission and fusion energy sectors.

For fusion this includes investing in cutting edge research capabilities and facilities, and implementing a proportionate regulatory framework to cement the UK as a global hub for fusion investment and commercialisation. This includes the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) prototype fusion energy power plant which aims to prove the viability of commercial fusion and catalyse fusion sector development.

We are determined to work with these sectors to ensure they continue to be economic engines for communities across our country, including the Midlands, and the Government is grateful for the excellent work Midlands Engine has done to highlight the opportunities in these areas.

The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply market does not use a fixed network so there is no natural monopoly as seen for gas and electricity.

The supply of domestic LPG is subject to competition law and consumer protection through a regulatory scheme under the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). More details, including a consumer guide to the operation of that regime, can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/liquefied-petroleum-gas-lpg-market-orders-and-calculator.

High Temperature Superconducting magnets will not only be critical for fusion energy machines such as STEP, but have potential to revolutionise aviation, trains, marine propulsion, medical scanners, wind turbines, materials processing, big science facilities, and more. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and the private sector, to support the establishment and growth of the UK’s HTS magnet capabilities, to capture the benefits of this growing market, and ultimately enable the delivery of commercially viable fusion energy.

On 16 January 2025, the Government announced a record £410m for fusion R&D to fund world leading new facilities and provide support for the UK’s thriving industry and skill provision across the UK.

The Government is supporting rapid development of the fusion energy sector, investing in cutting edge research capabilities and facilities, and implementing a proportionate regulatory framework to cement the UK as a global hub for fusion investment and commercialisation. This includes the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) prototype fusion energy power plant which aims to prove the viability of commercial fusion and catalyse fusion sector development.

Geoengineering can be considered to include both greenhouse gas removal technologies (GGRs) and solar radiation modification (SRM). GGRs are important for achieving Net Zero. Government is developing GGR Business Models to incentivise private investment in large-scale projects, and funds small-scale demonstrator projects [1] All projects are subject to relevant Environment Agency and local government regulations. The Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so however it funds modelling research to understand the potential impacts of SRM deployment. Currently there are no UK or international laws specifically governing SRM, but numerous relevant legal frameworks and principles exist [2]

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-air-capture-and-greenhouse-gas-removal-innovation-programme-selected-projects

[2] https://co-create-project.eu/publication/scoping-note-on-applicable-legal-frameworks/

The Government will shortly consult on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation will include proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We will consult on introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector in due course.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive within a robust framework which requires battery designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures to ensure health and safety through all stages of the system’s deployment.

Government has updated planning practice guidance to encourage BESS developers to engage with local fire services and for local planning authorities to refer to guidance published by the National Fire Chiefs Council.

Government has considered the merits of taking further steps, and in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan committed that Defra will consult by June 2025 on including BESS within the Environmental Permitting Regulations.

The Department is considering the role of local energy planning including how it might interact with new initiatives such as Great British Energy Local Power Plan and Ofgem’s Regional Energy Strategic Plan, which Ofgem are consulting on.

The strategic network planning processes led by the Government’s new National Energy System Operator ensures community impact is considered when recommendations for new transmission infrastructure are made and that new infrastructure locations are considered strategically and sensitively. Where such infrastructure is needed, developers seek to reduce impacts through its design.

It is also important to this Government that, where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should directly benefit from it, and we are considering how to most effectively deliver this. This includes developing guidance on community benefits for electricity transmission network infrastructure, which we will publish in due course.

Prepayment meter households can be eligible for a range of tariffs, depending on their circumstances. To take advantage of charging an electric vehicle at off-peak rates a smart prepayment meter, or other meter that works on a time of use basis, is required and can be fitted free of charge.

We are considering the role of a UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Certification Scheme in achieving clean power by 2030. Further detail on the Government's approach will be announced in due course.

The power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar was previously assessed for protection as a Listed Building in 2017 but deemed not to possess the requisite special architectural or historic interest. A new listing application is currently being assessed by Historic England, which administers the listing process on the Secretary of State’s behalf. The application will be determined by DCMS in line with the Secretary of State’s Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings.

Through the government’s Plan for Change and the Industrial Strategy, we are taking a strategic approach to addressing current and future skills gaps in our domestic workforce.

The government continues to ensure the skills system is responsive to employer needs and offers more flexibility. Through the formation of Skills England, the new Growth and Skills Levy, as well as qualifications reform and the Curriculum and Assessment Review, employers will be better supported to recruit and train the domestic workforce with the skills they need. The department will set out our long term vision for the skills system in a forthcoming post-16 education and skills white paper.

British National (Overseas) visa holders are able to take an apprenticeship, so long as they have been resident in the UK for three years and can complete the apprenticeship, including the end-point assessment, within the time remaining on their visa. They can also access training through the Adult Skills Fund, as long as they have been resident in the UK for three years. Eligible, highly qualified teachers who trained to teach in Hong Kong can apply for professional recognition through our digital service.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Overall schools funding is increasing by £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year and will total over £64.8 billion, compared to almost £61.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.

Local authorities are required by regulations to identify for each of their mainstream schools an amount, sometimes referred to as a notional budget, within their overall budget, which helps the school understand what might be required to meet the additional cost of supporting pupils with special educational needs, up to £6,000 per pupil per annum. Local authorities, working with their schools, calculate this amount using proportions of their local formula factor values in accordance with regulations. Most authorities use a combination of funding from the basic entitlement factor, the deprivation factors, and the low prior attainment factors in their local formula.

Local authorities also support schools with SEND support costs in excess of that £6,000 threshold, by allocating funds directly from their high needs budgets.

The department recognises that some pupils find it harder than others to attend school. It is therefore very important that schools and partners work closely with pupils and parents to remove any barriers to attendance by building strong and trusting relationships and working together to put the right support in place.

If a child of compulsory school age is still unable to access a mainstream or special school place, the local authority, under section 19 of the Children's Act 1996, has a duty to arrange alternative suitable and, typically, full-time education for the child.

Placements into alternative provision (AP) should focus on enabling the child to overcome any barriers to learning they may have and to assist them back into mainstream education. All placements should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are meeting these objectives.

Departmental guidance states that a child’s family should always be consulted before AP is arranged. This is because we know that families have an important role to play throughout the planning and commissioning of a child’s placement, as they can provide necessary information about the child and their needs. This guidance, last updated in January 2025, is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

When a local authority decides to make an ‘education otherwise than at school’ arrangement for a child or young person with an education, health and care plan, it funds this through its high needs budget. Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Of that total, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £10.8 million on their 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula.

A joint local area SEND inspection of Nottinghamshire was undertaken by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January 2023 under the new Area SEND Inspection framework. Ofsted/CQC found widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND which the local area partnership (LAP) must address urgently. The local area submitted a Priority Action Plan to Ofsted/CQC, to address two identified areas for priority action, which was approved 14 July 2023.

Following the inspection outcome, the department has worked closely with its partners in NHS England to monitor, support and challenge the LAP in making the necessary improvements.

The department has also commissioned the Research and Improvement for SEND Excellence partnership consortium, led by the Council for Disabled Children, to support the local area to develop their SEND strategy.

Nottinghamshire LAP is also receiving additional support from a specialist SEND advisor, and the department will continue to work with the local area and relevant stakeholders to support them in improving SEND services and provision.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

When a local authority decides to make an ‘education otherwise than at school’ arrangement for a child or young person with an education, health and care plan, it funds this through its high needs budget. Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Of that total, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £10.8 million on their 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula.

A joint local area SEND inspection of Nottinghamshire was undertaken by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January 2023 under the new Area SEND Inspection framework. Ofsted/CQC found widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND which the local area partnership (LAP) must address urgently. The local area submitted a Priority Action Plan to Ofsted/CQC, to address two identified areas for priority action, which was approved 14 July 2023.

Following the inspection outcome, the department has worked closely with its partners in NHS England to monitor, support and challenge the LAP in making the necessary improvements.

The department has also commissioned the Research and Improvement for SEND Excellence partnership consortium, led by the Council for Disabled Children, to support the local area to develop their SEND strategy.

Nottinghamshire LAP is also receiving additional support from a specialist SEND advisor, and the department will continue to work with the local area and relevant stakeholders to support them in improving SEND services and provision.

From September 2025, the government will expand government-funded childcare so eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of funded childcare per week, over 38 weeks of the year, from the term after their child turns nine months old to when they start school. Accessible and high-quality early education and childcare is a crucial part of giving every child the best start in life, boosting children’s life chances and giving parents work choices.

Students who work in addition to their studies and earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at National Minimum Wage, equivalent to £195 per week or £10,158 per year in 2025/26, and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year, may be eligible for this offer. If they are unable to meet this threshold, they will remain eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education, which is available to all three and four-year-olds regardless of family circumstances.

The government recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in further or higher education to support them with childcare. Support available to full-time students with dependent children includes the Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance. Entitlement to these grants is based on a student’s household income. Healthcare students may also be entitled to the NHS Learning Support Fund. Information on eligibility and how to apply can be found at: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf.

Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.