Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the annual running costs of the Solar Taskforce.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no dedicated funding stream for the Solar Taskforce, and external Taskforce members participate without financial reimbursement. As a result, the costs of the Solar Taskforce are negligible.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many of the solar farm applications he has approved since July 2024 include development on high grade agricultural land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All four solar developments consented since July 2024 included some use of agricultural land classified as ‘best and most versatile’ (BMV). Our assessment of the use of this BMV land and its weighting on the planning balance are detailed in the decision letter for each consent decision.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many solar farm applications he has approved since July 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State has granted a development consent order for four solar farm developments since July 2024: Sunnica, Gate Burton, Mallard Pass and Cottam.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he meet with National Grid to discuss the potential cost to the public purse from compensation for loss of property value as a result of proposed pylons installations in South Holland and The Deepings constituency.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
National Grid, as the relevant transmission licence holder, is required to compensate landowners who agree to site electrical infrastructure on their land. This cost is paid for by National Grid, it does not come from government expenditure. As such it would not be appropriate for government to get involved in negotiations about compensation payments awarded to parties affected by specific infrastructure projects.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 impact of the accelerated energy grid decarbonisation target on the UK's reliance on imports from China.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government works closely with industry to maintain a detailed picture of foreign involvement in critical national infrastructure. Foreign involvement in critical national infrastructure undergoes the highest levels of scrutiny, with the government and industry working alongside each other to monitor and mitigate the security risks in the energy sector and its supply chain. A positive trading relationship benefits both the UK and China, and we continue to recognise the importance of trade and investment from China, with whom we will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the total cost to the public purse of curtailment of onshore wind turbines in England was in the last three years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department does not hold this information. A summary of constraint costs is publicly available at https://www.neso.energy/data-portal/constraint-breakdown, and network constraint costs for 2023 were £1.4bn. The National Energy System Operator is responsible for managing constraints, which are a natural part of operating an efficient electricity system. These costs are not funded by the public purse, but instead by suppliers via Balancing Services Use of System charges. As part of Clean Power 2030, the Government is working to develop the necessary grid infrastructure and manage the level of constraints to create a cheaper and secure energy system for Britain.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the cost to the public purse was of the UK delegation's participation in COP29 in Baku.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Rupert Lowe) on 26 November to question UIN 14729.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate he has made of the number of households in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire in fuel poverty.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The latest statistics for the number of households in fuel poverty in 2022 in administrative areas and parliamentary constituencies in England can be found in the published sub-regional fuel poverty statistics, in Tables 2 and 4: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 rural households off the gas supply network with the cost of energy.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring energy bills are affordable for all consumers.
The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. We expect around 3 million households to receive this support this winter.
Although standing charges are a commercial matter for suppliers, and are regulated by Ofgem, we know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on them. The Government has worked constructively with the regulator on the issue of standing charges, and we are committed to lowering the cost of them.
As part of the Warm Homes Plan, we have committed £3.4 billion over the next three years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. This includes £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes, helping over 225,000 households reduce their energy bills by over £200. We will set out the full details of our ambitious Warm Homes Plan next spring.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of how many miles of pylons and power lines will need to be built in England to meet the 2030 clean power target.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not design or develop the electricity network, and it is for the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to assess and recommend high-level reinforcements to the electricity network. Transmission Owners then develop the network on the basis of those recommendations. The NESO recently published advice on possible pathways to achieve clean power by 2030, which includes an assessment of required transmission reinforcements. Using this advice, Government will publish its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan later this year.