Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of natural hydrogen to the UK's energy supply.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK aims to support multiple production routes in order to meet the Government's ambition to have up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.
The Government is not aware of evidence to suggest natural hydrogen will make a significant contribution to the UK’s hydrogen production ambitions. However, the Government welcomes efforts from other countries that support the production and use of low carbon hydrogen and is working with international partners on issues including natural hydrogen.
Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department provides for the development of British based nuclear (a) small and (b) advanced modular reactors.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has committed up to £385m to an Advanced Nuclear Fund. Of this, £210m has been awarded to support development of the Rolls Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design, potentially capable of deployment in the UK in the early 2030s. The Rolls-Royce SMR entered the Generic Design Assessment process in March becoming the first SMR to begin UK nuclear regulation. The Advanced Nuclear Fund also supports AMRs. Phase B of the open AMR R&D competition launched in December 2022 to provide up to £55 million to fund up to two different projects to develop detailed FEED+ studies.
Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) his Department and (b) Ofgem were consulted before the advice was issued by the National Leadership Magistrate to magistrates regarding warrants to force fit prepayment meters.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The decision to suspend the fitting of prepayment meter warrants was made by the senior presiding judge for England and Wales, who is a member of the judiciary and acts independently from Government.
The Department and Ofgem have had discussions about prepayment meter warrants with the Ministry of Justice and will continue to do so.