Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an assessment of the (a) role and (b) limitations of carbon capture and storage in supporting broader efforts to decarbonise the construction sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Industrial carbon capture and storage use will play a crucial role in deep decarbonisation of heavy industries that would otherwise have no alternative to decarbonise, including in the construction sector. CCUS is the only viable solution for addressing process emissions, such as from cement production.
The Hanson Padeswood Cement Works and Buxton Lime Net Zero projects were selected as two of the eight projects to move to negotiations as part of our Track-1 Project Negotiation List.
The Department for Business and Trade is working with the construction sector through the Construction Leadership Council, with a key priority being net zero and biodiversity, to support decarbonisation in the sector.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to improve public awareness of the Priority Services Register.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There is regulation in place to promote awareness of the Priority Services Register (PSR). For example, condition 26 of Ofgem’s gas and electricity supply licence requires suppliers to take all reasonable steps to promote the existence of the PSR and identify consumers who are eligible for the PSR. Furthermore, Government supports the provision of information to consumers through Citizens Advice, who have a statutory duty to provide energy advice to consumers.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
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 policy paper entitled Biomass Strategy 2023, published on 10 August 2023, when she plans to publish the updated UK and Global Bioenergy Resource Model.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is currently commissioning an independent peer review of the model, and following this, the Government plans to publish the model as soon as practicable.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to lay before Parliament an updated Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, published in March, sets out the proposals and policies that enable carbon budgets 4, 5 and 6 to be met.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State keeps under review the UK's progress towards net zero. The Government has exceeded every carbon budget to date and is confident in its ability to meet its targets and net zero by 2050.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answers of 11 September 2023 to Question 197707 on Energy and Heating: Buildings and of 4 September to Question 194693 on Environment Protection: Industry, for what reasons there have been changes in the levels of funding for energy efficiency and clean heat in buildings since the Spending Review.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has committed an additional £6 billion of funding for energy efficiency and clean heat from 2025 to 2028. This provides long-term funding certainty, supports the growth of supply chains, and ensures delivery can scale up over time.
Where there have been insufficient bids for funding allocated to current schemes, the remaining amounts have been reallocated to support wider energy security policy.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate her Department has made of the relative levels of methane emissions associated with (a) domestically produced and (b) imported gas.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government does not hold this data. North Sea Transition Authority analysis shows that domestically produced gas releases around one quarter the carbon dioxide during the process of extraction, treatment and transportation, when compared to imported liquefied natural gas.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's press release of 3 July 2023 entitled Tighter limit on industrial, power and aviation emissions, as the UK leads the way to net zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the number of Emissions Trading Scheme allowances available to the market on (a) the carbon price, (b) likelihood of meeting de-carbonisation targets and (c) future trade with the EU.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In July the Government published reforms to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to ensure it supports the delivery of net zero by 2050. These include a 30% reduction of the UK ETS cap, limiting the volume of greenhouse gases covered sectors can emit. As part of the UK ETS Authority, it is not appropriate for the Government to comment on UK ETS prices.
Maintaining international competitiveness for UK businesses is a key objective of the UK ETS and the impacts of UK ETS policy on trade with the EU are monitored closely.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's press release of 3 July 2023 entitled Tighter limit on industrial, power and aviation emissions, as UK leads the way to net zero, what advice her Department (a) sought and (b) received on (i) the UK Emissions Trading Scheme cap and (ii) allowances available to the market from relevant stakeholders prior to that announcement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK ETS Authority stated its intention to align the cap with net zero at scheme launch in 2021, and has consulted extensively since. The “Developing the UK ETS” consultation in 2022 included a range of trajectories for a cap consistent with the UK's climate targets. It received over 114 responses from market participants and relevant stakeholders, and also sought the Climate Change Committee's advice, who published their views within their 2022 Progress Report.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what research her Department has (a) conducted or (b) commissioned into methods for quantifying methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department commissioned a research project[1] to improve the completeness and accuracy of greenhouse gas emissions estimates, including methane, from key processes associated with the exploration and production of oil and gas in the UK. The project concluded in 2022 and resulted in significant improvements to the UK’s estimates of these emissions which are now reflected in the UK’s annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory[2].
[1] https://naei.beis.gov.uk/reports/reports?report_id=1115
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much was spent from the public purse on (a) energy efficiency and (b) clean heat in buildings in (i) 2021-22 and (ii) 2022-23; and what funding has been allocated for (A) energy efficiency and (B) clean heat in buildings in (1) 2023-24 and (2) 2024-25.
Answered by Graham Stuart
£1.366 billion was spent on energy efficiency and clean heat in buildings in 2021-22. Figures for 2022-23 have not yet been finalised.
£1.247 billion has been allocated in 2023/24 and £1.469 billion for 2024/25 for energy efficiency and clean heat in buildings.