Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of the changes announced in the Prime Minister's speech on Net Zero on 20 September 2023 on carbon emissions in (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2050.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State keeps under review the UK's progress towards net zero and its interim carbon budgets and will take further action, if needed, to ensure that there are sufficient proposals and policies in place to meet her legal duties.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Climate Change Committee was asked to comment on the risk tables created to support the delivery of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Climate Change Committee was not asked to comment on the risk tables.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will publish the risk tables which set out the estimated level of risk for each policy and proposal in the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan laid before Parliament on 29 March 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department does not intend to publish the risk tables, which were internal documents created to support the development of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, published in March this year.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on potential impact of the delivery of the NeuConnect electricity interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Wilhelmshaven, Germany on supply chain job creation in the next five years.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Secretary of State regularly meets with Cabinet colleagues to discuss major updates and developments in the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, including progress made towards our electricity interconnection and energy security ambitions.
A cost-benefit analysis of the NeuConnect electricity interconnector shows that the project is set to create over £1.7bn in UK consumer benefits over 25 years and support up to 500 jobs across the UK and Germany during construction, including in the supply chain sector. Developers of the project have also committed to employing local contractors whenever possible.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of hours staff in (a) his Department and (b) predecessor departments have spent working on contracts associated with the NeuConnect electricity interconnector between the UK and Germany.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not work directly on contracts for developing interconnectors. Ofgem is responsible for operating the cap and floor regime and licensing arrangements. Due to changes in staff over the length of this engagement, it is not possible to quantify the time my ministry and its predecessor has spent overseeing the work on NeuConnect.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what funding (a) his Department and (b) predecessor departments have provided to the NeuConnect project for an electricity interconnector between the UK and Germany.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not provide direct funding for interconnectors. Electricity interconnectors can be supported by a cap and floor regime regulated by Ofgem which provides developers with a minimum return and a limit on potential earnings.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
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 adequacy of the licensing agreement between the Crown Estate and the developers of the NeuConnect electricity interconnector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The final licencing decision, including determining the terms of the licence, sits with The Crown Estate. The Secretary of State does not assess the adequacy of the licensing agreement.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the National Grid on the NeuConnect project for an electricity interconnector between the UK and Germany.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero closely engages with developers and relevant stakeholders to help facilitate the delivery of interconnection projects as part of the Government’s energy security and net zero strategy.
In June, officials from the Department held a meeting with the National Grid Electricity System Operator and NeuConnect developers to discuss the progression of the project. Once completed, the interconnector would be the first direct link between the UK and Germany’s electricity grids.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of replacing Government and EU-funded low-carbon innovation projects to support small businesses which wish to transition to low-carbon practices.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Government support is needed both for net zero innovation and for small businesses to adopt low carbon measures.
Research and innovation is a key enabler for net zero, driving down the costs of key technologies and processes and creating economic opportunities for innovative UK businesses, including SMEs. This is underpinned by £4.2 billion of government support for net zero research and innovation for 2022-2025.
For supporting businesses to adopt low carbon measures, the Government has launched a campaign aimed at increasing the energy efficiency in businesses, charities and public sector bodies. It is also supporting UK businesses to meet their net zero commitments via the UK Business Climate Hub. SMEs are also encouraged to join the UN’s ‘Race to Zero’ initiative and over 4,200 UK small businesses have joined so far.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will bring forward proposals to decouple the pricing of the standing charge from energy prices.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The setting of energy tariffs, including the standing charge is a commercial matter for individual energy suppliers. The standing charge is decoupled from energy unit price. It is a flat daily rate that reflects the costs energy suppliers incur to provide a live gas or electricity supply, regardless of a consumer’s usage, and includes, amongst other things, transmission and distribution costs. Under the Energy Price Guarantee, average standing charges for customers on default tariffs remain capped in line with the levels set by Ofgem.