Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential role of low-carbon domestic ammonia production in improving the UK's energy security and industrial resilience.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Low carbon ammonia could play a role in reaching net zero as part of a diversified energy mix, as a flexible energy carrier or fuel. Ammonia can also be used as an industrial feedstock for essential products such as fertiliser.
However, the scale of future UK demand for low carbon ammonia is uncertain, with a key factor being the decarbonisation pathways chosen by sectors such as maritime.
DESNZ is working closely with other departments, including the Department for Transport, to understand the potential demand for low carbon ammonia, the role for domestic production, and whether further Government intervention may be required.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the timetable is for the completion of the Second Hydrogen Allocation Round and the announcement of successful projects.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The next stage of the Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 process is the Invite to Offer stage, and we are working hard across government to begin this as soon as possible. We will be in touch with projects when this commences. We understand that many projects are at critical stages, and that certainty is important to support business planning, resource management and engagement with third parties.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
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 the amount and proportion of imported steel from (a) China and (b) other countries that will be used in the Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power) project; whether he has had recent discussions with NZT Power on steel procurement; and what steps he is taking to maximise UK steel content in major infrastructure projects.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government knows how important the use of UK made steel is to communities across the country. We are ambitious about increasing the use of UK made steel in UK energy and infrastructure projects where possible. We will publish a steel strategy this year which will set out our vision for a bright and sustainable future for steel in the UK.
UK company William Hare, alongside Chinese company Modern Heavy Industries, was awarded the contract for fabricated steel structures following a competitive procurement process by NZT Power’s Tier 1 contractor.
The procurement is not public procurement. Specific contract information is a commercially sensitive matter for NZT Power and their Tier 1 contractor.
I have met with the project developer to understand more about the use of UK made and non-UK made steel, as well as the wider use of UK local content, in the NZT project. They confirmed their voluntary commitment to achieve more than 50% UK content across the value chain, with around £1billion UK-based sub-contracts already awarded.
My officials and I will continue to actively engage and work collaboratively with the CCUS industry to promote an industry-led voluntary ambition of 50% UK local content. We are also actively looking at ways to drive further investments into UK CCUS supply chains.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 73868 on Boilers and Heat Pumps: Sales, whether he has made an assessment of the potential commercial sensitivities associated with the publication of sales figures collected for the purposes of the administration of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department will receive independently verified sales data after the conclusion of the first scheme year, in summer 2026, and data on the full compliance cycle for that scheme year in late 2026.
The government is continuing to assess the options for publishing certain Clean Heat Market Mechanism scheme data, for instance aggregate verified annual data, taking into account the commercial sensitivities of different approaches.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
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 ensure that the non-pipeline transport of CO₂ for offshore storage does not cause marine pollution.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK has an established environmental regulatory regime in place to protect human health and the environment, with the Environment Agency (EA), and Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), and Natural Resource Wales (NRW) for projects based in Wales, all evaluating the environmental impacts of CCUS projects. The Statutory Nature Conservations Bodies are also consulted as part of this process. The UK ETS Authority has also consulted on proposals to requiring ships transporting CO2 for offshore storage to monitor and report emissions.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to bring forward a revised regulatory framework for the nuclear sector.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As the Prime Minister announced, the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce will be undertaking a review of nuclear regulation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until that review has concluded.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has for the construction of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in Teesside.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has published a refreshed planning framework for new nuclear reactors (EN-7), including small and advanced modular reactors, for consultation. The proposed planning framework provides a robust set of siting criteria to enable the identification of potentially suitable sites. Government would welcome private developer interest in identifying potentially suitable sites once EN-7 is designated.