Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to increase the rate of energy efficiency measure installations in homes in Preston.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to improving the energy performance of homes across the country, including in Preston.
The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this parliament in decarbonising heat and energy efficiency measures and launched the £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme in March running until March 2026, saving around 300,000 of the country’s least energy efficient homes £300-£400 each year.
In 2022, a zero-rate of VAT was introduced on energy efficiency measures, and a digitally led service ‘find ways to save energy in your home’ (https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency) was launched. This site provides guidance helping consumers make their homes greener and cheaper to run, supported by a call centre for assistance.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of families in fuel poverty.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In 2022, there were an estimated 3.26 million households in fuel poverty in England.
The annual statistics report on fuel poverty in England, published in February 2023, can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-fuel-poverty-statistics-report-2023.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
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 assessment of the potential merits of allowing companies that meet safety and design criteria for small modular reactors to build those without entering the Great British Nuclear competition for the design of small modular reactors.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
GBN is expected to work with the nuclear industry to help achieve our stated ambitions for the sector, including through de-risking early development.
The first priority for GBN is to launch a competitive process to select the best SMR technologies. This will commence in April with market engagement as the first phase. The second phase – the down-selection process - will be launched in the summer, with an ambition to assess and decide on the leading technologies by autumn. This is expected to attract the best designs from both domestic and international vendors.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
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 new nuclear developers that do not require any public funding.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Spring Budget on 15th March, the Government is launching Great British Nuclear (GBN) to address constraints in the nuclear market and support new nuclear builds as the government works towards net zero. GBN will enable an ambitious civil nuclear programme and ensure the UK is one of the best places in the world to invest in new nuclear. Our intention is that GBN will launch the first staged competition for Small Modular Reactors. Further details on GBN’s set up, leadership and operations will be announced by the end of March. As the Chancellor also confirmed, subject to consultation the Government intends to include nuclear in the UK Green Taxonomy, facilitating investment into this important technology alongside renewables.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to provide further information on the role of Great British Nuclear.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor in the Spring Budget on 15th March, the Government is launching GBN to address constraints in the nuclear market and support new nuclear builds as the government works towards net zero. GBN will enable an ambitious civil nuclear programme and ensure the UK is one of the best places in the world to invest in new nuclear. Our intention is that GBN will launch the first staged competition for Small Modular Reactors. Further details on GBN’s set up, leadership and operations will be announced by the end of March.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
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 it his policy to introduce a fast-track approvals process for applications for new nuclear developments that do not require taxpayer funding.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For planning approvals, the Government announced in February as part of its Nationally Significant Infrastructure Action Plan that it intends to develop a fast track consenting process to enable infrastructure developers, which include nuclear developers, to benefit from a shorter examination timeframe. Provisions to enable this are in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.