Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisors in his Department have had with Huawei since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of illegal work in the (a) wind and (b) solar industry.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is delivering record investment in supply chains to create good, well paid jobs in the construction of renewable energy projects across the country, Through the Office for Clean Energy Jobs we are working to improve terms and conditions for workers.
The specific information requested is not held by the Department.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many workers in the (a) wind and (b) solar industry were not British nationals in each year since 2015.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is delivering record investment in supply chains to create good, well paid jobs in the construction of renewable energy projects across the country, Through the Office for Clean Energy Jobs we are working to improve terms and conditions for workers.
The specific information requested is not held by the Department.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what processes his Department plans to put in place to ensure clear (a) accountability and (b) alignment with warranty schemes for long-term roof performance following the installation of rooftop solar panels.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For microgeneration technologies under DESNZ schemes, including rooftop solar, a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (or equivalent) installer is mandatory. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. The MCS Solar PV Standard (2025) includes provisions for waterproofing, fire safety, and roof warranties and is available online.
The Government is currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) develop and (b) adopt a standardised fire testing methodology for rooftop solar PV systems, in the context of the fire safety of residential buildings.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For microgeneration technologies under DESNZ schemes, including rooftop solar, a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (or equivalent) installer is mandatory. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. The MCS Solar PV Standard (2025) includes provisions for waterproofing, fire safety, and roof warranties and is available online.
The Government is currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce auditable competency standards for the installation of rooftop solar PV systems to help ensure the (a) structural and (b) waterproofing integrity of roofing is maintained.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For microgeneration technologies under DESNZ schemes, including rooftop solar, a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (or equivalent) installer is mandatory. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. The MCS Solar PV Standard (2025) includes provisions for waterproofing, fire safety, and roof warranties and is available online.
The Government is currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
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 ensure all solar developments do not include components linked to forced or slave labour.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to eradicating forced labour in supply chains, and we expect solar developers to do everything in their power to remove any instances of it that they find.
Legislation and guidance are already in place to help businesses take action against modern slavery. However, we are working across government to see where we can go further, keeping all potential policy options under review.
We are closely monitoring the industry-led supply chain assurance scheme, the Solar Stewardship Initiative. Further information on the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient and free from forced labour will be set out in the Solar Roadmap, to be published shortly.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his plans to introduce independent (a) oversight and (b) accountability mechanisms to monitor solar development supply chains.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Legislation and guidance are already in place to help businesses and contracting authorities to oversee supply chains. Further information on the actions needed to develop sustainable supply chains will be set out in the Solar Roadmap, due to be published shortly.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to provide further information on its long-term plans for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is making long-term plans to enable UK industry to decarbonize and reach Net Zero. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will update stakeholders as soon as possible on Funds that will be available to industry after the upcoming Spending Review, which will conclude in late spring.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many large area solar proposals going through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process are requesting planning approval to acquire freehold land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An application for development consent can include a request for the granting of rights to compulsorily acquire or temporarily possess land to facilitate the development of the proposal.
Each application for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP), including solar NSIPs, has a dedicated webpage on the Planning Inspectorate’s website which sets out its intention to acquire land or not: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.
As part of the application process, a ‘Book of Reference’ is uploaded to the relevant proposal’s webpage listing the Classes of Rights which are being sought over each plot, including acquiring freehold, if applicable.