Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 impact of UK ETS compliance costs on ferry fares for passengers and businesses, particularly those in the hospitality sector using the Isle of Wight route.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Impact Assessment does not identify significant consumer price impacts and finds that compliance costs for domestic maritime operators are modest relative to their overall operating costs, with fuel and carbon costs forming only one part of total running costs. These findings are consistent with international evidence showing changes to ferry ticket prices in the low single digit range under equivalent carbon pricing.
The Government will review the maritime element of the United Kingdom Emissions Trading Scheme in 2028 to ensure that its impacts remain accurate, proportionate and fully assessed as the sector continues to decarbonise.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 impact of current electricity costs on the rate of electric vehicle uptake; and what assessment he has made of the effect of electricity pricing mechanisms on those costs.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On electric vehicle uptake, the Department for Transport has not assessed the potential impact of current electricity costs on the rate of uptake, and it is too early to determine how changes in fuel and electricity prices may influence electric vehicle adoption. The Department for Transport will monitor closely and remains fully committed to the ZEV transition.
On energy pricing, Ofgem are reviewing how we could recover energy system costs from consumers (including consumers who own electric vehicles) in ways that are fairer and more efficient through their Cost Allocation and Recovery Review. DESNZ are working closely with the regulator on this.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 considered implementing the measures suggested by the International Energy Agency following the global oil and gas supply issues resulting from Iranian efforts to impede oil and gas transfers via the straight of Hormuz.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department works closely with the International Energy Agency to monitor oil and gas markets, including risks arising from disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. The IEA has published a range of potential measures as advice to governments across the world. These are recommendations rather than requirements.
The Government has no current plans to implement the measures suggested and will continue to work with industry and international partners to safeguard energy security.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 reviewing documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower; and whether any findings from that material have been shared with the regulator.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ does not hold these documents, so is not reviewing them and has not shared them with Ofgem.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, a) what services were provided under contract PS24098 awarded to Guidehouse Europe Limited titled “Consulting service for internal assurance of existing sustainability assurance arrangement”; b) which body within his Department or its arm’s-length bodies commissioned that contract; c) what the objectives and scope of the consultancy work were; d) what deliverables were produced under the contract between 5 August 2024 and 30 September 2024; and e) whether the Department plans to publish the outputs of that work.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Following a report published by the National Audit Office in January 2024, titled “the government’s support for biomass”, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commissioned Guidehouse to review the robustness of the biomass sustainability assurance processes which were in place at the time. Guidehouse produced a report for the Department in September 2024. There are no plans to publish this report.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 18 February 2026 to Question 112225, whether he has made an estimate of the level of passthrough to consumers as a (a) cost increase per passenger ticket and (b) percentage increase in fares.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Impact Assessment, any passthrough to consumers is expected to be modest. International evidence, including from the EU ETS, shows fare changes have generally been in the low single digit range.
The Government has not undertaken route level ferry fare or passenger ticket modelling for the UK ETS domestic maritime expansion, as operators’ commercial decisions, vessel utilisation and fare structures vary widely.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 the impact of voltage reduction technologies installed in homes on household energy bills.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The effect of voltage reduction on consumer bills varies between appliances. For appliances that are power controlled (including most electronics, LED lighting, EV chargers and heat pumps), lowering the voltage does not reduce energy consumption and reduce consumer bills. For appliances that are resistive (electric heaters, filament lights), the devices work less well at lower voltages and the effect on consumer bills depends on the consumer’s response to this reduction in performance (e.g. by switching on more heating or lighting).
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 2 March 2026 to Question 114111, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of centrally collecting data on the procurement of retread and single-use imported tyres for heavy vehicle fleets for his Department and its arms length bodies; and if he will make it his policy to introduce arrangements to do so.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 considered reinstating voltage optimisation technologies in the Energy Saving Materials framework.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ has not considered reinstating voltage optimisation technologies in the Energy Saving Materials framework due to limitations in the performance of the technology. Voltage optimisers work by reducing the voltage to close to the lower permitted limit of 216.2V. Devices such as electric fires and incandescent lamps lower their energy consumption at lower voltages but also work less well – being less effective at heating or lighting. Power controlled devices such as LED lighting, heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers do not lower their energy consumption, and for these, voltage optimisers are ineffective.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 2 March 2026 to Question 115442, what his evidential basis is that linking the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will minimise administrative burdens for operators and support economic growth and decarbonisation.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Linking the UK and EU emissions trading schemes is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including a cheaper path towards decarbonisation by providing businesses with access to a larger, more stable and liquid carbon market which will help support investment in low-carbon technologies.
Linking would also lower costs and lower barriers to trade for UK businesses by creating the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions.
Consultation responses from maritime stakeholders have largely supported alignment of requirements across the two schemes to reduce the administrative burden for operators participating in both schemes.