Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
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 help ensure that potential reductions in wholesale fuel costs are passed on to consumers.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated.
This government has also introduced the Fuel Finder scheme, which will increase price transparency so drivers can compare prices to find the best deal and incentivise greater competition.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
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 the adoption of a reformed national pricing mechanism for Electricity Market Arrangements on the four nations of the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No decision has been reached on whether to transition to zonal pricing or to reform our current national pricing arrangements. For either a potential reformed national or zonal market, we will ensure that any decision is based on a robust assessment of impacts across the country. The Review of Electricity Market Arrangements' scope covers Great Britain, but we have also considered any potential impacts on Northern Ireland as part of our thinking and continue to engage with officials from all Devolved Administrations on a regular basis. We will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he expects to publish the Review of the Electricity Market Arrangements.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We aim to conclude the policy development phase of REMA soon. We want to ensure that our final package of reforms continues to underpin the investment needed to reach our 2030 commitment whilst also benefitting consumers through reducing system costs.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
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 7 May 2025 to Question 48500 tabled on British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, what the Government’s timetable is for considering proposals put forward by British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Trustees.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
I met the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Trustees in April and am due to meet them again shortly. Officials have recently received the analysis we jointly commissioned from the Government Actuary’s Department and will now use that to inform our consideration of the Trustees’ proposals.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
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 engage with the energy sector on protecting itself from hostile state cyber attacks.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure extremely seriously, including the cyber security of its critical infrastructure and maintaining a secure energy supply is a key priority for the UK Government.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and security agencies engage regularly with critical industry stakeholders via industry forums and threat briefings to ensure threats to energy infrastructure are understood and appropriate mitigations are established.