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 whether current Gate 2 electricity connection timelines are compatible with the Government’s objectives for delivering AI Growth Zones at pace.

Government fully recognises the impact of connection delays on delivery of its objectives and is working closely with Ofgem, NESO and network companies to develop and deliver a coordinated package of demand-side reforms to release blocked network capacity and accelerate connections for projects that reflect Government’s top strategic priorities, including AI Growth Zones.

Government recently consulted on key elements of this package of reforms and will publish its response in due course.