Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem on improving grid capacity at UK ports to enable ferry electrification.

Ministers and officials within the department have engaged with their Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) counterparts on ensuring that ports in Great Britain can access the energy they need, including to enable ferry electrification.

The Government is taking action to reform the grid connections process, as well as working with Ofgem to incentivise network companies to invest strategically ahead of need. This will ensure that planning for future grid capacity better reflects the emerging demands from electrifying sectors, including the ferry sector.

In addition, my department is working with DESNZ and the energy sector on ways to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, which includes critical port sites, to ensure access to grid connections are not a blocker to growth and decarbonisation.