Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of introducing funding to help small businesses implement infrastructure changes to help them cut their emissions.

The Government recognises that small businesses are keen to cut emissions and tackle climate change but require support to do so. Business support for net zero is mostly devolved to the Devolved Administrations and Local Authorities. However, the Government, in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority, is currently piloting a Business Energy Advice Service offering small and medium-sized enterprises free advice and funding for energy and emissions savings measures. The Government also recently launched Phase 3 of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) which provides grant funding towards the cost of projects that reduce industrial energy consumption and carbon emissions through investment in energy efficiency and low carbon technologies.