Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department is working with European Member States to develop pathfinder projects for multi-purpose interconnectors.

The Government has been taking several steps to support the development of multi-purpose interconnectors, including as pathfinder projects under the Offshore Transmission Network Review.

The Government secured a commitment to create a specific forum for technical discussions, including on multi-purpose interconnectors, in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Discussions are now underway to establish this forum, with a view to agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding that is acceptable to both sides as soon as possible.

In September 2021, the Government signed a treaty with Norway on Cross-Border Trade in Electricity and Cooperation on Electricity Interconnection.

On 23 February 2022 the Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Belgium, agreeing to cooperate in the field of electricity interconnection, including exploring new opportunities like that of the proposed Nautilus Multi-Purpose Interconnector between the UK and Belgium.