Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on what date Ministers first became aware of risks to UK CO₂ supply chains arising from the conflict in the Middle East.

The costs associated with this intervention have been independently verified and are commercially sensitive. The Department’s Annual Report and Accounts will record the expenditure incurred with Ensus and disclosures surrounding the expenditure incurred will reflect the materiality of the arrangement to the Department’s accounts, as is required by International Financial Reporting Standards.

Government uses legal powers under the Industrial Development Act 1982 to provide financial support to Ensus. A key condition of this support requires Ensus to keep the facility on standby and restart operations when required to provide resilience for critical sectors.

Ministers were first advised of risks to CO2 supply chains arising from the Middle East conflict on 9 March.