Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to Question 151 at the Lords Science and Technology Committee on 16 May 2023, whether the research commissioned by his Department into noise pollution generated by heat pumps will make an assessment of the potential for hydrogen boilers to provide a green solution to home heating with lower levels of noise pollution than heat pumps.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has commissioned an independent review of heat pump noise emissions. This will determine whether existing permitted development rights are appropriate and in line with advances in heat pump technology. The review will likely conclude in the Autumn and the Government will then consider this evidence to determine whether changes to planning guidance and permitted development rights are warranted. The review does not consider hydrogen boilers, as any noise emissions from them, should they be rolled out, would be largely confined to inside the home, and therefore would not impact permitted development rights.