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 oral contribution of the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure of 14 June 2023 at Topical Questions, T7, Official Report, column 286, what plans his Department has to (a) utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill and (b) use smart data in new sectors.

The UK energy system is increasing in complexity, with increasing intermittent generation and consumers engaged with their energy use. In the Energy Digitalisation Strategy (2021), the Government states that data sharing and digitalisation will be crucial to managing this complexity

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is a member of the Smart Data Council, which aims to drive appropriate data sharing and best practice, and inform the evolution of Smart Data policy. The Government will work across relevant Departments and regulators to identify relevant opportunities in the energy sector.