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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU with no deal on his Department’s ability to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 in the UK.

Leaving the EU, either with or without a deal, will not affect our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals or in ensuring an affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy system. A record 52.8 per cent of our electricity was generated from clean sources in 2018 and energy bills for the average household in the UK have fallen by 14 per cent in real terms since 2010. Building on our Clean Growth Strategy, the Government has laid draft legislation to set a new net zero greenhouse gas emissions target for the UK, to be delivered by 2050. This world-leading target will bring to an end our contribution to climate change.

The UK’s first Voluntary National Review (VNR) will be published shortly. The VNR will review UK action both domestically and internationally in support of Goal 7. It will also outline key challenges and next steps, recognising that while progress is being made, there is more work to do.