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 Climate Change Committee’s publication entitled CCC assessment of recent announcements and developments on Net Zero, published on 12 October 2023, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's polices of its findings that recent policy developments (a) have made meeting future targets harder and (b) increase longer-term risks to meeting the 2050 Net Zero target.

The Committee reported increased confidence in the UK meeting the fourth Carbon Budget in its 2023 annual progress report. The Government has taken considerable further steps since then, including introducing the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, the agreement with Tata steel for industrial electrification in Port Talbot and reform to electricity grid connections. The Committee’s most recent analysis shows there is no material difference in the UK's progress to cut emissions since its last report in June.

The Government remains committed to its carbon budgets, which keep it on track to meet net zero in 2050.