Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much energy her departmental buildings have used in (a) each of the last five years and (b) 2020 to date.

The Department for Work and Pensions recently submitted its annual Greening Government Commitments (GGC) return for 2019/20. Whilst we await final confirmation from DEFRA, the indication is that we have met our carbon targets for departmental buildings for 2019/20.

COVID-19 has delayed confirmation of the post-2019/20 GGC targets. When these targets are received our view forward will be clearer, however in the meantime we are in the process of writing a Carbon Management Plan which makes reference to the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, as well as the UK’s commitment to Net Zero Carbon by 2050 and the UKGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Framework. This will include recommendations to:

- Improve the operational performance of our estate;

- Invest in our estate to improve energy efficiency;

- Ensure we lease highly energy efficient buildings;

Ensure that energy efficiency standards are adhered to when we refurbish or fit out buildings

Energy consumption figures in kWh for buildings on the DWP Estate for the previous five financial years, and the current financial year to date: