Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for the use of strategic heat network zoning to inform a phased and planned approach to gas grid decommissioning or repurposing.

We set out our long-term strategy for heat networks in the Warm Homes Plan, including our target for heat networks to supply 7% of heat demand by 2035, on a path towards meeting a fifth of demand by 2050.

This ambition is based on the heat network zoning model, which will use a standardised methodology to identify areas where heat networks are expected to provide the lowest cost, low carbon heat to buildings.

Policies such as strategic heat network zoning will help to inform the design of the future gas system, including any repurposing or decommissioning that takes place.