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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce a ban on new fossil fuel developments in order to combat climate change; and if not, what are the reasons for this decision.

Oil and gas will play an important, yet smaller, role in meeting UK energy demand in the transition to net zero. The Government will introduce a climate compatibility checkpoint, which will be used to inform decisions on future licensing rounds, in keeping with the UK’s climate goals.

Coal mining in the UK has been in long term decline reflecting falling domestic demand. There are only a handful of operational mines remaining in the UK. The Government has committed to phase-out coal power by 2024 – a year earlier than previously planned.