Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support investment into research and development across the hydrogen technology manufacturing sector.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Since 2020, Innovate UK, which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has awarded more than £405 million in hydrogen related R&D funding to support technology development, strengthen supply chains, advance hydrogen production, and to enable its use across the transport, energy, and industrial sectors.
The Industrial Strategy set out the government’s approach to attract private investment into clean energy industries, including our hydrogen economy (including the £1 billion Clean Energy supply chain fund), £5.8 billion for the National Wealth Fund to invest in clean industries, and a £4 billion British Business Bank Growth Capital scale and start-up financing package. The proposed British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will also reduce electricity costs for manufacturing supply chains in priority clean energy sectors such as hydrogen.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration he has given to protections for existing Feed-in Tariffs scheme participants in any change to indexation.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the importance of regulatory stability for maintaining an attractive investment environment. The Government also considers that it is appropriate to periodically review schemes to ensure they continue to represent value for money for the households and businesses that bear the costs of this support. As the scheme is now closed, these changes will apply to existing Feed-in Tariffs generators. However, generators will continue to receive inflation-indexed payments for the full lifetime of their support.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help ensure that UK hydrogen and fuel cell technology manufacturers benefit from the comprehensive Public Financial Institution offer set out in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK is well placed to be a global leader in hydrogen deployment and supply chains, with significant export market potential for UK manufacturers. The Clean Energy Industries Plan (CEI) sets out a comprehensive Public Finance Institution offer to crowd private investment into sustainable supply chains in the UK and we will ensure hydrogen benefits from this. The offer includes:
DESNZ is collaborating with the public finance institutions to align these offers with the needs of hydrogen and fuel cell manufacturers.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what mechanisms have been established to measure the contribution of joint offshore wind projects under the Hamburg Declaration to UK (i) grid stability and (ii) energy security metrics.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Hamburg Declaration is a crucial step towards coordinated energy infrastructure. Coordinating with our neighbours can cut costs, strengthen energy security and help build a more flexible system.
Any GB coordinated projects will be consistent with domestic processes, including strategic energy planning conducted by the National Energy System Operator (NESO).
NESO will take a whole systems approach which considers a variety of metrics, including grid stability and security of supply, to optimise generation, storage and network design. The plans due to be consulted on in Q1 2027 will provide recommendations on future interconnection and joint offshore projects in 2028.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what funding will be allocated to the UK hydrogen and fuel cell technology manufacturing sector through the Great British Energy £1 billion ‘Energy: Engineered in the UK’ supply chain fund.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy, Engineered in the UK (EEUK) is GBE’s flagship supply chain investment programme, delivering £1 billion of funding to increase UK manufacturing capacity, drive down technology costs, and create and support jobs across the UK.
Aside from the £300m Offshore Wind and Networks fund, funding under EEUK has not been pre-allocated to specific technologies or sectors. GBE will deploy the funding strategically, as aligned with its Strategic Plan and the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, working with industry and the wider energy ecosystem to identify where public investment can best unlock UK capability and crowd in private capital. GBE is currently engaging with companies in various clean energy sectors, including the hydrogen supply chain, to explore potential interventions under EEUK.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking with social housing providers in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency to help reduce energy costs for tenants.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan will deliver £15bn of public investment and help lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030. This includes support for those on low-incomes and the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector, which will slash the cost of heating for families, making homes warmer and more comfortable. Previously, Milton Keynes City Council had received £3 million under SHDF Wave 1, £22.7 million under SHDF Wave 2.1, and now £2.5 million as part of the just under £1.15bn Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The funding will support energy efficiency and low‑carbon heating upgrades, helping raise properties below EPC Band C up to that standard.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department is providing to individuals who live off grid and who are on low incomes who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Warm Homes Discount.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Thanks to decisions in the recent Budget, an average of £150 of costs will be removed from household energy bills from April. The actions at budget also make electricity cheaper, meaning everyone will benefit and the transfer of the Renewables Obligation to public expenditure is a significant step towards rebalancing levies away from electricity.
What individual households actually save will depend on their specific energy use. Households with bigger electricity bills could save more than £150.
In addition, the Budget significantly increased the capital budget for home insulation through the Warm Homes Plan by £1.5bn to almost £15bn. This is the biggest public investment ever to upgrade homes with insulation and clean tech like solar panels and heat pumps.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce annual increases in household energy bills in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tackling the affordability crisis is Government’s number one priority. Energy bills remain too high – that is why we are acting to bring bills down now and for the long term. At the last Budget, we took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from this coming April. On top of this around six million households will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount, after we expanded the scheme for this winter.
In addition, the Government’s Warm Homes Plan is the biggest investment in home upgrades ever, with £15 billion of investment to cut energy bills, bring households out of fuel poverty, increase our energy security and make our homes warmer and more efficient. The £15 billion total includes £5 billion directed towards low income and fuel poor households, helping to lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential merits of introducing a Guest Beer agreement in Wales.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation. Additionally, the Hospitality Sector Council provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.
The Government recognises that independent breweries are essential to the diversity and character of our pubs. We have conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries, the findings from which are currently being reviewed.
We maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as the Society of Independent Brewers, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long‑term stability.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support small independent breweries from increased operating costs in Wales.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation. Additionally, the Hospitality Sector Council provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.
The Government recognises that independent breweries are essential to the diversity and character of our pubs. We have conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries, the findings from which are currently being reviewed.
We maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as the Society of Independent Brewers, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long‑term stability.