Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of projected annual network constraint costs for (a) 2024, (b) 2025 and (c) 2030.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
National Grid ESO manages network constraints. In 2023, constraint costs were £1.4bn and the volume of balancing services used to manage constraints was around 12TWh. Data are not available on exact timing of curtailment and the split of costs between renewable and gas generators in 2023.
The Government is working with Ofgem and network companies to accelerate network delivery in line with the Winser recommendations and is halving the construction time of new transmission infrastructure from 14 years to 7, delivering the grid capacity needed to alleviate network constraints. The Review of Electricity Market Arrangements consultation considers several options which could help to reduce constraint costs, including locational pricing, electricity storage deployment and establishing constraints markets.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department has taken to help SMEs pay their energy standing charges.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Standing charges are a matter for Ofgem as the independent economic regulator. Ofgem recently conducted a call for input looking at how standing charges are applied to energy bills. Ofgem is analysing the submissions it received and will publish its response in due course. www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/launch-review-standing-charges-energy-bills
The Government recognises that businesses are facing pressure through their energy bills. That is why on 30 March 2024, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State and I wrote to Ofgem, highlighting the importance of keeping standing charges as low as possible.
https://twitter.com/ClaireCoutinho/status/1774001008953217079
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase the number of people that are accredited to retrofit residential housing stock.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
To build retrofit workforce capacity, the government has invested nearly £29m since 2021 to deliver around 34,000 retrofit training opportunities. This includes an £8.85m Home Decarbonisation Skills Training Competition to deliver 8,000 insulation installation and retrofit professional qualifications, and a £5m Heat Training Grant to support 10,000 training opportunities relevant to heat pumps and heat networks up to 2025. The government launched a new Low Carbon Heating Technician apprenticeship in Autumn 2023 and is working with industry to develop occupational standards for insulation and building treatments to create new apprenticeships and T Levels for retrofit work.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance her Department issues to companies that have difficulties paying the standing charges on their commercial energy tariffs.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The standing charge is matter for Ofgem. Ofgem launched a call for input in November 2023 looking at how standing charges are applied to energy bills and what alternatives could be considered. Ofgem is analysing the responses and will publish its response shortly.
Contract negotiations are a matter for businesses and their energy supplier. If a company is concerned about their ability to pay their energy bills, the Government suggests contacting their supplier as soon as possible. It may be possible to negotiate a new contract, including whether a contract without standing charges is available, or to agree a payment plan to help the company to better manage its energy payments.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will take legislative steps to cap standing charges for (a) commercial and (b) domestic energy suppliers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The standing charge is matter for Ofgem. Ofgem launched a call for input in November 2023 on standing charges in the non-domestic and domestic retail markets, looking at how they are applied to energy bills and what alternatives could be considered. Ofgem is currently analysing the responses and will publish its response in due course.
On 30 March, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State and I wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofgem, highlighting the importance of keeping charges as low as possible.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to tackle climate change.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK is the first major economy to halve its emissions – having cut them by around 53% between 1990 and 2023. We have the most ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target of any major economy.
The UK over-achieved against the first, second and third carbon budgets. Taken together, the policies set out in last year’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan keep us on track for Carbon Budgets 4, 5 and 6, our 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution, and ultimately for net zero by 2050.
Renewables, which have increased from 7% in 2010 to nearly half of our electricity generation, will help ensure our energy security – providing homegrown energy, and reducing our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. The UK is home to the five largest operational offshore wind farm projects in the world and no country has built more offshore wind than the UK bar China.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) barriers to achieving net zero and (b) solutions the Net Zero Council has identified; and what steps the Government is taking to support the council's work.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Net Zero Council has met four times since it was established in 2023. As a strategic partnership between government, business and finance it has catalysed action across the economy. Under its leadership, industry-led roadmaps representing around 80% of UK territorial emissions have been produced in line with clear, consistent guidelines developed by the Council. The Council has also taken action to tackle issues and address barriers, including supporting the re-launch of the UK Business Climate Hub which provides information and resources to SMEs.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many meetings of the Net Zero Innovation Board have taken place since February 2023.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Net Zero Innovation Board provides strategic oversight of government funding of net zero innovation programmes and has met four times since February 2023 – in July, October and December 2023 and March 2024.
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when the Net Zero Innovation Board last met.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Net Zero Innovation Board provides strategic oversight of government funding of net zero innovation programmes and has met four times since February 2023 – in July, October and December 2023 and March 2024.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which consultations (a) published and (b) inherited by her Department are awaiting a response; and when she plans to publish each of those responses.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has inherited or published 35 consultations, for which a response by the department is still outstanding:
The Department will respond to each in due course.