Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Labour MP for Stockton North
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore) for securing this debate, which I know is very important for his constituency, just as it is for the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Josh Fenton-Glynn)—I know that he has done a huge amount of work in engaging Ministers on this topic and...
I hope the hon. Member will recognise that as I continue my remarks I will address many of the points that he made in his speech, including the point about peatland. From the contributions we have heard today, I would say there is strong agreement in this room on the need both to tackle climate change and to care for our special environments in the UK, including peatland. He will hear more on...
I am grateful for that intervention, because the hon. Member is right; he mentioned that and I meant to respond to it, but I had forgotten. It is important to note that there is no role for the Government in extending the consultation—that is a matter for the developer, but I am sure that any responsible developer would listen very carefully to the voice of the local community and Members...
I am pleased to be able to update the House that the Government is continuing to make progress on delivering a key flagship policy of the Industrial Strategy. This includes publishing the response to a consultation on eligibility for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS), alongside launching a separate consultation on the regulatory changes required to give effect to BICS and...
This statement provides an update on Government intervention in the supply of carbon dioxide. On 26th March 2026, in response to risks to supply chains arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Government directed Ensus UK Limited to restart production to generate a significant volume of carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will be captured and sold to the market for use...
The Government committed to updating Parliament on British Steel every four sitting weeks for the duration of the period of special measures being applied under the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025. The Government’s priority remains to maintain the safe operation of the blast furnaces at British Steel. Government officials are continuing to provide on-site support in Scunthorpe,...
Fusion energy really is the energy of the future. Our fusion strategy, with a fusion prospectus to follow, has a strong focus on inward investment, very much ensuring that Britain is the world-leading place to invest in fusion energy.
I do indeed welcome the £200 million design and build contract for ILIOS with, as my hon. Friend mentioned, Kier and firms like Turner & Townsend who can be relied on to deliver. We have allocated £1.3 billion over the spending review period for fusion. Britain has been firmly in the lead for research in this area; we need to be in the lead in its application, too. I know that my hon....
The government recognises that capital costs are a significant barrier for businesses looking to electrify. The government remains committed to supporting electrification for the non-domestic sector and addressing barriers to investment. Eligible businesses can receive grants of £7500 towards the cost of purchasing and installing heat pumps through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and last week...
DESNZ has assessed the adequacy of take-up of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) through the Evaluation of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (alongside the IETF Benefit Report), published on 29th of January 2026. The evaluation found that the IETF was viewed by the majority of beneficiaries as an attractive offer by grant recipients and has supported the deployment of...
Improving the energy efficiency of energy‑related products is an important part of the Government’s journey to Net Zero. The Energy Technology List is a government‑backed scheme featuring around 8,000 independently verified and accredited energy‑efficient products across 65 sub‑technology groups, including a wide range of refrigeration technologies used in the food and drink sector,...
The government is providing significant funding to catalyse progress on industrial decarbonisation, including £9.4 billion in capital funding for carbon capture, usage and storage and £500 million to support hydrogen infrastructure. We are also continuing to develop policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas for the non-domestic sector, including industry, and intend...
The Government is providing funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, increasing each year to 2029/30. Currently, the grant available for air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps is £7500 and for air-to-air heat pumps is £2500. A one-year increase to £9000 for properties heated by oil or LPG was announced on 21 April. Specific funding for owners of commercial premises may be...
The government’s primary focus is on ensuring energy is affordable for all businesses, and that the right protections are in place for them in the energy market. Suppliers and their representatives must follow strict rules regarding debt recovery practices and meet expectations to treat their customers fairly, as per Ofgem’s supplier licence conditions. In 2023, Ofgem reaffirmed their...
The Secretary of State meets regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, where they discuss a variety of issues. Small businesses have been able to access the Energy Ombudsman since December 2024. Ofgem’s Complaints Handling Standards require energy suppliers to have suitable complaints processes for small business consumers and to signpost the Energy Ombudsman when matters have not been...
Ofgem is the independent regulator for gas and electricity markets in Great Britain. Ofgem’s regulatory regime sets out the requirements which non-domestic energy suppliers are required to adhere to. This includes a requirement that non-domestic consumers are treated fairly and set standards around billing and customer protection. These are further underpinned by the Retail Energy Code,...
