Written questions by Easton.

What recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising domestic heating oil prices on households in Northern Ireland, where approximately 68% of homes rely on heating oil; and whether he plans to introduce targeted financial support for those households.

The Prime Minister has been clear his number one domestic priority is helping families with the cost-of-living. To that end, the Government has announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. In Northern Ireland, £17 million has been allocated, acknowledging the high levels of usage of heating oil there. The Northern Ireland Executive will have responsibility for the dispersal of these funds. The Government is also working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that consumer protections are fit for purpose for Northern Irish households, who are particularly reliant on heating oil.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent instability and conflict in the Middle East on (a) wholesale oil prices and (b) domestic heating oil prices in Northern Ireland.

The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and price in light of instability in the Middle East. We recognise that wholesale oil price volatility is placing pressure on domestic heating oil costs, and we are engaging with industry to ensure supply and pricing remains resilient. The supply of heating oil is subject to competition and consumer protection laws overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority, who monitor for any irregularities. The Warm Homes Discount Scheme continues to be available for low income off-grid households reliant on heating oil, while we work to support a transition away from fossil fuels to strengthen long-term resilience. The government has and will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive and continues to monitor developments in Northern Ireland.

What steps he is taking to ensure (a) oversight of and (b) international collaboration in research into solar radiation management technologies.

The Government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification. Given the significant uncertainty around the possible risks and impacts of deployment on the climate and environment, the Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so.The Department works closely with the international research community to evaluate the latest research on Solar Radiation Modification including participating in forums such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the deployment of offshore renewables does not impact on blue carbon stores.

The UK Government is committed to reaching clean power by 2030 and restoring nature. We need to ensure that our marine ecosystems are healthy, and capturing and storing carbon too. This means that new energy infrastructure needs to be planned and developed in a way that protects the natural environment and supports nature recovery. Assessment and mitigation of environmental impacts are a core part of our planning processes, and future spatial plans will support rebuilding our natural infrastructure at the same time as building the new energy infrastructure we need for the twenty first century.

Whether he plans to take steps to support the Northern Ireland Executive to meet their net zero obligations.

Collaboration between the UK Government and Devolved Governments is essential to accelerate Net Zero and deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission. The Government is working closely with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help work towards delivery of our respective climate targets and carbon budgets and Ministers from this department and the Devolved Governments met on 17 October in Edinburgh to discuss this.

What additional steps he plans to take to support households to move toward using (a) solar power and (b) renewable energy.

The Government will work with the private sector to radically increase the deployment of onshore wind, solar and offshore wind by 2030. Changes to permitted development rights rules will mean more homeowners and businesses will be able to install solar panels on their roofs without going through the planning system. The Government is working to support household renewables through community benefits, energy efficiency schemes and the Smart Export Guarantee.