Written questions by Bowie.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the estimated timeline for the creation of new jobs by GB Energy on workers employed in the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Our priority is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea, which drives towards our clean energy future of energy security, and good, long-term jobs. Across this Parliament, we expect Great British Energy (GBE) will create 200-300 roles in Aberdeen. In the longer term, through its activities, GBE will support thousands of jobs across the country. Government-backed training, and the Energy Skills Passport for oil and gas workers, that we delivered in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, will ensure workers have the right skills to benefit from the jobs GBE creates.

What criteria his Department will use to measure the success of GB Energy in delivering (a) employment and (b) investment in Scotland.

Delivering jobs and investment is at the heart of Great British Energy’s (GBE) mission to drive clean energy deployment, to create jobs, boost energy independence, to ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers, and communities reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy. GBE will be held accountable through regular reporting to the Department. Parliament will also be presented with a copy of the annual report and accounts of Great British Energy which will include details of GBE’s performance in delivering its mission, such as supporting jobs and projects across the country, including Scotland.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs GB Energy will create in the (a) Aberdeen City Council and (b) Aberdeenshire Council areas in the next five years.

Over the next five years, in the early stages of Great British Energy, we expect that the company will employ 200-300 people at its Aberdeen headquarters. Through its activities and investments, GBE will also support thousands of jobs across the country, including in Aberdeen. Our ambition is to build GBE up to the size and scale of the world’s leading publicly owned energy companies, creating significantly more jobs in the longer term.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that GB Energy creates 1,000 jobs in North East Scotland within a reasonable timeframe.

We have said that Great British Energy (GBE) will support thousands of jobs. This includes opportunities at its Aberdeen Headquarters, and through its activities and investments across the country. As an operationally independent company, GBE will be responsible for its own workforce planning, to ensure the right skills, across the right locations, that enable GBE to deliver maximum impact for the whole of the UK. The Department continues to work quickly to set GBE up for success and ensure the British people feel the benefits, including new jobs.

What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the North Sea (a) energy sector and (b) trade unions on the estimated timeline for the creation of jobs by GB Energy.

Details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly on gov.uk.

If he will take steps to increase the amount of funding provided to GB Energy for increasing employment opportunities in Aberdeen for workers transitioning from the oil and gas sector.

Great British Energy (GBE) will be capitalised with £8.3 billion over the parliament. GBE will begin its work with £125 million to spend in 2025, boosting jobs through its own investments, and by crowding in billions more from the private sector. Government-backed training, and the Energy Skills Passport for oil and gas workers, that we delivered in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, will ensure workers have the right skills to benefit from the thousands of jobs GBE creates.

What discussions he has had with the companies involved with the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields proposals on the potential financial risks relating to the time taken for those proposals to be considered; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for those to be considered on levels of future investment in the North Sea.

Details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly on gov.uk.The Government is still considering the Court’s decision, and the responses to the recent consultation on updated Environmental Impact Assessment guidance, and will engage further with all relevant stakeholders as soon as possible.

What discussions he has had with (a) Equinor, (b) Shell, and (c) Ithaca Energy on the regulatory process for reassessing the environmental impact of the (i) Rosebank and (ii) Jackdaw fields.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

If he will take steps to accelerate the environmental reassessment process required for the (a) Rosebank and (b) Jackdaw oil and gas fields.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority. The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

What assessment he has made of the potential economic implications of delay to the (a) Jackdaw and (b) Rosebank oil and gas projects.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority. The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential long-term impact of repeated legal challenges to approved oil and gas sector sector projects on that sector; and what steps he is taking to help provide greater regulatory certainty for investors.

The Department has not carried out any sector-specific assessment of this type. However, we recognise the importance of striking the right balance between ensuring ongoing access to justice and protections against genuine issues of propriety. That is why we have worked at speed to consult on updated environmental guidance so we can resume assessments as quickly as possible. We will also publish a consultation on our commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields in due course. Our aim is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition that provides certainty to industry.

If he will take steps to ensure that the (a) Jackdaw and (b) Rosebank oil and gas projects can proceed.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority. The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

With reference to the judgement in the petitions of Greenpeace Ltd and Uplift [2025] CSOH 10, what discussions he has had with the North Sea Transition Authority to ensure that regulatory requirements following that judgement minimise barriers to investment in UK oil and gas production.

etails of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

When he plans to issue a decision on the new environmental approvals required for the (a) Rosebank and (b) Jackdaw oil and gas fields.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority. The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

What assessment he has made of the impact of potential delays to the (a) Rosebank and (b) Jackdaw oil and gas projects on the UK’s (i) future energy needs and (ii) ability to regulate energy market pricing.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority. The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

If he will take steps to ensure that the revised environmental assessments for the (a) Rosebank and (b) Jackdaw fields reflect the potential emissions reductions achieved by domestic oil and gas production compared to higher-emission imports.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual projects as this risks prejudicing future regulatory decision-making by the Government and the independent North Sea Transition Authority. The Government acted quickly to respond to the Finch judgment on scope-3 emissions and consult on updated guidance. The consultation closed on 8 January 2025 and the Government is working to have the guidance in place as soon as possible. Once the updated guidance is in place, the assessment of environmental statements for offshore Oil and Gas projects can be resumed.

What plans his Department has for the Bradwell nuclear site.

The Bradwell site is privately owned, and it would be for the owner to set out their plans for the site.

What recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion power plant at West Burton.

On 16 January 2025, the Government announced £410m of investment to accelerate development of fusion energy. This is to fund UK fusion programmes in 2025-2026, including STEP. On the same day, UKIFS – the UKAEA subsidiary that will deliver STEP – announced the shortlist of construction and engineering partners selected for the next stage of the STEP procurement process. Contracts for successful bidders are set to be awarded by early 2026. By involving private industry early, the programme will maximise development of the fusion supply chain and adjacent sectors. Other progress in recent months includes the formal transfer of the programme’s leadership to the delivery body, UKIFS.

When he plans to publish plans for the future of the Wylfa nuclear site.

Great British Nuclear (GBN) acquired the sites at Wylfa (in Ynys Mon / Anglesey) and Oldbury-on-Severn (Gloucestershire) in 2024. We will work with GBN to assess options for new nuclear at Wylfa, although decisions have yet to be taken on projects and technologies to be deployed. GBN is pushing forward with its Small Modular Reactor technology selection process ahead of final decisions in the spring, and we will set out our plans in due course.

When he expects the final investment decision to be taken in relation to Sizewell C.

A final investment decision on whether to proceed with the Sizewell C project will be taken in Phase 2 of the Spending Review.