Written questions by Bowie.

Whether he has had discussions with Aberdeenshire Council on oil and gas licences in the North Sea.

North Sea oil and gas will continue to be an important part of the UK’s energy mix for decades to come. The Government will soon consult on the implementation of our manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields in the North Sea, and - while this process is being led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero - the Secretary of State is happy to continue to discuss this matter with a variety of stakeholders, as required. Aberdeen and the wider Northeast remain central to our clean energy ambitions.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to Air Passenger Duty on Sumburgh Airport.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. It is expected to raise £4.2 billion in 2024-25 and it aims to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty.At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates for 2026-27, including a partial adjustment to help compensate for two recent years of inflation that was higher than expected. APD rates are set in advance using forecasts of inflation, and so with actual inflation being significantly greater than forecast in 2022 and 2023, APD rates fell in real terms. To help account for this and to ensure that the aviation industry continues to make a fair contribution to the public finances, the Government announced an adjustment to the APD rates for 2026-27.For economy class passengers, the rate increases are: £1 for domestic flights; £2 for short-haul international flights; and £12 for long-haul and ultra-long-haul international flights.The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Notice, which outlined the expected impacts of the APD changes. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-air-passenger-duty-rates-from-1-april-2026/air-passenger-duty-rates-from-1-april-2026-to-31-march-2027Passengers carried on flights leaving from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands region, such as Sumburgh Airport, are exempt from APD. This exemption is set out at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-air-passenger-duty

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to Air Passenger Duty on Edinburgh Airport.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. It is expected to raise £4.2 billion in 2024-25 and it aims to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty.At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates for 2026-27, including a partial adjustment to help compensate for two recent years of inflation that was higher than expected. APD rates are set in advance using forecasts of inflation, and so with actual inflation being significantly greater than forecast in 2022 and 2023, APD rates fell in real terms. To help account for this and to ensure that the aviation industry continues to make a fair contribution to the public finances, the Government announced an adjustment to the APD rates for 2026-27.For economy class passengers, the rate increases are: £1 for domestic flights; £2 for short-haul international flights; and £12 for long-haul and ultra-long-haul international flights.The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Notice, which outlined the expected impacts of the APD changes. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-air-passenger-duty-rates-from-1-april-2026/air-passenger-duty-rates-from-1-april-2026-to-31-march-2027Passengers carried on flights leaving from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands region, such as Sumburgh Airport, are exempt from APD. This exemption is set out at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exemptions-from-air-passenger-duty

What the UK’s gas storage levels were in each month since July 2024.

The system operator National Gas monitors gas storage stock levels. They publish storage stock level data on their website, it can be found here: https://data.nationalgas.com/.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the UK’s gas storage capacity.

The diversity of Great Britain’s sources of gas supply means we are less reliant on natural gas storage than European counterparts. The Government recognises the value in having natural gas storage facilities in place as a source of balancing system flexibility when demand for gas is high and allowing for the future storage of hydrogen. Energy security remains a key priority and the government will continue to work with storage operators to explore options around the role storage can play in supporting future gas system resilience.

When the first board meeting of GB Energy will take place; and where it will take place.

Arrangements for Great British Energy’s first board meeting are currently being made. The meeting will take place at the company’s headquarters in Aberdeen.

What information (a) his Department and (b) the National Energy System Operator holds on the number of generation assets that provided (i) spare margin and (ii) reserve for peak electricity demand on Wednesday 8 January.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) holds information required to balance the electricity network and are responsible for all operational actions required to maintain their electricity margin. Further information is available on the Elexon and NESO websites. As published in their winter outlook, NESO expect that supply margins will be adequate this winter, meaning that there is expected to be sufficient capacity to meet peak winter demand. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero has no role in these operational decisions but remains in close contact with NESO during periods of tight margins, like on Wednesday 8 January.

Whether AI Growth Zones will allow data centres to be co-located with (a) nuclear and (b) gas power plants.

Future AI Growth Zones will be chosen taking into account the availability of generation and the need for a grid connection. For nuclear, we will be consulting on a new nuclear planning framework shortly. The proposed framework will empower new nuclear developers, including those interested in co-locating with data centres, to identify potential sites against a robust set of siting criteria on safety, environmental and socio-economic impacts.

What information his Department holds on when the GB Energy board will meet in Aberdeen.

Arrangements for Great British Energy’s first board meeting are currently being made. The meeting will take place at the company’s headquarters in Aberdeen.

What the cost was of operating gas power plants through the Balancing Mechanism in each month since July 2024.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for managing network constraints, including through the Balancing Mechanism.

If he will make an estimate of the number of gas boilers installed each year by (a) local authority and (b) constituency.

The government does not hold this data. DESNZ publishes yearly data on the number of properties connected to the gas network, including by local authority. This data can be accessed using this link: Subnational estimates of properties not connected to the gas network - GOV.UK. The number of gas boilers installed each year, either in new buildings or to replace existing boilers, will typically be higher in local authorities and constituencies with a higher number of gas network connections.

What information (a) his Department and (b) the National Energy System Operator holds on the number of number of generation assets that provided (i) spare margin and (ii) reserve for peak electricity demand on any day where a Capacity Market Notice was issued in the last 12 months.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) holds information required to balance the electricity network and are responsible for all operational actions required to maintain their electricity margin. Further information is available on the Elexon and NESO websites. As published in their winter outlook, NESO expect that supply margins will be adequate this winter, meaning that there is expected to be sufficient capacity to meet peak winter demand. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero has no role in these operational decisions but remains in close contact with NESO during periods of tight margins, like on Wednesday 8 January.

What the estimated cost of energy imports was in each month since July 2024.

The Department does not hold data on monthly energy import costs. Annual energy import costs up to 2023 are published in table G.2 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics. Monthly import data are published by HMRC in the Overseas Trade Data tables.

What estimate he has made of future heat pump uptake in each year to 2035.

Heat pump uptake is growing rapidly: in the year to September 2024, 38,305 heat pumps installed in the UK were supported by Department for Energy Security and Net Zero schemes, a 46% increase over the preceding 12 months. The Government is taking steps to maintain this growth through delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, including a near doubling of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme budget to £295 million in 2025/26. Further details of our plan for building uptake over the coming years will be set out in detail in due course as part of the full Warm Homes Plan strategy.

What estimate his Department has made of the quantity in GWh of electricity imports there will be in each year until 2035.

Annex O of the Energy and Emission Projections presents Net Zero consistent scenarios for the power sector, including annual net imports. [1] (Gross imports and exports are not published). These scenarios indicate that the GB power sector will shift from being a net importer of electricity to a net exporter between 2030 and 2035. [1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6463addee140700013b6e048/annex-o-annex-j-all-power-producer-generation.ods

What the estimated cost was of curtailment payments to wind generators in each month since July 2024.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for managing network constraints and publishes daily constraint costs here: Constraint Breakdown Costs and Volume | National Energy System Operator. Data are not available on the split of costs between different types of generators. As set out in our Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, Government is working to accelerate the build of electricity network infrastructure to increase capacity, reduce constraints and enable a cheaper and secure energy system for Britain.

Whether his Department is taking steps to increase the number of interconnectors with other countries.

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan outlines our approach to delivering a clean electricity system, including our approach to electricity interconnectors. It expects 12-14GW of electricity interconnection by 2030, up from the 9.8GW currently installed. Under the UK-EU reset we are working with the EU to identify areas (such as electricity interconnection) where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit. Interconnector development is a developer-led process in GB. Projects are given regulatory approval through Ofgem, a process that is undertaken independent of Government in line with Ofgem’s role as Great Britain’s independent regulator.

What steps he is planning to take to ensure that Great British Energy will work in collaboration with (a) the National Wealth Fund and (b) Great British Nuclear.

Initially, while it is established, we expect Great British Energy’s (GBE) investment activity to be undertaken by the National Wealth Fund (NWF). This will enable GBE to invest quickly and draw on the NWF's experience and pipeline of projects. As GBE scales up, we will set out how the two institutions will collaborate and complement each other. Great British Nuclear (GBN) will remain an independent sister company to GBE. The Government is considering how GBE and GBN can work best together to ensure that the UK achieves energy security and clean power whilst securing thousands of skilled jobs.

What steps his Department is taking to construct grid connections for Sizewell C.

The policy position outlined in the National Energy System Operator (“NESO”) open letter [https://www.neso.energy/document/349496/download] (published 10th December 2024) indicates that, given Sizewell C received planning consent in July 2022, the existing arrangements for Sizewell C grid connection should be eligible to be grandfathered, subject to NESO’s proposals for reforming the connections process being approved by Ofgem and taking effect. National Grid Electricity Transmission has also confirmed that Sizewell C will retain the same enabling works identified in previous connection agreements (2007-2009).

What estimate his Department has made of the requirement for imported Liquified Natural Gas in each year between 2025 and 2030.

We expect UK gas demand to continue declining as we make Britain a clean energy superpower and accelerate to net zero. While the Department routinely assesses a range of factors that could impact future energy security, we do not hold departmental estimates on required volumes of imported LNG between 2025 and 2030.