Written questions by Anderson.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the clean energy sector procures UK manufactured steel.

Our Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan gives investors the certainty and stability they need to invest in and expand UK supply chains. We are committed to supporting and growing clean energy supply chains, creating good jobs across the UK. This includes ensuring there are opportunities for domestic products, including UK steel, to be used in our UK deployment projects; as well as leveraging our strong deployment trajectories to unlock even more investment into UK supply chains. We have recently set out our approach to supporting the UK steel industry in the Steel Strategy and have announced revisions to tariffs and quotas to protect UK producers. Additionally, the National Wealth Fund has at least £5.8 billion for investing in some clean energy sectors, and green steel.

Whether his Department is undertaking workforce planning to prepare for an increase in demand for heat-pump installations.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan sets out that to meet future heat pump deployment targets the workforce will need to grow from around 4,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) installers today to around 12,000 FTE by 2030. The Government is continuing to support workforce growth through a 3-year, £21 million extension of the Heat Training Grant. Government is also supporting new entrants through the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship. Government also recently established the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce, which will focus on growing a skilled and resilient net zero workforce.

Whether his Department plans to develop a (a) national training strategy for heat-pump installers and (b) dedicated heat pump training academy.

Government has set out its long-term vision for the net zero workforce in the Warm Homes Plan, and through the Clean Energy Jobs Plan. This includes establishing the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce, and announcing a 3-year, 21 million extension of the Heat Training Grant, which supports existing heating engineers in upskilling.

What proportion of the joint offshore wind capacity agreed under the Hamburg Declaration will connect directly to the UK transmission network by 2035.

The Hamburg Declaration sets a collective European ambition of 100 GW of offshore wind cooperation projects by 2050. In 2024, Ofgem gave Initial Regulatory Approval to two such joint wind and interconnector projects, Lion Link and Nautilus. These projects are in development. Future GB co-ordinated projects will be consistent with our own domestic processes, including the Strategic Energy planning conducted by our National Energy System Operator (NESO) which is due to be consulted on in Q1 2027.

What steps his Department is taking with social housing providers in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency to help reduce energy costs for tenants.

The Warm Homes Plan will deliver £15bn of public investment and help lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030. This includes support for those on low-incomes and the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector, which will slash the cost of heating for families, making homes warmer and more comfortable. Previously, Milton Keynes City Council had received £3 million under SHDF Wave 1, £22.7 million under SHDF Wave 2.1, and now £2.5 million as part of the just under £1.15bn Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The funding will support energy efficiency and low‑carbon heating upgrades, helping raise properties below EPC Band C up to that standard.

How much funding his Department plans to provide to (i) Milton Keynes City Council and (ii) Buckinghamshire Council to implement the Government's energy-efficiency programmes.

The government recognises the essential role that local places will play in delivering the Warm Homes Plan. Low-income grant funding will continue to be delivered through the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) and Warm Homes Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF), honouring existing funding agreements. From 2027/28 onwards, we intend to integrate the WH:LG and WH:SHF into a single low-income capital scheme which will shift towards area-based delivery. We will say more about the future of these schemes by Spring 2026.The government will further support local government through: The new Warm Homes Fund to help accelerate existing consumer offers for solar PV.The new Warm Homes Agency to support local partnerships and help build capacity.Funding for five Local Net Zero Hubs to provide expertise and resources.Integrated settlements for some Mayoral Combined Authorities, including retrofit funding, by 2028.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure low-income households in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency can access grants for energy-efficient improvements.

Through the Warm Homes Plan, we are offering direct support for low-income families backed by £5 billion of public investment. Low-income grant funding will continue to be delivered through the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) as planned, honouring existing funding agreements. The WH:LG has been allocated £500m to provide energy performance measures and low carbon heating to low-income households across England through participating local authorities, including Buckinghamshire. DESNZ, and its delivery partners, will continue to work with local authorities to ensure as many eligible households as possible receive support during the scheme. Additionally, alongside the Warm Homes Plan we published a new fuel poverty strategy for England, to help lift up to 1 million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.

What mechanisms have been established to measure the contribution of joint offshore wind projects under the Hamburg Declaration to UK (i) grid stability and (ii) energy security metrics.

The Hamburg Declaration is a crucial step towards coordinated energy infrastructure. Coordinating with our neighbours can cut costs, strengthen energy security and help build a more flexible system. Any GB coordinated projects will be consistent with domestic processes, including strategic energy planning conducted by the National Energy System Operator (NESO). NESO will take a whole systems approach which considers a variety of metrics, including grid stability and security of supply, to optimise generation, storage and network design. The plans due to be consulted on in Q1 2027 will provide recommendations on future interconnection and joint offshore projects in 2028.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the offshore wind commitments signed on 26 January 2026 on UK electricity prices over the next decade.

The Energy Secretary signed a non-binding clean energy security agreement, the Hamburg Declaration, with European leaders at the North Sea Summit to progress build out of renewable energy in the North Sea. and incentivise further investment. Agreements in the Declaration are fully aligned with existing government policy. Working with our European neighbours to develop joint offshore wind will enable us to maximise the clean energy potential for the North Sea, drive investment and job creation, and ensure energy security and resilience. By moving away from volatile fossil fuels we will protect consumers across the UK.

What plans his Department has to monitor changes in energy efficiency in homes in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency over the next five years.

Through delivery of the Warm Homes Plan we will reach 5 million homes by 2030, through direct support for those on low incomes and in fuel poverty, and innovative low-interest finance available to all. We will publish monitoring statistics and evaluation of policies announced in the Warm Homes Plan. DESNZ currently publishes statistics covering the uptake and impacts of energy efficiency measures on GOV.UK. The Warm Homes Plan will help lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030 through public investment and new minimum energy efficiency standards for private landlords.DESNZ’s annual sub-regional fuel poverty statistics estimate the rates of fuel poverty in constituencies within England, so will reflect the impacts of the Warm Homes Plan in time.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of energy efficiency standards in private rented homes in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Government is looking to raise minimum energy efficiency standards across the private rented sector to deliver warmer, cheaper to heat homes. Government has published its response to the consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector on 21 January 2026. The Government Response is accompanied by the Department’s Impact Assessment which includes a regional breakdown of private rented sector properties and the estimated impact of the policy.

How his Department plans to measure the impact of the Warm Homes Plan on levels of fuel poverty in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

DESNZ’s annual sub-regional fuel poverty statistics estimate the rates of fuel poverty in constituencies within England, and will therefore reflect the impacts of the Warm Homes Plan in time. The Department will publish monitoring statistics and evaluation of policies announced in the Warm Homes Plan. DESNZ currently publishes statistics covering the uptake and impacts of energy efficiency measures here.

What steps his Department plans to take with (a) local authorities and (b) other Government Departments to help ensure that tenants in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency are aware of their rights under the Warm Homes Plan.

The government is standing up for tenants through our new minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) in the private rented sector, and proposed standard for the social rented sector, which will lift around 650,000 households out of fuel poverty. We estimate that tenants could save an average of £210 on their annual energy bill. Landlords should provide clear communication about changes being made, and government will provide guidance for landlords and tenants so that tenants know what to expect. The government will also provide support to local government to enable successful Warm Homes delivery at the local level. This includes through the new Warm Homes Agency, which will offer households clear advice and a consistent, quality-assured service.

If he will make an estimate of the potential number of firms in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency that may request support to improve their energy management practices.

In order to keep the level of reporting on businesses to a minimum, DESNZ does not collect information detailing the uptake of energy management improvements by businesses. However, Buckinghamshire Business First is a local organisation that works closely with Buckinghamshire Council and has so far provided support to 3,600 businesses in the local area to date to help businesses reach net zero targets. Small businesses can search for other local grant and advice schemes on the finance and support for businesses page on gov.uk.

What assessment his Department has made of energy-related cost pressures on low-income households in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency referenced in the Child Poverty Strategy.

Thanks to decisions in the Government's Autumn Budget, and as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy, the Government will deliver an average £150 of costs off household energy bills from April 2026. As a result of this action, people in Buckingham and Bletchley can expect to make a significant saving on their bills. In addition, in 2024-2025, 3,489 households (7.8%) in Buckingham and Bletchley benefited from the Warm Home Discount - a £150 discount on their energy bill. This winter, we are expanding this discount so that around 6 million low-income households will receive this support, including an approximate additional 350,000 households in the South East region. We will also be publishing a new fuel poverty strategy for England to ensure that many more fuel poor households are protected by 2030, in parallel to the Warm Homes Plan.

What criteria will be used to determine community access to Great British Energy (a) capacity-building and (b) financial support.

Great British Energy is an operationally independent company and will make its own decisions on how it supports the community energy sector. We expect initial plans to be published as part of the Local Power Plan, which will be published in due course. The Local Power Plan is a joint DESNZ and GBE strategy which will drive the long-term growth of the UK’s local and community energy sector over this Parliament.

How he monitors EU implementation of Trade and Co-operation Agreement provisions on energy market access.

The Government monitors EU implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, including provisions within the Energy Title, through the Agreement's established governance structures, in this case the Specialised Committee on Energy, the Trade Partnership Committee and the Specialised Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade as applicable. The Partnership Council, which oversees the attainment of the objectives of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, provides strategic direction to this governance framework.

How he plans to (a) evaluate and (b) report on the linking of UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The Government will provide updates on negotiations where appropriate. Once any agreement is made to link the UK and EU ETS, the Government will consider the process to evaluate and report on the link consistent with the agreement reached, as well as with other reset priorities under UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Government aims for negotiations to link the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to begin as soon as possible.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential share of Great British Energy’s portfolio to be allocated to early-stage clean energy technologies by 2030.

Great British Energy will begin investing in projects this year – kickstarting its work in the development of nascent, clean energy technologies and helping to deliver a secure, clean homegrown energy supply for the UK that will support skilled jobs and supply chains across the country. The Statement of Strategic Priorities requires Great British Energy to look across the clean energy technology spectrum, including in established technologies and nascent technologies (Technology Readiness Levels 6-9). The government expects GBE to work towards building a portfolio that balances the UK’s short- and long-term clean energy needs, which also provides social value and generates a return.

What financial targets his Department has set to ensure that Great British Energy is self-sustaining by 2030.

The government has set a target for Great British Energy to start generating a portfolio-level return from its commercial activities by 2030, in support of its longer-term goal to be profitable and its wider policy objectives. The government has also tasked GBE with having a plan for becoming self-financing in place by 2030.