Written questions by Lockhart.

What estimate he has made of the cost to households of environmental and social obligation policy costs included in (a) electricity and (b) gas bills in each of the last 10 years.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate he has made of the contribution of net zero-related costs to the retail price per litre of (a) petrol and (b) diesel.

Awaiting answer.

What comparative assessment he has made of the opportunity cost of (a) public expenditure on net zero policies and (b) alternative uses, including tax reduction and energy bill relief.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the impact of decarbonisation policy costs on (a) industrial energy prices and (b) the international competitiveness of UK industry.

Awaiting answer.

If he will publish a comprehensive balance sheet of direct, indirect and contingent costs associated with meeting net zero targets.

Awaiting answer.

What (a) subsidies, (b) grants, (c) contracts for difference payments, and (d) other support mechanisms have been provided for renewable generation since 2010; and what the cumulative cost to taxpayers has been.

For a breakdown of billpayer funding see:Feed-in Tariffs Annual Report: Scheme Year 15 April 2024 to March 2025 - OfgemEconomic and fiscal outlook – March 2026 - Office for Budget Responsibility To note: These billpayer funded levy figures are not equivalent to net impacts on bill payers, as renewable deployment has also suppressed wholesale prices over this period.

What recent assessment he has made of the condition of the Moyle Interconnector; and whether he has plans for additional interconnectors between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government conducting ongoing assessments of its condition. On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the resilience of the UK electricity grid in extreme weather conditions.

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero works extensively with the energy sector to continually improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure against risks including severe weather events, such as storms. The Energy Resilience Strategy, due for publication later this year, will seize the unique opportunity presented by the energy transition to embed resilience into the design of our future energy system. This Strategy will set out our priorities for building a secure and resilient energy system and explain how we will work with industry, infrastructure partners, and the public to strengthen prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Energy policy and electricity system resilience are transferred matters in Northern Ireland, falling within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive The UK Government maintains a close working relationship with the Department for the Economy, supporting them in managing energy security and resilience, and stands ready to help Northern Ireland during significant disruptions, as demonstrated during Storm Eowyn.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Great British Energy’s activities on small and medium-sized enterprises in Northern Ireland since its establishment; what steps his Department is taking with Great British Energy to ensure that opportunities in the clean energy supply chain and project investment are accessible to SMEs in Northern Ireland; and how his Department is monitoring SME engagement and participation in Great British Energy-related projects in the devolved regions.

Great British Energy (GBE) will operate in Northern Ireland as part of its commitment to deliver in all four nations of the UK. Recognising Northern Ireland’s distinct energy landscape and regulatory framework, GBE will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to explore ways it can best support the delivery of clean power, community energy and drive inclusive economic growth. The contribution of SMEs to the development of clean power including supply chains will be part of this consideration. Earlier this year GBE committed £1.62 million for community and public sector renewable projects in Northern Ireland. On 10 December, we announced that this funding will help Further Education Colleges to benefit from clean energy, through installation of Solar PV at a number of sites. Additionally, on 11 December, GBE also launched a £300m supply chain fund for offshore wind and networks. All areas of the UK will be eligible for funding, meaning projects may be located anywhere in the UK, including in Northern Ireland, subject to Windsor Framework considerations.

What the condition is of the Moyle Interconnector; and what plans he has for the development of new energy interconnectors between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government financial support. On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.

What steps his Department is taking to improve energy security and grid resilience in Northern Ireland.

Whilst energy policy and electricity system resilience of Northern Ireland remains a devolved competence for the Northern Ireland Executive, the Department has maintained a close working relationship with the Department for the Economy to support them in managing energy security.

What steps his Department is taking to support vulnerable people with fluctuations in the cost of energy.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers, including vulnerable individuals, permanently. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past. However, we recognise the need to support vulnerable households struggling with their bills as we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we delivered the £150 Warm Home Discount to around 3 million households last winter. In February, we published a consultation to expand the Warm Home Discount to bring an extra 2.7 million households into the scheme, which would push the total number of eligible households up to around 6 million households from next winter. The consultation has now closed, and the Department is evaluating responses. I urge any vulnerable households struggling with their energy bills to contact their supplier, local authority, or Citizens Advice to see what support they can receive.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the resilience of the electricity grid to extreme weather conditions.

Great Britain has a highly resilient energy network. Network operators have completed a significant number of improvements to the resilience of Great Britain’s electricity network which means the electricity system is in a much better place to mitigate power disruption during extreme weather events such as Storm Darragh and Storm Eowyn. The Energy Emergencies Executive Committee (E3C) work to identify lessons after all large energy incidents to ensure continuous improvement to the network. E3C will work with network operators in Northern Ireland as part of this process to ensure, where necessary, improvements are made across the UK.