Written questions by Chowns.

Whether he has had recent discussions with Ofgem regarding the adequacy of the support offered by energy companies to people living with brain injuries, including conditions such as aphasia, and registered on the Priority Services Register.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with the industry regulator Ofgem on a range of issues. DESNZ is working closely with other Government Departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, on the National Data Library household income ‘Kickstarter’ project to test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to government programmes. This will pave the way for better targeted help, ensuring those who are struggling to pay their bills get the support they need.

Whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of extending a specific price cap, comparable to that applying to domestic customers, to landlords of vacant residential properties supplied under deemed energy contracts following the end of a tenancy.

The Price Cap was established to protect existing and future domestic customers who pay standard variable and default rates from a ‘loyalty penalty’. The non-domestic energy market is significantly more complicated, with considerable variation in consumption levels, so the domestic cap could not be extended to cover deemed rates for non-domestic contracts. Ofgem published updated guidance on the rules for deemed rates in November 2023. This prohibits suppliers from profiting significantly more from deemed rates than from their wider contracts, alongside a broader protection against unduly onerous contract terms. Last year Ofgem also approved improvements to the Retail Energy Code, standardising how supplier’s manage changes of occupancy involving landlords and other non-domestic consumers.

What recent discussions he has had with his German counterpart on funding for the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.

The SoS regularly engages with his international counterparts on a variety of issues. In July, Minister McCarthy met with Jochen Flasbarth in Berlin, where they briefly discussed the Tropical Forests Forever Facility and expressed support for the initiative.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of electricity demand from AI-related data centres on his net zero targets.

The Government received independent advice from NESO on achieving clean power by 2030, published in November 2024. This allowed for a fourfold increase in data centre electricity demand between then and 2030, within an overall conclusion that clean power by 2030 is challenging but achievable.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of setting the period of the Warm Homes Plan for at least 10 years to enable housing providers more certainty to (a) invest and (b) plan to reduce their residents’ energy bills.

We are working across government on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households to cut energy bills for good. We are investing over £15 billion in the Warm Homes Plan up to 2030. The Plan will include targeted support for the most vulnerable to help reduce fuel poverty.

With reference to the report by Citizens Advice entitled Stepping Up: Reforming protections in the retrofit market, published on 17 October 2025, and to the report by the National Audit Office entitled Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation, published on 14 October 2025, HC 1334, whether she plans to accept the recommendations in those reports to publish a timeline for the reform of protections as part of the Warm Homes Plan.

The Government is reviewing and considering the NAO recommendations in full and will publish a response in due course. The results of the independent audits published by the Department demonstrate systemic failures in the consumer protection regime, which is why we are conducting a sweeping overhaul, with details to be brought forward in the Warm Homes Plan. The Government welcomes Citizens Advice’s report and is committed to working with them and other stakeholders to ensure reforms deliver for both customers and installers. The Government is planning to consult on proposals early next year.

Whether he plans to take steps to help protect tenants from (a) eviction and (b) rent increases following government-funded low-carbon improvement works carried out by landlords.

This government is committed to protecting and improving the rights of tenants through improving the quality of their homes, resulting in reduced energy costs. We have engaged and consulted with landlord and tenant representative groups in developing policy. We set out proposals in the consultation on maximum spend from landlords and the exemptions regime. These changes do not require landlords to increase rents. The new Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce protections for tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases and stop landlords using large rent increases to force tenants out. Landlords will be able to increase rents to market rates once per year, with tenants able to challenge this at the Tribunal if it is unreasonable.

Whether consumers will be exempt from paying for remediation costs to fix faulty insulation installations under the (a) ECO4 and (b) GBIS schemes if the costs exceed £20,000.

The remediation costs sit with the original installer. We expect remediation for solid wall insulation installed under ECO4 or GBIS to cost between £250 and £6,000 for IWI and £5,000 and £18,000 for EWI. This should be covered by the guarantee should the installer no longer be trading. There have been some instances where costs are greater than £20,000 (complex cases), we are working with the sector to find solutions and for these faulty installations to be fixed. Wider consumer protection reform will ensure that financial protections are clearly accessible and fully protect the consumer.

With reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP 1336, published on 11 June 2025, how much and what proportion of the £5 billion funding for the Warm Homes Plan identified as financial transactions will be in the form of (a) loans, (b) equity investments and (c) guarantees.

The Government has committed £5 billion funding as financial transactions. We will work with the UK’s expert public finance institutions, including the NWF (National Wealth Fund), to agree ways to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan through this. Further details will be confirmed by October.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the energy used to run artificial intelligence technologies on the UK's net-zero emissions targets.

Embracing the opportunities that AI can provide to drive growth and productivity in the economy is a government objective. Building the low carbon economy of the future will lead to significant increases in electricity demand across many sectors. These projected increases were a key part of the analysis that underpinned the department’s Clean Power Action Plan, consistent with our net zero targets. This set out how, by unlocking new low carbon electricity generation, improving access to the electricity grid and efficient use and operation of the energy system - which can be supported by new technologies such as AI - we will achieve Clean Power by 2030 and maintain secure, resilient energy supplies.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of district heating schemes.

The Government believes that heat networks are an essential part of a decarbonised future energy system. In high density urban areas, they are often the lowest cost, low carbon heating option, and can use a range of low carbon energy sources such as waste heat from industry. This helps to reduce costs for consumers and strengthens the Uk’s energy resilience. The Committee for Climate Change has recommended the government grows the heat network sector from providing 3% of national heat demand to 20% by 2050. We are implementing heat network zoning and funding low carbon heat networks to get to this scale.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of BP’s plan to scale back renewable energy investment on achieving the UK’s 2030 target to reduce emissions by 68% compared to 1990 levels.

The Department has made no such assessment. Delivering the Government’s climate goals requires us to work with many different organisations.

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of BPs decision to scale back investment in renewable energy and increase investment in oil and gas on their ability to be a credible partner in the transition to renewable energy.

The Department has made no such assessment.

What discussions he has had with BP on the company's new strategy to prioritise oil and gas production over investment in renewable energy; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of this decision on the Government's green strategy.

We have noted the changes bp is making to its strategy. Such decisions are a commercial matter for the company. The Government is unable to assess the potential future impact of the new strategy on the UK as it relates to the company’s global business rather than being focused on activities in this country. However we welcome the significant investment bp is continuing to plan to make in low carbon projects in the UK, including in the East Coast Cluster. Existing regulation of emissions from bp’s activities in the UK remain unchanged.

Whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Brazil on the four-lane highway through protected Amazon rainforest being built for the COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belém.

Planning decisions in Brazil are a matter for the Brazilian government. Brazil has commitment to achieve zero deforestation by 2030 and we welcome the focus on forests set out by the incoming COP30 President in his letter of 10 March. We will continue to work closely with the COP President and others to drive forward efforts to halt and reverse deforestation globally by 2030, and to support their preparations for the important COP30 conference in Belem.

For what reason the Government uses the marginal cost pricing system for electricity.

The wholesale electricity market, like most commodity markets worldwide, is based on marginal pricing. This reflects the value of consuming or generating an additional unit of electricity at any given time and ensures that generators increase or decrease their output to meet demand.

When he plans to publish an update to the Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are a crucial tool for consumers to understand the energy efficiency of their homes. We are implementing an interim update to the Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure (RdSAP), which underpins EPC ratings, in Spring this year. This update aims to enhance the accuracy and robustness of the current model. This is ahead of a more significant, ambitious EPC reform programme set for late 2026, aimed at better supporting Net Zero objectives and delivering the Warm Homes Plan.