Written questions by Tufnell.

What steps he is taking to support the decarbonisation of industry in South West Wales through the development of non‑pipeline carbon capture, utilisation and storage projects.

The government recognises the importance of CCUS and NPT to the decarbonisation of South Wales. As part of the CCUS Programme, we are working with the South Wales Industrial Cluster to assess viable decarbonisation pathways, including CCUS enabled solutions via non-pipeline transport. The government’s consultation on its proposals for NPT deployment across the UK has just concluded and we are in the process of analysing responses. Alongside this, the government launched the NPT Pathfinder Selection Process on the 9 April. This is the first time NPT projects will be eligible to apply for storage at the East Coast Cluster and we look forward to seeing which projects come forward to take up this exciting opportunity. Both initiatives will help inform further NPT deployment in the future, and as such, support the decarbonisation of South Wales.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that dispersed industrial sites in south Wales can access (a) onshore and (b) offshore non-pipeline transport storage capacity solutions.

The Government recognises the importance of enabling dispersed industrial sites in South Wales to access carbon storage solutions. Through the Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Programme, we are exploring non-pipeline transport (NPT) options including road, rail, and shipping to support onshore and offshore storage access for sites not connected to pipeline infrastructure. The South Wales Industrial Cluster has received support through the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge and Track-1 expansion process, helping to assess viable NPT pathways. We continue to engage with industry and local stakeholders to develop a roadmap for CCUS deployment in the region, including storage capacity solutions that reflect the unique geography and industrial profile of South Wales.

What recent progress he has made on setting out a roadmap for carbon capture utilization and storage projects in south Wales.

The Government is committed to supporting the deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) across the UK, including in South Wales by allocating £9.4 billion in capital budgets over the Spending Review period. As part of the CCUS Programme, we are working with the South Wales Industrial Cluster to assess viable decarbonisation pathways, including CCUS enabled solutions. The Cluster has received support through the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge and is being considered under the Track-1 expansion process. This work is helping to inform a roadmap for CCUS deployment in the region, including options for non-pipeline transport and storage. We continue to engage with industry and local stakeholders to ensure that South Wales is well positioned to benefit from future CCUS investment and infrastructure development.

What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) existing jobs are protected and (b) investor confidence is maintained in the South Wales Industrial Cluster.

The South Wales Industrial cluster is home to many longstanding and globally recognised businesses. Our modern Industrial Strategy has already set out further support for key growth sectors including foundational sectors such as chemicals. This government sees the transition to net zero as the economic opportunity of the century. This is a chance to create good jobs, to drive investment to all parts of the UK and protect our energy security, while also ensuring fairness for workers across the country including in South Wales. We will set out further details of our plans to decarbonise industry and help them seize the opportunities of the transition in the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan in October.

What steps he is taking to support the future delivery of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage projects in the South Wales Industrial Cluster.

The Government is working to create a CCUS industry and provide increased support to UK CCUS by allocating £9.4 billion in capital budgets over the Spending Review period. South Wales Industrial Cluster was awarded approximately £20 million in grant funding between 2019 and 2024 as part of the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, helping projects develop comprehensive plans to achieve net-zero emissions and deploy low carbon technologies. Government is actively engaging industry on non-pipeline transport costs, risk allocation and economic licensing, aiming to publish a consultation later this year. A Call for Evidence is also planned for Q3 2025 on network strategy.

What steps his Department is taking to increase levels of consumer choice in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

The Government is always considering how to improve access to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to boost deployment and support more property owners to transition to low carbon heating. On 30 April, the Government launched a consultation on potential changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, including proposals to support air-to-air heat pumps and alternative electric heating technologies such as heat batteries. The consultation closed on the 11 June, and a government response will be set out in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) heat batteries as low-carbon heating systems and (b) including those batteries in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

On 30 April, the Government launched a consultation on potential changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, including proposals to support air-to-air heat pumps and alternative electric heating technologies such as heat batteries. The consultation closed on the 11 June, and a government response will be set out in due course. The Department will continue to review our position on heat batteries, and other alternative electric heating technologies, as the supporting evidence base develops.

Whether his Department has issued guidance to installation companies on the standards to which insulation and energy efficiency measures should be installed under government schemes.

Energy efficiency measures installed in households under current Government schemes must be done in accordance with the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030 and PAS 2035 standards. Installers under Government schemes must also be TrustMark registered. As the only Government endorsed quality scheme, TrustMark ensures compliance with the overarching PAS 2035 process and setting clear requirements to protect consumers across the multiple sectors operating in the energy efficiency market.

What support his department is providing to members of the public who have concerns regarding the quality of insulation and energy efficiency measures fitted through government schemes such as ECO4.

All installations under Government energy efficiency schemes, including the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, must be carried out by a TrustMark registered business. Installations of low carbon measures must be carried out in accordance with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) requirements. TrustMark has set out a route to redress for any issues arising from measures installed under the scheme, which can be found at: www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowner/support/complaints-process

What steps he is taking to support carbon capture and storage technology.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on Tuesday 12th October, to Question 901221. On 4th October, the government announced up to £21.7bn of available funding over 25 years to launch the UK’s Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage industry. We will provide further details on the next steps on CCUS, including Track-2 projects, following Phase 2 of the Spending Review.