Written questions by Naish.

What support his Department is providing for retrofitting and improving the energy efficiency of older rural housing stock.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households– including in rural areas and off gas grid to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps. All eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to support low-carbon heating installations, funded with £2.7 billion to 2030. There is a strong uptake of BUS grants in rural areas, with 49% of all grants given to rural properties to date. Additionally, the government has consulted on alternative heating solutions to ensure every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation is now closed. A government response will follow in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of closing the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) on those employed by it.

ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such as heat pumps, solar PV and batteries.The government is providing an additional £1.5 billion—taking planned capital investment to almost £15 billion—to upgrade low‑income homes and scale clean home‑energy technologies. Deployment will be further supported through wider policies and details of this will be set out soon in the Warm Homes Plan.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of aligning UK transition plan requirements with international sustainability standards.

The government consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course. Sustainable finance is a key priority for the government and is one of the growth pillars for the financial services sector in the Industrial Strategy. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. Transition planning can help businesses and investors identify and seize the economy-wide opportunities of the net zero transition, catalysing investment across the whole economy to create jobs, boost exports and drive economic growth.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that transition plan requirements to clean energy are (a) proportionate and (b) flexible for SMEs.

The government consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course. Sustainable finance is a key priority for the government and is one of the growth pillars for the financial services sector in the Industrial Strategy. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. Transition planning can help businesses and investors identify and seize the economy-wide opportunities of the net zero transition, catalysing investment across the whole economy to create jobs, boost exports and drive economic growth.

Whether transition plans will be integrated within the UK’s Sustainability Reporting Standards framework.

The government consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course. Sustainable finance is a key priority for the government and is one of the growth pillars for the financial services sector in the Industrial Strategy. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. Transition planning can help businesses and investors identify and seize the economy-wide opportunities of the net zero transition, catalysing investment across the whole economy to create jobs, boost exports and drive economic growth.

When he his planned timetable is for publication of the Government’s plan for implementing mandatory transition plan disclosure for in-scope companies.

The government consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course. Sustainable finance is a key priority for the government and is one of the growth pillars for the financial services sector in the Industrial Strategy. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. Transition planning can help businesses and investors identify and seize the economy-wide opportunities of the net zero transition, catalysing investment across the whole economy to create jobs, boost exports and drive economic growth.

If he will take steps to establish a clear (a) pathway and (b) timetable for transition plan disclosure to become mandatory for large UK companies.

The government consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course. Sustainable finance is a key priority for the government and is one of the growth pillars for the financial services sector in the Industrial Strategy. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. Transition planning can help businesses and investors identify and seize the economy-wide opportunities of the net zero transition, catalysing investment across the whole economy to create jobs, boost exports and drive economic growth.

What assessment he has made of the potential for transition plan disclosure to help promote private investment into the UK’s net zero transition.

The government consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course. Sustainable finance is a key priority for the government and is one of the growth pillars for the financial services sector in the Industrial Strategy. According to analysis by the CBI, the net zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy. Transition planning can help businesses and investors identify and seize the economy-wide opportunities of the net zero transition, catalysing investment across the whole economy to create jobs, boost exports and drive economic growth.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of new Energy Performance Certificate regulations on (a) holiday lets and (b) the tourism sector.

Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector, including proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or equivalent by 2030. We have sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our changes, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties. As outlined in the consultation government has proposed to maintain a range of exemptions available to landlords to ensure that required investment is fair and proportionate. Government remains committed to taking an evidence-based approach and will consider the balance between supporting tourism and reaching Net Zero goals. A government response to the consultation will be published in due course.

What discussions his Department has had with (a) the Department of Business and Trade and (b) the Cabinet office on ensuring its supply chains do not involve forced labour.

Modern slavery is a serious human rights violation depriving individuals of their freedom and dignity while inflicting immeasurable harm on families, communities, and society as-a-whole. DESNZ is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery, holding perpetrators to account, and ensuring that victims are supported to recover and rebuild their lives. The Government will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of new policy tools that are emerging to ensure we can effectively tackle forced labour in supply chains. Government’s Responsible Business Conduct Review will be a primary lever for delivering this as a cross-departmental endeavour to review and address UK’s policy regime and voluntary due diligence requirements for forced labour. Additionally, the Industrial Strategy Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan committed to embedding ethical supply chain standards into DESNZ public spend; and Great British Energy confirmed it will follow strict ethical standards to help ensure solar supply chains are free from exploitation.

What steps he is taking to (a) encourage and (b) incentivise the installation of solar panels on (i) commercial and (ii) industrial roofs; and whether he plans to prioritise the use of those spaces over agricultural land for renewable energy projects.

The Government incentivises commercial/industrial rooftop solar in various ways, including permitted development rights, favourable tax treatment, and the Smart Export Guarantee. Solar is an important part of our strategy for improving energy performance of buildings. New building standards will ensure new buildings are fit for a Net Zero future. The Warm Homes Plan will set out pathways for decarbonisation of all buildings, including non-domestic ones. Further details will be set out by October. Achieving our ambitious clean power mission will require rapid deployment across rooftops and ground-mounted solar farms. However, planning guidance makes clear that, wherever possible, solar developers should utilise brownfield, industrial, contaminated, or previously developed land.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) commercial and (b) industrial property owners to install solar panels on roofs.

The Government incentivises commercial/industrial rooftop solar in various ways, including permitted development rights, favourable tax treatment, and the Smart Export Guarantee. Although we have no plans to mandate the installation of solar panels on commercial roofs, the recently published Solar Roadmap set out that rooftop solar will, where appropriate, play an important role in the Future Buildings Standard for new build non-domestic buildings which is due to be introduced later this year. We are also working to unlock the potential for solar deployment in the non-domestic retrofit space, for example by exploring innovative financing models with the National Wealth Fund, and the upcoming Solar Council will monitor progress and drive delivery of this and other actions in the Roadmap.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of mandating the installation of solar panels on commercial and industrial roofs.

The Government incentivises commercial/industrial rooftop solar in various ways, including permitted development rights, favourable tax treatment, and the Smart Export Guarantee. Although we have no plans to mandate the installation of solar panels on commercial roofs, the recently published Solar Roadmap set out that rooftop solar will, where appropriate, play an important role in the Future Buildings Standard for new build non-domestic buildings which is due to be introduced later this year. We are also working to unlock the potential for solar deployment in the non-domestic retrofit space, for example by exploring innovative financing models with the National Wealth Fund, and the upcoming Solar Council will monitor progress and drive delivery of this and other actions in the Roadmap.

What steps he is taking to incentivise the installation of solar panels on (a) commercial and (b) industrial roofs; and whether he has plans to prioritise the use of these spaces over agricultural land for renewable energy projects.

The Government incentivises commercial/industrial rooftop solar in various ways, including permitted development rights, favourable tax treatment, and the Smart Export Guarantee. Solar is an important part of our strategy for improving energy performance of buildings. New building standards will ensure new buildings are fit for a Net Zero future. The Warm Homes Plan will set out pathways for decarbonisation of all buildings, including non-domestic ones. Further details will be set out by October. Achieving our ambitious clean power mission will require rapid deployment across rooftops and ground-mounted solar farms. However, planning guidance makes clear that, wherever possible, solar developers should utilise brownfield, industrial, contaminated, or previously developed land.

Whether his Department plans to implement Phase 2 of the non-domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.

Government consulted on strengthening the non-domestic PRS minimum energy efficiency standards to EPC C by 1 April 2027, and EPC B by 1 April 2030. We are currently reviewing the policy design to ensure that it remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants alike. We plan to publish a response to the consultation as early as possible. We recognise the delay has caused uncertainty within industry and are working hard to deliver this policy at the earliest possible date, whilst ensuring we are providing sufficient lead-in time for property owners and the wider supply chain.

What discussions his Department have had with (a) businesses and (b) landlords on levels of preparedness for meeting the EPC Grade B requirement by 2030; and what steps his Department is taking to support those businesses that will be required to meet that standard.

Department officials have held several meetings and industry workshops over several years with businesses and landlords. These have included discussions on the implementation of the policy and the design of the policy, where the opinions of stakeholders have been taken into account. The Government is providing grants to encourage both domestic and non-domestic property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We continue to assess scenarios where additional support may be necessary for landlords facing unique challenges that could affect compliance.

What discussions he has had with industry stakeholders on the potential impact of proposals for energy efficiency targets for non-domestic properties on levels of planned investment in non-domestic properties.

Department officials have worked closely with industry on the implementation and design of the policy to ensure the policy is fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants alike. This includes multiple workshops this year with these stakeholders to update the policy to significantly reduce complexity and administrative burdens. We received feedback that the policy has the potential to unlock a significant investment in retrofit of commercial buildings.

What estimate he has made of the proportion of UK solar-panel imports sourced from Xinjiang-based polysilicon manufacturers sanctioned by the United States; and whether he plans to introduce a full import ban on such products.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring UK businesses are not complicit in forced labour and human rights violations. In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review of its approach to responsible business conduct policy. The review will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current Responsible Business Conduct measures and alternative policy options to support responsible business practices.

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of the expanded Warm Homes Plan on average annual household spending.

The recently announced expansion of the Warm Home Discount means all households where a person or their partner is named on the energy bill and is on a qualifying means tested benefit will be eligible for the £150 Discount. This will bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that will receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. We have not assessed the impact on average household spending. Further information on impacts can be found in the published Impact Assessment.

What steps he is taking to support growth in domestic clean energy supply chains.

The Government’s upcoming Industrial Strategy will outline plans to boost high-potential sectors like Clean Energy, creating quality jobs. An initial £300 million via Great British Energy will accelerate offshore wind supply chains, attract private investment, and secure UK manufacturing. Up to £21.7 billion over 25 years has been made available for the first carbon capture projects, which are expected to support 4,000 direct jobs and up to 50,000 as the sector matures into the 2030s. The Solar Roadmap will soon outline steps for resilient solar supply chains. Government also continues to strengthen the nuclear supply chain in partnership with industry.