Written questions by Riddell-Carpenter.

Whether any review was undertaken of the mitigation package secured through the Sizewell C Deed of Obligation following the increase in the project’s estimated cost.

The Deed of Obligation was agreed between Suffolk Council, East Suffolk Council, and NNB Generating Company (SZC) Limited in October 2021. It sets out mitigation measures to reduce the impact of the development and operation of Sizewell C within each Councils boundary and is reflected in Requirements within the Development Consent Order. We are not aware of any review of the mitigation package in the light of increased project costs. Any application to change the Orders Requirements would need to be approved by the Secretary of State.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of plants currently supported under the Renewables Obligation from April 2027 on business continuity, jobs and energy resilience.

Accreditation under the Renewables Obligation (RO) was always intended to be time limited and generators have known, from the date they were accredited, how long their support would last. The Government will continue to monitor the potential impacts of the closure of the scheme on different technologies.

Whether he has considered the potential merits of time-limited transitional support mechanism for generators currently supported through the Renewables Obligation, including to help safeguard critical infrastructure and help support investment in carbon capture technology.

Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme support ends for some generators from 2027 onwards, and the Government is aware that this will affect the commercial viability of some operators. The Government recognises the value that these generators provide. However, these benefits must be weighed against the cost of potential further support. The Government does not intend to pursue a comprehensive ongoing support mechanism as this would not deliver value for money to consumers, but it is exploring the implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme for existing landfill gas generators, with suitable transitional arrangements. We will provide stakeholders with an update in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of heating oil costs on older and vulnerable people living in rural, off-grid homes; and what steps he is taking to ensure that energy support schemes protect people with long-term health conditions who are unable to maintain warmth during winter.

The measures taken in the Autumn Budget reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter, including those not on the gas grid. In addition, on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter. The Department keeps heating oil prices and market conditions under review and produces official statistics on petroleum and crude oil prices, including prices of gas oil and standard grade burning oil on a monthly basis which can be found here.

With reference to Section 159 of the Energy Act 2023, when he plans to launch the consultation on technical issues for the proposed renewable liquid heating fuel obligation.

The government has published a consultation on alternative heating solutions which seeks to gather evidence on the role that these technologies could play in ensuring that every household has a low-carbon option that is right for them. The consultation will run until 10 February and can be found here: Exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions - GOV.UK. The government will consider the evidence from this consultation before making any decisions on whether to support the use of renewable liquid fuels in heating, including through an obligation.

Following the Expanding the Warm Home Discount Scheme, 2025 to 2026, consultation and the decision not to expand the Park Homes Warm Home Discount Scheme, (a) what support is being provided for people living on boats, and (b) what support is being planned.

Support may be available to houseboats dwellers via the Industry Initiative element of the Warm Home Discount Scheme. These are energy-related and financial measures that energy suppliers can deliver to their own customers or working with industry partners. These include energy efficiency measures, energy advice, boiler and central heating replacements, financial assistance payments and debt write-off, Each participating supplier has a spending obligation towards Industry Initiatives. This allows them to help customers who are fuel poor or at risk of fuel poverty through a variety of activities and third parties. Households are encouraged to contact any participating supplier about the Industry Initiatives they offer, without the need to be an existing customer.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that lower wholesale costs of renewable generation are reflected in consumer electricity bills; and whether he plans to review (a) the application of green levies on electricity compared with gas and (b) the market arrangements under which the price of electricity is linked to the cost of gas generation.

Delivering lower bills and a secure energy supply for families and businesses is at the heart of the Government’s sprint towards homegrown, clean energy. The quicker we transition to homegrown clean power, the quicker we can build a system that will bring bills down for good. Any decisions regarding green levies will be informed by robust research and analysis of the distribution of levies on energy bills. We will ensure we keep fairness and affordability at the forefront of our minds throughout this process. The ever-increasing participation of renewables in the wholesale market also means that over time, cheaper electricity produced by renewable technologies will determine the price more often, because we will not need gas to meet demand as frequently.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure effective coordination between energy infrastructure projects.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is taking a more strategic approach to energy infrastructure. Through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we are ensuring National Policy Statements remain up to date and streamlining decision-making, while maintaining fairness and transparency. We are consulting on new guidance to strengthen community engagement. All large projects must address cumulative impacts as part of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime, with Local Impact Reports from authorities. The National Energy System Operator is developing the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (2026) and Centralised Strategic Network Plan (2027) to ensure holistic, coordinated planning across Great Britain.

Whether his Department is taking steps to reduce the price disparity between electricity and gas.

I refer my hon Friend to the answer given to my hon Friend the Member for Stroud (Dr Simon Opher) on 20th October to question UIN (14374).

What steps he is taking to support communities that are affected by energy infrastructure projects.

In the Clean Power Action Plan, we made it clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should feel tangible and enduring benefit of doing so. The Government has already announced bill discounts for communities living nearest to new electricity transmission infrastructure and published guidance on community funds for electricity transmission infrastructure and onshore wind in England. Solar Energy UK is also expected to publish guidance this year. In addition, in May, the Government published a working paper on mandatory community benefits and facilitating shared ownership and is in the process of reviewing responses.

When the consultation on the renewable liquid heating fuel obligation will be launched.

The Government recognises that renewable liquid heating fuels (RLHF) could play a role in heating. As it is a limited resource, the Government expect sustainable biomass to be prioritised where there are limited alternatives for decarbonisation. RLHFs are also much more expensive to use than other heating solutions. Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of RLHFs, including the introduction of any obligation, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstocks.

When his Department plans to respond to the consultation entitled Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update, published on 7 February 2025.

The Government’s recent consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector closed on 2nd May and we are currently analysing responses. A Government response will be published in due course.

What steps he is taking to help people in rural communities who use oil to heat their homes to transition to low carbon heating systems.

The Warm Homes Plan will support investment in households, including oil-heated homes, to install energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating to save families money on their bills. The Government has committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency. This includes the new Warm Homes: Local Grant, which will provide support for low-income households living in privately owned EPC band D-G homes, including in rural communities, in England. We are taking steps to make heat pumps more efficient and easier to install which includes increasing funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to £295 million for the 2025-26 financial year, removing outdated planning rules and consulting on product efficiency standards.