Written questions by Hayes.

If (a) his Department and (b) Ofgem will make an estimate of the cost of the construction of (i) National Grid's proposed Grimsby to Walpole pylon scheme and (ii) alternative schemes to transmitting electricity on the route including underground cabling.

The Department cannot comment on specific projects which will come before the Secretary of State for a final planning decision. It is the responsibility of the developers of electricity network projects – in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission - to propose a route and obtain planning permission for that route. Ofgem reviews proposed project costs and ensures that network companies spend efficiently, protecting consumers from unduly high costs. In general, undergrounding costs an estimated 5 to 10 times more than overhead lines. The cost of building this infrastructure is borne by electricity bill payers so it is key we keep costs down.

What proportion of food procured by his Department is sourced in the UK.

The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA is the landlord or building manager at the Department’s office occupations, where the space is often shared with several other tenant organisations. The Department buys catering services, or a share of, from GPA alongside all other building services. This information is therefore not held by the Department.

What the cost to the public purse was of expenditure by Ofgem on consulting services in each of the last three years.

Ofgem is an independent regulator and while DESNZ works closely Ofgem, it is directly accountable to Parliament for its performance.Ofgem’s expenditure on other consultancy services for the past three years was:• 2023-24: £18.8m• 2022-23: £29.6m• 2021-22: £23.4mOfgem attempts to minimise its reliance on external support by running targeted recruitment for the skills required to deliver its functions. Information on Ofgem’s expenditure is available in its annual reports (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/ofgem-annual-reports).

What estimate he has made of the number of off-grid properties in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire that will receive the Warm Homes local grant.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant will deliver upgrades to low-income homes both on and off the gas grid. Local Authorities (LAs) in receipt of the Grant will choose which homes to prioritise for upgrades, based on local needs and resident interest. LAs have submitted Expressions of Interest to participate in the Grant, which included non-binding indications of the proportion of off-gas grid properties to be treated. At the time of writing, LAs have not yet been allocated funding. Until allocations have been confirmed, we cannot estimate the number of off-gas grid properties that will benefit from the scheme.

For what purposes the UK Atomic Energy Authority has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) participates in the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) to accelerate deployment of robotics and AI in fusion engineering and nuclear decommissioning. Furthermore, to support the use of AI in fusion research, the first of the UK’s AI Growth Zones is proposed to be located at the headquarters of the UKAEA in Culham, Oxfordshire. AI will be critical in further developing fusion technology by processing complex calculations that will accelerate the R&D that is needed to make fusion a reality.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Grimsby to Walpole National Grid pylon project on house prices in affected areas in Lincolnshire.

The Government does not assess the impact of new transmission network infrastructure on house prices. However, landowners, businesses, and homeowners that have electrical equipment, such as pylons or towers, sited on their land have the right to compensation for the value of their land, as well as for any losses or expenses incurred. Acquiring authorities can also put in place discretionary schemes offering additional compensation.

For what purposes Ofgem has used AI in the last 12 months.

Ofgem is currently trialling applications of AI, though it is currently in the early stages of exploring the benefits, risks and appropriateness of AI. Ofgem adheres to the Government AI Principles. Trials initiated in the last 12 months include: Social media analysis for monitoring supplier performance and emerging trends in consumer experience.Identifying non-compliance with supplier licence conditions.Providing draft responses prior to human review, to consumer queries.Generating programming codePredicting the financial impact of non-compliance in Ofgem managed schemesSelecting targeted cases for audit to identify fraud across schemesUsing the Government Communication Service (GCS) Connect platform for GCS members, internal to Government

How many properties are not connected to the national (a) gas and (b) electricity grid in South Holland and The Deepings constituency.

The Department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by constituency. In 2023, an estimated 12,000 domestic properties (23%) in South Holland and The Deepings constituency were not connected to the gas network. Equivalent figures for the electricity network are not published.

How much grade (a) one and (b) two farm land has been replaced by ground mounted solar in England in the last five years.

Data on the land occupied by solar projects is contained in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). The Government does not currently categorise the data based on land type. However, work is underway to expand the REPD to include this feature.

Whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to incentivise the owners of large (a) warehouse rooftops and (b) car parks to install solar panels.

The deployment of solar panels on commercial rooftops is central to our Clean Energy mission. Permitted development rights allow most rooftop projects to be installed without requiring an application for planning permission. This includes non-domestic rooftop projects of any size, and solar canopies in off-street, non-domestic car parks. New building standards will be introduced to ensure that all newly built commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future. We expect these standards to encourage the installation of solar panels on commercial roofs. Further measures to incentivise installations on commercial rooftops remain under active consideration, including a call for evidence about increasing solar generation in car parks.

If he will make it her policy to introduce Government-backed loans for (a) domestic, (b) community and (c) commercial rooftop solar panels.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the Government is considering the role that finance may play in supporting homeowners with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements, solar panels, and installing low carbon heating. Permitted development rights afford flexibilities and planning freedoms to new solar installations, whether residential, community or commercial. The Government also provides fiscal incentives to encourage businesses to install rooftop solar, through tax relief and business rate exemptions.

How many ECO4 schemes have been funded in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire since 2022.

Since 2022 to the end of September 2024 (the latest available data by local authority and parliamentary constituency), ECO4 has installed 885 measures in 243 households in South Holland and the Deepings constituency, and 11,228 measures in 3,345 households in Lincolnshire (includes Lincolnshire County Council, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire local authorities).

What steps he is taking to reduce fuel poverty in rural areas.

The Government has committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, this includes £1.8bn to support fuel poverty schemes. Rural homes are supported through energy efficiency schemes including the Energy Company Obligation and Home Upgrade Grant. The Warm Home Discount scheme provides eligible low-income and vulnerable households across Great Britain, including rural areas, with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill. We will consult shortly on proposals for privately rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We are also reviewing the 2021 fuel poverty strategy for England.

For what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has huge potential to support the Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower and accelerate to net zero. Over the last 12 months DESNZ officials have, with robust safeguards and governance, used AI tools to:Speed up office-based tasks including basic drafting, summarising, and searching internal and external information sources;Analyse internal information sets;Analyse external information, such as job listings to identify trends in green jobs. Ministers have been supported by officials using AI tools, in line with the uses above.

What steps his Department is taking to help small and medium sized businesses with energy costs in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The Government believes the only way to protect billpayers in Lincolnshire permanently, including businesses and non-domestic organisations, is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy. The Government recently published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan which details our approach to boosting our energy security, creating good jobs, protecting consumers and tackling climate change. The Government recently launched a consultation on regulating Third-Party Intermediaries, such as energy brokers, in the retail energy market which closed on 15 November, aimed at enhancing consumer protection, particularly for non-domestic customers. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received. On 19 December last year, the Government also expanded the remit of the Energy Ombudsman services so that small business consumers with fewer than 50 employees can resolve issues with their supplier through this service. This expands the level of support to 99% of businesses in Great Britain. In September we also launched a public consultation on regulating Third Party Intermediaries for non-domestic consumers, seeking views on different potential regulatory options for this market.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Grimsby to Walpole pylon project on the availability of farmland.

Developers of the Grimsby to Walpole project, like all nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales, must assess the impacts of their proposals. This includes conducting assessments of the project's impacts on the environment, habitats, and farmland through Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA). Additionally, developers engage with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders, including farmers, through consultations to ensure their feedback is considered and incorporated into project proposals. The Government does not make assessments for specific projects until they come to the Secretary of State for final planning decision.

What estimate he has made of the annual running costs of the National Energy System Operator.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO), established on 1 October 2024, is regulated by Ofgem which has responsibility for scrutinising and approving NESO's operational costs. NESO recently launched a consultation on its regulatory Business Plan for Financial Year 2025/26 which sets out forecasted costs of £690m. Note that this includes NESO's set up costs, therefore will be higher than normal.

What estimate he has made of the annual running costs of the Global Clean Power Alliance.

The Global Clean Power Alliance aims to accelerate the delivery of the global clean power transition, bringing together a coalition of countries who share ambition and are ready to take action to overcome the biggest challenges in delivering clean power globally. The initiative is being delivered through existing resources, including by streamlining existing efforts, in collaboration with other countries and international organisations. The running costs of the Global Clean Power Alliance are met within the Department’s resource spending, as set out in the recent Spending Review. The Department accounts for its spending in its annual report and accounts.

What estimate he has made of the annual running costs of the Solar Taskforce.

There is no dedicated funding stream for the Solar Taskforce, and external Taskforce members participate without financial reimbursement. As a result, the costs of the Solar Taskforce are negligible.

What estimate he has made of the annual running costs of Mission Control.

The running costs of Mission control are met within the Department’s resource spending, as set out in the recent Spending Review. The Department accounts for its spending in its annual report and accounts.