Written questions by Anderson.

What information his Department holds on trends in the number of jobs in the oil and gas sector since 2023.

The Government holds information on employment trends in the oil and gas sector from a range of sources, including industry data and independent research. The Office for National Statistics estimates that direct employment in the sector was around 27,000 in 2023 and around 28,000 in 2024 on a provisional basis.Analysis shows strong skills transferability from oil and gas to offshore clean energy roles.

What information his Department holds on trends in the average cost of household energy bills since 2023.

The department publishes statistics on domestic electricity and gas bills, based on data provided to the department by energy suppliers.Annual domestic energy bills - GOV.UK

What steps he is taking to support people with potential surges in energy costs.

The Government recognises that families and businesses across the country will see the recent global events and once again be concerned about the impact on their energy bills. We continue to monitor the situation closely and we are looking at what further support may be needed. At the Autumn Budget we committed to taking money off energy bills and we have. The energy price cap will provide protection for households until the start of July, regardless of developments in the Middle East. Ofgem has confirmed that the price cap will fall by 7% or £117 annually for the period covering April to June. The price cap for that period is fixed and will not change.In addition to this, around 6 million families are benefitting from the expansion of the £150 Warm Home Discount, and through the Warm Homes Plan the Government is delivering the biggest investment in home upgrades in British history.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the conflict in the Middle East on energy prices for British consumers.

The Government recognises that families and businesses across the country will see the recent global events and once again be concerned about the impact on their energy bills. We continue to monitor the situation closely and we are looking at what further support may be needed. At the Autumn Budget we committed to taking money off energy bills and we have. The energy price cap will provide protection for households until the start of July, regardless of developments in the Middle East. Ofgem has confirmed that the price cap will fall by 7% or £117 annually for the period covering April to June. The price cap for that period is fixed and will not change.In addition to this, around 6 million families are benefitting from the expansion of the £150 Warm Home Discount, and through the Warm Homes Plan the Government is delivering the biggest investment in home upgrades in British history.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of high energy bills on small businesses in the UK.

The Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows. The Government and Ofgem continue to work together with consumer groups and wider stakeholders to identify and implement policy changes which can improve the non-domestic market.

What recent assessment his Department has made on the potential risk of (a) domestic and (b) international espionage activity impacting energy infrastructure.

The Government keeps the threat of both domestic and international espionage to UK energy infrastructure under regular review. This includes assessments of the threat picture undertaken with industry, security agencies and international counterparts, drawing on intelligence reporting and incident trends. Collaboration with allies is critical to our collective security and resilience. DESNZ engages closely with international partners and multilateral institutions, including NATO, to monitor potential espionage activity targeting energy infrastructure in the UK and abroad, share situational awareness, and identify trends that may have implications for national security. The Department continues to monitor threats closely and works with industry to ensure the security of UK energy infrastructure against espionage activity from both domestic and international actors.

How well prepared the UK energy sector is to combat espionage activity.

National Security is a key priority for the government. The Department takes the threat of espionage against the energy sector extremely seriously and works closely with industry, regulators and Government partners to ensure a strong and coordinated approach. This includes maintaining robust cyber, physical and personnel security measures to identify, prevent and respond to hostile activity. Operators should regularly assess risks and test their preparedness, and the Government continues to work to strengthen resilience across the sector so that the UK energy sector maintains a high level of preparedness to counter espionage risks.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of the cost of energy bills on households.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead department for the energy sector only. Regarding energy utility bills, lowering bills is central to every decision we make. Thanks to decisions in Government's Autumn Budget, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will deliver an average £150 of costs off household energy bills from April 2026. As a result of this action, people can expect to make a significant saving on their bills. In addition, in 2024-2025, 7,961 households (18.4%) in Ashfield benefited from the Warm Home Discount - a £150 discount on their energy bill. This winter, we are expanding this discount so that around 6 million low-income households will receive this support, including an approximate additional 160,000 households in the East Midlands region. Beyond these measures, this Government is taking back control of our energy to prevent the British people from being left exposed to price shocks caused by our dependence on fossil fuel markets. We are delivering the biggest investment in clean, low-cost energy in British history, so we can build a system that protects billpayers permanently.

What recent steps he is taking to support households with the cost of utility bills.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead department for the energy sector only. Regarding energy utility bills, lowering bills is central to every decision we make. Thanks to decisions in Government's Autumn Budget, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will deliver an average £150 of costs off household energy bills from April 2026. As a result of this action, people can expect to make a significant saving on their bills. In addition, in 2024-2025, 7,961 households (18.4%) in Ashfield benefited from the Warm Home Discount - a £150 discount on their energy bill. This winter, we are expanding this discount so that around 6 million low-income households will receive this support, including an approximate additional 160,000 households in the East Midlands region. Beyond these measures, this Government is taking back control of our energy to prevent the British people from being left exposed to price shocks caused by our dependence on fossil fuel markets. We are delivering the biggest investment in clean, low-cost energy in British history, so we can build a system that protects billpayers permanently.

How much their Department has spent on (a) advertising and (b) marketing in each of the last three years.

This information is set out in the department’s annual reports and accounts.

If he will publish a timeline for the transfer of the £2.3bn investment reserve to BCSSS members.

The Chancellor announced in the budget the transfer of the full reserve of £2.3bn which will increase member incomes by 41%. The transfer has been completed and the required amendments to the scheme rules agreed and signed. Implementation is a matter for the Trustees but we understand they have put processes in place so that the first payments will be made on 23 December.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the COP30 climate summit.

The UK Government has rigorous processes in place to ensure costs for COP summits are managed effectively and represent value for money. A full cost will be confirmed and published once all expenditure is finalised.

Whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, DESNZ are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero recruitment must follow the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 legislation, which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition. Whilst recruitment into DESNZ does not focus solely on underrepresented groups we want to ensure all groups feel supported during the recruitment process and see DESNZ as an employer of choice. As part of our recruitment process, we: Run the Disability Confident Scheme and are a Disability Confident LeaderAnonymise applications (including removing the name of educational institutions)Run attraction events targeted at underrepresented groups (ethnic minorities, women and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds) DESNZ has run or supported the following programmes aimed at supporting underrepresented groups in the workforce in the past year: Autism Exchange Internship Programme - supporting young autistic people to gain meaningful work experience in the Civil Service.Care Leavers Programme - a programme run by Department for Education and a GFiE accredited programme, is an internship designed to improve outcomes for young people who have spent time in care.Change 100 Summer Internship Programme - a collaboration with the charity Leonard Cheshire to provide an internship for disabled students and graduates.upReach Summer Internship Programme - a collaboration with the charity upReach to offer an internship for university students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.Release on temporary licence programme (ROTL) - a programme that supports individuals who are eligible to be released from prison on temporary licence to work.Summer Internship Programme - the new revised programme for 2026 will support individuals in their final 2 years from a lower socio-economic backgrounds into placements in the Department, which aims to build a diverse pipeline into Fast Stream.

If he is taking steps to prevent job losses at the Lindsey Oil Refinery.

The insolvency process at Prax Lindsey is led by the court-appointed Official Receiver, who must act in accordance with his statutory duties and independently of government. On 30 September, the Official Receiver made the independent decision to issue 125 redundancy notices effective from 31 October in order to provide employees with as much notice as possible, while concluding the sales process in the coming weeks. The majority of the workforce will be retained beyond the end of October. The Official Receiver is independently assessing potential bids for the future of the refinery and its assets and has made clear he will continue to work with all bidders with credible and deliverable proposals. The Government remains hopeful that a solution will be found that supports jobs on the site long-term. The Government’s first priority is supporting the workforce. Employees will be able to access support from the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Careers Service. We are also funding a Training Guarantee for refinery workers, to ensure they have the skills they need and are supported to find long-term jobs, including in the growing clean energy workforce. Those affected are able to enrol onto the scheme now with over 60 workers already registered to complete Training Need Assessments.

For what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has made use of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past year for a range of purposes including:Support to general corporate and administrative activities. For example, creating meeting notes, drafting and summarising documents.Information retrieval and presentation, including extracting data from multiple sources to produce straightforward guidance for common activities and develop tailored insights for policy planning and development.Data analysis and decision support, for example, researching and analysing economic trends in green industries and markets. AI is used in accordance with all relevant departmental and government guidelines, to ensure responsible and ethical use and data protection.

What components of wind turbines are (a) supplied and (b) manufactured in the UK.

The Offshore Wind Regional Growth Prospectuses set out a range of current manufacturing and services capabilities in the UK, as well as growth opportunities, including in blade, foundation and cable manufacture; secondary steel components; cable installation; operations and maintenance activity; and environmental services. New facilities in development include cable manufacturing in Nigg and Blyth, and monopile construction in Teesside. Data collected via the Onshore Wind Taskforce indicates that UK content in domestic onshore windfarms can be between 50 and 70 percent, with high shares of jobs and investment in development, operations and maintenance, civil engineering and electrical works.

If he will make it his policy to prioritise industrial rooftops over (a) arable farmland and (b) countryside fields for solar panel locations.

The Government incentivises industrial rooftop solar in various ways, including permitted development rights, favourable tax treatment, and the Smart Export Guarantee. Solar is part of our strategy for improving the energy performance of buildings. It will play an important role, where appropriate, on newbuild non-domestic buildings in the Future Buildings Standard which is to be introduced later this year. The UK’s overall approach to Net Zero commercial buildings will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan later this year. Achieving our ambitious clean power mission will require rapid deployment of rooftop and ground-mounted solar. However, planning guidance makes clear that, wherever possible, solar developers should utilise brownfield, industrial, contaminated, or previously developed land.

What was his Departments total spend on international climate finance in each of the last 3 years.

DESNZ ICF supports global clean energy deployment, protects the world’s forests and leverages private investment at scale to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s total spend on International Climate Finance (ICF) over the last 3 years is: DESNZ ICF spendFinancial Year£394.9m2024/25£311.1m2023/24£350.2m2022/23

What information they hold on the number of workdays that were completed remotely in their Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.

Hybrid working is an informal, discretionary, non-contractual arrangement that enables employees to work partly in the workplace and partly at home. Employees are expected to spend a minimum of 40% of their working hours in the office. Office attendance requirements are managed locally to ensure the minimum requirement is met, and no central data is held on this.

Which delegates the Government plans to take to the COP30 climate change summit.

The size and composition of the UK delegation is still being determined. In keeping with previous years, the UNFCCC is expected to publish a provisional list of registered participants as COP30 begins, with a final list published a few weeks after COP concludes. This will list all UK delegates who attended COP30.