Written questions by Conlon.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the Warm Homes Discount to households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits.

We have recently consulted on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would end the use of the property high cost to heat threshold, making all energy billpayers who are on a qualifying means tested benefit eligible for the Discount. This would bring around 2.7 million households on a qualifying means-tested benefit into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation closed on 24 March, DESNZ has considered the responses and a Government response will be published in due course.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the UK's priorities for the UN Climate Change Conference 2025.

My Rt Hon friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial Colleagues on a number of issues, including driving forward the UK’s priorities for COP30. The joint work of countries committed to development, tackling climate change and multilateralism has never been more important. We are also working closely across Government to drive further international action, including withFCDO on the Global Clean Power Alliance and the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership, andDefra on issues such as strong domestic action and international leadership on the Global Methane Pledge.

What steps he is taking to inform households of the Warm Homes Plan.

We have kick-started the Warm Homes Plan by announcing in October 2024 an initial £3.4 billion in funding for heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency over the next 3 years. In November, we announced we were almost doubling funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in 2025/26 and changing planning regulations for heat pumps. We will set out full details of the Warm Homes Plan following the Spending Review.

What steps he is taking to improve energy security in (a) England and (b) Beckenham and Penge constituency.

The Government will reduce dependency on fossil fuel markets by transitioning to a diverse energy system based on renewables and nuclear. This includes delivering clean power by 2030 as part of the Prime Minister’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, supported by the largest investment in home-grown energy in history. By producing clean energy at home and being more efficient in how we use it, we can boost our energy independence, protect billpayers and reduce exposure to global supply shocks. The Clean Power Action Plan details the route towards the mission, covering Great Britain, including Beckenham and Penge.

With reference to Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity, published on 13 December 2024, what progress his Department has made on achieving clean power by 2030.

In addition to publishing our Clean Power 2030 Action Plan the Government has taken rapid action towards meeting our 2030 targets by: lifting the ban on onshore wind, establishing Great British Energy, consenting almost 2 GW of nationally significant solar, and delivering a record-breaking renewables auction. As announced last week, the Government will bring forward a Planning and Infrastructure Bill with new measures to prioritise projects and streamline the legal framework for critical infrastructure through the planning process.

What discussions he has had with his international counterparts on global cooperation on tackling climate change.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with international counterparts on global cooperation on tackling climate change, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora. For example, at COP29 we met directly with more than a dozen counterparts and worked closely with many more in order to reach the final agreement in Baku. This will continue to be a focus for both my Rt hon Friend and I throughout 2025 as we approach COP30 in Belem.

What recent progress he has made on meeting his target to have a zero carbon electricity system by 2030.

Since July the Government has taken rapid action towards meeting our mission for clean power by 2030. We’ve ended the onshore wind ban, approved enough solar to power hundreds of thousands of homes, secured a record-breaking 131 renewables projects and set up Great British Energy in Aberdeen.The Government recently commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to provide practical advice on achieving a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030. The Government received NESO’s advice on 5 November, which will inform the 2030 Clean Power Action Plan, due for publication by the end of the year.