Written questions by Wood.

Whether his Department has signed agreements with the Chinese Government that have not been published.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, updated November 2024, whether his special advisers undertake any work for the Labour Party, or have been seconded to the Labour Party.

Awaiting answer.

Whether a Regulatory Impact Assessment has been produced in relation UK membership of the EU Electricity Market and the ETS scheme.

We will negotiate an electricity agreement with the EU to cut the cost of trading electricity with European partners, strengthen our energy security, drive investment in the North Sea, and help to achieve our Clean Power 2030 Mission. In parallel, the Government is negotiating the potential for linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes, which could help UK companies avoid paying taxes on up to £7 billion of exports. The detailed commitments under any such agreement, including any assessment of impacts, will be developed as part of the negotiations.

Pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2026, to Question 119897, and of 3 February 2026, to Question 108241, on Mission Boards, on what dates the Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower Mission Board meet since it ceased to be a Cabinet committee in November 2025.

The Clean Energy Superpower Mission remains a key priority across government and is being driven by a number of different groups at Ministerial and official level, including the Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission itself. As a result of this the Mission Board itself has not met since the change in Cabinet Committee structures.

With reference to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding on linking the Emission Trading Systems of the European Union and the United Kingdom, of December 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the proposed reform of the EU Emissions Trading System.

The UK and EU agreed to work towards linking their respective emissions trading schemes at the May 2025 Summit and linking negotiations to that end are underway. The EU Emissions Trading System is undergoing review currently and proposals emanating from that review are expected to be issued this summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 113596 on Mission Boards, if he will publish the current terms of reference of the Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower Mission Board; and whether the terms of reference have been amended.

The Clean Energy Superpower Mission Board was a Cabinet Level Committee until November 2025. Information about the proceedings of the Cabinet, or of any committee of the Cabinet, is not normally shared publicly. The terms of reference for the Board are under review and have not yet been finalised.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of dynamic alignment with the EU electricity market on deregulation.

We will negotiate an electricity agreement with the EU to cut the cost of trading electricity with European partners, strengthen our energy security, drive investment in the North Sea, and help to achieve our Clean Power 2030 Mission. The detail of commitments in this agreement, as with other areas, is a matter for negotiations. This does not change the Government’s plans to ensure regulators and regulation support growth.

Whether Nigel Topping has made a declaration of political activity.

The appointment of Nigel Topping as Chair of the Climate Change Committee was made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. In supporting evidence for his pre-appointment scrutiny by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee on 16 July 2025, Nigel Topping confirmed he had no political activity to disclose. Nigel Topping brings a wealth of experience to the CCC Chair position, having been appointed to several public roles under previous governments, including as High-Level Climate Action Champion for COP26 in 2020 and as a Board Member of the UK Infrastructure Bank in 2022.

With reference to page 91 of his Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, published on 15 September 2025, HC 1274, for what reason was facility time increased from £49,777 in 2023-24 to £69,892 in 2024-25; what was the increase in facility time as a proportion of the pay bill; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of funding trade union activities from facility time.

The increase results from an increased headcount and pay bill in the department; ongoing transformation work necessitating high levels of Trade Union engagement and increased engagement following the change of Government in July 2024. The increase in pay bill from 2023/24 to 2024/25, accounted for 0.0058% of the 2024/25 paybill. No assessment has been made.

Whether the Climate Change Committee is subject to (a) the Civil Service Code and (b) guidance from the (i) Cabinet Office and (ii) Government Communication Service on political impartiality.

As an independent, statutory body, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) is not subject to the Civil Service Code. Board Members are expected to adhere to the Cabinet Office's code of conduct for Board Members of public bodies, as well as other central guidance around conduct. Staff are subject to the CCC's own code of conduct. There is a long-standing principle that public bodies must be politically impartial, and all public bodies must comply with the rules on lobbying, attendance at party conference, advertising, marketing and PR.

Whether appointments to the National Energy Systems Operator will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; whether the Chair appointment will be classified as a Significant Appointment.

As the Shareholder of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero appoints the Chair of NESO's Board. This appointment is subject to the Public Appointments Order in Council and as such must comply with the Governance code on Public Appointments. The appointment of NESO’s Chair was also considered a Significant Appointment and therefore involved a Senior Independent Panel Member.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question HL8158 on Arm’s Length Bodies, what is the (a) purpose and (b) function of Project Seahorse.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers of 29 May 2025 to Question UIN 53535 and of 16 July 2025 to Question UIN 65871.

How many staff GB Energy (a) has recruited or (b) plans to recruit in equality, diversity and inclusion roles.

There are no staff working in equality, diversity and inclusion roles at Great British Energy. There are currently no plans to recruit for such roles.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25446 on Wylfa Power Station, whether the Wylfa nuclear power station development will be classified as public sector.

Great British Nuclear (GBN) purchased the Wylfa site in June 2024, and it is recorded as an asset on the Government’s balance sheet. As a site with a history of hosting a nuclear power station, the government is working closely with GBN to assess options for new nuclear at Wylfa. No decisions have been taken yet on any specific projects or technologies to be deployed.

How many days a week staff of GB Energy will be required to be in the office.

Staff working on the set-up of GBE within DESNZ offices are expected to be in the office for 40%-60% of their working hours.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, whether his Department plans to publish an updated roadmap for achieving 95% clean power by 2030; and whether his Department has interim targets for clean energy generation in (a) 2025, (b) 2026, (c) 2027, (d) 2028 and (e) 2029.

The Government published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan ‘a new era of clean electricity’ on 13 December 2024 detailing our plan to achieve deliver clean power by 2030. The Department has not set annual interim targets for clean power generation.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, if his Department will publish an annual report detailing private investment leveraged by its clean energy strategy.

The Government and DESNZ publishes information on clean energy private investment flows, most recently announcing around the International Investment Summit in October that £34.8bn of clean energy investment has been committed to the UK [1]. DESNZ utilises Bloomberg New Energy Finance data to understand total (public plus private) investment flows, in particular capital expenditure deployed across low carbon sectors. According to our analysis of the BNEF energy transition investment 2023 dataset, between 2010 and 2023, the UK has seen £300 billion of public and private investment across low carbon sectors. We are considering what further information could be published. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-breaking-international-investment-summit-secures-63-billion-and-nearly-38000-jobs-for-the-uk

Whether he plans to lay an Official Statistics Order to include Great British Energy.

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Basildon and Billericay (Richard Holden) to Question UIN 21394.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, what criteria he will use to measure the success of Great British Energy; and if his Department will publish quarterly data on (a) investment returns, (b) operating costs and (c) contribution to the clean energy target.

Great British Energy’s (GBE) mission is to drive clean energy deployment, to create jobs, boost energy independence, and ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers, and communities reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy. GBE will be held accountable through regular reporting to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Furthermore, Parliament will be presented with a copy of the annual report and accounts of Great British Energy. Parliament will also be able to hold GBE to account through the normal methods of accountability.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, what key performance indicators his Department will use to measure energy security; and how his Department plans to demonstrate its progress toward insulating households from international fossil fuel price shocks.

As part of the Government’s Clean Energy Superpower Mission, the milestone this Parliament is to secure Britain’s energy supply with home-grown, clean power, which protects the country from exposure to unstable international fossil fuel markets. We will measure this by being on track to achieving at least 95% of low carbon generation by 2030 in line with advice from the National Energy System Operator (NESO). The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out the government’s further steps; key outcomes and progress against the target will be tracked in the run up to 2030.