Every parliamentary written question tabled by Nick Timothy this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 129 · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
What recent discussions (a) ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials within his Department have had with technology companies on the energy infrastructure needed for new data centres.
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of building new data centres on (a) sites of decommissioned power stations and (b) other brownfield sites.
The suitability of any site for a data centre depends on a number of factors including grid capacity, state of grid infrastructure and availability of data connectivity. Future AI Growth Zones will be selected taking into account these factors.
If he will take steps to provide additional support to the (a) Planning Inspectorate, (b) statutory consultees, (c) local planning authorities, and (d) government consenting teams on taking forward grid infrastructure for new data centres.
Reforming the planning system is key to unlocking our country’s economic growth, to deliver the critical infrastructure that we need. The Government has announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system to support capacity and capability. The Government will deliver workforce reform, enhanced training, and reformed career development packages. Resourcing in key organisations, including the Planning Inspectorate and Government consenting teams are currently being reviewed to determine the required support.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his policies on the construction of off-grid infrastructure for new data centres, including on (a) gas-fired power plants, (b) nuclear power plants, (c) small modular reactors, and (d) renewables.
Data centres are normally connected to the transmission and distribution grid rather than off-grid connection as this gives them resilience to planned and forced outages of an individual power source. Consequently, my Department has not made any assessment of off-grid infrastructure requirements.
What assessment (a) his Department and (b) its arms-length bodies has made of the potential impact of grid-scale battery energy storage solution systems on the safety of nearby residential units.
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to UIN 24989.
What discussions his Department is having with Distribution Network Operators to accelerate upgrades to substations near ambulance stations.
The Government regularly engages with the Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), who are responsible for maintaining and upgrading electrical infrastructure, including substations. Ofgem, the regulator, ensures that DNOs build and operate this infrastructure efficiently. The current electricity distribution price control has allowed £22.2bn for upfront investment in low voltage networks, including £3.1bn for network upgrades to support low-carbon technologies, such as electric vehicle charging. Furthermore, the Government will consult this year on land rights and consenting measures to accelerate the development and maintenance of electricity network infrastructure.
Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20338 on Nuclear Power Stations: Migrant Workers, what his Department's definition is of critical systems for nuclear power plants.
DESNZ defines critical systems as any function (an aggregation of operational technology, information and specific areas within a civil nuclear installation) that is critical to preventing the theft or sabotage of nuclear material.
What plans his Department has to mitigate the potential impact of (a) disruption to and (b) sabotage of interconnectors.
The Government takes the protection of subsea seriously and is working across Whitehall to ensure it is protected against hazards or malicious threats. Great Britain has a highly resilient and diverse energy network. We are confident that the gas and electricity system operators have the tools they need to effectively balance supply and demand in a wide range of scenarios. This includes ensuring robust plans are in place to mitigate the impacts of a gas or electricity disruption as far as possible, in the event that they occur.
What assessment (a) his Department, (b) its arms-length bodies and (c) planning authorities have made of the potential impact of grid-scale battery energy storage solution systems on the safety of nearby residential units.
Grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive within a robust framework which requires BESS designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures to ensure health and safety throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation, and decommissioning. BESS projects are considered by the local planning regime in England. The government has updated planning practice guidance to encourage BESS developers to engage with local fire and rescue services, and for local planning authorities to refer to guidance published by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). The NFCC’s current guidance proposes a minimum distance of 25 metres between BESS and occupied buildings.
Which Minister is responsible for the security of offshore energy infrastructure including (a) interconnectors and (b) wind turbines.
Within DESNZ, I am responsible for the security of offshore energy infrastructure. DESNZ works closely with subsea and offshore owners, operators, regulators, and other stakeholders to ensure subsea and offshore energy infrastructure is proportionately protected against a range of threats. This includes working with industry to enhance the design of newbuild infrastructure, maintain the resilience of old infrastructure, and continue to develop the UK’s monitoring and detection capabilities. DESNZ has been working with the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) to enhance the security of subsea energy infrastructure.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the safety of interconnectors from (a) disruption and (b) sabotage.
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero works closely with owners and operators of energy interconnectors to ensure their infrastructure is proportionately protected against a range of threats, including accidental damage or intentional sabotage. This includes working with industry to enhance the design of newbuild infrastructure and maintain the resilience of old infrastructure. We are also working to enhance the UK’s monitoring and detection capabilities, including by working with the Joint Maritime Security Centre to monitor activity around interconnectors, and strengthening information-sharing with our international partners.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential threat of hostile interference with offshore energy infrastructure since July 2024.
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero is working both across Whitehall and with energy owners, operators and regulators to ensure that offshore energy infrastructure is protected against hazards and malicious threats. This includes working with the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) since the Nord Stream incidents of 2022. The JMSC provide Government with real-time monitoring capabilities around offshore infrastructure in UK waters. By increasing our maritime domain awareness, we have a more comprehensive understanding of threats to this type of infrastructure and can take the necessary measures to enhance its security.
What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on preventing action by hostile actors on offshore infrastructure.
The Government takes the protection of subsea seriously and is working across Government to ensure it is protected against hazards or malicious threats. DESNZ has been working with the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) since the Nord Stream incidents of 2022, to enhance the security of subsea energy infrastructure. The JMSC is providing Government with real-time monitoring capabilities around UK offshore and subsea energy infrastructure.
What discussions he has had with international counterparts on the security of offshore energy infrastructure.
This Government takes the protection of offshore infrastructure seriously and is committed to working internationally to ensure it is protected against hazards or malicious threats. DESNZ is working closely with international partners on energy security and crisis management. This includes regular engagement with multilateral institutions such as NATO. DESNZ continues to drive international initiatives, including the signing of the North Sea Joint Declaration of Cooperation and the formalisation of the North Sea Gas Security Group. Working through these partnerships support us to understand respective threats, share situational awareness and strengthen our collective response to incidents impacting shared infrastructure.
Whether he plans to decolonise the (a) artwork and (b) heritage assets in (i) his Department and (ii) each of its arm's length bodies.
The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency (GPA) in its office locations. Artwork that is displayed in these locations is owned by Government Art Collection which is part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. GPA is responsible for any heritage assets. As separate entities, arm’s-length body are responsible for artwork and heritage items that sit within their office locations, rather than with the Department.
If he will publish the latest modelling conducted by his Department or its agencies of (a) energy supply and demand and (b) network capacity constraints.
The Department's Energy and Emission Projections are updated and published annually; these show projected energy demand and electricity generation under policies that have been implemented and those that are planned where the level of funding has been agreed, and the design of the policy is near final. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for managing network constraints and publishing constraint forecasts: *ETYS 2023. As set out in our Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, Government is working to accelerate the build of electricity network infrastructure to increase capacity and enable a cheaper and secure energy system for Britain.
If he will publish the (a) countries of origin, (b) value, and (c) volume of imported (i) oil and (ii) gas in each year since 2010.
Annual oil and gas imports volume and value figures are published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, Annex Table G.1: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dukes-foreign-trade-statistics More detailed import volume data are also published in individual chapter tables.For oil see Table 3.7: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/petroleum-chapter-3-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukesFor gas see Table 4.5: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/natural-gas-chapter-4-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes
What steps his Department is taking to help tackle (a) national and (b) local barriers to community energy projects.
The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change. Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan will partner with and provide funding and support to community energy groups to roll out renewable energy projects across the UK and help develop up to 8GW of cleaner power. DESNZ’s £10m Community Energy Fund enables both rural and urban communities in England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects.
What information his Department holds on the number of foreign nationals employed at (a) Sizewell and (b) Hinckley nuclear power station by country of origin in each year from 2010 to 2024.
The department does not collect information on the number of foreign nationals employed on the Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C projects. Access to the critical systems for both reactors would be restricted to UK nationals only. The nuclear license holder will be obliged to meet security standards as set out by the Regulator.
If he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the processes put in place by his Department to ensure that the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7 (a) is open and transparent and (b) will allocate contracts according to which bid achieves the highest value for money.
We are reviewing the Contracts for Difference scheme, as we do before every round, to ensure it continues to deliver value for money and all other objectives. We set out some of the changes to the scheme we are considering in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan and will be consulting on these early next year. We will open Allocation Round 7 in the summer of 2025, and publish further details for the round in due course.