Written questions by Timothy.

Whether he has made any declarations of interest to the Permanent Secretary of his Department relating to the direct appointments he has made.

There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. A statement covering relevant Ministers’ interests is published on a quarterly basis following advice from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and the Department’s Permanent Secretary. The most recent list of interests was published in November 2024.

How many ministerial cars are used by (a) him and (b) Ministers in his Department; and what is the model of those cars.

I refer the hon Member to the answers I gave to the hon Member for Bridlington and The Wolds (Charlie Dewhirst) on 14 October to Question UIN 7001 and on 6 November to Question UIN 11759.

If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of Chinese-manufactured wind turbines in UK wind farms on (a) national and (b) energy security.

The Department frequently engages with Cabinet colleagues on matters of national and energy security. The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure extremely seriously with the UK being one of the most reliable and safest energy systems, and one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world. The Government will take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. The Government will co-operate where it can, compete where it needs to, and challenge where it must.

What industrial disputes are ongoing within (a) his Department and (b) each of the arm’s length bodies connected to his Department; how many (i) staff and (ii) contractors are involved in each dispute; what the form of industrial action is in each dispute; which recognised trade union is involved in each dispute; what the substantive matter is that is being disputed in each case; and what steps he plans to take to end each dispute.

DESNZ and two of its 17 Agencies and Public Bodies (Ofgem and the Committee on Climate Change) are currently in a national trade dispute with PCS on pay, pensions, and jobs. PCS has not taken any action in relation to this dispute and DESNZ is working to resolve the dispute through its ongoing engagement with PCS, and via the annual pay discussions. Contractors supplying services to the Department are not employees of DESNZ. Any dispute relating to contractors is a matter for the unions involved and the employer of said contractors.

Whether it is his Department's policy to allow wind turbines manufactured by Chinese companies to be used on new wind farms.

The Government takes the security and resilience of our energy infrastructure extremely seriously with the UK being one of the most reliable and safest energy systems, and one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world. The Government will take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. The Government will co-operate where it can, compete where it needs to, and challenge where it must.

What his Department's policy is on clean heat market mechanism exemptions for boilers used in (a) new-build caravans and (b) park homes.

The previous government published a consultation on the Clean Heat Market Mechanism earlier this year. The Government will set out plans for the policy when it responds to that consultation.

What assessment his Department has made of the role of the refining sector in UK energy security in the periods (a) 2025-30, (b) 2030-40 and (c) 2040-50.

The UK has a diverse and resilient fuel supply, and refineries will continue to play a significant role in the UK’s economy and energy security. As the UK transitions to net zero, the production of low carbon fuels, including by refineries, will remain important to reduce emissions across the road, aviation and maritime sectors. Together, we will harness the skills and expertise of our oil and gas workforce to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed ban on petrol and diesel cars on the (a) economic viability of the UK's refining sector and (b) UK's energy security in the context of the closure of Grangemouth refinery.

As set out in our manifesto, we are committed to phasing out new cars that rely solely on internal combustion engines by 2030. We want to provide certainty and ensure consumers can benefit from more efficient vehicles. We will set out more details on specific 2025-30 requirements for both cars and vans shortly. Refineries will continue to play a significant role in the UK’s economy and energy security, and the government will support the sector to adapt to achieve our net zero ambitions. Together we will harness the skills and expertise of our refinery workforce to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the zero emission vehicle mandate on (a) levels of demand for fuel and (b) the economic viability of the refining sector.

As set out in our manifesto, we are committed to phasing out new cars that rely solely on internal combustion engines by 2030. We want to provide certainty and ensure consumers can benefit from more efficient vehicles. We will set out more details on specific 2025-30 requirements for both cars and vans shortly. Refineries will continue to play a significant role in the UK’s economy and energy security, and the government will support the sector to adapt to achieve our net zero ambitions. Together we will harness the skills and expertise of our refinery workforce to make Britain a clean energy superpower.