Written questions by Savage.

What steps he is taking to support rural and off-grid households with energy costs.

The Government recognises the significant pressures these increases to alternative fuel prices place on households in rural communities and off-grid households. The Chancellor recently confirmed the Government’s approach to rising energy prices will be to target help to those who need it most. To that end, the Government has announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. Since the crisis began, we have worked with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to warn companies about unfair practices, such as price gouging, as well as writing to companies to warn them about our expectations of their behaviour. The Government continues to monitor the situation closely, and we are looking at what further support may be needed. The measures taken in the Autumn Budget reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter, including those not on the gas grid. In addition, on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.

What support his Department provides to UK companies developing synthetic hydrocarbons as alternatives to conventional fossil fuels; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of synthetic hydrocarbon fuels in the UK’s transition to lower-carbon energy sources.

Given that low carbon fuels will find their primary application in transport decarbonisation, this policy area is led by the Department for Transport. Low carbon fuels, including synthetic hydrocarbons produced from sustainable biomass and other renewable energy sources, will play a critical role in meeting legislated carbon budgets and the Net Zero 2050 target. The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate provide support for low carbon fuel supply in surface transport and aviation, respectively. The Advanced Fuels Fund has allocated over £198 million to support UK alternative fuel production, including synthetic hydrocarbons, with 21 projects supported.

What support is available to pensioners and low-income households who rely on heating oil in rural areas; and whether he plans to introduce targeted assistance comparable to schemes available to households connected to the gas grid.

The Government understands that many households, particularly in rural and off‑gas‑grid areas, rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat. We continue to monitor heating oil supply chains to ensure households can access fuel when needed.My Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor has announced £53m for low income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. This funding will also be available to the Northern Ireland Executive, Wales, and Scotland. More information can be found here: Over £50 million to help families struggling with soaring heating oil costs - GOV.UKThe measures taken in the Autumn Budget reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter, including those not on the gas grid. In addition, on 30 January, we announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.

What assessment he has made of the impact of recent increases in the retail price of domestic heating oil in rural areas; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that households reliant on kerosene heating are protected from excessive or unjustified price rises.

Unlike gas and electricity markets, heating oil is bought on the spot market, making it more exposed to short‑term volatility in global oil prices, which we recognise is a significant concern for those reliant on it.The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing.Following discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority, we welcome its comprehensive examination of the heating oil industry.We are working closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections in this sector, including potential regulatory measures.

What assessment he has made of the impact of international geopolitical events on the wholesale and retail price of domestic heating oil in the UK; and whether he has considered introducing monitoring or safeguards to prevent disproportionate price increases for off-grid households.

Unlike gas and electricity markets, heating oil is bought on the spot market, making it more exposed to short‑term volatility in global oil prices, which we recognise is a significant concern for those reliant on it.The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing.Following discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority, we welcome its comprehensive examination of the heating oil industry.We are working closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections in this sector, including potential regulatory measures.

Whether his Department has assessed whether recent increases in the retail price of domestic heating oil constitute unfair pricing or profiteering; and whether the Competition and Markets Authority has been asked to review pricing practices in the domestic heating oil market.

Unlike gas and electricity markets, heating oil is bought on the spot market, making it more exposed to short‑term volatility in global oil prices, which we recognise is a significant concern for those reliant on it.The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing.Following discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority, we welcome its comprehensive examination of the heating oil industry.We are working closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections in this sector, including potential regulatory measures.

What steps his Department is taking to enable community energy projects to sell energy directly to local households and businesses; and how this will support local communities to take greater control of their energy supply and reduce energy bills.

This Government is hugely ambitious about the role that community energy will play in achieving our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. On 10 February 2026, we announced the Local Power Plan: a joint DESNZ-Great British Energy (GBE) publication setting out the UK’s largest ever public investment in community energy, up to £1 billion. The Department recognises the requests to take steps to better enable local energy markets and trading to lower bills and increase the resilience of the electricity networks. The Department is investigating barriers to local supply, and is working with Ofgem, GBE and relevant stakeholders to find solutions that work in the best interests of local generators and consumers. The Department is actively exploring policy options that will unlock Smart Local Energy Systems. Ofgem and Elexon’s work on code modifications, like P441, will help more community energy groups identify and understand the different routes to market in order to sell their energy. Industry feedback will inform the Draft Modification Report considered by the Panel on the 12 March leading to the Final Modification Report submitted to Ofgem on the 17 March.

Whether his Department has considered flexible or compensatory approaches to EPC compliance, where upgrades are not technically or financially viable.

Having an EPC is a requirement for property owners selling or renting a property. Landlords of rented homes may also need to upgrade their properties to meet minimum energy efficiency standards. There are a number of existing exemptions for the private rented sector, who, since 2020, have been required to meet an EPC E standard or have a valid exemption. The government recently confirmed the standard will be increased for privately rented homes, and a new standard will be introduced for the social rented sector.

What steps his Department is taking to support community energy projects.

My Department and Great British Energy have engaged extensively with the community energy sector in developing the Local Power Plan.I will shortly be making a statement to this House about the Local Power Plan which represents an unprecedented £1bn investment in community energy across our country.

With reference to his correspondence of 10 June 2025, if he will ask the Minister for Energy to meet with the hon. Member for the South Cotswolds.

I have asked my office to contact the hon Member to find an appropriate date.

What conclusions he has come to about the potential risks of foreign investment in our utilities sector.

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. Maintaining a secure energy supply is a key priority for the UK Government. We have a range of effective measures in place which give the Government powers to balance an open investment environment to facilitate growth with protecting the areas of our economy that are the most sensitive to national security.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending minimum EPC C requirements to include self-catering holiday lets on (a) rural tourism, (b) small businesses and (c) local economies; and if he will review his Department's decision to apply these regulations to short-term holiday accommodation.

Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We have sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our changes, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties. We received a significant number of responses and have engaged widely with stakeholders on our proposals. A government response will be published in due course.

What comparative assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) small nuclear power plants and (b) large-scale solar farms.

As set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, a power system run on low carbon generation with renewables providing the vast majority of generation, supported by nuclear, can form the basis of a clean, affordable and secure energy system. This assessment was supported by independent advice from the National Energy System Operator (NESO), whose clean power scenarios highlighted the importance of different technologies working in combination. The Department continues to model a range of different energy mixes and scenarios to support policy decisions. Alongside the Scottish and Welsh Governments, we have also jointly commissioned NESO to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). The SSEP will assess infrastructure potential on a zonal basis as well as the quantities and types of energy infrastructure required to meet our future energy demand with the clean, affordable and secure supply that we need. The first SSEP will be published in 2026.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the financial history of Macquarie Asset Management; and what weight is given to past financial performance in the assessment process for major energy infrastructure applications.

The Government does not comment on individual applications. Any applicant seeking development consent for an energy-related nationally significant infrastructure project must submit a Funding Statement as part of the application process. The Funding Statement is reviewed by the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State for adequacy of funding to cover the applicant’s liabilities for the project. Past financial performance does not hold any weight when the Secretary of State considers the overall planning balance.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure households who have installed solar panels are benefitting from the wholesale rise in energy.

Households with solar panels benefit through significantly reduced electricity bills. They can also export the excess energy they generate to the grid, and receive payment for doing so, via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). The SEG is a market-led mechanism that captures the value of small-scale exported electricity and was introduced to help meet net zero commitments at the lowest cost to consumers and businesses.

What the total acreage of land is in the UK that is currently covered by solar farms; and what the acreage is for which planning permission for solar farms has been granted.

According to a report on energy trends published by DESNZ, as of September 2024 ground-mount solar PV panels covered an estimated 21,200 hectares (52,000 acres), which is only around 0.1 per cent of the total land area of the UK. While such information is not currently available for projects that have been granted planning permission, we are working on expanding the coverage of the data to all projects in the pipeline. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6762f035e6ff7c8a1fde9b48/Land_utilised_by_solar_PV__September_2024.pdf

If his Department will take steps to provide financial support for pension-age carers, in the context of increases in the price cap for energy bills.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently, including pension-age carers. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. Last week, we published a consultation on expanding the Warm Home Discount scheme for next winter, where we propose to remove the high cost to heat threshold, making all those on means tested benefits eligible for the scheme. This would make those of pension age, who claim the Saving Credit element of Pension Credit, eligible for a rebate next winter.In addition, I have also worked with energy suppliers to agree a £500 million Winter Commitment to help customers struggling with bills this winter. I would urge any consumers struggling with their energy bills to contact their energy supplier, local authority, or Citizens Advice to see what support they can receive.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the operation (a) Rosebank and (b) Jackdaw oil fields on the UK's (a) carbon budgets and (b) commitments under the Paris Agreement.

I refer the Hon Member to the regulatory decision documents on the environmental effects of the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects. Those regulatory decisions were subject to Judicial Review and were found to be unlawful by the Court of Session in light of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Finch. Should the developers of the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields choose to re-apply for consent, and submit supplementary environmental information required in light of the Court of Session’s judgment, it will be assessed in line with supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment guidance that the government is finalising and will publish soon.

What steps he is taking to encourage the adoption of low-cost, room-based air conditioner heat pumps; and if he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) reducing VAT and (b) introducing carbon reduction heat pump grants for those pumps.

There is a 0% rate of VAT on the installation of heat pumps, including air-to-air systems, due to last until 2027. The Government wants to target grant support at technologies that offer the greatest potential to decarbonise our buildings, and in most cases air-to-air heat pumps only provide space heating, with many installations still reliant on another less efficient appliance to provide hot water. The Government will, however, keep its position on alternative electric heating technologies under review, utilising the latest evidence before making any decisions.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on steps to ease the process by which farms connect to the national grid.

The Government is working with Ofgem, NESO and the network companies to fundamentally reform the connections process and reduce unacceptable grid connection delays. These reforms, if approved by Ofgem, will remove stalled projects and accelerate connections for viable customers with viable projects, including those on farms.