Written questions by Jones.

What consideration he has given to banning the extraction of coal from coal tips.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) extracting and b) burning of coal extracted from coal tips on the level of carbon emissions.

Awaiting answer.

What steps is his Department taking to increase the amount of tidal stream capacity procured in Allocation Round 8.

The Government will set out the design of Allocation Round 8, including parameters for all CfD eligible technologies, ahead of the round opening.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the budget for (a) tidal stream technologies and (b) other Pot 2 technologies in Allocation Round 8 above the £15 million provided in Allocation Round 7.

For Allocation Round 8 of the Contracts for Difference scheme, the Government will consider a range of factors when setting budgets and parameters for tidal stream and other technologies, including the pipeline of eligible projects, progress towards decarbonisation targets, and value for money for consumers.

What steps his Department taking to support delivery of the Morlais tidal stream project in Anglesey.

The UK Government supports the Morlais tidal stream project primarily through the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, our main mechanism for supporting low‑carbon electricity generation. Tidal stream projects deployed at Morlais have secured CfD contracts through recent allocation rounds, providing long‑term revenue certainty and supporting deployment from 2026 onwards. The Government has also maintained ringfenced budgets for tidal stream in successive CfD rounds, recognising the UK’s global leadership in this emerging technology. Responsibility for the Morlais site infrastructure and its development sits with the Welsh Government, which has provided equity and regional funding.

What consideration he has given to the additional energy needs of disabled people who do not receive means tested benefits when evaluating potential energy bill support for households as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Government recognises that families and businesses across the country will see the recent global events and once again be concerned about the impact on their energy bills. The Government continues to monitor the situation closely. Contingency planning is taking place for every eventuality, so that we can keep costs down for everyone and provide support for those who need it mostIn addition, DESNZ is working closely with other Government Departments on the National Data Library (NDL) energy bill support ‘Kickstarter’ project to test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to Government programmes. The Kickstarter project will pave the way for better targeted help, ensuring those who are struggling to pay their bills get the support they need.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of the receipt of benefits designed to support disabled people with the additional costs of living with disability, such as a) PIP, b) DLA and c) AA, being within targeting criteria for energy cost support initiatives.

The Government recognises that families and businesses across the country will see the recent global events and once again be concerned about the impact on their energy bills. The Government continues to monitor the situation closely. Contingency planning is taking place for every eventuality, so that we can keep costs down for everyone and provide support for those who need it mostIn addition, DESNZ is working closely with other Government Departments on the National Data Library (NDL) energy bill support ‘Kickstarter’ project to test how public sector data can be better joined up to improve access to Government programmes. The Kickstarter project will pave the way for better targeted help, ensuring those who are struggling to pay their bills get the support they need.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of smart grids enabled by dedicated radio spectrum access on people in Newport West and Islwyn constituency.

Ofcom is responsible for the management of spectrum in the UK, including allocating spectrum. My officials are working with those in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and with regulators to help establish the evidence base for the future telecommunications requirements of the energy sector.

What plans he has to include tidal lagoons in the 2030-50 clean energy mix.

The UK possesses tremendous tidal resource which could play a role in balancing the intermittency of wind and solar generation as we transition towards a carbon-neutral power sector. The Government's position on tidal range generation, is that we remain open to considering well-developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy in the bays and estuaries around our coastlines, including lagoons and other alternatives.

Whether he plans to investigate the business practices of rent-a-roof companies under the (a) Feed-In-Tariff and (b) Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

The Department is aware of allegations that have been made about the business practices of some companies that operated rent-a-roof or leasing models in the Feed-in Tariff and Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive schemes. Ofgem is currently looking into these allegations. If Ofgem finds evidence of wrongdoing, then the Department will support Ofgem in using the full extent of its powers to address the issue.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of aviation objections on the deployment of new onshore wind in Wales.

Wales will play an important role in increasing the UK's onshore wind capacity and meeting our Net Zero Ambitions. The Government has set up an Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce to identify and address the barriers to increased onshore wind deployment, including in relation to airspace management and aviation. As a reserved matter, we recognise that this will have implications for onshore wind projects being built in the Devolved Administrations. We engage regularly with the Welsh Government, who are represented on the Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce.