Written questions by Hobhouse.

When he plans to respond to the consultation entitled Regulating Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) in the retail energy market, published on 20 September 2024.

Third-party intermediaries (TPIs) like price comparison websites, energy brokers, and auto-switching services are vital in helping consumers navigate the retail energy market, acting as intermediaries between energy suppliers and customers. However, not all TPIs offer optimal services. While most operate ethically and responsibly, there are exceptions. Several consumer harms have been reported, such as TPIs prioritising their own commercial interests over consumers', opaque contracting practices (including verbal contracts in the non-domestic market), instances of mis-selling, inadequate dispute resolution, and poor customer service. The Government consultation on regulating TPIs in the retail energy market closed on 15 November. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of malpractice in the third-party intermediary energy retail market and (b) the potential impact of the policies within the consultation entitled Regulating Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) in the retail energy market, published on 20 September 2024, on levels of malpractice.

Third-party intermediaries (TPIs) like price comparison websites, energy brokers, and auto-switching services are vital in helping consumers navigate the retail energy market, acting as intermediaries between energy suppliers and customers. However, not all TPIs offer optimal services. While most operate ethically and responsibly, there are exceptions. Several consumer harms have been reported, such as TPIs prioritising their own commercial interests over consumers', opaque contracting practices (including verbal contracts in the non-domestic market), instances of mis-selling, inadequate dispute resolution, and poor customer service. The Government consultation on regulating TPIs in the retail energy market closed on 15 November. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of adding carbon capture, utilisation and storage costs onto household bills.

We have created several business models to fund CCUS projects, designed to ensure value for money whilst providing long term sight of revenue streams for investors. CCUS will be funded by a mixture of exchequer and levy sources, the exact split to be determined in due course. Negotiations with projects are ongoing and therefore commercially confidential. Final awards will be published on the UK subsidy database. We will continue to learn from the first clusters as they approach Final Investment Decisions and apply these lessons to further development of CCUS to ensure that it delivers value for money.

What plans he has for increased (a) funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and (b) support for additional low-carbon heating technologies.

On 21 November the Government announced £30 million of additional budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for this financial year in response to increased uptake to the scheme. It was also confirmed that the scheme budget for the next financial year will be almost doubled to £295 million. Budgets for subsequent years will be confirmed in the second phase of the Spending Review. The Government has also announced support for social housing and lower income households through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant which includes support for low carbon heating.

Whether his Department plans to allow large-scale development consent order solar projects to bid for future Contracts for Difference auctions.

Solar projects over 5MW were eligible to apply for Allocation Round 6. The Government is committed to accelerating solar deployment to meet clean power 2030 and reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver this and other objectives. We will confirm details for Allocation Round 7, including eligibility, in due course.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) restoring a three-year window for solar photovoltaics and (b) allowing solar Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects to bid in future Contracts for Difference auctions.

Solar projects over 5MW were eligible to apply for Allocation Round 6. The Government is committed to accelerating solar deployment to meet clean power 2030 and reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver this and other objectives. We will confirm details for Allocation Round 7, including eligibility, in due course.

How many civil servants in his Department are working on (a) demand flexibility, (b) Great British Energy, (c) hydrogen, (d) carbon capture and storage, (e) nuclear energy, (f) the review of electricity market arrangements, (g) heat electrification and (h) biomass.

The Department has around 4500 full time equivalents (FTE) working across multiple policy areas and programmes. These include demand flexibility, Great British Energy, Carbon capture, utilisation and storage, hydrogen, nuclear, the review of electricity market arrangements, heat electrification and biomass, amongst others. The Department’s resourcing is recorded and aligned to its organisation structure, rather than to portfolios. This means we are unable to provide a detailed breakdown for each of the areas mentioned.

What proportion of funding from the public purse for Sizewell C has been (a) spent on and (b) committed to companies with headquarters in (i) the UK and (ii) what foreign countries.

The details of contracts agreed by Sizewell C with its suppliers are commercially sensitive. The project has made a commitment to spend 70 per cent of the construction value in the UK.

If he will make an assessment of the (a) potential implications for his policies and (b) the Government's net zero strategy of discussions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on determining its methodology for calculating bioenergy with carbon capture and storage emissions including imported biomass.

An assessment is made on the potential implications of any policy by the civil service and is provided to ministers to allow an informed decision to be made. The 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories provide a methodology for the reporting of emissions from bioenergy with carbon capture and storage that the UK is intending to follow once the technology is operating at sufficient scale.

What his Department's timetable is for making a decision on how much funding the Government will make available for bioenergy carbon capture and storage technology.

Following the announcement in October 2024 of funding for the initial Track 1 cluster configurations, further funding decisions for continued CCUS deployment will be taken as part of the Spending Review concluding in late Spring 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 5089 on Great British Nuclear: Recruitment, for what reason his Department is unable to provide a list of (a) the 16 organisations from which personnel have been seconded to Great British Nuclear and (b) the number of personnel supplied by each organisation.

The Department is unable to share information potentially sensitive to individuals working within GBN. GBN has grown rapidly as an organisation with permanent recruitment underway.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of recognising book and claim as a form of corporate emissions reporting.

Large or listed UK companies are required to disclose specified emissions under the regulations which underpin Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting. Currently, Government is considering the International Sustainability Standards Board reporting requirements which do not prohibit the use of book and claim for emissions, subject to transparent reporting and verification. DESNZ is also reviewing the Environmental Reporting Guidance which includes guidance on reporting renewable energy where Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin are used alongside physical purchase of energy, as well as use of carbon offsets. However, there are no plans to conduct a specific assessment of the merits of book and claim at the present time.

If he will make it his policy to strengthen the biomass sustainability auditing regime before any new Contracts for Difference are awarded.

The 2023 Biomass Strategy contained a commitment to consult on developing and implementing a cross-sector sustainability framework to enable greater consistency across sectors. Next steps on this will be announced in due course.

Whether he plans to take steps to provide financial support to the homes that his Department considers to be too expensive or difficult to install a heat pump into.

The Government recognises that heat pumps may not be feasible in a small number of properties, and these homes will require alternative low-carbon heating solutions to help them decarbonise. The Government is committed to incentivising properties to transition to cleaner, affordable heating and our Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6413 on Sizewell C Power Station: Finance, for what reason disclosure of the proportions of capital allocated by Sizewell C Ltd is considered commercially sensitive; and whether his Department holds that information.

Sizewell C’s spending plans are agreed by shareholders, including Government. The public disclosure of detailed spending plans whilst the project is engaged in live commercial negotiations could have a negative impact on the project’s negotiating position and undermine the project’s value for money.Sizewell C Ltd publishes an annual report and accounts, which are available to view at Companies House. This sets out expenditure and income for each financial year.The Department also includes information about amounts invested into the project via its annual report and accounts, which are published and laid before Parliament.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2122 and of 10 September 2024 to Question 5089 on Great British Nuclear: Recruitment, from what organisations how many personnel have been (a) seconded and (b) recruited to Great British Nuclear.

GBN has grown rapidly as an organisation to deliver on its mission and now has over 100 personnel working for it, including 51 staff seconded from 16 organisations. GBN has permanent recruitment underway, and all roles are advertised, with applications welcomed from candidates from all backgrounds and organisations.

If he will take legislative steps to ban the routine (a) flaring and (b) venting of oil and gas by 2030.

The UK has committed to the World Bank’s ‘Zero Routine Flaring by 2030’ Initiative, and has additionally committed to end routine venting by 2030. In the North Sea Transition Deal the UK industry committed to accelerate compliance ahead of 2030. With support from Government, industry is on track to meet these ambitious targets.According to the North Sea Transition Authority, flaring reduced by 49% between 2018 and 2023, and methane emissions fell by more than 50% in the same period.

Whether he plans to extend support for landfill gas to energy operators beyond 2027.

Government is aware that support under the Renewables Obligation Scheme, including some that landfill gas generators hold, concludes from 2027 onwards. We are speaking with a variety of generators to understand the impact that the conclusion of support will have on their future operations. This will inform considerations about whether further support is required.

How much and what proportion of the funding that his Department has allocated to the proposed new nuclear plant at Sizewell C has been allocated for (a) land clearance, (b) other site preparation, (c) essential forgings and (d) other components for reactors.

Specific details of the project’s spending plans are commercially sensitive – and budget allocations for different elements of work are set by the company, Sizewell C Limited. As majority shareholders in the project, government has previously committed to invest £2.5 billion in the project’s development and recently strengthened this with a further subsidy scheme of up to £5.5 billion to provide certainty and ensure the project has access to the necessary financial support to remain on schedule.

What assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of flexible energy systems on consumers.

The transition to a smarter energy system can bring benefits for many consumers. This was a key factor in a call for evidence carried out earlier this year on the future of default tariffs in a more flexible market https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/default-energy-tariffs-for-households-call-for-evidence DESNZ and Ofgem will continue to work closely to ensure that consumers can benefit from a more flexible energy system whilst being protected from unfair or inefficient pricing.