Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Clean Energy by 2030

Tuesday 12 November 2024 · 11 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Progress has been made towards achieving clean power by 2030 through setting up Great British Energy, securing 131 renewables projects, and consenting to significant solar projects.
  • The Minister confirms that nuclear energy, particularly small modular reactors, will play a central role in the clean power mission.
  • The need for electricity market reform is acknowledged, and the Government is building on the previous Government's consultation to achieve 2030 clean energy targets.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joe Morris Lab Hexham
Climate Energy
Context

The question follows the announcement of Great British Energy and its headquarters in Aberdeen, along with several renewables projects. It asks about further progress towards achieving clean energy.

Question

What progress has been made on achieving clean power by 2030? This includes setting up Great British Energy, announcing headquarters in Aberdeen, securing record-breaking 131 renewables projects, and consenting to record amounts of solar.

Answer from Michael Shanks

In just four short months, we have made rapid progress on achieving our mission for clean power by 2030. We have set up Great British Energy and announced its headquarters in Aberdeen, secured a record-breaking 131 renewables projects, and consented to record amounts of solar.

Answered
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Q2 Catherine Atkinson Lab Derby North
Climate Energy
Context

Rolls-Royce's research and development of small modular reactors is highlighted as a key player for energy security, green jobs, and clean power generation. The question asks about the timing of the decision on Great British Nuclear's SMR competition.

Question

Does the Minister agree that nuclear will play a central role in our clean power mission, given Rolls-Royce's leadership in small modular reactors? When can we expect to see more details on this opportunity?

Answer from Michael Shanks

I agree with my hon. Friend that nuclear will play a central role in our clean power mission, and will continue to be a critical part of our energy mix as we progress towards 2030 and far beyond. Great British Nuclear is continuing to drive forward the competition on small modular reactors, with bids currently being evaluated by the Department.

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Q3 Bill Esterson Lab Sefton Central
Energy
Context

The previous Government's consultation on electricity market arrangements is mentioned as a crucial element to achieving clean energy targets. The question asks about the timing for publishing these results.

Question

Does my hon. Friend agree that electricity market reform is crucial to achieving 2030 clean energy targets and reducing bills? Will this Government publish the results of the last Government's consultation, and if so, when?

Answer from Michael Shanks

I congratulate my hon. Friend again on his appointment as Chair of the Select Committee—he brings a huge amount of knowledge and experience to the role—and I agree with him about the importance of reviewing electricity market arrangements. We are building on the last Government's consultation, and we will have more to say in the months ahead.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The timing for publishing results was not specified

How: We Will Have More To Say

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Q4 Baggy Shanker Labour (Co-op) Derby South
Employment Energy
Context

The National Energy System Operator's report suggests a possible SMR roll-out date of 2030, offering significant job and infrastructure investment opportunities. The question asks about the possibility of accelerating this timeline.

Question

Given that small modular reactor technologies hold potential for job and infrastructure investments, has the Minister considered bringing the roll-out forward to 2030?

Answer from Michael Shanks

My hon. Friend is right to say that nuclear will play a vital role, and that it not only delivers on our energy security but creates good, well-paid jobs. Unlike the last Government, who in 14 years did not deliver a single nuclear project—there were many consultations and processes, but not a single nuclear power station was built—this Government are getting on with delivering a nuclear future.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No mention of bringing forward the roll-out date

How: Unlike The Last Government

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Q5 Joe Morris Lab Hexham
Climate Energy
Context

A report suggests that achieving clean power by 2030 is possible, leading to lower bills. The question asks for confirmation on the feasibility and urgency of this mission.

Question

Does the Minister agree that reaching our clean power mission will bring down bills permanently? Is there a need to go as far and fast as possible towards achieving it by 2030?

Answer from Michael Shanks

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The report published by the independent National Energy System Operator laid out not only that reaching our clean power mission is entirely achievable, but that it will bring down bills. The importance of the report is that it set the course for how that is possible.

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Q6 Thomas Tugendhat Con Tonbridge
Energy
Context

The report by the National Energy System Operator highlights an extra £40 billion of investment in the energy sector. The question asks about the feasibility of bringing down energy costs without additional taxpayer burden.

Question

With the NESO report promising an extra £40 billion in investment, will there be any proposals that actually bring down energy costs and not rely on increased taxpayer funding?

Answer from Michael Shanks

I would encourage the right hon. Gentleman to read the NESO report, because it sets out in great detail not only that clean power is achievable by 2030, but that it will lead to lower bills. What he says about investment misses the point: in the last few weeks, we have announced billions of pounds of private sector investment in these projects.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific proposals were mentioned

How: Encouraging To Read Report

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Q7 Bernard Jenkin Con Harwich and North Essex
Climate Energy
Context

The OffSET group is scheduled to meet with the Minister. The question asks if public support is necessary for accelerating progress towards the NESO report's deadline.

Question

Does the Minister recognise that higher levels of public consent are needed to accelerate the process outlined in the NESO report?

Answer from Michael Shanks

I recognise the hon. Gentleman's point, and I am looking forward to meeting him and his colleagues this afternoon to discuss the particular issues in his area. We need to build more network infrastructure across the UK to make this endeavour a reality, but he is right: we want to bring communities with us on this journey.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No commitment to specific public consent measures

How: Building Network Infrastructure

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Q8 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Climate Energy
Context

The Liberal Democrats advocate for community energy projects and believe the government should support these initiatives.

Question

The Minister knows well the Liberal Democrats' commitment to community energy. Will the Government establish a clean community energy scheme, look at the barriers that currently face community energy projects and look at supporting the National Grid to deliver community energy?

Answer from Michael Shanks

The hon. Lady and I have had a number of conversations, and I recognise her commitment on this issue. We have committed in the local power plan to delivering investment in community energy across the country. Importantly, we want not only to invest in schemes, but to deliver across Government the mechanisms needed to make it more possible for communities to deliver such schemes. That will build capacity in communities so that we can see more community energy.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask of establishing a clean community energy scheme and examining barriers was not directly addressed with commitments or timelines.

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Q9 Desmond Swayne Con New Forest West
Energy
Context

The Government is hesitant to support locally generated community energy projects, leading the Conservative MP to question this stance and point out their previous actions.

Question

What is the beef behind the Government's reluctance to embrace with enthusiasm locally generated community energy? Why did they vote against the amendment tabled to the Great British Energy Bill by the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse)?

Answer from Michael Shanks

I think the right hon. Gentleman thinks that was a “gotcha” question, but, of course, the Conservative party did not vote for the Bill at all. Amendment or not, I do not think he can really speak about what Great British Energy might deliver, because, despite it being one of the most popular policies at the last election, the Conservatives failed to bother to vote for it.

Not addressed: The specific ask was ignored in favor of pointing out the opposition's voting record on a different bill.

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Q10 Claire Coutinho Con East Surrey
Climate Energy
Context

The NESO report provides a full systems cost analysis of the Secretary of State's plan to carbonise the grid by 2030, which was mentioned as lowering bills despite assumptions that contradict these claims.

Question

Last week, the National Energy System Operator published a full systems cost analysis of the Secretary of State's flagship project to carbonise the grid by 2030. This morning, the Secretary of State said on several media outlets that the report shows that his plans will lower bills. I remind the House that the report assumes that gas prices are 40% higher than the Department's own estimates, that the price of carbon is at least double what it is now, and that they can build the grid at a pace we have never seen before in this country, without any delays. Even if all that is achieved, page 78 of the report shows that the cost of the system will be higher. For clarity, would the Minister like to repeat at the Dispatch Box the Secretary of State's claim that the NESO report shows that Labour's system will lead to a lower cost of electricity?

Answer from Michael Shanks

What the shadow Secretary of State has just outlined quite coherently is that the Conservatives have no ambition in this space whatsoever, but we do. I am very happy for the right hon. Lady to outline where our ambition is. We will build faster than the previous Government, although I have to say that that would not be difficult. The shadow Minister sitting next to her, the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie), said quite clearly at their conference that the previous Government had built infrastructure far too slowly, and their former Energy Minister, the right hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart), said that their onshore wind ban was “always mad”. We are quite happy to pick up where they left off and deliver the clean power that this country needs.

Not addressed: The specific ask about confirming lower costs from the NESO report was ignored, instead focusing on previous government's record.

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Q11 Claire Coutinho Con East Surrey
Energy
Context

The government is criticized for making claims about lowering bills based on the NESO report, which suggests higher costs if certain conditions are not met.

Question

This is the ministerial team who told the electorate they were going to cut their bills by £300, without doing any homework to find out how those plans would work. They voted against our amendment to hold them to account on their own pledge just two weeks ago, and now they are trying to claim that the NESO report shows that their approach will lower bills when in fact it shows in black and white that the system will be much more expensive. Does the Minister not see that if they follow this plan, we will be a warning, not an example, to the rest of the world and that the British people will be colder and poorer as a result?

Answer from Michael Shanks

Time and again, the Conservatives run away from their record on this in office. The reason why people right across this country are paying more on their energy bills is that the Conservatives did not get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets, but we are now moving at pace. The right hon. Lady may want to keep us in the vulnerable state where we are reliant on international gas markets, but we are determined that we will not do that. We will bring down bills and deliver energy security. I am not ashamed to say that we will move with great ambition to deliver what this country needs and to deliver the good jobs that go with it.

Not addressed: The specific ask about acknowledging negative outcomes of their plans was ignored, shifting focus to criticizing previous policies and ambitions for future action.

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