Written questions by Cross.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that levels of (a) oil and (b) gas production from existing fields are maintained.

The Government has committed to maintaining existing fields for their lifetime. Earlier this year, the Government consulted on ‘Building the North Sea’s energy future’, including proposals not to issue new licences to explore new fields and to partner with business and workers to manage existing fields for their lifespan. A Government response to the consultation will be published in due course. Oil and gas production efficiency is monitored by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA). The NSTA publishes a UK Continental Shelf Production Efficiency dashboard on its website

What recent discussions he has had with the North Sea Transition Authority on its statutory duty to maximise the economic recovery of oil and gas in the UK Continental shelf.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

What information his Department holds on the (a) onshore and (b) offshore workforce in the North Sea oil and gas sector in (i) July 2024 and (ii) March 2025.

The Department does not hold its own estimates for the offshore or onshore North Sea oil and gas sector workforce. According to ONS data[1], direct jobs in oil and gas extraction fell by around a third between 2014 and 2023, despite ongoing domestic licensing and production.As Britain becomes a clean energy superpower, the Government is determined to create new high-quality jobs to ensure a phased and responsible transition in the North Sea.This is vital for delivering the best outcomes for workers and communities, energy security, and sustainable economic growth.[1] ONS Business Register and Employment Surveyhttps://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/industry235digitsicbusinessregisterandemploymentsurveybrestable2(opens in a new tab)

How much were constraint payments to wind farm operators in Great Britain (a) in total and (b) for each month between 1 April 2024 and 30 April 2025.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for operating Great Britain’s electricity system, which includes managing constraints. The NESO publishes daily constraint costs here: Constraint Breakdown Costs and Volume | National Energy System Operator. Data is not available on the split of costs between different types of generators. Constraints are a natural part of operating an efficient electricity system and electricity systems around the world use the constraint payment model. Government is working to reduce constraints and enable a more secure energy system by accelerating the build of electricity network infrastructure to increase capacity.

On how many days were wholesale electricity prices in excess of £150 per megawatt hour during winter 2024-25.

The Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) publishes this data. It is available here:https://dp.lowcarboncontracts.uk/dataset/imrp-actuals

How many days was more than 10 per cent of UK electricity demand imported between 1 November 2024 and 30 April 2025.

The Department does not record daily electricity demand or import data. Half-hourly figures for electricity demand and import for Great Britain’s public distribution system are available from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) data portal. Quarter-hourly figures for Northern Ireland’s electricity demand from the public distribution system are available from EirGrid.

What estimate his Department has made of gas storage capability in the UK in (a) cubic feet (or other appropriate unit of volume) and (b) days of average usage; what steps he is taking to increase storage capacity; and when this will be complete.

According to Ofgem’s annual publication, GB has eight gas storage sites with a combined maximum capacity of 3.2bcm – around 13 days of average (24/25) winter gas demand – and maximum deliverability of ~123mcm/day.Gas storage is an effective source of system flexibility to supplement GB's supply sources from the UK and Norwegian Continental Shelves, LNG terminals and interconnectors. Storage can be used to respond to short-run changes in supply and demand or during cold winter months to help meet demand peaks. In winter 24/25, gas storage provided ~9% of the total gas used in GB.The Government continues to work with storage operators and regulators, to explore options around the role storage can play in supporting future system resilience in a changing gas landscape.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 52787 on Offshore Industry: Carbon Emissions, how many offshore oil and gas projects are awaiting the resumption of environmental impact assessment evaluations.

There are a variety of factors beyond the publication of the guidance that will influence a developer’s decisions on whether to proceed with a project, so it is therefore difficult to predict the exact number of projects waiting to commence the environmental impact assessment process.

When he plans to publish the outcome of his Department's consultation on draft supplementary guidance for assessing the effects of scope 3 emissions on climate from offshore oil and gas projects, which closed on 8 January 2025.

We remain committed to having the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment guidance in place as soon as possible and are cognisant of its importance for providing certainty to the offshore oil and gas industry. We needed to take the time to analyse the consultation responses thoroughly and to reflect them in the finalised guidance which must be robust. Once the guidance is published, assessments of environmental statements can resume.

What steps the he is taking to (a) accelerate Track-1 Expansion, (b) ensure additional emitters can connect to carbon capture, usage and storage transport and storage infrastructure in Scotland and (c) support UK supply chains in that sector.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Government is committed to CCUS, which will decarbonise power and industry in a way that drives growth, supports thousands of jobs, and could add £5 billion of value annually by 2050. Decisions over the continued deployment of CCUS, building on the HyNet and East Coast Cluster, will be taken as part of the Spending Review, including the potential for deployment in Scotland through the Acorn cluster. We have also established the National Wealth Fund, part of which will focus on key energy sectors, including CCUS, addressing barriers to investment and strengthening the entire value chain.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) Rosebank and (b) Jackdaw oil and gas fields not receiving consent to proceed on (i) the economy, (ii) tax revenue and (iii) employment.

Neither the Secretary of State nor I will be commenting on the specifics of individual projects to avoid potentially prejudicing any future regulatory decisions the Secretary of State is required to make in relation to these projects. We remain committed to having the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment guidance in place as soon as possible. Once it is published, assessments of environmental statements can resume.

Whether his Department has made an estimate of the proportion of UK North Sea (a) oil and (b) gas which would be produced by the (i) Rosebank and (ii) Jackdaw field.

Neither the Secretary of State nor I will be commenting on the specifics of individual projects to avoid potentially prejudicing any future regulatory decisions the Secretary of State is required to make in relation to these projects. We remain committed to having the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment guidance in place as soon as possible. Once it is published, assessments of environmental statements can resume.

How many people are employed by GB Energy; and how many full-time equivalent roles are filled at GB Energy.

To ensure Great British Energy can begin delivering quickly once the Parliamentary process has been completed, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has taken steps to assign resource including the appointment of Juergen Maier to the role of start-up chair for Great British Energy, Dan McGrail as interim CEO, and five start-up non-executive directors. Additional DESNZ resource has been assigned to Great British Energy, focusing on a small number of essential roles. Once Great British Energy is formally established by the Bill, work will begin to fully resource Great British Energy.

What his Department's timetable is for announcing the Track 2 Cluster sequencing for carbon capture, usage and storage funding.

CCUS requires significant resources, and it is right that it is considered within the Spending Review. We continue to engage at both working and ministerial level with all future projects, including Track-2, and further decisions for future CCUS deployment will be taken in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) prevent and (b) mitigate the potential impact of (i) offshore wind farm, (ii) solar farms and (ii) transmission infrastructure projects on (A) land disturbance, (B) scenery, (C) levels of traffic, (D), health and safety, (E) tourism and (F) property prices in (1) rural and (2) coastal communities.

Developers prepare a thorough and comprehensive environmental assessment in preparation for the planning process. This is then subject to careful scrutiny by the Planning Inspectorate and during the decision-making stage, by the Secretary of State, for nationally significant energy projects considered under the Planning Act 2008. Local planning authorities do the same for those developments considered under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990. All of the issues listed, and many more, are routinely considered as relevant planning considerations, and are set out in the published Decision Letter for development consent decisions.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) apprenticeships and (b) training programmes provide the requisite skills for the (i) the clean energy and (ii) Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage sectors.

The Office for Clean Energy Jobs is engaging widely with industry experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. It is working closely with Skills England to ensure that skills systems reforms support the clean energy transition. It has recently launched the initial version of the Energy Skills Passport to support oil and gas workers into new roles in the clean energy sector.In phase two, we are exploring opportunities to expand it into other clean energy sectors such as CCUS. CCUS could support up to 50,000 jobs as the sector matures into the 2030s.The government is also transforming the existing Apprenticeship Levy into a growth and skills offer which will allow employers to invest in a wider range of training.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 31124 on Renewable Energy: Staff, whether the initial version of the Energy Skills Passport will support oil and gas workers into the (a) Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage and (b) hydrogen sectors.

The Energy Skills Passport, launched in January, is designed to help oil and gas workers transition into clean energy sectors like offshore wind. In phase two, we are exploring opportunities to expand it into other clean energy sectors such as CCUS and Hydrogen. The RGU estimates the offshore renewables workforce, which includes offshore wind, CCS, and hydrogen, could increase to between 70,000 and 138,000 in 2030 creating opportunities for skilled workers as the sector matures. Further decisions for future CCUS deployment, including in the Scottish Cluster, will be taken in due course. As the Energy Skills Passport develops, we will continue working with industry to expand its scope, ensuring it effectively supports workers moving into emerging clean energy sectors.

Whether his Department has (a) instructed or (b) provided guidance to Ofgem's Radio Teleswitch Service Taskforce on what steps it should take on the transition for households affected by the closure of the Radio Teleswitch Service in June 2025.

The Department attends the Industry Taskforce on the Radio Teleswitch Service, which was convened by Ofgem last year and is led by Energy UK. The Taskforce involves all major energy suppliers and is working with consumer groups, local authorities, housing associations and other key stakeholders to urgently ramp up efforts to replace the remaining RTS meters in Great Britain before the service ends.

What alternative (a) heating and (b) metering solutions he plans to provide to households that are unable to install a smart meter due to location or connectivity issues following the closure of the Radio Teleswitch Service.

In the few circumstances where a supplier may not currently be able to install a smart meter, Ofgem has been clear that the supplier is obligated under their licence conditions to ensure that a suitable metering system is offered and that the customer's heating and hot water service is not disrupted.

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of delays in smart meter replacements for households affected by the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) closure; and whether (a) penalties and (b) enforcement measures will be applied to energy suppliers failing to provide timely replacements.

Ofgem is responsible for regulating energy suppliers against their licence obligations. Ofgem have been clear that they expect energy suppliers to arrange a suitable replacement metering solution for their customers with RTS meters in a timely manner ahead of the switch off to avoid a disruption to their service. Ofgem is consulting on new licence conditions which will seek to ensure consumers are treated fairly and have access to an alternative metering arrangement following the cessation of RTS. The consultation ends on 11 March and is available here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/radio-teleswitch-service-rts-electricity-supply-licence-changes