Energy Security

David Pinto-Duschinsky, the Labour MP for Hendon, asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Michael Shanks, what steps the government is taking to improve energy security. In response, Shanks acknowledged the recent energy shocks and the exposure of the UK's energy system to the international fossil fuel market. He stated that the government has started a mission to reach clean power by 2030, in order to end the reliance on fossil fuels and prevent the kind of cost-of-living crisis that the country has faced in recent years under the previous Conservative government. Pinto-Duschinsky agreed, stating that people in Hendon have paid the price for the previous government's failure to invest in the energy system. He asked the Minister if he agrees that the only way to get off the "rollercoaster of high bills" is to invest in clean energy at pace and scale, as the government is doing through its clean energy mission. Shanks concurred, stating that the only way to permanently protect families and businesses from high energy bills is to get off the reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets. He reiterated the government's commitment to rolling out clean power at pace and scale, which not only provides energy security but also creates jobs, reduces bills, and helps tackle the climate crisis. Lee Anderson, the Reform MP for Ashfield, then intervened, noting that 25% of the UK is situated on top of coalmines, which could provide geothermal energy to heat houses and businesses in places like Ashfield. He asked the Minister to meet with him to discuss how this could be made to work in coalfield communities. Shanks welcomed Anderson's question and said he would be happy to meet with him to discuss the options and the technology more generally. Gareth Snell, the Labour/Co-op MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, then asked the Minister about the role of community-owned and co-operative energy schemes in increasing energy security. Shanks acknowledged the benefits of community energy, including giving communities a stake in the energy future, and stated that the government's local power plan will deliver investment in community-owned projects, with Great British Energy playing a key role in supporting these initiatives. Finally, Sir Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, invited the Minister to meet with a cross-party group of MPs from the east of England to discuss how the review conducted by the electricity system operator can contribute to energy security, particularly in relation to the potential for undergrounding high voltage direct current cables. Shanks agreed to meet with the group, but noted that the evidence suggests undergrounding is more expensive and can have a greater impact on natural habitats than pylons, though he acknowledged the importance of this nationally significant infrastructure.