Written question asked by Barry Gardiner (Labour) on Monday, 1 December 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 3 December 2025. It was answered by Michael Shanks (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Drax Power Station: Timber
- Question
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To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to question 90099, what his evidential basis is for Drax's policy of not sourcing material directly from old growth areas; and whether his Department has the same definition of old growth forest as Drax.
- Answer
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The Government’s definition of old-growth forest is set out in the terms of the new Low-Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference published by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) on 1 December. From 2027 there is no reliance on any other definition for determining eligibility subsidy.
Any breaches of the contractual restriction on sourcing biomass directly from old-growth forest will result in significant financial penalties and could lead to termination of the contract for serious or repeated breaches. The contract also contains strengthened Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) measures, and gives LCCC powers to conduct audits throughout the biomass supply chain.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 95579
- Session
- 2024-26
- Related items
- Subjects
- Procurement Timber Drax power station
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2025-12-09 13:09:09 +0000
- URI
- http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2024-26/95579
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