The Government recognises the important role that community energy can play in supporting local participation in the clean energy transition. Through the Local Power Plan, Government is working with Great British Energy and Ofgem to explore measures that could make it easier for community energy groups to participate in local energy markets.

The Government is monitoring Ofgem’s developments relating to code modification P441, which is intended help community energy groups and other local renewable energy projects identify and understand different routes to selling energy in their local markets.

The Government recognises the important role that community energy can play in supporting local participation in the clean energy transition. Through the Local Power Plan, Government is working with Great British Energy and Ofgem to explore measures that could make it easier for community energy groups to participate in local energy markets.

The Government is monitoring Ofgem’s developments relating to code modification P441, which is intended help community energy groups and other local renewable energy projects identify and understand different routes to selling energy in their local markets.

DESNZ commissioned research from the British Geological Survey to understand the potential for natural hydrogen reserves in the UK. This research was published in 2025 and provides a high level, national scale geological map-based assessment of the UK, identifying areas more and less likely to contain natural hydrogen resources. We are considering further research to build our understanding.

The department is also actively monitoring developments in other countries via our membership of the IEA’s Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programme. Our teams liaise regularly with academics and experts to make sure the government is well-sighted on emerging technologies, evidence and activities in the UK and internationally.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue.

Government recognises that this creates particularly high costs in the North of Scotland, which is why targeted support through the Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme (HBRS) exists to reduce distribution charges. The scheme is funded by consumers across GB.

Ofgem have launched the Cost Allocation and Recovery Review (CARR) where they are looking at how to take a more holistic and fair approach to structuring energy bills. This includes looking at how costs are split between standing charges and unit rates, how different tariff structures could work, and how costs are shared across different types of consumers, including geographical differences.

The planning decision on the proposed Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court was taken independently by the then Secretary of State for Housing, Steve Reed. Intelligence agencies were involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures were developed to manage any risks.

Responsibility for responding to wildfires in the UK rests with the relevant civil authorities and emergency services, with military support potentially available where requested through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) arrangements on a case-by-case basis. This includes consideration of a clear need for military assistance, whether the requirement is beyond the capability or capacity of the civil authority, and whether support can be provided without unacceptably prejudicing Defence's primary tasks, operational commitments, and readiness.

The Ministry of Defence does not currently hold a requirement to provide a dedicated domestic aerial firefighting capability (including a fixed-wing aerial firefighting capability). However, Defence retains limited aerial firefighting capabilities to support standing tasks overseas. As part of this, Defence maintains a helicopter-based aerial firefighting capability in Cyprus for the specific purpose of meeting our obligations to the Sovereign Base Areas and wider communities during periods of heightened wildfire risk.

The Ministry of Defence has not conducted a specific impact assessment on the absence of a dedicated military aerial firefighting capability, nor a specific assessment of the economic impact arising from that absence.

The Department is aware of the Airbus A400M aerial firefighting system currently under development and testing by the manufacturer. Consequently, the Department has no plans to adapt the RAF A400M Atlas fleet for aerial firefighting purposes, or to procure dedicated water-bombing helicopters or water-bombing equipment for the military helicopter fleet.

Responsibility for responding to wildfires in the UK rests with the relevant civil authorities and emergency services, with military support potentially available where requested through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) arrangements on a case-by-case basis. This includes consideration of a clear need for military assistance, whether the requirement is beyond the capability or capacity of the civil authority, and whether support can be provided without unacceptably prejudicing Defence's primary tasks, operational commitments, and readiness.

The Ministry of Defence does not currently hold a requirement to provide a dedicated domestic aerial firefighting capability (including a fixed-wing aerial firefighting capability). However, Defence retains limited aerial firefighting capabilities to support standing tasks overseas. As part of this, Defence maintains a helicopter-based aerial firefighting capability in Cyprus for the specific purpose of meeting our obligations to the Sovereign Base Areas and wider communities during periods of heightened wildfire risk.

The Ministry of Defence has not conducted a specific impact assessment on the absence of a dedicated military aerial firefighting capability, nor a specific assessment of the economic impact arising from that absence.

The Department is aware of the Airbus A400M aerial firefighting system currently under development and testing by the manufacturer. Consequently, the Department has no plans to adapt the RAF A400M Atlas fleet for aerial firefighting purposes, or to procure dedicated water-bombing helicopters or water-bombing equipment for the military helicopter fleet.

Responsibility for responding to wildfires in the UK rests with the relevant civil authorities and emergency services, with military support potentially available where requested through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) arrangements on a case-by-case basis. This includes consideration of a clear need for military assistance, whether the requirement is beyond the capability or capacity of the civil authority, and whether support can be provided without unacceptably prejudicing Defence's primary tasks, operational commitments, and readiness.

The Ministry of Defence does not currently hold a requirement to provide a dedicated domestic aerial firefighting capability (including a fixed-wing aerial firefighting capability). However, Defence retains limited aerial firefighting capabilities to support standing tasks overseas. As part of this, Defence maintains a helicopter-based aerial firefighting capability in Cyprus for the specific purpose of meeting our obligations to the Sovereign Base Areas and wider communities during periods of heightened wildfire risk.

The Ministry of Defence has not conducted a specific impact assessment on the absence of a dedicated military aerial firefighting capability, nor a specific assessment of the economic impact arising from that absence.

The Department is aware of the Airbus A400M aerial firefighting system currently under development and testing by the manufacturer. Consequently, the Department has no plans to adapt the RAF A400M Atlas fleet for aerial firefighting purposes, or to procure dedicated water-bombing helicopters or water-bombing equipment for the military helicopter fleet.

Responsibility for responding to wildfires in the UK rests with the relevant civil authorities and emergency services, with military support potentially available where requested through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) arrangements on a case-by-case basis. This includes consideration of a clear need for military assistance, whether the requirement is beyond the capability or capacity of the civil authority, and whether support can be provided without unacceptably prejudicing Defence's primary tasks, operational commitments, and readiness.

The Ministry of Defence does not currently hold a requirement to provide a dedicated domestic aerial firefighting capability (including a fixed-wing aerial firefighting capability). However, Defence retains limited aerial firefighting capabilities to support standing tasks overseas. As part of this, Defence maintains a helicopter-based aerial firefighting capability in Cyprus for the specific purpose of meeting our obligations to the Sovereign Base Areas and wider communities during periods of heightened wildfire risk.

The Ministry of Defence has not conducted a specific impact assessment on the absence of a dedicated military aerial firefighting capability, nor a specific assessment of the economic impact arising from that absence.

The Department is aware of the Airbus A400M aerial firefighting system currently under development and testing by the manufacturer. Consequently, the Department has no plans to adapt the RAF A400M Atlas fleet for aerial firefighting purposes, or to procure dedicated water-bombing helicopters or water-bombing equipment for the military helicopter fleet.

Projects applying to and funded through the Advanced Fuels Fund were at various stages of development and would not necessarily have secured a location for project development and construction. There were successful projects with proposed plant locations (at the time of application) in England, Scotland and Wales across the three funding windows, with around £159m, £3.5m and £31.5m awarded respectively. The remaining allocations were made to projects with locations to be confirmed later in their development phase. Between 2022-2026, the AFF received around 75 applications.

The Low Carbon Fuels Fund will support SAF production across the UK by providing up to £219m for projects through to 2029/30. No funds have been allocated to date, as the scheme’s first application window will close on 21 September 2026. This funding will build on the work of the Advanced Fuels Fund, which allocated over £198m to support private investment in 21 UK SAF projects between 2022 and 2026. We are unable to comment on the locations of unsuccessful applications due to ongoing commercial sensitivities.

Projects applying to and funded through the Advanced Fuels Fund were at various stages of development and would not necessarily have secured a location for project development and construction. There were successful projects with proposed plant locations (at the time of application) in England, Scotland and Wales across the three funding windows, with around £159m, £3.5m and £31.5m awarded respectively. The remaining allocations were made to projects with locations to be confirmed later in their development phase. Between 2022-2026, the AFF received around 75 applications.

The Low Carbon Fuels Fund will support SAF production across the UK by providing up to £219m for projects through to 2029/30. No funds have been allocated to date, as the scheme’s first application window will close on 21 September 2026. This funding will build on the work of the Advanced Fuels Fund, which allocated over £198m to support private investment in 21 UK SAF projects between 2022 and 2026. We are unable to comment on the locations of unsuccessful applications due to ongoing commercial sensitivities.

China is the dominant supplier of lithium-ion battery components worldwide, including in the UK.

The energy analysts Modo Energy estimated in 2025 that 80% of cells in grid-scale storage systems are Chinese-made. As of August 2026, there is 8.1GW of grid-scale battery storage capacity in GB. However, the Department does not hold data on the supply chains of individual projects.

Great British Energy and Great British Energy Nuclear (GBE-N) operate as two separate and allied publicly owned companies with a shared mission to accelerate the deployment of clean energy assets.

The GBE-N small modular reactor programme was allocated £2.6 billion at the 2025 Spending Review.

This funding is being used by GBE-N to progress the Gwyndod project on Anglesey in North Wales, including design activities under the Technology Partner contract signed with Rolls-Royce SMR. The total value of contracts awarded by GBE-N has now reached nearly £900m.