In March 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published an update to the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations: the Future Homes Standard (FHS).

Under this new standard, which will come into force from March 2027, all new homes will need to have excellent insulation, low carbon heating systems, and in most cases, solar panels to boost our energy security with clean, homegrown power. New homes built to these standards will be zero carbon ready, meaning they will become zero carbon once the national grid is fully decarbonised and will require no further retrofitting to meet net zero.

This government will not introduce quotas on the use of fossil fuel energy.

The Government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and is focused on delivering that commitment in a way that reduces costs for households, strengthens energy security, and supports economic growth across the whole of the UK.

The UK Government does not have a quota for the amount of finance that should flow to low-carbon investment, but since the government came to office more than £100 billion in clean energy investment announcements has been secured. Net zero is the economic and industrial opportunity of the 21st century, and economic modelling undertaken by the CBI suggests the UK's net zero economy generated £36.7 billion in gross value added in 2025 and supported 308,000 jobs directly, with a further £51.2 billion in gross value added and 520,000 jobs supported through supply chains

The UK government no longer provides new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, which includes support provided by UK Export Finance and British International Investment PLC, with limited circumstances set out in public guidance. The National Wealth Fund also does not invest in projects involving extraction, production, transportation, and refining crude oil, natural gas or thermal coal with very limited exemptions.

The cost of living is a top priority for this Government. That is why the Prime Minister announced a tax cut to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills for 6 months from October 1. This immediate action on electricity bills is expected to take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October. This comes on top of the actions at last year’s Budget which removed an average of £150 of costs from household energy bills for the years to come, by moving 75% of the domestic costs of the Renewables Obligation to the Exchequer and ending the Energy Company Obligation. Without this action, the price cap would be significantly higher.

The Government introduced a temporary windfall tax, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL), on extraordinary profits from oil and gas companies in 2022. The EPL currently levies 38% tax on profits in addition to the 40% rate of tax in the permanent fiscal regime

The EPL will come to an end either on 31 March 2030 or earlier if the Energy Security Investment Mechanism (ESIM) triggers, and will be replaced by the permanent Oil and Gas Revenue Levy (OGRL) which will become a permanent feature of the tax system and operate only in times of high prices to ensure oil and gas companies continue to pay their fair share of tax.

The natural decline of North Sea oil and gas has seen more than 70,000 jobs lost in the last decade. New exploration licences will not reverse this trend. We published the North Sea Future Plan (November 2026), setting out how we will support supply chains, protect jobs and secure the next generation of good jobs.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) published analysis in September 2025 comparing the emissions intensity of domestically produced gas with imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). This analysis is available on the NSTA’s website. In 2024, domestic gas production made up 43% of gross supply, LNG imports accounted for 14%, with the remainder coming from pipeline imports – principally from Norway.

While the UK produces natural gas, it does not produce LNG domestically; LNG is imported and regasified for use in the gas system.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) published analysis in September 2025 comparing the emissions intensity of domestically produced gas with imported liquefied natural gas. This analysis is available on the NSTA’s website. In 2024, domestic gas production made up 43% of gross supply, LNG imports accounted for 14%, with the remainder coming from pipeline imports – principally from Norway.

North Sea oil and gas production is in natural decline, with a 75 per cent reduction in production occurring between 1999 and 2024.

While we will manage existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan, the government will not issue licences to explore new fields which would only make a marginal difference to overall production.

The UK became a net importer of energy over two decades ago in 2004.

Given the maturity of the basin, further licensing would not reverse its natural decline, nor change the UK’s status as a net importer of oil and gas.

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition. There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

The Government is introducing sustainable supply chain requirements in contracts and grants. The Procurement Act 2023, now in force, allows contracting authorities to exclude suppliers, helping prevent government contracts from being awarded to those who cannot meet ethical and industry-specific standards. The Overseas Business Risk Guidance highlights regional risks and urges companies to carry out strong due diligence. The Trade Strategy published last year launched a review of responsible business conduct policy.

The Warm Homes Plan is backing British manufacturing, with £140million of investment including through the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator to strengthen supply chains, drive innovation, support workforce training and create high-quality jobs across the UK.

The Government does not hold or publish data on the specific sources of polycrystalline silicon imported into the UK from China for use in solar panel manufacturing.

The Department for Education are procuring the solar panels for schools under the Solar Partnerships Scheme and have done so under the requirements set out by the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and UK procurement controls, as well as making use of Crown Commercial Service frameworks where appropriate.

As a publicly owned company, Great British Energy is expected to lead by example when adhering to the UK’s legislation and guidance on modern slavery, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Solar purchasing thus far has been undertaken by Devolved Governments, Other Government Departments, and relevant Mayoral Combined Authorities and the terms are commercially confidential. However, there have been clear expectations that they must comply with UK procurement rules, including requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Procurement Act 2023.

Great British Energy will lead the way in ethical supply chains by engaging with stakeholders to raise standards and explore alternatives to diversify high-risk supply chains.

The Government does not hold or publish data identifying which UK‑registered firms imported component parts for solar panels containing polycrystalline silicon from China, nor data on how many of these components may have originated from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

My Lords, the Government have consulted on how the new subscription rules will work under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act—this includes what happens when a consumer uses their cooling-off right to cancel—and are carefully reviewing responses from cultural and heritage organisations. My officials have engaged directly with sector representatives and will continue to do so to ensure that the final regulations reflect their concerns and support both consumer protection and organisational sustainability.

UK Sport publishes a full breakdown of funding to UK national governing bodies across all Olympic and Paralympic Games cycles.

Current funding awards for the Los Angeles 2028 cycle ( https://www.uksport.gov.uk/our-work/investing-in-sport/current-funding-awards ) can be found on UK Sport’s website as well as historical funding figures for the Rio, Tokyo and Paris Games ( https://www.uksport.gov.uk/our-work/investing-in-sport/historical-funding-figures ).

Based on these published allocations, UK Sport has invested approximately £1.25 billion directly into Olympic and Paralympic performance sports programmes since the Rio 2016 cycle.

We have always been clear that when it comes to women's sport, biology matters. We will continue to support sports to develop policies that protect fairness and safety, particularly when it is not possible to balance those factors with inclusion.

It is for each sport's National Governing Body to set their own policies for who can participate in domestic competitions, and it is for International Federations to determine the rules for their sports at the international level of competition.

This Government remains committed to working with UK Sport, the British Olympic Association, and the British Paralympic Association to ensure that UK athletes can compete under clear, fair, and legally robust international regulations.

Since a universal, one-time genetic test for all athletes in the female category across all Olympic and Paralympic sports is not yet set out or mandated, no estimate of the total cost has been made by the Government.

We have always been clear that when it comes to women's sport, biology matters. We will continue to support sports to develop policies that protect fairness and safety, particularly when it is not possible to balance those factors with inclusion.

It is for each sport's National Governing Body to set their own policies for who can participate in domestic competitions, and it is for International Federations to determine the rules for their sports at the international level of competition.

This Government remains committed to working with UK Sport, the British Olympic Association, and the British Paralympic Association to ensure that UK athletes can compete under clear, fair, and legally robust international regulations.

Since a universal, one-time genetic test for all athletes in the female category across all Olympic and Paralympic sports is not yet set out or mandated, no estimate of the total cost has been made by the Government.