Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23 Committee stage report

The Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23 originally trailed as the Energy Security Bill in the Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022. It was introduced as the Energy Bill in the House of Lords on 6 July 2022 and then to the House of Commons on 25 April 2023 after completing Lord’s stages.

The government’s Energy Security Bill overarching factsheet explained the Bill ‘s aim of delivering a cleaner, more affordable and more secure energy system for the long term. It would build on the commitments in the April 2022 British Energy Security Strategy to invest in homegrown energy and maintain the diversity and resilience of the UK’s energy supply. The government also highlights the need for a “transformation of our energy system” and “more home-grown energy from more diverse sources”. When the Bill was first published in July 2022, the government set out the measures in the Bill, centred around three pillars:

• Leveraging investment in clean technologies
• Reforming the UK’s energy system and protecting consumers
• Maintaining the safety, security, and resilience of the energy systems across the UK

The Bill, as introduced in the House of Commons from the House of Lords, included a number of amendments added after government defeats. These included clauses introducing a net zero target for the energy regulator Ofgem, banning any new coal mines in the UK, provisions on community energy and provisions on energy efficiency for buildings.

For background on the Bill please see Commons Briefing Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23: Overview, with links to further detailed library briefings on the Bill, prepared in advance of second reading in the House of Commons. It also provides details of the clauses added in the House of Lords.