Oral Question·Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”
Tabled: 9 July 2025Answered: 15 July 2025
Asked by
Steve Witherden
Labour — Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Answer from Hansard
Michael Shanks
That is not the position of the Government, because report after report and the evidence points to the fact that undergrounding cables is significantly more expensive than putting them above ground. Individual applications will clearly look at the individual circumstances and make a decision on that. We have said as a Government that communities that host network infrastructure should benefit through community benefits and direct money off bills, and that is what we will deliver.