To ask the Minister of Health what actions he is taking with Executive colleagues to decarbonise public buildings.

The Department of Finance (DoF) is responsible for managing the Civil Service Office Estate, which equates to around 4% of the total Public Sector energy consumption here.

DoF aims, through its Office Estate Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction plans, to achieve culminative energy savings and consequential reductions in carbon. These savings support and feed into the wider ‘Energy Management Strategy and Action Plan to 2030 for Central Government’ introduced by the Department for Economy (DfE).

By implementing Connect 2 regional hubs, footfall in regional locations should increase, thereby reducing commuting frequencies and distances. This, in turn, should lead to reductions in carbon emissions, helping to improve the sustainability of how we work and protect the environment.

Further, new or refurbished DoF buildings undergo BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) appraisal and the use of energy efficient installations has been incorporated into the Civil Service Accommodation Standards specification.

My officials are also liaising with colleagues in other Departments on related cross-departmental issues. This includes on the development of an Energy Strategy with the Department for the Economy, and ‘Future Generations’ work on carbon reduction planning with the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.