Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of regional disparities in the use of smart meters.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There are different levels of smart meter penetration across Great Britain. The Department collects and publishes annual statistics on electricity smart meter installation progress at a regional level.
The latest regional statistics show that at the end of March 2024, 64% of domestic electricity meters across Great Britain were smart.
Local Authorities with the highest number of smart meters (74% - 75%) are in the East Midlands, North East, and Yorkshire and The Humber. London and Scotland have experienced slower progress to date, where 54% and 51% of meters were smart respectively.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support rural households off the gas supply network with the cost of energy.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring energy bills are affordable for all consumers.
The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. We expect around 3 million households to receive this support this winter.
Although standing charges are a commercial matter for suppliers, and are regulated by Ofgem, we know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on them. The Government has worked constructively with the regulator on the issue of standing charges, and we are committed to lowering the cost of them.
As part of the Warm Homes Plan, we have committed £3.4 billion over the next three years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. This includes £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes, helping over 225,000 households reduce their energy bills by over £200. We will set out the full details of our ambitious Warm Homes Plan next spring.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps he has taken to ensure that people in Newcastle-under-Lyme can access the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan will upgrade millions of homes across the country, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The plan will make homes cleaner and cheaper to run, from installing new insulation to rolling out solar and heat pumps.
We will partner with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out the Warm Homes Plan. Full details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help increase access to electric car charging infrastructure for people living in (a) flats and (b) houses without driveways.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grants are available for people living in homes without driveways, flat owners, renters, and landlords. These offer up to £350 towards the purchase and installation of a chargepoint. The Government will shortly publish guidance for local authorities on installing cross-pavement solutions for residents without off-street parking.
In addition, the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry to transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking, and will support the installation of tens of thousands of local chargers.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps to (a) increase the number of and (b) expand existing community energy schemes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change. Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan will support Local and Combined Authorities and Community Energy Groups to develop up to 8GW of cleaner power by 2030.
The Government also supports the community energy sector through the £10 million Community Energy Fund, which enables communities across England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects for investment.