Prepayment Meters
Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts(1 year, 6 months ago)
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Lord Callanan (Con)
Because none of these matters is simple. We have called on the suppliers to impose a voluntary moratorium, and we are working with them to try to implement that, but, of course, if we do that there are other options for suppliers, involving bailiffs and various other methods of collecting debt that are also not to be recommended. These are difficult issues that we have to deal with. To get a warrant requires a process through a magistrates’ court and, if a person wishes to object, they can go along and get their case heard by a magistrate.
Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)
My Lords, if the suppliers will not help, what are the Government going to do to help the people who cannot afford this?
Lord Callanan (Con)
The Government have put in place a considerable package of support, involving tens of billions of pounds of price support, which applies to prepayment customers as well as to others. Nobody denies that this is a difficult time, with energy prices being so expensive, but the noble and learned Baroness is well aware of the package of support that we have offered.
Carers: Unpaid Leave
Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts(2 years, 1 month ago)
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Lord Callanan (Con)
On the noble Lord’s first comment, I am sure that the Opposition have a long list of Government Bills they would rather drop in favour of this one; let us take it as read that we can agree on that. The noble Lord makes a sensible suggestion, and I will certainly take it back.
Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)
My Lords, will the Minister take this back to the department and say how strongly the House of Lords feels about it?
Russian Oil and Gas Imports
Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts(2 years, 4 months ago)
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Lord Callanan (Con)
Yes, I am satisfied with the progress that this Government are making. It is disappointing that previous Governments did not take action on new nuclear urgently; should the noble Lord wish to follow the debate tomorrow, we will be in Grand Committee on the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill.
Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)
My Lords, the Minister referred to sanctions against oil coming in through Russian tankers but I understand that oil is coming in through other tankers owned by other companies. What are the Government going to do about that?
Lord Callanan (Con)
That was indeed the point I made in response to the Question. We have banned Russian vessels but, at the moment, cargo can still be imported, in relatively small quantities, from other vessels. We are in urgent consultation with our allies on whether we can go further.
Climate Change: COP 26 Arrangements
Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts(4 years, 4 months ago)
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Lord Callanan
Of course my noble friend is quite right to point out that this is an important consequence of climate change. It is one of many different subjects that will need to be discussed both before and during the COP.
Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)
My Lords, I declare an interest in that my grandson, aged 22, spoke at COP 25. What young people will be involved in COP 26?