Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are undertaking research to enable (1) vehicles to carry integral solar panels for charging their batteries, and (2) flat glass windows and doors on high rise buildings to capture solar energy.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has awarded over £300m in grants via Innovate UK into ultra-low emission technologies. Although no project is currently exploring solar panelled vehicles we would, of course, continue to welcome proposals related to this area in relevant future competitions and are aware the industry is already exploring this technology.
HM Government has funded development of novel photovoltaics for applying on windows and doors. For example, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has provided £1m to Swansea University, the University of Glasgow, and Science & Technology Facilities Council Laboratories for research into thin film solid state dye-sensitized solar cells on glass. BEIS’s Energy Entrepreneur Fund and UKRI have funded research on perovskite solar cells for windows at Oxford Photovoltaics, Nyak Technology Ltd & Centre for Process Innovation Ltd. UKRI are investing £36m in the Active Building research centre in Wales, which investigates building integrated solar energy conversion.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 22 November 2018 (HL11417), whether SMETS compliant electricity meters are capable of producing a statement of solar panel units used as a percentage of total usage.
Answered by Lord Henley
In order to produce a statement of solar panel electricity units used in a premises as a percentage of total usage, a premises would require multiple meters: a meter to record the amount of electricity generated by on-site renewables; and at least one meter to record the amount of electricity exported from the premises to the grid and the amount of electricity imported from the grid to the premises.
Most traditional meters are not able to measure the amount of electricity being exported so it would be necessary to have at least three separate meters to produce the required statement.
In contrast, all SMETS compliant electricity meters are capable of recording any electricity that is exported to the grid from on-site renewable generation sources, such as solar panels, net of the electricity from on-site renewables which is used within the premises. By combining two SMETS compliant meters in one premises – one operating as a generation meter for the on-site renewables and one to measure the import and export of electricity to and from the grid – it would be possible to produce the required statement. In each case, the smart meters would also be capable of recording generation and consumption on a half-hourly basis and the data would be available remotely.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 4 January (HL12419), whether a builder must ensure the fitting of smart meters in new build homes; if not, who is responsible; and whether such fittings are installed under the aegis of a particular energy supplier.
Answered by Lord Henley
All meter points in new build homes must have a registered energy supplier. The builder can appoint a supplier of their choice but it is the supplier who has responsibility for the installation of meters in a property.
A number of energy suppliers are already installing smart gas and electricity meters in new build properties. The Government recently consulted on a proposal to activate the New and Replacement Obligation (NRO) in energy suppliers’ licences. The NRO would require suppliers to take all reasonable steps to install a compliant smart meter where a meter is fitted for the first time including in new build properties. We expect to make a decision to activate the NRO in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the rate charged at night for a unit of electricity has increased compared to that charged for a day unit; and if so, why.
Answered by Lord Henley
The rate charged for and the difference between day and night units is a commercial decision for individual companies to make as long as suppliers set their rates within the limits of the price caps.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a smart meter fitted in domestic premises will be replaced free of charge if a householder switches energy supplier to one whose systems are not compatible with its use.
Answered by Lord Henley
When consumers with first generation smart (SMETS1) meters switch energy supplier, if the new supplier is not able to operate the meter in 'smart' mode, the meter will continue to record energy consumption accurately and can be used in 'traditional' mode.
The Data and Communications Company is developing a solution to move SMETS1 meters onto the national communications infrastructure to enable consumers to retain their smart services upon switching. This can be done remotely.
Second generation smart (SMETS2) meters will be fully compatible between energy providers, therefore allowing all consumers to retain smart services when they switch energy suppliers.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Small Business Commissioner is able to intervene where service suppliers demand payment in less than 30 days from the date of the invoice.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Small Business Commissioner will consider complaints about payment issues between small business suppliers (with fewer than 50 staff) and their larger customers, making non-binding recommendations. A complaint will be considered by the Small Business Commissioner if it relates to a payment matter which could be a request or other act, or a failure to pay or other omission in relation to payment.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to take following their review into the role and remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator published on 19 July.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Review found that the Adjudicator is making effective use of her statutory powers and is effectively enforcing the Groceries Code through collaborative working with the large retailers. The Government will continue to support the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) in her work.
The Review also found that some direct suppliers are reluctant to raise legitimate grievances with the GCA due to a fear of commercial consequences. The Government will agree a strategic goal for the GCA to address this issue. The Government will also make it clear to retailers designated by the Code that it is not acceptable that direct suppliers face commercial consequences as a result of reporting potential breaches of the Code.
We will also work with Trade Associations to help their members understand how the Code works and the role of the GCA and encourage them to raise issues with the GCA and the retailers’ Code Compliance Officers.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government how much money the victims of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers have lost since 2010.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
National Trading Standards (NTS) work with various bodies including the police to tackle mass marketing frauds across all sectors, including energy.
The NTS scams teams work with local authorities to provide support to victims. The team currently has agreements with nearly two hundred local authorities to provide additional support for victims in their areas to help them rebuild their lives. The Department does not hold data on number of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers, the number of victims targeted or the amount of money they have lost.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government how many victims of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers since 2016 have required assistance from (1) local authorities, and (2) National Trading Standards.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
National Trading Standards (NTS) work with various bodies including the police to tackle mass marketing frauds across all sectors, including energy.
The NTS scams teams work with local authorities to provide support to victims. The team currently has agreements with nearly two hundred local authorities to provide additional support for victims in their areas to help them rebuild their lives. The Department does not hold data on number of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers, the number of victims targeted or the amount of money they have lost.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government how many mass marketing scams targeting energy customers there have been since 2010.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
National Trading Standards (NTS) work with various bodies including the police to tackle mass marketing frauds across all sectors, including energy.
The NTS scams teams work with local authorities to provide support to victims. The team currently has agreements with nearly two hundred local authorities to provide additional support for victims in their areas to help them rebuild their lives. The Department does not hold data on number of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers, the number of victims targeted or the amount of money they have lost.