Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional financial support measures when the Boiler Upgrade Scheme closes in 2025.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) currently has a committed budget of £450m over three years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Any additional scheme budget or extension beyond this timeframe will be a matter for a future fiscal event.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide additional financial measures to incentivise heat pump installations if the number of grant applications made under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme exceeds the permitted 30,000 per year.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Any additional budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme beyond the presently committed £450m over three years will be a matter for a future fiscal event. However, we want as many people as possible who want to have a heat pump installed this year to be able to have one, so will continue to keep uptake of the scheme under review.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will run for the three years originally envisioned.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently has a committed budget of £450m over three years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Any additional scheme budget or extension beyond this timeframe will be a matter for a future fiscal event.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for mandating the installation of hydrogen-ready boilers in homes from 2026.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how collaborative training can be developed between (1) manufacturers, (2) colleges, and (3) other training providers, to (a) develop, and (b) roll-out, heat pump system training for the future, to ensure a pipeline of new apprentices and overcome any future skills and labour shortages.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact of low-carbon heating training incentives on (1) self-employed heating systems installers, and (2) Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs); and whether they will provide financial remedies to address any deleterious impact.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support local authorities who are not included in the initial 22 authorities receiving £67m in the first phase of the Home Upgrade Grant.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
£1.1 billion has been allocated to the Home Upgrade Grant since 2020. This £67 million was an extension of £152 million allocated to successful local authorities under the Sustainable Warmth competition, bringing the first phase of HUG to a total of £219 million. BEIS are working across government and with key stakeholders to decide the final policy scope and delivery approach for future funding iterations until 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of rising global gas prices on achieving their Net Zero targets; and what steps they will take to mitigate this impact.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The energy transition is not only an issue of decarbonisation, it is also an issue of national security. The Government’s strategy to generate more low-carbon energy in the UK will reduce reliance on imported gas, shield consumers from volatile international fossil fuel markets, and provide new opportunities to level up the economy and drive job creation.
By accelerating the deployment of cheap renewable power, and rolling out further energy efficiency measures, the Government’s decarbonisation policies will help household energy bills by ensuring that consumers are less exposed to international fossil fuel prices while driving progress towards its Net Zero targets.
As the Government produces more domestically sourced energy, families will be much better protected from energy price spikes caused by volatile international fossil fuel markets. At the same time, by getting ahead of the curve in driving down the costs of the latest clean technology, more consumers will enjoy more efficient cars and heating systems sooner.