Energy Bill Relief Scheme Regulations 2022

Debate between Lord Callanan and Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

Wednesday 16th November 2022 Grand Committee

[Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (DUP)]

I listened to what the Minister said and return to a point raised by the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh. Do I take from the Minister’s remarks that there is going to be a review after the winter period that is covered by the present legislation? There are many small businesses scattered across the community in Northern Ireland that are totally dependent on electricity and have therefore met this volatility in energy prices. It is hard for them to plan for the future without knowledge of where we will go after the short period covered here. How long does the Minister think the review will take, because these businesses certainly need to plan for the future?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The noble Lord makes a very good point. As I said, we will conduct a review as soon as possible with the aim that it will be published before the end of the year. That will inform businesses of where we hope to go with the scheme after its expiry in April. That applies not just to businesses in Northern Ireland but to small businesses across the whole United Kingdom.

In conclusion, the Government remain committed to ensuring that consumers receive help with the rising cost of living and with energy costs. These regulations are vital to ensuring that support is delivered this coming winter. I commend this draft instrument to the Committee.

Energy Prices (Domestic Supply) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2022

Debate between Lord Callanan and Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

Wednesday 16th November 2022 Grand Committee

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I thank all noble Lords for their contributions to the debate. The Government have implemented the EPG Northern Ireland scheme to ensure that consumers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period, and I am sure that is something the Committee supports. The Committee will be reassured to know the scheme is already in force and delivering support to households across Northern Ireland. I hope this will also go some way to assuring the public that the Government are committed to taking decisive action to deal with the energy crisis.

As well as providing immediate relief, this scheme, alongside the EBRS, will support economic growth and limit inflation caused by increasing energy bills and their knock-on impact on prices, labour, goods and services. The scheme has been designed to operate robustly and guard against fraud and gaming, and we will continue to monitor the schemes to ensure that support is provided and limited to those people and businesses who it is designed to help. We are committed to reviewing the schemes and we will consider how best to offer further support to the customers who are most at risk to energy price increases beyond April 2023.

In response to the questions raised, I will concentrate first on the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Browne, about heating oil. The noble Lord will be aware—and this was raised also by the noble Lord, Lord McCrea—that the alternative fuel payment will provide £100 to support households who do not use mains gas for heating. This alternative fuel payment is in addition to the £400 that households will receive through the energy bills support scheme. This applies in Northern Ireland and is designed to compensate for the rise in the price of heating oil from October 2022 in a way that is equivalent to the support received by people who heat their homes using mains gas and receive their support via the energy price guarantee. As the £100 alternative fuel payment is designed by reference to the increases in the price of heating oil and other alternative fuels that happened from September 2021 to September 2022, the Government are committed to continuing to monitor the prices over the coming months and we will consider further intervention if it is required to protect UK householders from extraordinary fuel prices.

The noble Lord, Lord Browne, further asked about unregulated electricity providers in Northern Ireland. Of course, the regulation of prices is a matter for UR, the regulator in Northern Ireland. The noble Lord is right that some electricity suppliers in Northern Ireland are not price regulated. It is a competitive market, but the EPG applies to all suppliers equally—the same discount applies to all.

The noble Lord, Lord McCrea, asked for clarification on backdated payments. The £400 EBSS will not be backdated, as it is paid as a flat sum. The EPG is, of course, backdated via an additional pence-per-kilowatt payment on top of the base EPG rate from November to March.

The noble Lord, Lord Teverson, also raised a point about the particular predominance of the oil provision in Northern Ireland; I think that I answered that in response to the noble Lord, Lord Browne. On the point regarding the single electricity market in Northern Ireland, there is no problem here. The measures that we are implementing are designed to support domestic consumers in Northern Ireland at the supply level as they relate to the retail market and do not impact on the underlying wholesale market. Therefore, they have no effect on the workings of the single electricity market.

The noble Lord, Lord Lennie, raised a point about metering and tariff arrangements and the scope of the impact on the number of non-domestic premises that have been brought into the EPG. In addition to places of worship, he questioned what other premises are included. I can confirm to him that some farms and small businesses are included. In respect of small businesses, it is those that are operating from former dwelling-houses. In reality, very few premises are affected—possibly fewer than 100 non-domestic premises are in scope—and the EPG and the EBRS of course provide equivalent support.

The noble Lord went on to ask about meter data. We are continuing to plan for and assess the use of personal data provided under the scheme documents in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Obviously, as part of this work we will ensure that we comply with any relevant legal duties under the smart meters Data Access and Privacy Framework, so the data will be used only when necessary to calculate support payments and, of course, to ensure the good use of public money, which I am sure the noble Lord will support.

With that, I think I have answered all the relevant questions—

[Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (DUP)]

I do not think I heard a response from the Minister on whether the payment that was promised—the £400—would be coming out to the people of Northern Ireland before Christmas.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I cannot give the noble Lord a precise date for that now; we are working to implement it as quickly as possible. As soon as I can provide him with further information on that, I will do so. However, we are working as fast as possible, and we are aware of the urgency of the situation. We know that the money is required, and we will get it out as fast as we possibly can.

I commend the regulations to the Committee.

Post Brexit: Small Service Businesses

Debate between Lord Callanan and Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

Monday 24th May 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The noble Lord makes a good point. This is a complicated area. We are upgrading existing GOV.UK guidance on the immigration systems of EU and EFTA member states to help businesses adjust to the new requirements. The first tranche of these guides is available now, and from 1 January 2021, for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, UK nationals will not need a visa when travelling to and within the Schengen area to undertake a limited range of activities.

[Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (DUP) [V]]

Now that a free trade agreement with the EU is in place that enables the selling of equipment into Europe, what discussions have been held that would aid the removal of the 90-day restriction that is an impediment to UK experts being able to service the equipment or machinery that has been sold?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I understand the noble Lord’s concerns but we have reached a balanced deal with the EU similar to the EU’s agreements with Canada and Japan, and the TCA is the basis of our agreement, so I am sorry to tell him that this will not be renegotiated.

Gas Boilers and Heaters: Replacement Programme

Debate between Lord Callanan and Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

Tuesday 12th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I point the noble Baroness to the social housing decarbonisation fund, which will deliver transformational change by upgrading a significant amount of the social housing stock that is currently below EPC up to that standard.

[Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (DUP) [V]]

In recognising the Government’s desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the United Kingdom, one must also recognise the need to ensure that the transition is fair to householders and businesses. Therefore, can the Minister tell the House what detailed study has been done to identify any additional costs there will be to run any new heating system? How can we ensure that those living in poverty will be able to bear that financial burden and keep their families warm?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The noble Lord is right that we need to make sure that the change is affordable. We have a number of schemes to help low-income families. We have the ECO scheme and the green homes grant scheme, both of which considerably incentivise low-income families to make these changes.