Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the total value of fines that levied on applied to energy companies for failing to install smart meters in properties within an appropriate timeframe is, broken down by (1) year, and (2) energy company, since 2023-24.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under new Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP) regulations customers are entitled to £40 compensation if their energy supplier fails to offer a smart meter installation appointment within 6 weeks of the customer requesting one. These regulations came into force on 23rd February 2026 and therefore no performance data is yet available. Ofgem is responsible for compliance and ongoing monitoring of these new Guaranteed standards.
From 2022 until the end of 2025, energy suppliers were required to meet minimum annual installation targets. In 2023, six large suppliers agreed to pay £10.8m into the Voluntary Redress Fund for not meeting 2022 targets.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have had with the Scottish Government to discuss the issue of properties in Scotland that still have a radio teleswitch service meter, following the radio teleswitch service switch off on 30 June.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ, Ofgem, Scottish Government officials and industry representatives met regularly throughout the RTS phase out, to obtain assurances from energy suppliers ahead of each stage of activity, and monitor suppliers' performance in responding rapidly where issues have arisen.
As the majority of remaining recorded RTS consumers have not responded to multiple contacts from suppliers, despite their signal being switched off between one and twelve months ago, industry believes most are no longer reliant on RTS for heating and hot water.
The Department would encourage any consumers who have not had a replacement to contact their energy supplier to arrange one.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what contingency plans are in place for households in remote and island communities that face delays to getting a radio teleswitch service meter replaced with a smart meter, following the radio teleswitch service switch off on 30 June.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is aware that some consumers living in remote or rural areas of Scotland have faced historical challenges obtaining RTS meter replacement appointments, due to a lack of installer resource, appropriate technology solutions or logistical challenges.
However, the RTS Taskforce, which the Department sits on, has in the last year led a concerted effort to overcome these historical challenges, resulting in significant progress on RTS replacements in these regions.
The Department would encourage any consumers who have not yet had a replacement to contact their energy supplier to arrange one as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reform the grid connections queue in order to remove "zombie scheme" energy applications.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is working closely with the National Energy System Operator, Ofgem and the network companies to deliver fundamental reform of the grid connections process. The reforms will prioritise connections for viable and strategically aligned projects needed for clean power, helping unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure. They will ensure only projects that are ready and needed are offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project strategically aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many "shovel-ready" energy applications have secured grid connections in Scotland since 2021, broken down by local authority area.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Department does not hold this data however, through reforms to the connections process, only projects that are ready and needed will be offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to discourage energy companies from lodging speculative "zombie scheme" energy applications.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is working closely with the National Energy System Operator, Ofgem and the network companies to deliver fundamental reform of the grid connections process. The reforms will prioritise connections for viable and strategically aligned projects needed for clean power, helping unlock £40 billion of mainly private investment a year in clean energy and infrastructure. They will ensure only projects that are ready and needed are offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project strategically aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many "zombie scheme" energy applications have secured grid connection offers in Scotland since 2021, broken down by local authority area.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Department does not hold this data however, through reforms to the connections process, only projects that are ready and needed will be offered a connection, by requiring evidence of land access and permission to build, as well as how a project aligns with the Clean Power Action Plan.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to assist (1) residential properties, (2) business properties, in island communities in Scotland who are yet to switch over from Radio Teleswitch Service meters to smart meters.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
DESNZ has stepped in to ensure there will be a managed and more controlled start of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) phase out from 30 June. People with an RTS meter will not face any unexpected disruption to their heating or hot water when the phase out begins.
The RTS Taskforce, which is attended by Government, has agreed that resources should be targeted towards regional hotspots, such as Scotland, with a high number of RTS meters and it is leading work to ensure suppliers have sufficient installer capacity to replace RTS meters in residential and business premises across GB.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to energy companies to expedite smart meter installations as part of the phased Radio Teleswitch Service shutdown.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ofgem and industry have convened a taskforce on the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) involving all major energy suppliers, which the Government attends. This is working with key stakeholders to urgently ramp up efforts to replace the remaining RTS meters in Great Britain.
The Minister for Energy Consumers is meeting with Energy UK and Ofgem on a fortnightly basis to discuss progress, with a particular focus on Scotland and remote and rural areas.
The Government is clear that suppliers must fulfil all their legal obligations to their customers and will work with Ofgem to hold suppliers to account.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide compensation to households who are unable to switch from a Radio Teleswitch Service meter to a smart meter and consequently lose access to power.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As RTS meters typically control heating and hot water on a separate circuit to a premises' electricity, consumers should not be at risk of losing their electricity supply.
There are now technical solutions available to allow the replacement of all RTS meters.