Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a directly funded scheme for installing energy efficiency measures and efficient heating for (1) home owners, and (2) private renters, who are fuel poor.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are several government-funded schemes available to help support the installation of energy efficiency measures for fuel poor households. The low-income element of the £1.5bn Green Homes Grant vouchers scheme is open to homeowners in receipt of certain benefits. Installation of measures under the scheme will be covered up to a maximum of £10,000. This extra support for low-income households, is likely to help those who are unable to keep their homes warm at a reasonable cost, and who are unable to cover the cost of energy efficiency upgrades to their home.
The Green Home Grant Local Authority Delivery (LAD) Scheme provides an additional £500 million focused on owner occupiers, those in the private and social rented sector, with a household income of under £30,000. The primary purpose of LAD is to raise the energy efficiency rating of low income and low EPC rated homes (rated D, E, F or G), including those living in the worst quality off-gas grid homes.
In addition, the current Energy Company Obligation continues until March 2022. It requires large energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to fuel poor domestic households. Homeowners on low incomes are eligible under the scheme and low-income private renters living in the least energy efficient homes can also be eligible for solid wall insulation and renewable heating.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK ski instructors will have ongoing access to the Common Training Test for Ski Instructors after the transition period for the UK's departure from the EU; and whether they have reached an agreement with the EU Alpine member states that they will continue to recognise the British Association of Snowsport Instructors qualifications as part of the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Common Training Test (CTT) for ski instructors was established by the European Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/907, and only applies to citizens of EU Member States. Now the Transition Period is over, the CTT no longer applies in the UK and UK ski instructors do not have access to the CTT.
Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, in common with other professionals, UK snow sports instructors who have had their qualifications recognised before the end of the Transition Period, or who applied for recognition before the end of the Transition Period and subsequently have that recognition granted, and who are resident or frontier workers in the EU Member State that recognised them at the end of the Transition Period, will have that recognition protected and will be able to continue to rely upon it.
Following the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, if UK professionals wish to provide services in the EU, the recognition of their professional qualifications across all industries (including snow sports instructors) is subject to the local laws and regulations of individual Member States. Over time, the UK-EU Partnership Council may enter into, and adopt, profession-by-profession mutual recognition agreements.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a fully funded network to provide comprehensive, independent and trusted advice on energy efficiency measures in England similar to the Home Energy Scotland network.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Simple Energy Advice Service (SEA) was launched in 2018, in response to the Government-commissioned Each Home Counts Review, as a digital and phone line service to provide homeowners with impartial and tailored advice on how to cut their energy bills and make their homes greener. Since the launch of SEA, over 1 million unique users have accessed the site. We are committed to improving the SEA website, based on user needs and user research.
At a local level, the Government has provided £4.7 million to six local supply chain demonstration pilots, which are testing new approaches to supporting home energy retrofit in the able-to-pay sector in England. We are also working with Local Authorities through the Local Energy Programme to develop support for local retrofit programmes by addressing local barriers to clean growth activity.