Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide support to pubs deemed "at risk" by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), given increased energy costs, rising food prices, and consequently suppressed consumer demand.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government recognises that pubs and other hospitality businesses are facing cost of living pressures.
The Energy Bill Relief Scheme ensures businesses are protected from excessively high energy bills up to the 31 March 2022. Following a review of this scheme, a new Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS), will provide all eligible UK businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024.
Additionally, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a range of support measures regarding business rates worth £13.6 billion over the next 5 years.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to communicate factual information to the public on how to save money on their energy bills.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government Help for Household campaign aims to increase the public’s awareness of support available to help with energy bills.
The campaign website explains the government support available, including the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme. It also provides homeowners with energy efficiency recommendations that could help save them hundreds of pounds a year.
The Government continues to look at how Help for Households can signpost the public to information on how to cut their energy bills further. The Government is working with energy suppliers to ensure that they explain the support available on energy bills to their customers.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that consumers are afforded the same protections when they are shopping on an online marketplace as they are when shopping on the high street.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is already robust legislation in place that protects consumers purchasing goods and services online. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 set out these rights.
As announced in the Queen’s Speech on 10 May, the Government will publish draft legislation to promote competition, strengthen consumer rights and protect households and businesses as part of a Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the consultation on their new UK Product Safety Framework, which ran from 11 March 2021 to 17 June 2021; and what plans they have to introduce new legislation that ensures that only safe products can be sold on online marketplaces.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Existing laws already require that all consumer products must be safe before they can be placed on the UK market, either online or the high street.
The Government is reviewing the product safety framework and a consultation, including proposals to take further steps to address unsafe products sold online, is being finalised and will be published later this year. We anticipate legislation would be required to implement many of the consultation proposals and will look to introduce any necessary legislation as the Parliamentary timetable allows.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enforce laws surrounding trade union consultation; and what plans they have to ban the practice of fire-and-rehire.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has been consistent in condemning the inappropriate use of firing and rehiring tactics during negotiations. As the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State wrote in the other place on Tuesday 29 March, the Government will now bring forward statutory code later this year, under section 203 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Under section 204 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, the Secretary of State is required to publish a draft and consider any representations. The Department will engage with trade unions as part of that consultation. The scope of the Code and its remedies will be in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Legislation to lay the code will be introduced when parliamentary time allows and will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that young care leavers can pay their energy bills and do not fall into fuel poverty.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Local Authorities must provide support to young care leavers, including help to set up a home until they are 25 years old.
The energy price cap will save 15 million households up to £100 on their energy bills this winter. The Government supports low-income and fuel poor households with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments, where eligible.
The Warm Home Discount scheme currently provides over 2 million low-income and vulnerable households with a £140 rebate off their winter energy bill. Warm Home Discount funding for 2021/22 year is worth £354 million.
In addition, the Government has announced an extra £500 million for local authorities through the new Household Support Fund to provide help to millions of the most in need.
The independent regulator, Ofgem has an objective to protect vulnerable consumers. Its Consumer Vulnerability Strategy 2025 includes activities to improve identification of vulnerability and supporting those struggling with their energy bills. Further details of Ofgem’s Consumer Vulnerability Strategy 2025 are available on Ofgem's website.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that families with members (1) in low-paid jobs, or (2) on zero-hour contracts, can pay their energy bills and do not fall into fuel poverty.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The energy price cap will save 15 million households up to £100 on their energy bills this winter. The Government supports low-income and fuel poor households with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments, where eligible.
The Warm Home Discount scheme currently provides over 2 million low-income and vulnerable households with a £140 rebate off their winter energy bill. Warm Home Discount funding for 2021/22 year is worth £354 million.
In addition, the Government has announced an extra £500 million for local authorities through the new Household Support Fund to provide help to millions of the most in need.
The independent regulator, Ofgem has an objective to protect vulnerable consumers. Its Consumer Vulnerability Strategy 2025 includes activities to improve identification of vulnerability and supporting those struggling with their energy bills. Further details of Ofgem’s Consumer Vulnerability Strategy 2025 are available on Ofgem's website.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (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 employers with guidance on how they can support victims of domestic abuse; and whether any such guidance will include recommending access to paid leave.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 14 January 2021, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published the report from its review into how victims of domestic abuse can be supported in the workplace. This report finds that, with the right support, employers can play a key role in helping to lift the lid on domestic abuse.
Throughout this review, we have heard about the value of employers having a policy on how to support victims in their workforce. We encourage all employers to do this, and wherever possible, offer victims flexibility and leave should they need it to access support.
The report sets out the next steps for government, including establishing a working group to develop practical solutions to build awareness and understanding of domestic abuse and encourage good practice across all employers.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (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 providing support and advice for employers and employees about domestic abuse on the protection of victims of such abuse at work.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 14 January 2021, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published the report from its review into how victims of domestic abuse can be supported in the workplace. This report finds that, with the right support, employers can play a key role in helping to lift the lid on domestic abuse.
Throughout this review, we have heard about the value of employers having a policy on how to support victims in their workforce. We encourage all employers to do this, and wherever possible, offer victims flexibility and leave should they need it to access support.
The report sets out the next steps for government, including establishing a working group to develop practical solutions to build awareness and understanding of domestic abuse and encourage good practice across all employers.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (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 establish a citizen’s assembly on climate policy.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Achieving our net zero target must be a shared endeavour between governments, businesses and individuals. Looking ahead, it will be crucially important to engage the public on this challenge. The Government has invited the public to shape policies on climate change through mechanisms such as consultations and deliberative workshops, and we regularly survey on public attitudes on climate change. We welcome the Climate Assembly UK final report and will be looking closely at its findings. We will continue to engage the public as we develop our plans for reaching net zero emissions by 2050.