Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prepare for electricity blackouts this winter.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) works closely with network operators, the regulator Ofgem and other stakeholders to ensure that the appropriate technical measures are able to be deployed throughout the year, to ensure the integrity of the energy system.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle rising energy prices.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has announced an exceptional support package worth £37billion this year to shield consumers from the worst impacts of volatile international energy markets this coming winter. The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) will also deliver a £400 non-repayable grant to eligible households to help with energy bills from October.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address falling retail sales.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many consumers, reducing their spending power and impacting retail sales.
On 26th May, the Government announced a Cost of Living package, providing over £15bn of support targeted particularly at those with the greatest need. This package builds on the over £22bn already announced, bringing total government support for the Cost of Living to over £37bn this year.
The Retail Sector Council continues to work on the strategic issues facing the sector.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a Help to Grow Scheme for the third sector.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Studies show that improving the performance of UK SMEs to match competitor countries such as Germany, could add up to £100 billion to the economy. Help to Grow aims to close that gap by specifically targeting SMEs who will benefit in a way that impacts growth potential and productivity. There are currently no plans to introduce a Help to Grow scheme for the third sector. Businesses applying to either Help to Grow schemes (management and digital) must:
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to keep fertiliser plants open amidst rising gas prices.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is closely monitoring the fertiliser market. On 6 May, the Government announced steps to support farmers with cost pressures caused by demand and instability seen across the globe – Direct Payments in England will be paid in two instalments each year for the remainder of the agricultural transition period, to help farmers with their cashflow. Furthermore, we have provided more than £2 billion in relief to help Energy Intensive Industries with electricity costs since 2013 – Fertiliser plants are recipients of this support.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a relative price cap on energy bills.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The current price cap on domestic default tariffs is an absolute cap, as this is the best way to ensure that households are protected from the effects of the loyalty penalty. The level of the price cap is set by Ofgem.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the pub industry in England.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government published its first-ever Hospitality Strategy in July 2021. The Strategy set out twenty-two commitments to support the sector across a range of policy areas, grouped into three themes: Reopening, Recovery, and Resilience. This Department launched the Hospitality Sector Council to oversee the delivery of the strategy, and officials continue to work with the Council and the sector to deliver the strategy commitments. The Government engages regularly with hospitality businesses and organisations to understand the pressing issues that they face, including cost pressures and supply chain disruptions. An update on the Hospitality Strategy will be published shortly.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to cut approval times for new offshore wind farms from four years to one year.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In the British Energy Security Strategy the Government outlined how it will cut approval times. The Government will strengthen the National Policy Statements, establish a fast-track consenting process for priority cases, implement a new Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package, review the Habitats Regulations Assessment process and work with the Offshore Wind Acceleration Task Force on further cutting the timeline.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to grant the automotive sector energy-intensive status.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no single definition of an energy intensive industry (EII). There are currently two schemes for eligible EIIs that provide relief from high industrial electricity costs. The Compensation Scheme provides businesses with relief from a proportion of the costs of both the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Price Support mechanism in their electricity bills. The Exemption Scheme provides a discount on the indirect costs of the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation and Feed in Tariffs schemes.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a permanent replacement to the Recovery Loan Scheme to support cashflow.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of the end of March 2022, the Recovery Loan Scheme has provided over £3.4bn of finance to more than 15,000 businesses.
We are consulting with lenders and business representative organisations on how best to continue to support businesses, including on the role of a government-backed loan guarantee scheme. Any such scheme would be announced in parliament in due course.