Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Green Homes Grant Scheme has now been launched; and if so, how many (1) people have applied, and (2) vouchers have been provided, to date.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme launched on 30th September ready for homeowners to apply for vouchers and for installers to register with the administrator for payment. As of 3rd October, there were 7,858 applications for vouchers.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) businesses, and (2) tradespeople, have to attain the PAS 2030-2019 Specification to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In order to participate in the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme, businesses and tradespeople installing energy efficiency measures must install measures against Publicly Available Specification (PAS) standards 2030: 2017 or 2030: 2019 by a certification body that has been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 8 September (HC Deb, cols 517-519), what is the nature of the vaccines which form the basis of the agreements in place with six separate vaccine developers; and who are the developers.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has secured access to 6 different candidates, across 4 different vaccine types, reflecting the government’s strategy to ensure the UK has a supply of vaccines should any of these prove safe and effective:
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many doses for a COVID-19 vaccine they have purchased from companies based in (1) the United States, (2) China, and (3) Russia; if none, whether they plan to purchase such vaccines from those countries; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government has agreements in the US with BioNTech/Pfizer for 30 million doses, Novavax for 60 million doses and Janssen for 30 million doses of their not-for-profit vaccine. We are taking a portfolio-based approach that monitors the landscape of coronavirus vaccine development, both here in the UK and internationally. Although we continue to investigate further potential vaccine candidates worldwide, we are currently not able to give any further information on these candidates owing to commercial sensitivity. We will, however, announce agreements with any other vaccine developers in due course.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) businesses, and (2) tradespeople, have signed up to the TrustMark Scheme in order to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of 31 August, TrustMark had 681 registered businesses able to install the primary and/or secondary measures supported by the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme. These businesses range from small enterprises to large companies with significant workforces. Additionally, a further 2316 TrustMark applications were being processed, and a further 5164 expressions of interest in joining TrustMark had been received by the various trade associations and certification and inspection bodies who partner with TrustMark.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how consumers can obtain the necessary vouchers to take part in the Green Homes Grant Scheme; and what plans they have to publicise that scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Homeowners and landlords will able to apply for the Green Homes Grant scheme vouchers online, with alternative methods being available for those that cannot apply digitally. More details on the application process will be announced in due course.
In order to support customers to take up the scheme and to encourage industry to get involved and register with TrustMark, we are running an integrated communications campaign. Activities include social media, partnerships and a range of media and stakeholder engagements.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to announce details of (1) the measures to be within the scope of the Green Homes Grant scheme, and (2) how that scheme will operate.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Guidance and further details about the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme were published on 28 August on the GOV.UK website. This included information on eligibility, items where support can be claimed as part of energy efficiency measure installations, as well as items that will not be paid for under the voucher scheme.
The new scheme will see the Government fund up to two thirds of the cost of home improvements of over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs in green construction. Consumers in England will be able to claim the new vouchers, which are worth up to £5,000. Households on low income can receive vouchers covering 100% of the cost of the improvements, up to a maximum of £10,000.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many assessors they anticipate will be required before the launch of the Green Homes Grant; and how many such assessors they have already recruited.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A retrofit assessment will only be mandatory under the Green Homes Grant scheme in a limited number of circumstances, where installations are considered to be more technically demanding. We are confident that there are sufficient retrofit assessors in place to oversee these cases.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (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 draw up a list of approved contractors to operate the Green Homes Grant scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Businesses and tradespeople must be registered with TrustMark – as well as certified with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) if installing heating measures – to take part in the scheme. Homeowners and landlords will be able to use the Simple Energy Advice website to find appropriately registered and certified tradespeople in their area that are able to carry out the works, ensuring high standards and consumer protection.
TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme covering work a consumer chooses to have carried out on their home. MCS is a quality assurance scheme supported by BEIS, which certifies products, installation companies and installations to help ensure that Microgeneration products are installed to high quality standards.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to announce the range of measures that make up the Green Homes Grant Scheme; and how that Scheme will operate.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The range of measures has now been announced.
The Green Homes Grants will give homeowners, including owner occupiers and social/private landlords, vouchers to install one or more of the following:
In addition, households can use their voucher for further energy saving measures. These include one or more of the following:
The new scheme will see the Government fund up to two thirds of the cost of home improvements of over 600,000 homes, supporting over 100,000 jobs in green construction. Consumers in England will be able to claim the new vouchers, which are worth up to £5,000. Households on low income can receive vouchers covering 100% of the cost of the improvements, up to a maximum of £10,000.