Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to return money the Government (a) has received and (b) will receive from the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme to mineworkers in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (ii) Staffordshire.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Pursuant to my answer to PQ UIN 5215 of 18 September 2024, our Manifesto committed to reviewing the surplus sharing arrangements and transferring the Investment Reserve back to scheme members. We are committed to ending the injustice of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and work on delivering these commitments is already underway.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency are in receipt of the Warm Home Discount.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The most recent published statistics on Warm Home Discount can be found here: Warm Home Discount statistics, 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Table 5 shows that 4,992 households in Newcastle-under-Lyme received Warm Home Discount in the 2023-24 scheme year, making up approximately 12.1% of the overall number of households in the constituency (boundary as defined prior to the 2024 General Election).
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Home Discount Scheme in England and Wales was reformed in 2022 to provide more rebates automatically. It currently focusses support towards those on lowest incomes who receive means-tested benefits and living in a property estimated to be relatively high cost to heat. The eligibility criteria are set to make best use of the data available to identify households at greatest risk of fuel poverty.
In winter 2023/24 the WHD scheme delivered rebates to 3.14 million households in Great Britain. This represents an increase of around 646,000 households receiving rebates and an increase of around £97 million of support, compared to 2022/23. Since the scheme began in 2011, over £4 billion in support has been provided to households.
This winter’s scheme was launched today, 14 October, and we expect it again to support over three million households. We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the future of the Warm Home Discount scheme, in the context of the upcoming Autumn Budget 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This winter’s scheme was launched today, 14 October, and we expect it again to support over three million households. We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of levels of energy (a) poverty and (b) security in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (ii) Staffordshire.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The latest statistics for the number of households in fuel poverty in parliamentary constituencies in England, can be found in the published sub-regional fuel poverty Official Statistics, in Table 4: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics.
Whilst we cannot comment on specific constituencies, the energy security outlook for GB is positive for this upcoming winter - in their Early Winter Outlook (https://www.nationalgrideso.com/research-and-publications/winter-outlook), the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) provisionally expects the margin between supply and demand for GB to be 5.6GW / 9.4%, which is an improved position from last winter (4.4 GW / 7.4%). We continue to work with Ofgem and the gas and electricity system operators to monitor our energy security.