Energy Bill Relief Scheme Pass-through Requirement (Heat Suppliers) (Amendment) Regulations 2022

Alan Brown Excerpts

Monday 9th January 2023 General Committees

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

The good news is that it seems the Government are trying to get support to those who are supposed to get it, which must be welcomed. The bad news is that policy is clearly being made on the hoof, so can we expect further SIs, or have we seen all the instruments associated with the energy bill relief scheme? It is indicative of the summer lost to the Tory leadership campaign, when Government was put on pause, followed by the Government going into meltdown after the new Prime Minister came in and the effects of that causing further problems.

As the hon. Member for Cardiff West pointed out, paragraph 2.1 of the explanatory memorandum gives the deadline date as 6 January. What is the legal standing of that deadline? Is the clock ticking for companies that have not reported being deemed non-compliant? If so, what sort of grace period will they be given? How long will they have before compliance notices are issued? Once a notice has been issued, how long will companies be given to comply before a fine may be imposed?

How many suppliers do the Government think are in operation? The Minister spoke about getting a refreshed answer, as it were. Is he now able to tell us how many have reported yet and how many are expected to report overall?

How is all this going to be squared up? Who is assessing the suppliers who have reported to make sure that they have accurately gauged the number of people who are due the support and passed it through? They could make a report in good faith but still get it wrong, or people might not get the support passed on to them that should be.

In the wider energy bill support scheme, there is a known issue involving people with prepayment meters either not getting the vouchers or not cashing them. What are the Government doing about that?

In Northern Ireland people are automatically getting a payment of £600—£400 payment support plus £200 alternative fuel payment. Why are other non-domestic customers having to apply to get those payments? Why is it done automatically in Northern Ireland? The Minister is looking a bit confused, but I hope he will be able to answer my question.

--- Later in debate ---

[Graham Stuart]

I am delighted to confirm that the guidance has been published. The hon. Gentleman will be reassured by that.

[Alan Brown]

What is the anticipated timeframe for the compliance notices to be issued? How long will companies be given to comply with the notice before the risk of a fine actually being imposed on them?

[Graham Stuart]

I am not aware of the precise timings, but as I say, I hope that the Committee will be assured that a process will be gone through. I am pleased that heat networks have been providing the information. Before we laid the regulations, we reached out and had a meeting with 200 heat networks. We reached out through various organisations to ensure that that was as well known as possible.

[Alan Brown]

So that we get exact information, will the Minister at least write to the Committee to advise us what the timeframes will be, what the process is for issuing compliance notices, and what the timescales are for complying?

[Graham Stuart]

Whether they are absolutely set or an administrative choice in part, I do not know. If we have further information that it is useful to share with the Committee, I will certainly do so.

The hon. Gentleman also raised the issue of Northern Ireland versus Great Britain. The energy markets in GB are very different from those in Northern Ireland. We have had to design bespoke measures at pace for each. Northern Ireland is a diverse market with a higher percentage of customers on alternative fuels. Other factors mean that it is most efficient to do things in that way there. I am pleased to reassure him, however, that most of those who are eligible for the alternative fuel payment in Scotland, for example, will receive it automatically, though some will necessarily need to apply. We have a system of automatic payment to some, but in addition others need a portal application with phone support.

With that, I hope that we have done more than adequate justice to this fairly simple set of legislative changes to ensure that we have the information needed in the right hands so that we make sure people are protected.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Committee has considered the Energy Bill Relief Scheme Pass-through Requirement (Heat Suppliers) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I., 2022, No. 1280).