Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to review the compatibility of sections 41 and 42 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 with the Government’s target to meet net zero emissions by 2050.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Petroleum Act 1998 (as amended by the Infrastructure Act 2015, amongst others), places a duty on the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) to produce and give effect to one or more strategies to enable the principal objective of maximising the economic recovery of petroleum from UK waters to be met. The OGA has announced that it will shortly be revising its strategy and will have regard to the need for the oil and gas sector to minimise its own carbon emissions and support the transition to Net Zero.
As we transition to a low carbon economy, there will continue to be a need for oil and gas, which are projected to provide around two-thirds of our total primary energy demand in 2035. All scenarios proposed by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) setting out how we could meet our 2050 emissions target include demand for natural gas.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to reduce household carbon emissions through the use of hydrogen as a replacement for gas.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
Burning natural gas for heating accounts for a significant proportion of household carbon emissions. There is currently no clear consensus on the best approach to decarbonising heat at scale, and our December 2018 report on Clean Growth: Transforming Heating set out that using hydrogen as a replacement for natural gas, including for domestic heating, may play an important role.
Further work is required to better understand the potential for using hydrogen to replace natural gas in parts of the gas grid. Several projects relevant to this are currently underway. These include projects run by gas network operators, and the £25m BEIS-funded Hy4Heat programme, which is investigating the feasibility of using hydrogen for heating in residential and commercial buildings.
The Government has committed to publishing a Heat Policy Roadmap in mid-2020, setting out the next steps on heat decarbonisation.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to implement the Government's proposed ban on the installation of gas boilers in new homes in 2025.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
By 2025, the Government will introduce a Future Homes Standard for new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world leading levels of energy efficiency, to create healthy homes that are fit for the future, have low energy bills, and are better for the environment. We will explore the details of the planned introduction of the Future Homes Standard within the 2019 consultation on the energy efficiency standards of the Building Regulations.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of using thorium fuels for energy production.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) maintains an interest in the global potential of thorium nuclear fuels.
In 2012, the National Nuclear laboratory (NNL) published an initial comparative assessment of thorium and uranium technologies in nuclear powered electricity generation. This is available online from:
BEIS has considered these views and drawn on the expertise of its national laboratories to model nuclear scenarios that include the use of thorium. These are used to inform R&D needs on thorium nuclear fuel cycles. An overview of these are included in the document “Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap: Future Pathways”, which is available from:
The UK has been supporting research and development into the use of thorium nuclear fuels since such fuels were used in the Dragon reactor at Winfrith in the 1960s and 1970s. Examples of current activity on thorium and related technologies include academic research into thorium fuelled reactor systems and fuel cycle processes through Research Council grants to UK universities; collaboration on thorium fuels, via the UK Research Councils’ Energy Programme, with national nuclear energy programmes of other countries on safety, performance and non-proliferation; experimental development of thorium fuels through the NNL and private sector organisations, as part of international consortia, and thorium fuel modelling and fuel cycle scenario analysis by the NNL. These activities cover UK, EU and worldwide initiatives and receive either financial or strategic support from the Government.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of re-classifying modelling platforms as employment agencies to ensure that they cannot charge clients upfront fees; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Through the Good Work Plan, published in December 2018, the Government has committed to upgrading workers’ rights and protecting the most vulnerable workers. This represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in over 20 years.
Modelling platforms can already meet the definition of an employment agency as set out in the Employment Agencies Act 1973. If they meet the definition, they would already need to comply with the current legislation, which has specific regulations that cover modelling and entertainment agencies. The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate looks at all complaints on a case by case basis, and works with other partner organisations, such as Trading Standards, to ensure organisations comply with the relevant legislation.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what further support the Government plans to offer smaller solar generators on their route to market as a result of the recent decision on the Export Tariff scheme.
Answered by Claire Perry
On 8 January, Government published a consultation on the future for small-scale low-carbon generation. This can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-small-scale-low-carbon-generation
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to require energy companies and property management companies to ensure that tenants have easy access to their energy meters.
Answered by Claire Perry
Under Schedule 7 of the Electricity Act 1989, the supplier shall determine the position of the meter within the customer’s premises, unless in all circumstances it is more reasonable to place it outside premises or in some other position. The position of a gas meter must comply with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. This requires consumers to have access to the meter and emergency control valve for safety reasons. If a meter box is locked, the consumer must be provided with the corresponding key.
For prepayment meters, under the terms of their supply licence, suppliers must alter the position of the meter if it is not safe and reasonably practicable in all circumstances for the consumer to use it.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government has made an assessment of whether statutory minimum breaks remain sufficient for people working long shifts, including care workers.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Government has not made such an assessment.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to encourage high street retailers to reduce their carbon footprint.
Answered by Claire Perry
Achieving clean growth, while ensuring an affordable energy supply for businesses is at the heart of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, and the Government is taking steps to encourage high street retailers to reduce their carbon footprint. Minimum energy efficiency standards and energy labelling regulations for energy-using products are making lighting and appliances that they buy more energy efficient. The Energy Technology List encourages high street retailers to invest in the most energy efficient plant and machinery, as part of the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) for energy-saving technologies. Through energy efficiency programmes such as the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) and Climate Change Agreements (CCAs), high street retailers are encouraged to make improvements to the way in which they use energy.
We also require certain companies to measure and report their energy use and carbon emissions. This helps them to lower their energy costs, gain a better understanding of exposure to the risks of climate change, and demonstrate leadership to strengthen their green credentials in the marketplace. We have recently consulted on proposals to introduce a new and streamlined energy and carbon reporting framework.
Government provides support to businesses, public sector and non-profit organisations in meeting the cost of installing renewable heat technologies through the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The scheme is designed to bridge the gap between the cost of fossil fuel heat sources and renewable and low carbon heat alternatives through financial support for owners of participating installations.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that small businesses in the country are offered a smart meter by the end 2020. Smart metering will give high street retailers access to the information they need to understand and manage their energy use better, save money on bills and reduce carbon emissions.
There is also a role for behaviour change in emissions reduction. The government has published guidance to help businesses, especially SMEs, identify simple measures like not having doors propped open for convenience, which can help save up to 30% of heating costs.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to encourage high street retailers to reduce their carbon footprint.
Answered by Claire Perry
Achieving clean growth, while ensuring an affordable energy supply for businesses is at the heart of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, and the Government is taking steps to encourage high street retailers to reduce their carbon footprint. Minimum energy efficiency standards and energy labelling regulations for energy-using products are making lighting and appliances that they buy more energy efficient. The Energy Technology List encourages high street retailers to invest in the most energy efficient plant and machinery, as part of the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) for energy-saving technologies. Through energy efficiency programmes such as the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) and Climate Change Agreements (CCAs), high street retailers are encouraged to make improvements to the way in which they use energy.
We also require certain companies to measure and report their energy use and carbon emissions. This helps them to lower their energy costs, gain a better understanding of exposure to the risks of climate change, and demonstrate leadership to strengthen their green credentials in the marketplace. We have recently consulted on proposals to introduce a new and streamlined energy and carbon reporting framework.
Government provides support to businesses, public sector and non-profit organisations in meeting the cost of installing renewable heat technologies through the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The scheme is designed to bridge the gap between the cost of fossil fuel heat sources and renewable and low carbon heat alternatives through financial support for owners of participating installations.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that small businesses in the country are offered a smart meter by the end 2020. Smart metering will give high street retailers access to the information they need to understand and manage their energy use better, save money on bills and reduce carbon emissions.
There is also a role for behaviour change in emissions reduction. The government has published guidance to help businesses, especially SMEs, identify simple measures like not having doors propped open for convenience, which can help save up to 30% of heating costs.