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Written Question
Customers: Protection
Friday 20th January 2023

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

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 had recent discussions with Ofgem on the adequacy of their enforcement of (a) the social obligation to offer non-financial support for customers in vulnerable situations and (b) other aspects of Supply Licence Condition 32.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Under Supply Licence Condition 32, suppliers are required to submit quarterly and annual data to Ofgem on a variety of areas of their operation. This includes debt levels, disconnection rates, prepayment meters, smart meters, payment methods used by customers and help for vulnerable customers.

The information is used to review suppliers’ performance in relation to specific social obligations, including areas of operation where vulnerable customers may be affected. Ofgem monitors these statistics to identify areas where improvement is needed. Ministers regularly meet with Ofgem to discuss a range of topics, including issues that have an impact on vulnerable consumers.


Written Question
Energy: Prices
Thursday 19th January 2023

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on enforcing supplier Licence Conditions when supporting the vulnerable conditions as in the Consumer Vulnerability Strategy 2025.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government works closely with energy regulator Ofgem and energy suppliers to ensure vulnerable customers are protected.

Ofgem is responsible for ensuring energy suppliers comply with their regulatory obligations.

Details of Ofgem’s ongoing supplier compliance and enforcement activity, including individual decisions, are at this link https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-policy-and-regulation/compliance-and-enforcement/retail-compliance-and-enforcement.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of how many homes in Leeds North West constituency have had heat pumps installed as of 31 October 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that, as of 31 October 2022, 266 heat pump installations were registered in the Leeds North West constituency.

The database does not include all heat pump installations, for example, those installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings, which are not typically recorded in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of how many homes in Leeds North West constituency had external wall insulation installed as of 31 October 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of how many homes in Leeds North West constituency with cavity walls have been insulated as of 31 October 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of how many homes in Leeds North West constituency with lofts had loft insulation installed as of 31 October 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of how many homes in Leeds North West constituency had under floor insulation installed as of 31 October 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.


Written Question
Housing: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in which wards in Leeds North West constituency has external wall insulation been fitted to residential property.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, external wall insulation measures have been installed in some households in all wards in Leeds North West constituency.

The ward in Leeds North West constituency with the highest number of government funded retrofitting measures installed is Weetwood. These measures have been funded through the following government schemes: ECO, GHG schemes, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The order from highest to lowest is as follows:

1.Weetwood

2.Headingley & Hyde Park

3.Otley & Yeadon

4.Adel & Wharfedale


Written Question
Housing: Energy
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which wards in Leeds North West constituency have the highest number of homes with retrofitting measures installed.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, external wall insulation measures have been installed in some households in all wards in Leeds North West constituency.

The ward in Leeds North West constituency with the highest number of government funded retrofitting measures installed is Weetwood. These measures have been funded through the following government schemes: ECO, GHG schemes, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The order from highest to lowest is as follows:

1.Weetwood

2.Headingley & Hyde Park

3.Otley & Yeadon

4.Adel & Wharfedale


Written Question
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Leeds North West
Thursday 22nd December 2022

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, If he will make an estimate of the number of homes that have been retrofitted through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund in Leeds North West constituency since the introduction of that fund.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to investing £6.6bn in energy efficiency, with the Autumn Statement announcing an additional £6bn from 2025-2028.

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 1 awarded around £179m of grant funding, delivering from 2022 into 2023, of which £9.5m was awarded to Leeds City Council to retrofit 630 homes. SHDF Demonstrator has retrofitted 190 homes through Leeds City Council. The SHDF Wave 2.1 competition, which closed on 18th November 2022, will allocate up to £800m of grant funding, with successful projects likely to be notified in March 2023.