Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the average annual tonnage of wood imported for burning in (a) industrial and (b) domestic settings; which (i) countries and (ii) sites in those countries that wood is imported from; and how many tonnes on average comes from each of those countries each year.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Figures on the amount of imported wood and waste wood by country is published in The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) Table 6.6, but information on sites is not collected. Imports of waste wood are used in the industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors and all imports of wood are burnt in the domestic sector; of the 2,319 thousand tonnes of wood consumed in the domestic sector in 2022, 198 thousand tonnes were imported.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the average annual tonnage of wood burnt in homes in the UK.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Figures on the amount of imported wood and waste wood by country is published in The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) Table 6.6, but information on sites is not collected. Imports of waste wood are used in the industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors and all imports of wood are burnt in the domestic sector; of the 2,319 thousand tonnes of wood consumed in the domestic sector in 2022, 198 thousand tonnes were imported.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make a comparative assessment of the adequacy of access to carbon capture and storage capabilities in each region; and whether she is taking steps to help ensure the (a) equity and (b) efficiency of the distribution of such capabilities.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has previously undertaken assessments of the potential CCUS capabilities of industrial clusters across the UK, including the HyNet, East Coast Cluster, Acorn, and Viking clusters, as part of the Cluster Sequencing Process. The guidance and eligibility criteria for these assessments is available on gov.uk.
CCUS will be essential to meeting the UK’s 2050 net zero target, playing a vital role in levelling up the economy, supporting the low-carbon economic transformation of our industrial regions, creating new high value jobs across the UK. We remain committed to industrial decarbonisation across all nations and regions of the UK as we work toward net zero.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the finding in paragraph 21 of the Public Accounts Committee's report entitled Update on the rollout of smart meters, HC 1332, that estimates that seven million energy smart meters will need to have their communications hubs replaced when 2G and 3G mobile networks are switched off.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Mobile Network Operators have announced long-term plans for sunsetting 2G and 3G networks by the end of 2033. The Government is already working with industry to support a smooth transition for consumers in advance of this.
Energy suppliers are obliged to upgrade smart meter communications hubs for those customers that will require this, as part of ensuring continuity of connectivity.
The Data Communications Company, which is licensed to operate the national communications network for smart metering, has already procured the services to enable future 4G smart metering network infrastructure.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of smart meter connectivity in apartment blocks with solid concrete floors.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Energy suppliers have a range of technologies to extend smart metering Home Area Network (HAN) connectivity where there are obstacles such as solid concrete floors between the apartment and the meter.
Suppliers are already rolling out 'dual band' communications hubs which can operate on two different frequencies and therefore serve many previously hard to reach properties.
For the minority of properties that cannot be served by the 'dual band' communications hub, deployment of an ‘Alternative Home Area Network’ (ALT HAN) solution began earlier this year, which provides smart meter connectivity for additional properties, such as the higher floors of high-rise buildings.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) zoos and (b) aquariums will be eligible for higher-tier support under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The new Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS) will continue to provide eligible UK businesses and other non-domestic energy users with a discount on high energy bills from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024. A higher level of support will be provided for the most energy and trade intensive sectors who meet agreed thresholds for energy and trade intensity through the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries (ETII) Scheme element of the EBDS. Eligible sectors are represented by a list of SIC codes which has been published here. In order to be eligible, zoos and aquariums will need to meet the eligibility test and be able to evidence that 50% of their revenue from a specified period is generated from activity within an eligible sector.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 amend the Energy Bill to update to the Energy Performance Certificate system and Energy Smart Appliance clauses which incorporate bidirectional charging capabilities as part of the Government's plans to safeguard a sustainable energy eco-system.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Energy Bill will provide powers for setting technical standards for Energy Smart Appliances (ESAs), including EV chargepoints, and for future reform of the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) Regulations.
The Government intends to consult on possible changes to EPB regulations and on draft ESA regulations and will work with industry to deliver the necessary protections for the energy system and consumers.
However, there are no immediate plans to update the Energy Performance Certificate system for the emerging bidirectional technology and market. There are also no plans to amend the Energy Bill.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the cybersecurity provisions of the EV (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 are equally enforced on all EV charging manufacturers that operate in the UK market to protect consumers and compliant British businesses.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) enforces the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. The legislation includes investigatory and civil sanctions powers, and requires enforcement decisions to be taken on a case-by-case basis. OPSS uses its powers to accept time-limited enforcement undertakings, including in relation to the cybersecurity provisions, as a proportionate measure to bring chargepoint sellers into compliance where appropriate and as prescribed under the regulations. Government continues to monitor the domestic and workplace chargepoint market to ensure that consumer protections and a thriving market are in place to help maximise the uptake of smart charging.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the time limitations under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 on electric vehicle (a) chargepoint manufacturers and (b) drivers’ home energy supplies.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) enforces the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. The legislation includes investigatory and civil sanctions powers, and requires enforcement decisions to be taken on a case-by-case basis. OPSS uses its powers to accept time-limited enforcement undertakings, including in relation to the cybersecurity provisions, as a proportionate measure to bring chargepoint sellers into compliance where appropriate and as prescribed under the regulations. Government continues to monitor the domestic and workplace chargepoint market to ensure that consumer protections and a thriving market are in place to help maximise the uptake of smart charging.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
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 reduce the time limitations for derogations under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) enforces the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. The legislation includes investigatory and civil sanctions powers, and requires enforcement decisions to be taken on a case-by-case basis. OPSS uses its powers to accept time-limited enforcement undertakings, including in relation to the cybersecurity provisions, as a proportionate measure to bring chargepoint sellers into compliance where appropriate and as prescribed under the regulations. Government continues to monitor the domestic and workplace chargepoint market to ensure that consumer protections and a thriving market are in place to help maximise the uptake of smart charging.