Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had discussions with Ofgem on trends in the level of standing charge prices across (a) England and (b) Yorkshire.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
DESNZ Ministers and officials regularly discuss with Ofgem issues relating to the energy retail market.
Standing charges are a commercial matter for suppliers, although Ofgem regulates standing charges as they do with other elements of billing. This includes setting a cap on standing charges as part of the overall default tariff cap.
The variance in standing charge is mainly due to regional differences in energy distribution costs. These costs reflect the expenses of maintaining and upgrading the distribution network in a specific area, and the number of consumers those costs are spread across.
On 30 March, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State and I wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofgem, highlighting the importance of keeping standing charges as low as possible.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
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 an assessment of the impact of trends in the level of standing charges on the affordability of electricity bills in (a) Yorkshire and (b) the North East.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Ofgem launched a call for input on standing charges, which closed on Friday 19 January 2024, looking at how it is applied to energy bills and what alternatives could be considered.
Ofgem is currently analysing the responses and will publish its response in due course.
On 30 March, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State and I wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofgem, highlighting the importance of keeping standing charges as low as possible.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
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 an assessment of potential merits of introducing a fixed national standing charge for consumers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Ofgem launched a call for input on standing charges, which closed on Friday 19 January 2024, looking at how it is applied to energy bills and what alternatives could be considered.
Ofgem is currently analysing the responses and will publish its response in due course.
On 30 March, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State and I wrote to the Chief Executive of Ofgem, highlighting the importance of keeping standing charges as low as possible.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department's annual delivery target is for the number of households applying for the (a) Home Upgrade Grant, (b) Great British Insulation Scheme, (c) Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and (d) Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The current wave of Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 funding is expected to improve the energy performance of up to 25,000 homes. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund estimates to upgrade up to 99,500 social homes. The Great British Insulation Scheme target is set in terms of annual bill savings, but it is estimated that it will support the installation of energy efficiency measures to around 300,000 homes.
The annual targets for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) depends on the grant levels at the time, as we can change them to respond to market conditions.
The Government recently announced further details regarding the £6 billion extension that will be allocated from 2025-2028. This will support an extra 500,000 homes, prioritising those who need it most.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to increase energy efficiency in the context of the decision to disband the energy efficiency taskforce.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is allocating around £20 billion over this Parliament and next to improve the energy efficiency and low carbon heating of homes and businesses, reducing our reliance on fossil fuel heating and reducing household energy bills.
The Government has recently announced further details regarding the £6 billion extension that will be allocated from 2025-2028. This will support an extra 500,000 homes, prioritising those who need it most.
The Government also launched the new Welcome Home to Energy Efficiency public campaign, targeting the able-to-pay market with trusted information on the most cost-effective energy efficiency measures.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's policy paper entitled What does it cost to retrofit homes, published April 2017, whether her Department plans to publish new cost assumptions for its energy efficiency modelling.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department keeps cost assumptions for modelling energy efficiency under review. The Impact Assessment for the Great British Insulation Scheme provides recent information on assumptions for different measures.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the cost to the public purse was of the energy efficiency taskforce.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Any Department spend would be reported as part of the Department’s reports and accounts in the usual way.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the introduction of (a) an energy social tariff and (b) targeted energy bill support for disabled people.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
My Rt. Hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have regular discussions on a range of issues.
A social tariff is about protecting vulnerable people and that’s exactly what we are doing by providing significant financial support for those who need it most as part of a package of support that will total over £104 billion, or £3,700 per household on average, over 2022-2025. Millions of vulnerable households will receive up to £900 in further cost of living payments, with an extra £150 to those on eligible disability payments. This is in addition to the established support of the Winter Fuel Payment worth between £250-£600 and the £150 off energy bills from the Warm Home Discount.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will extend the Warm Home Discount to disabled households.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
I refer my Hon Friend to the answers I gave to him on 18 January 2024 to Question UIN 9113 and on 8 February 2024 to Question UIN 12381.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to ensure that disabled people with higher energy usage are not in fuel poverty.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is providing £104 billion, including the Disability Cost of Living Payment, to support households with the cost of living. The government also expanded the Warm Home Discount, which we estimated would support 160,000 more households where a person has a disability or long-term illness. This has helped prevent a significant rise in fuel poverty, including for households living with disabilities.
We see energy efficiency improvements as the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term. Disabled people living in low-income households may be eligible for support through schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation.
The review of the Fuel Poverty Strategy will assess the vulnerability principle and whether any amendments are needed, including for households where an occupant has a disability.