Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, which closed on 8 December 2020.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes closed on 8th January 2021. The Government has carefully analysed the responses received and is considering how best to ensure the cost relating to energy efficiency improvement are fair and proportionate to landlords and tenants. The Government will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the Government's policy support for heat pumps is targeted at heat pumps which heat water rather than those that heat air.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
BEIS analysis indicates that hydronic heat pumps, which use hot water to provide heat using a central heating system, are a more cost-effective means of decarbonising heat in the majority of homes and businesses across the UK. Therefore, the Government anticipates hydronic heat pumps will be the principal means of decarbonising heat in homes.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Principal councils are running local electricity schemes.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
This information is not compiled centrally, but all councils have a role to play in our transition to Net Zero. We are helping them through funding for Public Sector decarbonisation, Heat decarbonisation and support for Electric Vehicle charging.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
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 competitiveness of the UK in major electric vehicle production investments over the last year; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Our mission is to put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of zero emission vehicles, and for all new cars and vans to be effectively zero emission by 2040. The Road to Zero Strategy sets out a clear pathway to zero emissions, to give clarity and certainty to both industry and motorists.
In 2017, 1 in 8 battery electric cars sold in Europe was made in the UK; in the first half of 2018 this figure reached 1 in 5. In 2017 the UK was the second largest market for ULEVs in the EU and third largest in Europe as a whole.
By 2030 we want at least half of new cars sold, and as many as 70%, to be ultra low emission, alongside up to 40% of new vans. To achieve this, we are investing nearly £1.5bn between April 2015 and March 2021, with grants available for plug in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles, and schemes to support charge point infrastructure at homes and workplaces and on residential streets.
Along with the additional measures in our Industrial Strategy Automotive Sector Deal published in January, this adds up to one of the most comprehensive support packages in the world for the transition to zero emission vehicles.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to introduce an equivalent of the Faraday Challenge for hydrogen.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
A range of relevant challenges proposed by industry, some focussed on hydrogen, are being considered by UK Research and Innovation at present in response to their call for Expressions of Interest in wave 3 of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.