Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of retaining the requirement of minimum energy efficiency standards for new biomass plants in future contract for difference projects.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
In June 2018 the Government published Part A of the response to the December 2017 consultation on proposed amendments to the Contracts for Difference scheme.
This stated that the Government intended to require all dedicated biomass with CHP, and energy from waste with CHP, schemes applying for new support contracts under the Contract for Difference scheme to have a minimum overall efficiency of 70% (net calorific value).
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
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 ensure expectant fathers that have been furloughed and are receiving 80 per cent of their normal pay are not disadvantaged in qualifying for Statutory Paternity Pay because of a reduction in their earnings.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government is committed to making sure that all employees are supported at this time. We are currently considering?how the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme interacts with existing employment rights to family-related payments, including Statutory Paternity Pay, to ensure that the scheme works for parents.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to engage Parliamentarians as part of preparations for the 26th United Nations Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change hosted by the UK Government in December 2020.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government is working to ensure that parliamentarians are involved in the preparations and delivery of COP26, and that cross party ambition is galvanised to ensure the success of the conference.
The Government is committed to making a success of COP26, working across Departments. A key element of this is working towards the UK’s net zero commitment, which is very important to this Government both domestically and internationally.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
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 ensure that smaller companies in the energy supply market are eligible to participate in the Warm Home Discount scheme.
Answered by Claire Perry
No suppliers are unable to participate in the Warm Home Discount. Suppliers with fewer customers than the obligated threshold already have the option to approach Ofgem to participate in the scheme voluntarily. This year, there are 3 suppliers with less than 250,000 domestic customers, who have opted to participate in the scheme voluntarily.
For all suppliers, we took the decision following the Warm Home Discount consultation last year to reduce the threshold for participation over time. It will remain at 250,000 domestic accounts for participating suppliers in 2018/19, and then reduce to 200,000 in 2019/20 and 150,000 in 2020/21. We intend to reduce the threshold to zero or a small minimum, if the evidence on the impacts of reducing the threshold on the energy markets supports this approach. This gradual reduction will give smaller suppliers time to prepare for delivery, adjust their business models and help minimise the risk of non-compliance.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
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 the number of smaller energy companies who have been unable to participate in the Warm Home Discount scheme as a result of having fewer than 250,000 customers.
Answered by Claire Perry
No suppliers are unable to participate in the Warm Home Discount. While 15 of the approximately 60 energy suppliers currently in operation are obligated under the Warm Home Discount scheme this winter, others may approach Ofgem to participate voluntarily, and 3 have opted to do so.
The threshold for mandatory participation will be reduced over time, from 250,000 domestic customers in 2018/19 to 200,000 domestic customers in 2019/20 and 150,000 in 2020/21. We intend to reduce the threshold to zero or a small minimum, if the evidence on the impacts of reducing the threshold on the energy markets supports this approach. This gradual reduction will give smaller suppliers time to prepare for delivery, adjust their business models and help minimise the risk of non-compliance.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
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 support the growth of green investment and finance beyond the delivery of the fifth carbon budget.
Answered by Claire Perry
The UK is a world leader in green finance. The transition to a low-carbon economy is a major opportunity for the UK, and our world leading financial system is key to that transition. Our domestic climate change commitments, and the global targets of the Paris Agreement, present a great investment opportunity for the private sector. The Green Finance Taskforce published their report in March, outlining a set of wide-ranging and ambitious recommendations for Government. We are considering these recommendations and will respond in due course. We are determined to maintain the UK’s position as a world-leader in green finance in the long term, capitalising on the opportunities arising from Clean Growth.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
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 expand the UK’s mandatory carbon reporting to capture a larger set of reporting companies.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government consultation on Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) closed on the 4th January 2018. The consultation document included questions on expanding the reporting framework to require more companies to report their energy use and carbon emissions than are currently required to do so. It recognised that more consistent disclosure of energy use and carbon emissions would raise awareness of energy efficiency, and could improve transparency for investors, providing the market with useful information. We intend to publish the Government response by the summer recess.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
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 is planning to issue green bonds to finance the 25 Year Environmental Plan.
Answered by Claire Perry
Before issuing a new type of sovereign bond, such as a green bond, the Government would need to be satisfied that they would provide cost-effective financing for the taxpayer, and there would be sustainable demand. The UK’s private sector green bond market is already well established, facilitated by the London Stock Exchange’s comprehensive specialist offering. There are now over 65 green bonds listed on the LSE in seven currencies, worth over $20 billion.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has a target for improving energy efficiency in buildings beyond 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Government has a number of targets and ambitions for improving energy efficiency in buildings as set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, published in October 2017. For example, these include:
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the bid to takeover GKN Filton by Melrose on skilled jobs provided by GKN Filton.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Government is closely monitoring the situation. Due to the nature of the bid the potential impact of any change in ownership of the company is unknown. If necessary, the Government can intervene in takeovers on public interest grounds, covering national security, financial stability or media plurality.