Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much households in Northern Ireland will receive under the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All households in Northern Ireland are receiving a single, one-off £600 payment to help with their energy bills. Payments started on 16 January and are made up of £400 under the Energy Bills Support Scheme Northern Ireland (EBSS NI), and £200 under the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) scheme, which goes to all households in Northern Ireland irrespective of how they heat their home. Households without a direct relationship with an electricity supplier will also receive £600. Details will be announced as soon as possible.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 provide support to post offices towards the cost of energy bills beyond March 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will introduce the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme from April 2023. All eligible businesses, charities and the public sector will receive a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024. The scheme will provide a discount on high energy costs to give businesses certainty while limiting taxpayers’ exposure to volatile energy markets.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether authorisation was sought from the European Union for the delivery of the Energy Bill Support Scheme in Northern Ireland in the context of Article 10 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and state aid rules.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Energy Bills Support Scheme and Alternative Fuel Payment does not engage Article 10 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, as the schemes will help households with their energy costs this winter.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 the Government has made of the impact of market fluctuations in the price of diesel and home heating oil on household budgets; and what steps the Government is taking to help ensure security of supply of those fuels.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and fuel prices are an important component of UK households’ expenditure. The Government has set out a £37 billion package of support including the biggest ever cut to fuel duty rates – worth £5 billion. This also includes financial support for heating oil customers in the form of a £200 Alternative Fuel Payment.
In light of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Government has taken steps to end all imports of Russian fossil fuels. The UK has no issues with oil supply and is not dependent on Russian energy imports.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether legislation regulates the (a) manufacture, (b) sale and (c) possession of 3D printing technology.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
In placing a 3D printer on the market the manufacturer will need to comply with the relevant product safety legislation such as the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 and other relevant regulations that may apply to the 3D printer product. There are currently no additional requirements in product safety legislation specifically concerning the possession of 3D manufacturing technology by consumers.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland on the adequacy of the £100 payment for households that use home heating oil in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Officials regularly meet with Northern Ireland stakeholders – including the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland – to discuss support available to households in Northern Ireland.
The topic of the £100 Alternative Fuel Payment has been discussed with the Consumer Council. The payment aims to ensure that a typical customer using heating oil will be offered support broadly in line with that offered by the Energy Price Guarantee, for those using mains gas to heat their homes.
The Government will monitor the price of heating oil and other alternative fuels to see if further intervention is required.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he expects households in Northern Ireland to receive Energy Bill Support Scheme payments.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Households in Northern Ireland will receive a £400 discount on their energy bills through the Northern Ireland Energy Bills Support Scheme (NI EBSS) this winter.
This will offer the same level of support as households in Great Britain are receiving under the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS). The Government is working at pace to deliver a solution which accounts for the Northern Ireland market and to provide the support as soon as possible.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many licences have been issued by OFGEM in Northern Ireland for hydrogen fuelling stations for transport.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofgem is the gas and electricity regulator for Great Britain. It does not have powers to issue licences for hydrogen fuelling stations in Northern Ireland.
Licensing of hydrogen fuel stations could be a matter for the Northern Ireland Utilities Regulatior or the Transport Regulation Unit of the Department for Infrastructure.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many companies that availed of bounce back loans have (a) filed for bankruptcy and (b) indicated that they will not be in a position to repay their loans.
Answered by Paul Scully
Data on the number of companies with a Bounce Back Loan that have entered formal insolvency procedures will be collected in due course.
It is too early to provide figures relating to repayments given many businesses have yet to begin repaying their Bounce Back Loan. Further information related to loan repayments for the Government’s Covid-19 loan schemes will feature in the BEIS 2020-21 Annual Report and Accounts, scheduled for publication later this year.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much has been lent to firms in Northern Ireland under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS); and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the repayment terms of CBILS borrowings.
Answered by Paul Scully
As of 10th January 2021, businesses in Northern Ireland have been offered 1,501 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facilities, with a value of £496,806,683.
Lenders are able to extend the repayment period for CBILS facilities beyond 6 years (up to a maximum of 10 years) where this is needed in connection with the provision of forbearance. CBILS term extensions are offered at the discretion of lenders.