Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the financial resources of an unrelated co-tenant has any bearing on a vulnerable individual's entitlement to energy bill assistance.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Home Discount provides eligible low-income households with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. In England and Wales, eligible households must receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance and they (or their partner) must be named on the electricity account. The financial resources of an unrelated co-tenant are not taken into account. Eligibility rules for other Government support schemes may differ from those for the Warm Home Discount, and entitlement is determined in accordance with the specific criteria established for each scheme.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department plans to introduce an automatic or preventative protection from energy prices rises for severely disabled and medically vulnerable households.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is very aware of the cost-of-living pressures faced by households. The Government has removed VAT from electricity bills to give households immediate breathing space. This is in addition to removing £150 of costs off energy bills since April, and the extension of the Warm Home Discount, which benefits around 6 million households each winter, through to 2030/2031. The Government is also investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan, the largest home-upgrade programme in British history, to improve homes, reduce energy costs and help lift one million families out of fuel poverty by 2030
The Government recognises some households face additional specific challenges, such as medical needs.
As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the Government is exploring how to enable referrals from the health sector to prescribe a warmer home for those who need it.
One of the biggest practical barriers to providing more targeted support is the availability of the right data. The National Data Library Kickstarter is a valuable addition to this work.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
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 Competition and Markets Authority's document entitled Heating oil market study: Final report, published on 15 July 2026, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the permanent regulation of the domestic heating-oil market, including protections for vulnerable customers.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
This will include developing options for a proportionate regulatory regime for the heating oil market, which will take time to get right, to ensure the best outcomes for all consumers, including the most vulnerable households. In the meantime, we will work with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in existing Codes of Conduct, which set rules for the sector.
This is a clear indication of government’s commitment to create a fairer, more resilient and trusted heating oil market, which delivers stronger protections including those for vulnerable consumer, while preserving competition and security of supply.
A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has considered the potential merits of a vulnerable-customer scheme for heating-oil users to identify and protect people with significant disability or medical vulnerability before an emergency occurs.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is keeping a range of options for targeted energy cost support under review as part of its contingency planning, including for households in vulnerable circumstances who rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat.
The Government has provided £27 million of targeted support for low-income households in England who heat their homes with oil, through the Crisis and Resilience Fund and delivered via local authorities. Vulnerable households facing immediate financial difficulty should contact their local authority to see what support may be available.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also found clear gaps in protections for heating oil users, including support for vulnerable consumers. The Government is considering the CMA’s recommendations carefully and will continue to engage with industry, consumer bodies and devolved administrations to ensure heating oil customers are treated fairly.
The Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13th October’ and add the relevant links A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing mechanisms in the consumer heating oil market, including price protection and price-smoothing, to limit the potential impact of extreme short-term price increases caused by international conflicts on consumers.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This government is determined to ensure consumers reliant on heating oil are treated fairly and better protected, including during times of international volatility.
The CMA found that recent increases in heating oil prices were largely driven by higher wholesale costs rather than a lack of competition or excessive profits.
The government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, confirming it will take forward proposals to introduce stronger regulations for the first time, and agreeing with the CMA that we will not be replicating the gas and electricity price cap. Instead, we will focus on a programme of reform to strengthening consumer protections.
However, this government does recognise the impact that heating oil price increases has had on households, which is why we took action to introduce over £50m of support to help with costs. Households can access immediate support from their local authority through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK
For those considering alternatives to oil heating, the Government is supporting the installation of low-carbon heating through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. A time-limited higher grant of £9,000 is available to the end of March 2027 for eligible off-gas-grid properties replacing oil or LPG heating systems, helping households and small businesses most exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices to switch to low-carbon heating.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with businesses shortlisted under the second Hydrogen Allocation Round on progression to the Invite to Offer stage of negotiations before the end of 2026.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ Ministers and officials have met with developers shortlisted in the second Hydrogen Allocation Round on a case-by-case basis to discuss their progress and any issues they may be facing. Guidance on the allocation round process was provided to developers in the HAR2 Invite to Offer Broadcast meeting in November 2025. We are working hard across government to start the Invite to Offer stage of HAR2 as soon as possible and will be in touch with projects when this commences.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that the time taken for hydrogen policy and funding announcements does not reduce private sector investment into the domestic hydrogen sector.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We understand the importance of providing clarity to businesses across the hydrogen sector. We plan to publish the renewed Hydrogen Strategy, alongside a package of other hydrogen policy documents, as soon as possible.
In relation to the second hydrogen allocation round, we are working hard across government to start the Invite to Offer stage as soon as possible
We understand that many projects are at critical stages, and that timeline certainty is important to support business planning, resource management and engagement with third parties.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the level of UK content in projects shortlisted under the second Hydrogen Allocation Round on the economy and job creation.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Hydrogen was identified as a frontier technology in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan for its potential to drive economic growth, create high-quality jobs, and build the industries of the future. Projects from the first Hydrogen Allocation Round are expected to unlock around £400 million of private investment and create over 600 direct jobs. We welcome the hydrogen industry’s voluntary ambition for 50% local content and are exploring how hydrogen allocation rounds can go further to support jobs, skills and UK suppliers.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the value for money provided by the Contracts for Difference scheme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Contracts for Difference scheme delivers value for money through competitive auctions that drive down costs and protect consumers from volatile fossil fuel prices. AR7 secured renewable capacity at strike prices 40% below the cost of building and operating new gas generation.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to requirements for EPC certificates on properties used as short term holiday lets.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The recent consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties.
No final decisions have been made, and the government has proposed to maintain a range of exemptions available to landlords to ensure that required investment is fair and proportionate. Government remains committed to taking an evidence-based approach and will consider the balance between supporting tourism and reaching our net zero goals.