Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which organisation is responsible for ensuring the connection of large energy user buildings.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Depending on the capacity they require, large energy users can connect to either the low-voltage distribution network or the high-voltage transmission network. The networks are owned by private companies that are solely responsible for ensuring the delivery of connections and regulated independently by Ofgem. The distribution network is owned and operated by six Distribution Network Operators across Great Britain. The transmission network is owned by three Transmission Owners and operated by the National Energy System Operator.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with Ofgem on guidance to energy companies on the maximum credit they can hold of their customers' funds before reducing the direct debt or offering a refund.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ministers have discussed with Ofgem the need to drive higher standards of service for energy customers.
Ofgem requires suppliers to ensure that payments are set to avoid building up excessive credit balances, including taking regular meter readings. Excess credit balances should be refunded promptly, upon request.
Direct debit payments are designed to be flat across the year, meaning that energy accounts tend to build up a credit balance over the summer, when energy use low, with the reverse occurring over the winter months.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Sheffield Forgemasters on local electron-beam welding.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The electron beam welding facility recently commissioned and announced by Sheffield Forgemaster’s was partly funded by Government as part of the Energy Innovation Programme. As such, officials have had recent engagement with Forgemasters to discuss updates on the progress of their projects in this area.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions she has had with the National Grid on improving the timetable for connecting infrastructure projects to the national grid.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is working with Ofgem, the Electricity System Operator and network companies to accelerate network connections. Since the Connections Action Plan[1] was published in November 2023, over 40GW of projects have been offered earlier grid connection dates, accelerating up to £40bn of investment. In the coming months we will decide on further action to ensure only viable projects can retain their connection agreements. In addition, from next January a new process will prevent projects being offered a specific connection date until they demonstrate sufficient progress towards connecting to the grid.
[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/655dd873d03a8d001207fe56/connections-action-plan.pdf
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
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 policy is on (a) British Gas and (b) other energy providers reducing direct debit payments when customers' accounts are in credit; and what information her Department holds on the amount of customers' money held in credit by energy providers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
As the independent regulator, Ofgem requires British Gas and other energy providers to refund a domestic customer’s credit balance promptly unless they have reasonable grounds not to, which must be explained to the customer. Customers may also review the level of their direct debit payments at any time by taking a meter reading and contacting their provider. This Department does not hold information on the amount of customers’ credit balances held by energy providers.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of differences in the time taken for (a) British Gas and (b) other energy providers to (i) increase the value of direct debits when accounts are in debt and (ii) reduce the value of direct debits when accounts are in credit.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The aim of a direct debit payment arrangement should be for the customer to have a zero balance on their accounts at the end of a year.
In August 2022, Ofgem changed the licence conditions on suppliers to ensure that direct debits are based on the best and most current information available. Energy suppliers typically review their customers’ direct debit arrangements twice a year and this should be based on an actual meter reading to ensure payments are set at the correct level to avoid a large credit or debit balance building up.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has held recent discussions with (a) electricians and (b) electrical contracting firms on trends in the level of demand for electrical skills.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Ministers meet regularly with external stakeholders to discuss a wide range of issues.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the planning system for facilitating the building of new small and advanced modular reactors.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
As a first step towards developing the new nuclear National Policy Statement, we will consult later this year (2023) on a proposed way forward for determining how new nuclear developments might be located, including the potential for deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear technologies.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the impact of national policy statements on new nuclear small and advanced modular reactors.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
As a first step towards developing the new nuclear NPS, we will consult later this year (2023) on a proposed way forward for determining how new nuclear developments might be located, including the potential for deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear technologies.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) his Department or (b) Great British Nuclear is taking steps to amend the National Policy Statements to enable (i) small modular reactors and (ii) advanced nuclear technologies development.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is developing a new nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS), which will cover the policy framework for deploying new nuclear power stations beyond 2025. As a first step towards developing the new nuclear NPS, we intend to consult before the end of the year on a proposed way forward for determining how new nuclear developments might be located, including the potential for deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear technologies.