Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps her Department has taken to support (a) companies and (b) individuals in the development of fusion technology.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has announced its plan to launch the Spherical Tokomak for Energy Production (STEP) procurement process on 22nd May. This multi-stage competition, which offers the chance to bid for up to hundreds of millions of pounds in the initial contract period until 2029, will seek to find industry partners in engineering and construction, to form a world-leading public-private alliance led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS). Meanwhile, UK Research and Innovation invest in research grants for fusion, doctoral training and support fusion companies through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's prosperity partnership.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the level of regional disparity in fuel prices.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Competition and Markets Authority’s road fuel market study found, with the exception of Northern Ireland, differences in average prices between the regions of the UK are relatively small but there was much wider variation between rural and urban categories than between them.
The Government is committed to ensuring drivers get a fair deal for fuel and has a consultation on the PumpWatch scheme which will require petrol-filling stations to share price information within 30 minutes of a change. This will drive down prices by reigniting competition and empowering drivers to find the best deals. Petrol prices are now at a level not seen since the end of October 2021 following our work to bring transparency back to the market.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to increase the amount of energy produced by offshore wind.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
In November 2023, the Government published core parameters for the sixth Contracts for Difference Allocation Round (AR6), the Government’s flagship renewable energy scheme. The Administrative Strike Price for offshore wind projects in AR6 has increased 66% since the previous CfD round and by 52% for floating offshore wind projects. This will encourage greater investment into UK offshore wind.
In the Autumn Statement, the Government announced the £960 million Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support clean energy manufacturing capacity, including for offshore wind. Additionally, the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme will provide up to £160m to kickstart investment into port infrastructure.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of nuclear fusion technology.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
In October 2023, I announced our updated Fusion Strategy, with a renewed focus on supporting the whole UK fusion sector. This includes an additional £650m through to 2027 for Fusion Futures – a suite of new R&D programmes to support the sector and strengthen international collaboration. This builds on over £700m we committed from 2021 to 2025 to the UKAEA.
At the site of the former coal-fired power plant at West Burton in Nottinghamshire, we will build, by the 2040s, STEP, a prototype fusion power plant capable of delivering energy to the UK grid – a globally unique programme.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if the Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of a review of what remedial assistance may be given to support energy suppliers in maintaining the National Grid in areas where costs of upkeep are higher.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
Electricity network operators are private companies which build, own, and operate electricity network infrastructure. As regional monopolies, they are regulated by the
independent energy regulator, Ofgem. Ofgem uses the price control framework to set the level of investment in infrastructure for each network company and their allowable rate of return. The costs incurred in the maintenance, reinforcement, and new build of
Electricity network infrastructure are recovered mainly through electricity consumers’ bills. The price control and charging arrangements are matters for Ofgem.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to support people with motor neurone disease with the cost of energy for medical equipment.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Ministers have recently met with the Motor Neurone Disease Association to discuss this matter. Government is continually reviewing the financial support it provides for the differing energy needs within its communities and prioritising support for the most vulnerable. The Help for Households campaign includes numerous cost-of-living support schemes in 2023/2024, such as the Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount, Disability Cost of Living Payment and the Cost-of-Living Payment for those on means tested benefits which has increased from up to £650 in 2022/2023 to £900 in 2023/2024.
Additionally, the Ofgem energy price cap and Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will continue to work together to protect consumers as the EPG will remain in place as a safety net until March 2024 should wholesale prices increase significantly during this period.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government has reformed the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales to provide more rebates automatically and better target households in fuel poverty, who have low incomes and live in homes that are costly to heat. The Department’s official statistics for winter 2022/23 show that 95% of eligible households received an automatic rebate.
A three-year evaluation of the scheme will consider how successful the targeting is and the experience of beneficiaries.
In Scotland, low-income working-age households apply to their energy supplier for a rebate, which may set their own eligibility criteria, subject to approval by the scheme administrator, Ofgem.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what scientific evidence his Depatment has which demonstrates the need to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report provides a comprehensive and up to date synthesis of the current understanding of climate change, its impacts, future risks and options for adaptation and mitigation. The UK Government regards the assessments of the IPCC as the most authoritative view on the science of climate change available and uses it to inform its policies.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to Ofgem's Code of Practice for domestic energy suppliers, published on 18 April 2023, what recent discussions his Department has held with Ofgem on measures to ensure that energy companies comply with the requirements to provide customers with more time to clear their debts before they are involuntarily switched to a prepayment meter.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Department has regular discussions with Ofgem on many issues.
The Government welcomes the Code of Practice announced by Ofgem, but there must be proof that it works and leads to strengthened protections for vulnerable consumers. The Code sets out clear procedures for suppliers and includes the banning of force-fitted prepayment meters for a debt outstanding less than 3 months after a bill has been issued or less than £200 per fuel, or where the customer is on or transitioning to a repayment plan. All suppliers have signed up to the Code and must demonstrate its implementation before reinstating force-fitted prepayment meter process. Ofgem will consult on incorporating the Code into the supply licence, to make it fully enforceable by winter.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to prevent energy suppliers forcibly installing prepayment meters under warrant; and what steps he is taking to help prevent the mistreatment of vulnerable customers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s intervention, all suppliers have agreed to cease the forced installation of prepayment meters and the remote switching of smart meters to prepayment mode. This pause was due to end on 31 March but was indefinitely extended whilst Ofgem and industry developed a code of practice to improve consumer safeguards.
All energy suppliers have now signed up to an updated Code of Practice and tougher Ofgem oversight of involuntary prepayment meter installations. More information can be found here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/all-energy-suppliers-sign-tougher-ofgem-oversight-and-new-code-practice-involuntary-prepayment-installations.