Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how solar schemes that contribute to residential energy efficiency are accounted for when measuring energy performance certificate ratings.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is currently reflected in the domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, which is based on energy costs. Electricity generated by PV is assigned a value and deducted from the property’s energy cost, improving the EPC Rating.

Government is reforming EPCs to better align them with our Clean Power and Net Zero objectives. Our December 2024 consultation proposed moving from one metric to four complementary metrics, together highlighting the main aspects of a home’s energy performance. Alongside retaining an energy cost metric, this includes a Smart Readiness metric that would reflect a home’s ability to generate electricity, such as from solar PV. A response to the consultation will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to support rural properties to improve their energy efficiency.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

This government is investing £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan to upgrade up to 5 million homes, including £500 million to be delivered from 2025-28 through the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The WH:LG provides energy performance measures to low-income homes with EPCs band D-G on or off the gas grid across England.

For most rural homes, decarbonising heat will involve installing a heat pump. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants offer £7,500 for heat pumps, and £5,000 for biomass boilers in specific rural cases.

For tailored recommendations on home upgrades consumers should visit the government’s home retrofit tool on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the level of readability of the correspondence sent by his Department when setting out how a constituent's New State Retirement Pension has been calculated (a) when considering contracted-out National Insurance contributions and (b) in general.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Individuals enrolling in a private pension scheme should receive clear and accessible information from their pension provider or employer about how the scheme may affect their State Pension entitlement. They can forecast their State Pension entitlement using the 'Check Your State Pension' service on GOV.UK, the HMRC app, or by requesting a paper statement with form BR19.

The Department is committed to making communications clear, understandable and accessible for all customers. DWP Customer Communications are tested regularly to ensure they continue to meet customers’ needs. For example, Easy Read products are specifically created to help and support disabled customers. MENCAP test our Easy Read products before publication.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much and what proportion of the funding for the Warm Homes Plan will be made available for (a) social and (b) private landlords; and how they will be able to access that funding.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The £13.2 billion investment in the Warm Homes Plan includes funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) with more information at www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-to-heat. For example WH:LG allows private landlords to claim 100% grant fundings towards energy performance upgrades for one eligible privately rented home, with subsequent eligible homes in their portfolio requiring a 50% cost contribution.

Landlords can access support and guidance through the Gov.UK page ‘Find Ways to Save Energy in your Home’ (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), which provides users with tailored recommendations for home improvements to increase energy efficiency and clean heat.

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 (a) levels of rurality, (b) local average temperature and (c) average age of housing on the implementation of the Warm Homes Plan.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK government is committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero, supplying solutions that work for all buildings regardless of age or location.

Therefore, research was commissioned by the Department to develop a definition for housing stock for which the presence, and combination, of attributes and contextual factors can add complexity to improving energy efficiency and utilising low carbon heating solutions.

The government is currently carefully considering the findings of the research, which can be found at: (www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.)

For tailored recommendations on home upgrades consumers should visit the government’s home retrofit tool on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency.

New private capital in the NHS in the Autumn Budget

Found: Antoniazzi (Chair); Claire Hanna; Simon Hoare; Katrina Murray; Dr Al Pinkerton; Gavin Robinson; David Smith

Found: Antoniazzi (Chair); Sorcha Eastwood; Adam Jogee; Katrina Murray; Dr Al Pinkerton; Gavin Robinson; David Smith

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the protection of freedom of religion or belief in countries identified as priority areas as part of her Department’s freedom of religion or belief strategy.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, both in sub-Saharan Africa and across the world. On 8 July, the UK's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the strength of the link between freedom of religion or belief and conflict prevention in the context of UK foreign policy.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, both in sub-Saharan Africa and across the world. On 8 July, the UK's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international partners on strengthening protections for freedom of religion or belief in sub-Saharan Africa.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, both in sub-Saharan Africa and across the world. On 8 July, the UK's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.