Asked by: Dehenna Davison (Conservative - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the use of solar photovoltaic panels is not taken into account for the purposes of an Energy Performance Certificate.
Answered by Greg Hands
The underlying methodology for producing an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assesses energy performance based on the fixed components of the building. This includes solar photovoltaic panels.
Asked by: Dehenna Davison (Conservative - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to raise the minimum rentable Energy Performance Certificate rating from E to D.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government committed in the Clean Growth Strategy to improve as many privately rented homes as possible to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2030 where practical, affordable and cost effective. The Government consulted on raising the standard to EPC C for new tenancies from 1 April 2025 and for all tenancies by 1 April 2028. The Government has carefully analysed the responses received and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Dehenna Davison (Conservative - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason electric room heaters are considered less efficient than radiators powered by an oil boiler for the purposes of an Energy Performance Certificate, given that electric heaters can be powered by renewable energy.
Answered by Greg Hands
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) use an Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) to score the energy performance of buildings based on their estimated running costs. Since energy costs can be a significant outlay, it is important that homeowners and occupiers are aware of the potential running costs of their building.
Given the higher cost of electricity relative to oil, the presence of an electric radiator may result in a low EER without added measures to reduce energy demand, such as insulation. The metrics on the EPC are kept under review as the Government develop policy to simultaneously tackle fuel poverty and decarbonise buildings.
Asked by: Dehenna Davison (Conservative - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the level of risk posed to households reliant on heat pumps during power outages.
Answered by Greg Hands
In the event of a power outage a heat pump, like a gas or oil boiler, will not work if a home does not have a back-up power supply. The UK has one of the most resilient electricity networks in the world, so the risk of power outages is small. The Government will continue to build resilience into the system as it evolves and dependence on electricity increases.
Asked by: Dehenna Davison (Conservative - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to mitigate the effect of rising energy prices on the cost of living.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is monitoring the significant increases in wholesale energy prices closely, and meeting regularly with Ofgem, suppliers and consumer groups to understand the future impact on consumers as well as to discuss potential mitigations.
The Government is committed to protecting energy customers, especially the most vulnerable. The Energy Price Cap will continue to protect consumers, ensuring they pay a fair price for their energy this winter. Low income and fuel poor households will continue to be supported with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with a £140 discount. Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments will ensure that the most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes through the winter. Additionally, the Government announced an additional £500 million for local authorities, through the new Household Support Fund, to support vulnerable households meet daily needs such as utility bills.
Asked by: Dehenna Davison (Conservative - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to mitigate the effect of rising energy prices on the cost of living.
Answered by Greg Hands
The energy price cap is currently insulating millions of domestic customers from high global gas prices this winter, protecting 15 million families from increasing gas prices. The Government is also supporting low income and fuel poor households with their energy bills. The Warm Home Discount provides eligible households with a £140 rebate off their winter energy bills. The Winter Fuel and Cold Weather payments will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the colder months.