Asked by: Fred Thomas (Labour - Plymouth Moor View)
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 are taking to help support hospitality businesses in managing cost pressures from energy costs.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.
In the short-term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. That’s why the Government has decided to regulate Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This will improve consumer outcomes and enhance consumer protections for non-domestic consumers, particularly charities and small businesses. Regulation will be introduced once parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Fred Thomas (Labour - Plymouth Moor View)
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 (a) encourage homeowners to make sustainable upgrades to properties and (b) make those improvements more affordable.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is committed to making the consumer journey easier for homeowners. The government's home retrofit tool on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), provides tailored recommendations for home improvements. A phoneline service is available on 0800 098 7950.
As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) offers an up-front grant to help replace existing fossil-fuel heating with more efficient, low-carbon heating systems. The department has also launched the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) to support low-income homeowners in England. Officials are exploring the role of incentives and private finance for households to support homeowners with the upfront costs.
Asked by: Fred Thomas (Labour - Plymouth Moor View)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to expand support available through the Warm Homes Grant.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are working across government on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households to cut energy bills for good. We are investing £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan up to 2030, in line with the Manifesto commitment. We will publish more details on allocations to individual schemes soon.
The Warm Homes Plan will include targeted support for the most vulnerable to help slash fuel poverty. The government is already supporting the installation of energy efficiency measures through schemes including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH: LG).