Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the circular economy sector with energy costs related to material reprocessing and recycling.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The only way to bring energy bills down sustainably is by reducing Britain’s exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. The Government’s mission for Clean Power by 2030 will get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices, to cut bills for businesses and households for good.
In the nearer term, through the British Industry Supercharger, the Government is reducing electricity costs for energy‑intensive industries. Since April 2026, the discount on electricity network charges for these firms has increased from 60% to 90%.
The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will also reduce electricity costs by up to £40/MWh for over 10,000 businesses across the Industrial Strategy’s growth sectors and key manufacturing supply chains.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on long-term reform of the electricity market to decouple gas and renewable prices for business users.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade continues to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding the transparency of energy pricing in the commercial sub-metering market.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There have been no recent discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on the transparency of energy pricing in the commercial sub‑metering market. Decisions on whether to take action in specific markets are a matter for the CMA, as the UK’s independent competition authority. Responsibility for energy policy sits with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the British Business Bank on the provision of low-interest loans for industrial battery storage systems.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Business Secretary has regular discussions with the British Business Bank on a range of issues relating to access to finance for smaller businesses. No recent discussions have taken place specifically on the provision of low-interest loans for industrial battery storage systems.
The Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme facilitates the provision of loans to smaller businesses on a sector-neutral basis. In 2025, the Bank also launched a pilot of a Green Growth Guarantee Scheme to facilitate the flow of finance to businesses investing in green technologies.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of high energy costs on the R&D budgets of manufacturing firms.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This Government is committed to reducing energy costs for energy intensive businesses, including eligible manufacturers investing in R&D. From 2027 the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) will reduce electricity costs for over 10,000 eligible manufacturing businesses, by up to £40 per megawatt hour.
The British Industry Supercharger is supporting the competitiveness of around 550 energy and trade-intensive firms across Great Britain. This results in a saving of between £65- £87 per megawatt hour.
Additionally, the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan commits to £4.3bn of funding for Frontier Sectors over a five-year period including up to £2.8 billion for R&D funding alone.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the energy costs of heritage businesses and listed commercial buildings.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department recently engaged with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the proposals to improve the energy performance of buildings, including heritage and listed commercial properties.
The Government consulted on reforms to Energy Performance Certificates and proposes to bring all heritage buildings into scope of EPCs and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards barring other exemptions; as well as proposals to strengthen non-domestic Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards to EPC B – reducing energy costs for businesses.
The Government recognises the challenges of improving heritage properties. That is why Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards include safeguards such as cost-effectiveness requirements and exemptions where third-party consent is not provided, ensuring a proportionate approach.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
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 recent changes to energy costs on the level of profit reinvestment by social enterprises into local communities.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are closely monitoring the impact of energy prices on businesses, communities, and social enterprises caused by the instability in the middle east, and much will depend on the length of the ongoing crisis. We are increasing the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant for properties heated by oil and LPG, taking the total grant to £9,000. This will help SMEs and social enterprises in England and Wales most impacted by rising energy prices to electrify their heating and provide greater certainty over energy bills.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
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 Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards on the availability of affordable commercial rental space for start-ups.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not identified evidence that Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards have reduced the availability of affordable commercial rental space for start-ups.
The department’s Impact Assessment has shown that costs for building improvements would be expected to make up a small proportion of typical commercial rents and are therefore unlikely to distort rental pricing on their own. The cost effectiveness test within the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations means that an energy efficiency improvement must be implemented only where it is estimated that the energy bill savings over 7 years are greater than the cost of installing the measure. This is designed to ensure all measures installed are good value for money.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy price differentials on the volume of UK services exports to CPTPP member nations.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Specific analysis on the impact of energy price differentials on services exports to CPTPP has not been produced.
The Government published an Impact Assessment in 2023 that estimated the potential impacts of UK accession to CPTPP, which found that the majority of services sectors are expected to see an increase in exports as a result of UK accession.
DBT is continually monitoring implementation of the agreement and will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its impacts.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to brief UK trade envoys on the energy-related strengths of the UK’s low-carbon goods and services sector.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Trade Envoys are briefed on each of the Industrial Strategy priority sectors, including the objectives of the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, and the UK's strengths in these supply chains. Prior to a market visit, Trade Envoys are briefed on the key objectives and sectors outlined in each Country Trade Plan.