Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will provide a package of support to small businesses that are intensive energy users.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government recognises the importance to secure a competitive future for our energy intensive industries (EIIs), and in recent years have provided them with extensive support, including more than £2 billion to help with the costs of energy and to protect jobs. As part of our Energy Security Strategy, we recently announced that we have extended the EII Compensation Scheme for a further three years and its budget will be more than doubled. That strategy also announced plans to consider increasing support offered by the EII Exemption Scheme. Small businesses will continue to be eligible to apply in each case.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he will reply to the letter of 10 January 2022 from the Rt. Hon. Member for South Staffordshire on a national strategy and guidance for battery storage unit planning applications.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department received the letter of 10 January on 17 March, on transfer from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. A response will be issued as a priority.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing support for domestic users of liquified petroleum gas in the context of increases in market prices.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The price of liquified petroleum gas is affected by a range of factors, including crude oil prices, refinery capacity, stock levels, and distribution costs. Seasonal factors also play a role. The increases to wholesale price of liquified petroleum gas compared to crude tend to occur during the winter months.
Consumers of liquified petroleum gas will be eligible for the £200 energy rebate as long as they are also domestic electricity customers. Financial support also remains available for liquified petroleum gas customers with energy bills, if eligible, through the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payment schemes.