Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government will confirm plans with respect to the Clean Heat Market Mechanism in due course and will bring forward legislation as appropriate and when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of the Alternative Fuels Payment, in the context of trends in the level of costs for alternative fuels.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Alternative Fuels Payment (AFP) delivered £200 to around 2 million households last winter to support them with their energy costs. Since last winter, energy costs have fallen including the wholesale price of alternative fuels, and there are no plans to re-open the AFP. However, the Government is committed to supporting those most in need, with millions of vulnerable households receiving up to £900 in further cost-of-living payments this winter, with £300 to pensioner households and £150 to those on eligible disability benefits.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to ensure that alternative fuel payments are received by all eligible consumers not connected to the electricity grid.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) delivered £200 to around 2 million households last winter to support them with their alternative fuel costs, with 85% receiving this automatically. A small proportion of households who did not have a relationship to a domestic electricity supplier needed to apply for their support through the AFP Alternative Fund, which launched on 6 March 2023 and closed on 31 May 2023.
I recommend that any household who was not able to access this support, visit the ‘Help for Households’ on webpage on GOV.UK to see what other support they may be able to receive - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of ECO 4 installations undertaken in (a) the UK and (b) North Shropshire constituency in the last 12 months.
Answered by Graham Stuart
ECO4 is the latest iteration of the Energy Company Obligation scheme which installs energy efficiency measures in households within Great Britain only.
Over the 12 months to the end of June 2023 (the latest available data by parliamentary constituency), there were around 143,500 ECO4 measures installed in Great Britain and 242 measures installed in North Shropshire constituency.
Over this period, the number of ECO4 installations has generally increased in both Great Britain and North Shropshire constituency.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many ECO 4 installations were undertaken in (a) the UK and (b) North Shropshire constituency in the last 12 months.
Answered by Graham Stuart
ECO4 is the latest iteration of the Energy Company Obligation scheme which installs energy efficiency measures in households within Great Britain only.
Over the 12 months to the end of June 2023 (the latest available data by parliamentary constituency), there were around 143,500 ECO4 measures installed in Great Britain and 242 measures installed in North Shropshire constituency.
Over this period, the number of ECO4 installations has generally increased in both Great Britain and North Shropshire constituency.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she is taking steps to encourage more people to take up the Warm Home Discount Scheme during winter 2023-24.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We are currently writing to around 4.5 million households, informing people that either they will receive the discount automatically or, in some cases, advising them to call the helpline with further information to check eligibility.
We are also working with consumer agencies, energy suppliers and other organisations to ensure accurate scheme information and to help them to raise awareness and advise their clients appropriately where they might benefit.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has issued guidance to park home residents on what steps to take when the cost of insulating their homes exceeds the £15,000 price cap under phase two of the Home Upgrade Grant.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department has not issued guidance as part of the Home Upgrade Grant to park home residents on steps to take when the cost of insulating their homes exceeds the £15,000 price cap. The Department has however issued guidance to Local Authorities (LAs) on what steps to take when the cost of insulating park homes exceeds the £15,000 cost cap which is an average across the stock being upgraded. LAs can build funding ‘headroom’ on park homes which do not require as much funding, due to fewer or less expensive measures. LAs are therefore able to spend more than £15,000 on individual park homes where they have built up the headroom to do so.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to increase the £15,000 price cap for park home properties under phase two of the Home Upgrade Grant.
Answered by Graham Stuart
There are no current plans to increase the £15,000 price cap for park home properties in phase two of the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG). However, under HUG Local Authorities (LAs) may spend up to £15,000, on average, to install energy efficiency or low carbon heating measures in park homes. This means that LAs can spend less than £15,000 on park homes that need fewer measures, and more than £15,000 on those park homes that need more extensive work – so long as the average cost across the stock being upgraded is £15,000 or less.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to encourage more people to take up the Energy Support Scheme during winter 2023-24.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Energy Bills Support Scheme was a Government initiative to help 29 million households with energy bills over winter 2022/23. Eligible households received a £400 non-repayable Government discount. This scheme is now closed.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will publish a best practice guide for park home insulation.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In addition to updating existing best practice guidance documents for insulation measures, the Department is working with industry to publish a best practice guide for park homes insulation. A date for publication of the park homes guide will be confirmed in due course.