Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to review the levels of remuneration received by those producing electricity in their homes and businesses which is then fed into the grid in response to the large increases in electricity prices being charged by suppliers.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Smart Export Guarantee, introduced in 2020, is a cost-reflective and market led mechanism, helping to level the playing field for small-scale low-carbon generation whilst supporting the transition to a smart and flexible energy system. It provides a route to market for any excess energy exported to the grid following closure of the Feed-in Tariffs scheme.
In order to enable the Smart Export Guarantee to be market based and encourage innovation, one of the key features is to allow suppliers to set both the tariff levels and structure. These tariffs are not directly linked to the wholesale price, or the increase in the retail price of electricity. The Department believes the market has responded positively to the Smart Export Guarantee in its first year, but will review again for signs of price competitiveness and innovation following Ofgem’s annual report in the Autumn.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using biofuel heating oil to decarbonise off gas grid dwellings; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As set out in the 2020 Energy White Paper, the Department will consult later this year on new regulations to phase out fossil fuel heating in off-grid homes, businesses, and public buildings.
We recognise that liquid biofuels may play a role in future off-gas-grid decarbonisation, particularly for properties that are not suitable for a heat pump. However, further evidence is needed to consider what role these biofuels could play. The Department will publish a new Biomass Strategy in 2022, which will review the amount of sustainable biomass available to the UK, including liquid biofuels, and how this could be best used across the economy to achieve our net zero target. It will also assess the UK’s current biomass sustainability standards, which are some of the most stringent in the world, to see where and how we can improve them even further.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make a statement on how the Government plans to use copyright policy to protect the livelihoods of creators.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK has one of the best copyright frameworks in the world and the Government remains committed to ensuring that it continues to protect the livelihoods of creators. Copyright legislation is kept under review and has been updated many times over the years; the Government does not rule out future changes where this is supported by the evidence.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to change the rules relating to the exhaustion of intellectual property rights.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government is currently consulting on what the UK’s future IP exhaustion regime should be, and if there is to be a change, how any change should be implemented. This consultation closes on 31 August 2021. At the present time, no decisions have been made as to whether a change from the current system is in the best interests of the UK.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections for consumers shopping online via (a) Facebook, (b) Twitter, (c) Instagram and (d) other social media platforms.
Answered by Paul Scully
There is a robust legislative framework to protect consumers. This includes providing consumers the right to a refund within 14 days for most online purchase, for any reason. The Government keeps this legal framework under review to ensure consumers remain adequately protected.
Consumers should report any problems to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133, www.citizensadvice.org/. The helpline offers free advice to consumers on their rights and can refer on complaints to Trading Standards for further appropriate enforcement action.
In order to ensure consumers have the right protections when using large digital platforms, the Government has also agreed to set up a new Digital Markets Unit in the Competition and Markets Authority. We will consult on the powers of the unit later this year.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with (a) Facebook, (b) Twitter, (c) Instagram and (d) other social media platforms on increasing protections for consumers shopping online from fraudulent commercial activity.
Answered by Paul Scully
There is a robust legislative framework to protect consumers. This includes providing consumers the right to a refund within 14 days for most online purchases, for any reason. The Government keeps this legal framework under review to ensure consumers remain adequately protected.
Consumers should report any problems to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133, www.citizensadvice.org/. The helpline offers free advice to consumers on their rights and can refer on complaints to Trading Standards for further appropriate enforcement action.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
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 introduce an alternative scheme to complement the Smart Export Guarantee to encourage small scale low carbon generation in rural areas.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Smart Export Guarantee is available for low carbon generation situated across all areas of Great Britain, therefore the Government does not consider an alternative rural scheme is necessary.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to tackle infrastructure weaknesses that are a barrier to the roll out of smart meters in rural areas.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Second generation smart meters use a dedicated national smart metering communications network, which uses a variety of technologies to deliver connectivity to premises. These include cellular mobile technology plus wireless mesh radio, and long-range radio technology.
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the national communications infrastructure for smart metering, is obligated under the conditions of its licence to provide communications coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain.
The DCC is required by its licence conditions to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage beyond its contractual requirements where it is practicable and cost proportionate.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of homes classified as rural have installed a smart meter.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Smart meters are replacing traditional gas and electricity meters in Great Britain as part of an essential infrastructure upgrade to make the energy system more efficient and flexible, enabling the cost-effective delivery of net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The rollout is making good progress, with 22.2 million smart and advanced meters in homes and small businesses across Great Britain, as of the end of September 2020.
Data for smart meter installations is routinely collected at a Great Britain level.
The latest data on the rollout of smart meters is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/smart-meters-statistics.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support the Government has provided to residents of rural areas who are unable to access the Smart Export Guarantee scheme due to infrastructure weaknesses relating to smart meters to encourage small scale low carbon generation.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Access to Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariffs are available across all areas of Great Britain. In order to be eligible for payments, generators must have an export meter that is capable of taking half-hourly measurements and have an export Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN). However, there is no requirement that it needs to be a smart meter.
Further information on the SEG metering requirements can be found at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/smart-export-guarantee-guidance-generators.