Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 help ensure that the Fuel Finder scheme will addresses regional disparities in fuel pricing.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel Finder requires all petrol filling stations in the UK to publish prices in a consistent, open format. By increasing price transparency, this increases pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering their prices or improving their services at the forecourt, including in areas where competition has historically been weaker, such as rural areas.
The Competition and Markets Authority will continue to monitor and scrutinise fuel prices to assess how well competition is working.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero employs one Director with responsibility for human resources across DESNZ. In addition, Ofgem, a Non‑Ministerial Department, employs one Director with responsibility for human resources. Of these two Directors, both hold professional Human Resources qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or an equivalent professional body.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of renewable liquid gases on rural, off grid households, particularly those in park home communities.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including off gas grid households. The solutions explored included renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as renewable liquefied petroleum gas. The consultation closed on 10 February, and we will issue a government response in due course.
The government will review evidence from this consultation to help inform any future decision on whether or not to support the use of RLFs in heating.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 issue guidance on the use of renewable liquid gases in the context of the transition to net zero.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including off gas grid households. The solutions explored included renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as renewable liquefied petroleum gas. The consultation closed on 10 February, and we will issue a government response in due course.
The government will review evidence from this consultation to help inform any future decision on whether or not to support the use of RLFs in heating.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what advice his Department has received on whether changes to the inflation indexation methodology of the Feed-in Tariff scheme would constitute a material change to the contractual terms agreed with scheme participants.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Feed-In Tariff scheme does not involve individual contracts between generators and government. Accredited generators may have entered into contracts with their energy suppliers in relation to their FIT payments, but their entitlement to those payments arises from legislation and the standard conditions of the electricity supply licence. Any changes to the indexation methodology would follow the statutory process for changing those conditions.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the average annual energy consumption of outdoor digital advertising screens installed in public spaces; and whether his Department has considered the potential merits of introducing (a) minimum energy efficiency standards and (b) restrictions on operational hours for such installations.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ecodesign regulations for electronic displays, including outdoor screens, came into force on 1 March 2021. These set minimum energy performance standards aimed at improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The Department has not estimated the average annual energy consumption of such installations. As the effects of the regulations are only now being realised, the government will keep their impacts under review. This could include assessing the merits of introducing further energy efficiency requirements or restrictions on operational hours, in line with broader efforts to reduce energy demand and support net zero objectives.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 is taking to strengthen the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for properties; and what discussions he has had with (a) industry stakeholders and (b) property owners to help ensure successful delivery.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Department officials have worked closely with industry on the implementation and design of the policy to ensure the policy is fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants alike. This includes multiple workshops this year with these stakeholders to update the policy to significantly reduce complexity and administrative burdens.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of zero emission domestic boilers on the transition to net zero.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Zero emission boilers, or heat batteries are a promising technology because they utilise time-of-use tariffs, do not require outside space, and can be cheaper to install than heat pumps in some circumstances. However, they are also less efficient than heat pumps and will therefore use more energy to meet the same heating demand.
The Department is exploring, through studies like the Homes for Net Zero Trial, the role heat batteries could play in the future. We will continue to review our position on heat batteries, and other alternative electric heating technologies, as the supporting evidence base develops.