Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with Ofgem on the potential merits of allowing businesses to renegotiate their energy contracts with suppliers; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Contract negotiations are a matter for businesses and their energy suppliers. Businesses should contact their supplier to discuss renegotiations. The Government is providing support to businesses through the Energy Bill Discount Scheme until April 2024. Ministers from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade met recently with non-domestic suppliers, Ofgem and industry representatives to discuss what more could be done to support customers who may have fixed in at higher prices in Autumn 2022. The Government is working with Ofgem on this matter and the on-going non-domestic market review.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
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 encourage the conversion of excess energy into green hydrogen by electrolysis; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Hydrogen could provide flexible low carbon generation capacity as the Government integrates more renewables into its energy system. At least half the Government’s ambition for up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 will come from electrolytic hydrogen. The Government’s first electrolytic hydrogen allocation round opened last year, with shortlisted projects announced shortly and contracts awarded later this year. The Government aims to run annual allocation rounds for electrolytic hydrogen, moving to price competitive allocation by 2025 subject to legislation and market conditions. This could enable up to 1GW of green hydrogen production in construction or operational by 2025.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using the gas network to carry green hydrogen; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
National Grid and the Gas Distribution Networks are assessing the viability and potential costs of using the natural gas transmission and distribution networks to transport 100% hydrogen and early results from this work are promising.
The Government is also planning to take a strategic policy decision in 2023 on whether to seek to enable the blending of hydrogen in the existing gas distribution network. Further details will be provided this year including through the government response to the consultation on hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure, which the Government aims to publish in Q2 2023.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what additional support with fuel payments is available for people with Parkinson's Disease; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Autumn Statement set out a commitment to work with consumer groups and industry to consider the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024.
At present there is no specific support for people with Parkinson’s. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living payments. A payment of £150 will be made available to individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits.