Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with (a) Oxford City Council and (b) 1Energy on the Oxford Energy Network project; and what steps his Department is taking to help support (i) people and (ii) businesses to connect to the Oxford Energy Network in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department's Heat Networks Team is in regular dialogue with Oxford City Council about their role in Heat Network Zoning and the Oxford Energy Network project. We provided technical support through the early release of our National Zoning Model work and offer commercial support with best practice guidance and templates and signposting to similar Local Authorities. This aims to ensure the private-led heat network benefits Oxford's residents and businesses.

1Energy was awarded capital funding of over £21.956m from the Green Heat Network Fund for the Oxford City project. The fund is delivered by an external partner, Triple Point Heat Network Investment Management, who have regular contact with 1Energy on the progress of the project.

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 merits of extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to provide financial support for (a) connection costs and (b) internal heat interface units for consumers connecting to low-carbon heat networks.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants to encourage property owners to replace existing fossil fuel heating with more efficient, low carbon heating systems. Heat pumps are the primary supported technology under the scheme. It does not provide financial support for the connection costs for connecting to heat networks or internal heat interface units.

Significant funding to develop new and existing low carbon heat networks across England is provided through the Green Heat Network Fund, which has announced over £506 million in grant awards to date. The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will provide further detail on the support available to help property owners transition to cleaner, low carbon heating.

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 low-carbon heat networks on (a) reducing (i) NOx emissions and (ii) particulate matter (PM2.5) in urban areas and (b) public health outcomes.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Our assessment of the potential impact of low-carbon heat networks includes monetised air quality benefits based on Green Book (Table 15) fuel consumption standards[1]. Our published consultation stage Zoning Impact Assessment estimated the value of those benefits at between £50m and £270m (2020 prices, 2024 base year) over 40 years. This range includes the health benefits of both reduced NOx and reduced particulate matter.

We are working with Defra to ensure heat network zoning policy contributes to the UK’s wider air quality goals - supporting cleaner air and better public health.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/valuation-of-energy-use-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions-for-appraisal - Table 15

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how his Department plans to integrate the strategic deployment of heat networks capturing waste heat into the Warm Homes Plan.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Warm Homes Plan will help households and businesses make the switch to clean heat and save money on their bills. Heat networks can offer low-cost, low-carbon heat, and reduce everyone’s bills by using surplus heat that would otherwise be wasted.

The Government is investing £13.2bn in the Warm Homes Plan over the Spending Review period (up to 2029/30). Further detail on the Warm Homes Plan, including deployment targets and funding to deliver heat network schemes, will be set out by October.

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 merits of using the Oxford Energy Network as a model for decarbonising heat in historic cities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Oxford City heat network, which is being taken forward by 1Energy with support from the Green Heat Network Fund, aims to connect many of the city's historic buildings together. The Department will be monitoring the progress of the project, which is expected to provide many lessons for future heat network development in areas of significant built heritage.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a Dispute Resolution Scheme, similar to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, to resolve service charge disputes between landlords and tenants in social housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

By law, variable service charges must be reasonable. Overcharging through service charges is completely unacceptable. Should tenants of private registered providers of social housing wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges, they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes measures designed to designed to drive up the transparency of service charges and to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable.

On 4 July, my Department published a consultation on Strengthening Leaseholder Protections for charges and services. It can be found on gov.uk here.

The consultation seeks views on how to implement the relevant measures in the Act, and includes proposals to extend aspects of it to social housing tenants.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July (HCWS780).

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