Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enforce the right of data portability and other interoperability requirements to ensure that individuals with existing devices and tools such as smart meters can exercise this right.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under Article 20 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), consumers have the right to obtain and reuse their personal data, including smart metering consumption data that they have provided to the energy supplier. Energy consumers’ rights under the GDPR are not affected by switching energy supplier.
In order to ensure that energy consumers have control over their energy consumption data, the Government established the smart metering Data Access and Privacy Framework, which is implemented through energy licences and codes and complements wider data protection legislation. Energy suppliers are required to make available to domestic consumers with meters in smart mode, upon request, up to 24 months of data relating to consumption in each day, week, month and year. The data must be made available free of charge and in a readily understandable format.
The Information Commissioner's Office is responsible for upholding information rights, while the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets is responsible for regulating energy suppliers’ compliance with licence obligations.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the ability of consumers to exercise their right to data portability under Article 20 of the General Data Protection Regulation when switching between energy suppliers using smart meters, and (2) whether such switches are being hindered by a lack of compliance by energy companies with this right.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under Article 20 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), consumers have the right to obtain and reuse their personal data, including smart metering consumption data that they have provided to the energy supplier. Energy consumers’ rights under the GDPR are not affected by switching energy supplier.
In order to ensure that energy consumers have control over their energy consumption data, the Government established the smart metering Data Access and Privacy Framework, which is implemented through energy licences and codes and complements wider data protection legislation. Energy suppliers are required to make available to domestic consumers with meters in smart mode, upon request, up to 24 months of data relating to consumption in each day, week, month and year. The data must be made available free of charge and in a readily understandable format.
The Information Commissioner's Office is responsible for upholding information rights, while the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets is responsible for regulating energy suppliers’ compliance with licence obligations.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many grants and loans have been (1) applied for by, and (2) paid to, new and existing recipients from (a) the £750 million targeted support fund announced on 20 April for the most R&D intensive SMEs, and (b) the £40 million Fast Start investment scheme announced on 20 May; and what is the total value of these grants and loans.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to the hon. Member for Feltham and Heston by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation) on 17th June 2020 to Question 57218.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they require accredited banks to take a super-senior position when granting Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme loans.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Except in respect of a residential development facility, a Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) facility must at all times during its life, rank on at least a pari passu basis with the most senior obligations (including secured and/or super-senior obligations, if any) of the Borrower. This includes from all collateral taken by any lender from the borrower unless the borrower is a financing vehicle, whereby this will include any collateral from any member of its Group.
There are certain carveouts from this requirement including:
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what levels of security they recommend accredited banks take when granting Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme loans.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We would expect a lender to follow its normal credit policy when assessing additional security generally. Personal guarantees of any form cannot be used in respect of any Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) facilities up to £250,000. For facilities of £250,000 and over, claims on personal guarantees applied to the scheme facility cannot exceed 20% of losses on the scheme facility after all other recoveries have been applied.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to the report by Professor Adrian Smith and Professor Graeme Reid Changes and choices: advice on future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation, published on 5 November 2019.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Sir Adrian and Professor Reid’s report ‘Changes and Choices’ makes overarching recommendations which highlight the importance of stabilising and building on the UK capability, it presents opportunities for the future funding landscape of UK research and innovation globally, and it also provides options should the UK decide not to associate to Horizon Europe.
The Government is carefully considering the recommendations including how this might inform future policy and plans to publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they (1) received, and (2) will publish, the report by Sir Adrian Smith and Prof. Graeme Reid Future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
My rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Spring Statement on 13 March 2019 that the Government had launched an independent review to assess and make recommendations on our future frameworks for international collaboration. On 26 March 2019, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation commissioned Professor Sir Adrian Smith to provide independent advice on the design of future UK funding schemes for international collaboration. The report was received in the summer and we will publish the response as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the minutes of each meeting of the Industrial Strategy Council.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Industrial Strategy Council held its inaugural meeting on 1 November 2018 and the second meeting took place on 27 February 2019. Its next meetings are scheduled for 26 June 2019 and 3 October 2019 and will be held in Belfast and Manchester respectively. The minutes from every Council meeting will be published on the Council’s website which is currently being developed and will be operational by the Summer.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Industrial Strategy Council has met.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Industrial Strategy Council held its inaugural meeting on 1 November 2018 and the second meeting took place on 27 February 2019. Its next meetings are scheduled for 26 June 2019 and 3 October 2019 and will be held in Belfast and Manchester respectively. The minutes from every Council meeting will be published on the Council’s website which is currently being developed and will be operational by the Summer.
Asked by: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the first independent board effectiveness exercise will be run on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Board to ensure that it is meeting its obligations to scrutinise the UKRI Executive.
Answered by Lord Henley
The UKRI Board will report to my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The UKRI Board’s effectiveness will be reviewed independently on an annual basis. This is in line with the corporate governance code of practice set by the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.