Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many full-time equivalent officials have been assigned to work on the review of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We do not have any FTE officials working on a review of the CBAM. CBAM is a tax and is a matter for HM Treasury.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on the international competitiveness of the UK refining sector.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is an environmental measure, designed to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and ensure that these carbon-intensive imports face a carbon cost that is comparable to that faced by equivalent goods produced in the UK.
The Government recognises the important role of the UK refining sector in supporting energy security and the UK’s industrial base. As confirmed at Budget 2025, the Government is considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products within the scope of CBAM in the future.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes on the competitiveness of UK refineries.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the important role that refineries play in energy security, resilience, economic growth and jobs, and is committed to the long-term future of the sector.
A linking agreement is expected to bring significant benefits for UK industry, including access to a larger, more liquid market. The Government is committed to negotiating an agreement that works for UK industry and will follow normal processes for any necessary legislative changes and assess impacts accordingly.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes on costs for the UK refining sector.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the important role that refineries play in energy security, resilience, economic growth and jobs, and is committed to the long-term future of the sector.
A linking agreement is expected to bring significant benefits for UK industry, including access to a larger, more liquid market. The Government is committed to negotiating an agreement that works for UK industry and will follow normal processes for any necessary legislative changes and assess impacts accordingly.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Government's response to the Competition and Markets Authority's heating oil market study, what the terms of reference are for the Government's further assessment of the current provision of price transparency.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has confirmed that it plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
Next steps will include extensive stakeholder engagement. We will work with those recommended by the CMA in their final report, including the Scottish Government and Northern Irish Executive (where heating oil and consumer protection and advocacy is either fully or partially devolved), and relevant regulators including Ofgem and the Utility Regulator.
We’ll also work with industry and consumer bodies such as, but not limited to, UKIFDA and the Northern Ireland Oil Federation. This engagement will help build the evidence base needed to develop the right options for stronger regulations.
This will take time, and it’s important we get it right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers.
In the meantime, we will also work across relevant government departments and with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in the Codes of Conduct, and consider minimum order volumes, access to smaller deliveries and payment plans as well as whether further action is needed to support price transparency. We will look at whether any of the existing rules and guidance on minimum order volumes is unnecessarily restricting consumers’ options, and assess the coverage, accessibility and reliance of existing price transparency provisions. This will determine whether, and what, government intervention is required.
We will set out more detail on the approach to taking forward the recommendations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Government's response to the Competition and Markets Authority's heating oil market study, what her planned timescale is for enacting each of the recommendations of the study.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has confirmed that it plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
Next steps will include extensive stakeholder engagement. We will work with those recommended by the CMA in their final report, including the Scottish Government and Northern Irish Executive (where heating oil and consumer protection and advocacy is either fully or partially devolved), and relevant regulators including Ofgem and the Utility Regulator.
We’ll also work with industry and consumer bodies such as, but not limited to, UKIFDA and the Northern Ireland Oil Federation. This engagement will help build the evidence base needed to develop the right options for stronger regulations.
This will take time, and it’s important we get it right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers.
In the meantime, we will also work across relevant government departments and with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in the Codes of Conduct, and consider minimum order volumes, access to smaller deliveries and payment plans as well as whether further action is needed to support price transparency. We will look at whether any of the existing rules and guidance on minimum order volumes is unnecessarily restricting consumers’ options, and assess the coverage, accessibility and reliance of existing price transparency provisions. This will determine whether, and what, government intervention is required.
We will set out more detail on the approach to taking forward the recommendations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Government's response to the Competition and Markets Authority's heating oil market study, what the terms of reference are for the Government's commitment to look at the relevant rules and industry guidance in relation to retail price spikes and minimum order volumes.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has confirmed that it plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
Next steps will include extensive stakeholder engagement. We will work with those recommended by the CMA in their final report, including the Scottish Government and Northern Irish Executive (where heating oil and consumer protection and advocacy is either fully or partially devolved), and relevant regulators including Ofgem and the Utility Regulator.
We’ll also work with industry and consumer bodies such as, but not limited to, UKIFDA and the Northern Ireland Oil Federation. This engagement will help build the evidence base needed to develop the right options for stronger regulations.
This will take time, and it’s important we get it right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers.
In the meantime, we will also work across relevant government departments and with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in the Codes of Conduct, and consider minimum order volumes, access to smaller deliveries and payment plans as well as whether further action is needed to support price transparency. We will look at whether any of the existing rules and guidance on minimum order volumes is unnecessarily restricting consumers’ options, and assess the coverage, accessibility and reliance of existing price transparency provisions. This will determine whether, and what, government intervention is required.
We will set out more detail on the approach to taking forward the recommendations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Government's response to the Competition and Markets Authority's heating oil market study, what specific steps she will take to build a robust evidence base and ensure the right legislative framework when considering an appropriate regulatory regime for the heating oil market.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has confirmed that it plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
Next steps will include extensive stakeholder engagement. We will work with those recommended by the CMA in their final report, including the Scottish Government and Northern Irish Executive (where heating oil and consumer protection and advocacy is either fully or partially devolved), and relevant regulators including Ofgem and the Utility Regulator.
We’ll also work with industry and consumer bodies such as, but not limited to, UKIFDA and the Northern Ireland Oil Federation. This engagement will help build the evidence base needed to develop the right options for stronger regulations.
This will take time, and it’s important we get it right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers.
In the meantime, we will also work across relevant government departments and with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in the Codes of Conduct, and consider minimum order volumes, access to smaller deliveries and payment plans as well as whether further action is needed to support price transparency. We will look at whether any of the existing rules and guidance on minimum order volumes is unnecessarily restricting consumers’ options, and assess the coverage, accessibility and reliance of existing price transparency provisions. This will determine whether, and what, government intervention is required.
We will set out more detail on the approach to taking forward the recommendations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Government's response to the Competition and Markets Authority's heating oil market study, what stakeholders she will engage with when considering an appropriate regulatory regime for the heating oil market.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has confirmed that it plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
Next steps will include extensive stakeholder engagement. We will work with those recommended by the CMA in their final report, including the Scottish Government and Northern Irish Executive (where heating oil and consumer protection and advocacy is either fully or partially devolved), and relevant regulators including Ofgem and the Utility Regulator.
We’ll also work with industry and consumer bodies such as, but not limited to, UKIFDA and the Northern Ireland Oil Federation. This engagement will help build the evidence base needed to develop the right options for stronger regulations.
This will take time, and it’s important we get it right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers.
In the meantime, we will also work across relevant government departments and with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in the Codes of Conduct, and consider minimum order volumes, access to smaller deliveries and payment plans as well as whether further action is needed to support price transparency. We will look at whether any of the existing rules and guidance on minimum order volumes is unnecessarily restricting consumers’ options, and assess the coverage, accessibility and reliance of existing price transparency provisions. This will determine whether, and what, government intervention is required.
We will set out more detail on the approach to taking forward the recommendations as soon as possible.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to ensure off-grid households reliant on heating oil are sufficiently supported and protected ahead of winter 2026-27.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the particular challenges faced by households in rural and remote areas that are not connected to the electricity grid. Many of these households rely on heating oil and LPG as their primary source of heating.
This year, the Government announced £53 million of support for low-income households that use any fuel for domestic heating, cooking or lighting, helping to address rising energy costs.
For those considering alternatives to oil heating, the Government is supporting the installation of low-carbon heating through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, for eligible households in England and Wales. A time-limited higher grant of £9,000 is available for eligible off-gas-grid properties replacing oil or LPG heating systems, helping households and small businesses most exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices to switch to low-carbon heating. The Government is regulating the heat oil sector for the first time.
In addition, the Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.