Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department will publish further information for off-grid homeowners on (a) accessing the £100 Alternative Fuel Payment and (b) additional support to help with the cost of energy.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) will provide a one-off payment of £100 to households that use alternative fuels for heating instead of mains gas. Eligible households in Great Britain will receive £100 credit on their electricity bill this winter.
This is in addition to the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS), which delivers a £400 non-repayable discount to households with an electricity meter. For those not on standard gas or electricity contracts the EBSS Alternative Fund will provide equivalent support. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department will publish further information for off-grid businesses on (a) a non-domestic alternative fuel payment and (b) further support to assist with the cost of energy.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Further details on support for off-grid businesses and on the design of the scheme will be provided shortly.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken to support the recycling and reprocessing industry with rising energy prices.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government understands the huge pressure businesses are facing with their energy bills, which is why immediate action has been taken to support them over the winter, protecting jobs and livelihoods. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic customers will provide a discount on energy bills for all eligible non-domestic customers, including those in the recycling and reprocessing industry, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices. This targeted support builds on our longer-term work with the sector, as set out in the Circular Economy Package and the Resources and Waste Strategy.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will take steps to support the growth of community energy schemes.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Through the introduction of UK-wide growth funding schemes, Government is enabling local areas to tackle net zero goals in ways that best suit their needs. We encourage community energy groups to work closely with their local authority to support the development of community energy projects within these schemes.
Ofgem also supports community energy projects and is now welcoming applications from community interest groups, co-operative societies, and community benefit societies to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme.
Given the level of support already available, the Government has no plans to take further steps to support the growth of community energy schemes at this time.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Introduction to Sector Deals, updated in June 2019, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a sector deal for the medical cannabis industry.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
BEIS have no plans to assess the merits of introducing a sector deal for the medical cannabis industry. We will continue to support the Life Science sector through delivery of the Life Science Vision.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact of the medical cannabis industry on (a) the economy and (b) employment levels.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the impact of the medical cannabis industry on the economy or employment levels. The Department annually publishes data on the impact on the economy and employment of the wider Life Sciences sector in the Bioscience and health technology sector statistics, this includes analysis of the bio-pharmaceuticals sector of which the medical cannabis industry is an important part.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of (a) energy firms and (b) Ofgem on the potential merits of introducing an energy price cap for commercial customers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government regularly engages with energy firms and Ofgem to understand the impact rising energy prices have on businesses of all sizes.
The Government announced a new six-month scheme – the Energy Price Guarantee for Businesses (EPGB) – to protect all businesses and other non-domestic energy users from soaring energy costs. It will offer comparable support to that being provided for consumers and we expect the scheme to be available in the autumn. After this initial six-month scheme the Government will provide focused support for vulnerable sectors, targeted to make sure those most in need get support.
Further details regarding the scheme will be published shortly.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will publish the recipients of support under the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not intend to publish the list of participants in the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will undertake a review of the cost of wood pellets used to fuel biomass boilers in the context of the recent rise in the cost of living.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is keeping energy billsunder constant review. The Government recently announced a £400 grant to help households with their energy bills this winter, plus an additional £650 to help low income households, £150 for those on disability benefits, and a £300 payment for recipients of Winter Fuel Payments, as part of a £15 billion support package to tackle the increased cost of living. This brings the total cost of living support to £37 billion this year.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives from energy firms on limits on payments billed via direct debit to help ensure credit balances do not become excessive.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
BEIS Ministers regularly meet with stakeholders, including energy suppliers, to discuss a range of energy retail market issues. Energy suppliers should not be increasing their customers’ direct debits by more than is necessary. The Government welcomes Ofgem’s announcement of strict supervision of direct debits and credit balances.
Ofgem published a consultation 20 June on strengthening the existing requirements for licenced energy suppliers to set domestic consumers’ fixed direct debits according to the best and most current information available to them. The consultation can be viewed online at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/statutory-consultation-strengthening-fixed-direct-debit-rules.