Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 standing charges on the level of energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. Ofgem have conducted a broad public consultation to understand the views of consumers on this issue, receiving over 5,000 responses on their 2024 discussion paper. Ofgem judged that if standing charges were fully removed, the fixed costs of the energy system would still need to be recovered, and unit rates would therefore need to increase. In Ofgem's view, this introduced a risk of harm for vulnerable consumers who are high users of energy, often for medical and health needs. Since then, Ofgem have been continuing work in two areas.
Firstly, Ofgem have been working to ensure that domestic consumers can choose tariffs with lower standing charges. Ofgem took a further step towards this goal on 24 July, announcing proposals to require suppliers to offer their customers tariffs with lower standing charges from early 2026.
Ofgem’s consultation on these proposals closed on 23 October, and they will provide a further update in due course.
Secondly, Ofgem have been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether those fixed costs could be recovered in more progressive ways, and we are working closely with the regulator on this.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when will the Government respond to the recommendations contained in the Nuclear Regulatory Review led by John Fingleton.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At Budget the Chancellor confirmed that government endorses the report’s approach and accepts the principles of all recommendations it set out.
My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has also issued a Strategic Steer which sets clear expectations for the civil, defence, and decommissioning nuclear sectors to accelerate safe and efficient delivery through proportionate regulation and stronger collaboration.
We will present a full implementation plan within three months, taking account of international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many households use the radio teleswitch service for their energy meter connections in Poole constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department does not hold constituency level data on remaining RTS meters, but we are regularly engaging with energy suppliers, Ofgem and the industry body Energy UK to review local plans for the switch-off.
Energy suppliers have contacted all premises with RTS meters and Ofgem is encouraging customers to book an appointment to ensure they are provided with a replacement meter ahead of the switch-off.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of households that are dependent on the Radio Teleswitch Service for energy meter connections in Poole constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department does not hold constituency level data on remaining RTS meters, but we are regularly engaging with energy suppliers, Ofgem and the industry body Energy UK to review local plans for the switch-off.
Energy suppliers have contacted all premises with RTS meters and Ofgem is encouraging customers to book an appointment to ensure they are provided with a replacement meter ahead of the switch-off.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 with Ofgem of the potential impact of the RIIO2 price control on network company performance.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the price control, Ofgem regulates network company investments and sets a fair rate of return to ensure necessary investments can be made. Ofgem utilises a framework of incentives and penalties to drive up performance and is currently considering what changes may be required for future price controls to continue to improve network company performance.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Citizens Advice entitled Debt to society: what the network companies should do with their windfall profits, published on 20 February 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem recognised that recent higher than expected inflation increased equity value for network companies due to fixed-rate debt financing. In 2023, Ofgem consulted on options to address this and will change the way it regulates network company investment, deliverables and returns, to ensure this issue does not occur in the future. Ofgem considered reclaiming previous excess profits but decided against this to avoid raising the cost of capital and costs for consumers. Ofgem has made clear that it expects network companies to use any inflation benefit to accelerate network upgrades and find additional ways to support consumers struggling with bills.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to prevent housing associations levying commercial rated energy costs onto residents for domestic usage.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Under the maximum resale price direction landlords cannot directly profit from re-selling energy to their tenants. There should therefore be no advantage to landlords for their tenants to have high bills.
The previous Government ran a call for evidence on domestic consumers on non-domestic energy contracts. This showed that there is no single solution to address the multiple complex challenges faced by domestic consumers on non-domestic tariffs. The Government will continue to work with the regulator Ofgem and wider stakeholders on this issue.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the impact of hydrogen power plants as part of the UK's energy sector.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy
Hydrogen to power can play an important role in our electricity system at a range of scales. When connected to grid-scale hydrogen storage, it can provide low carbon inter-seasonal storage, whilst also providing a decarbonisation pathway for unabated gas.
In December 2024 the government announced its intention to introduce a hydrogen to power business model to support accelerated deployment of hydrogen-fired power stations.
This marks a key step in paving the way for Hydrogen to power to support delivery and maintenance of the Clean Power Mission and the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to extend the Warm Home Discount beyond 2026.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The current Warm Home Discount scheme period comes to an end in March 2026. Since the scheme began in 2011, over £4 billion has been provided in support to eligible households. The Warm Home Discount is expected to support over 3 million households in Great Britain over winter 2024/25, funded through a levy on all domestic gas and electricity customers. It remains an important support mechanism as energy bills remain high. We will consult later this year on the future of the scheme beyond 2026.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Warm Home Discount to include all disabled members of an eligible household.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Warm Home Discount currently focuses support towards those on lowest incomes who receive means-tested benefits and living in a property estimated to be relatively high cost to heat. The eligibility criteria are set to make best use of the data available to identify households at greatest risk of fuel poverty. This winter's scheme opened on 14 October, and we expect it to support over three million households. We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.