To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Domestic Appliances: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 28th October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will make it her policy to introduce regulations comparable to EU right to repair regulations for appliances after the UK leaves the EU.

Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng

The Government supports measures which help to reduce the environmental impact of appliances and earlier this year voted in favour of new EU ecodesign measures which aim to improve both the energy efficiency and resource efficiency of products, for example by requiring them to be more easily repairable.

Although the UK will not be subject to these new ecodesign rules which will take effect after we have left the EU, we intend to consult on new UK ecodesign measures, including both energy efficiency requirements and requirements on repairability.


Written Question
Iron and Steel: Manufacturing Industries
Wednesday 23rd October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of Ofgem's Targeted Charging Review proposals on (a) costs to the UK steel sector, (b) steel making capability, (c) the manufacturing sector and (c) the local economy of steel producing areas.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

Ofgem’s Targeted Charging Review is seeking to ensure all parties connected to the electricity network make a fair contribution to its fixed costs. This is consistent with Government’s views on the importance of an energy system that discourages free riding and ensures a fair distribution of costs, with solutions rewarded where they contribute to reduced system costs.

Network charging is a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator, and decisions on its review are for it to make. The analysis published by Ofgem is available at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/electricity/transmission-networks/charging/targeted-charging-review-significant-code-review, Ofgem expects total consumer costs to reduce as a result of its proposals. Ofgem has yet to take its final decisions on the review - it is currently considering the views and evidence provided in response to its most recent consultation.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Energy Supply
Wednesday 23rd October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will write to her Cabinet colleagues to (a) inform them that her Department is adopting energy suppliers that solely use renewable energy under the Crown Commercial Service energy frameworks for the supply of gas, electricity and liquid fuels and (b) encourage them to adopt similar policies for their Departments.

Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng

The Department is currently working with the Government Property Agency and Office of Government Property to contribute to a sustainable estates strategy for all Government Departments. The Office of Government Property has oversight of the government estates strategy, and BEIS colleagues will be contributing to the development of their proposals for Spending Review 2020.


Written Question
Energy: Costs
Monday 21st October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendation to align UK industrial electricity prices with such prices in Germany and France in the report entitled The Energy Price Gap, published by UK Steel in October 2019.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

We are looking carefully at the analysis in the UK Steel report. The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive. Our policies include providing electricity cost compensation and exemption support to maintain the UK’s reputation as an attractive location for energy intensive industries including steel. The £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will also support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and emissions.


Written Question
Iron and Steel: Energy
Monday 21st October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if she will introduce (a) discounts on energy network costs, (b) a Capacity Market Levy exemption, (c) 100 per cent compensation for the indirect costs of carbon and (d) other substantive measures to lower electricity prices for the UK steel sector.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive.

Network charging is a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator, and we continue to support Ofgem to enable all interested parties to engage in its work to reform network charging arrangements.

Our assessment is that both exempting electricity intensive industries from Capacity Market costs and providing 100% compensation for the indirect costs of carbon would not be compatible with current State aid guidelines. The Capacity Market will ensure that all energy consumers – including the steel sector – benefit from a secure and affordable supply of electricity. Eligible businesses in the steel sector already benefit from the maximum rate of compensation for the indirect costs of carbon that is allowable under current State aid guidelines. The £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will also support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and emissions.


Written Question
Iron and Steel: Manufacturing Industries
Monday 21st October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of non-competitive electricity prices on the steel sector’s ability to compete internationally.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

We recognise that industrial consumers currently pay higher electricity prices than elsewhere in the EU. No specific assessment has been made on the impact of electricity price differential on UK steel sector’s competitiveness.

The ability of our steel industry to compete globally and across Europe is a priority for this Government. We therefore provide electricity cost compensation and exemption support to maintain the UK’s reputation as an attractive location for these businesses.

We have a number of funds available to energy intensive industries, including steel, to help them increase energy efficiency and transition to a low carbon future. These funds include the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Industrial Heat Recovery Support Programme and the recently announced £250 million Clean Steel Fund.


Written Question
Energy: Costs
Monday 21st October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress her Department has made towards achieving the 2017 Conservative manifesto ambition to deliver lowest energy costs in Europe for (a) households and (b) businesses.

Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng

With around 60 domestic suppliers in the market households can make big reductions to their bills when they switch and save. As we continue to work with Ofgem to reform the sector our price cap on standard variable tariffs protects people who can’t or don’t switch, saving them between £75-£100 per year, in addition to the protection provided by the pre-payment meter price cap.

The Government is also committed to minimising energy costs for businesses. We are consulting on the final design of the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund to support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and emissions. This is in addition to the steps we have taken to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices for key Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) in sectors such as steel, plastics, cement and chemicals. This includes a package of relief for EIIs worth over £900 million since 2013 until the end of financial year 2018/19.


Written Question
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Energy Supply
Monday 21st October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

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 the Answer of 1 October 2019 to Question 290324, when a decision was taken to ensure that the Department's electricity will be supplied solely from renewable resources.

Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng

The decision to ensure that the Department's electricity will be supplied solely from renewable resources was made in March 2019.


Written Question
Iron and Steel: Manufacturing Industries
Friday 18th October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps she will take to ensure there is no price disparity in electricity costs for the UK steel sector compared with its international competitors.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive. The ability of our steel industry to compete globally and across Europe is a priority for this Government.

We have taken steps to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices for the steel sector and other key energy intensive industries. This includes paying over £300m compensation to the steel sector since 2013.

We have a number of funds available to energy intensive industries, including steel, to help them increase energy efficiency and transition to a low carbon future. These funds include the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Industrial Heat Recovery Support Programme and the recently announced £250 million Clean Steel Fund.


Written Question
Iron and Steel: Manufacturing Industries
Friday 18th October 2019

Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment she has made of the benefits to the (a) economy and (b) steel sector of the UK steel sector’s commitment to increase capital investment in the UK by a quarter should steps be taken to reduce the price disparity on electricity costs between the UK steel sector and its international competitors.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The ability of our steel industry to compete globally and across Europe is a priority for this Government. We therefore provide electricity cost compensation and exemption support to maintain the UK’s reputation as an attractive location for these businesses.

In 2017, the Department commissioned independent research identifying high value opportunities for UK steel, worth up to £3.8 billion a year by 2030(1). To access these opportunities, as well as match funding grants for R&D, significant investment will need to be made by the sector.

We have a number of funds available to energy intensive industries, including steel, to help them increase energy efficiency and transition to a low carbon future. These funds include the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Industrial Heat Recovery Support Programme and the recently announced £250 million Clean Steel Fund.

1. Future capacities and capabilities of the UK steel industry: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-steel-industry-future-market-opportunities