Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether people living in mobile homes on caravan sites who do not have a conventional gas supplier but buy gas canisters will receive the £400 supplement under Energy Bills Support Scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
On 29 July, the Government set out further details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) and confirmed that further funding will be available to provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the small percentage of domestic energy consumers not reached by EBSS, such as park homes residents.
The Government will shortly announce how these households will receive the £400 of support.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
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 is taking to ensure that momentum is maintained behind the future build of the UK’s nuclear fleet.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The Government made clear its commitment to new nuclear in the 2020 Energy White Paper, setting out its aim to bring at least one large-scale project to a Final Investment Decision this parliament, subject to value for money and all relevant approvals. Alongside the White Paper, the Government announced it was entering negotiations on Sizewell C. The Government will also provide up to £385m for an Advanced Nuclear Fund for the next generation of nuclear technology aiming, by the early 2030s, to develop a Small Modular Reactor and to build an Advanced Modular Reactor demonstrator.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help ensure future investment in the UK’s nuclear sector after completion of Hinkley Point C.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan and the Energy White Paper set out multiple plans and objectives for supporting the UK’s nuclear sector.
For large-scale nuclear, we aim to bring at least one large-scale nuclear project to a Final Investment Decision this Parliament and entered negotiations with EDF on Sizewell C. A large-scale nuclear power plant could support a peak of around 10,000 jobs during construction and provide significant investment opportunities. Having consulted on the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model for funding new nuclear, we are continuing to discuss this model with project developers and to consider the potential role of Government finance during construction, provided there is value for money and subject to relevant approvals.
We are also investing further in Small Modular Reactors and Advanced Modular Reactors. We announced the £385m Advanced Nuclear Fund, comprised of up to £215m to develop a domestic SMR power plant design and up to £170m for an ambitious AMR programme.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of continuity within the nuclear supply chain following the completion of Hinkley Point C on jobs and skills.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The Government is committed to further nuclear beyond Hinkley Point C, as set out in the Energy White Paper. Future nuclear projects can benefit from the expertise in the UK supply chain demonstrated at Hinkley, a project that EDF says will provide 25,000 employment opportunities and train over 1,000 apprentices. Alongside the White Paper, the Government announced it was entering into negotiations on Sizewell C, which EDF intends to replicate Hinkley - a strategy which should ensure continuity in UK supply chain jobs and skills.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) monetary and (b) employment benefits from the UK’s nuclear supply chain to the North.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Oxford Economics’ Nuclear Economics Report 2016 suggests that the nuclear sector contributes approximately £6.4bn GVA to the UK economy, with each civil nuclear worker contributing an estimated average £96,600 – significantly higher than the UK average of £56,200.
In 2018, the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group – of which BEIS is a member - estimated that the sector employed approximately 89,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs) across the UK, including in the north of England.
The estimated figures are across the UK, but not specific to each of the regions.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the expertise of the UK nuclear supply chain is protected when the existing nuclear fleet comes offline.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
In June 2021, the Government announced new arrangements to work in partnership with EDF, the owners and operators of the UK’s existing nuclear power stations, to decommission the seven Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGR) stations when they cease generation. These seven AGR stations are all due to have closed by 2030, while the Pressurised Water Reactor, Sizewell B, will continue to operate well beyond 2030. Under the new arrangements EDF will defuel the AGR stations (remove the nuclear fuel) and then the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will take ownership of the stations on a rolling basis to manage the long term decommissioning programme. These arrangements will harness EDF’s unique expertise in defueling the AGR reactors and the NDA’s extensive experience of decommissioning nuclear plants and facilities in the UK. This approach will provide significant potential cost savings for the taxpayer and will provide for the skilled jobs of UK workers to continue during defueling and beyond.
Meanwhile the Government is committed to ensuring that the UK nuclear supply chain has opportunities from future nuclear projects, whether further large-scale projects or Small Modular Reactors. Government support to help companies in the supply chain includes a commitment made in the Nuclear Sector Deal to develop – with industry – a £30m supply chain productivity and improvement programme designed in particular to help SMEs win work. Government is also requiring developers of future new build projects to set out opportunities for the supply chain in a Supply Chain Plan.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
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 is taking to help ensure prompt payments to tradespeople who have received payment for works done in Green Home Grant scheme vouchers.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The payment process is a four-step process that requires the customer to confirm the work has been completed, the installer to record the work on the TrustMark database, the scheme administrator to check the conditions of the voucher issued have been met, and then the scheme administrator ICF to make the payment. The scheme administrator check is to ensure consumer protection and value for money, including undertaking fraud checks. The scheme administrator aims to pay tradespeople as soon as possible after the check is complete.
BEIS officials are working with consumers and installers to ensure they are clear on the information and checks required as part of the payment process, so that installers can be paid as quickly as possible. We will continue to work closely with scheme administrator ICF to identify further process improvements, increase the number of vouchers issued, and ensure timely release of payment.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council was unsuccessful in its bid to receive funding from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator scheme.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Funds for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator were awarded through a competitive assessment process which was completed on 30th November 2020. The assessment was undertaken against the criteria set out in the scheme guidance and involved 3 independent assessors and a moderation panel. On this occasion, within the total funding envelope available and the success criteria, the bid from Doncaster Council was not successful. Feedback was provided to Doncaster Council on 11th December by Ricardo PLC who are acting as the scheme administrators. Following the Spending Review announcement in November 2020 there will be a further round of the scheme in the next financial year.
If you would like to get in touch with the SHDF Demonstrator team, please email SHDF.Demonstrator@beis.gov.uk.
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
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 is taking to support businesses that need to increase the amount of money they have borrowed through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.
Answered by Paul Scully
Under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), businesses can apply for between £2,000 up to 25% of their turnover. The maximum loan available under the Scheme is £50,000. Once a business has received a BBLS facility, it is not eligible to apply for a second loan under the Scheme.
Businesses using BBLS, who later decide that they need more financing, may be able to refinance under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provided they are eligible for the CBILS.
Businesses are not permitted to access more than one of either the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, CBILS, Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) or the Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) scheme at the same time.