Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to publish the Warm Homes Plan in full.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working across departments on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan to cut energy bills, strengthen energy security and reduce emissions. The Plan will accelerate the installation of efficient technologies such as heat pumps, heat networks, solar, home batteries and insulation, upgrading millions of homes this Parliament. We have committed almost £15 billion of investment to deliver this ambition. Further details, including funding allocations and delivery pathways, will be published soon.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that households impacted by measures in the ECO4 scheme will be impacted by the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government will ensure that lessons learned from the current ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme are taken forward through delivery of the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
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 ensure continuity between ECO4 funding and Warm Homes Plan measures in the case of ongoing works over the transition period.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government consulted on an extension to ECO4 earlier this year. DESNZ Ministers have now agreed to a 9-month extension to end December 2026; however, this is subject to cross-government and Parliamentary approval.
An extension would support the remediation process and allow for completion of any outstanding obligations. However, it would not be supported by funding or increased targets.
The extra £1.5 billion allocated to the Warm Homes Plan through the budget will be spent on low income households. Details on allocation will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether transitional support will be provided to energy efficiency installation and associated businesses.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government consulted on an extension to ECO4 earlier this year. DESNZ Ministers have now agreed to a 9-month extension to end December 2026; however, this is subject to cross-government and Parliamentary approval.
An extension would support the remediation process and allow for completion of any outstanding obligations. However, it would not be supported by funding or increased targets.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Warm Homes Plan will provide energy efficiency measures to vulnerable households previously provided under the ECO4 scheme.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The extra £1.5 billion allocated to the Warm Homes Plan through the budget will be spent on low income households. Details on allocation will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has plans to align the commencement of measures in the Warm Homes Plan with the cessation of ECO4 funding.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan represents the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades. At the Autumn Budget on 26th November, the Chancellor announced an additional £1.5 billion of funding for the Warm Homes Plan, bringing total capital investment to almost £15 billion. This exceeds our manifesto commitment of £13.2 billion and is a major step forward in the government’s plans to upgrade up to 5 million homes over this Parliament and cut energy bills for good.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures will be included in the Warm Homes Plan to ensure compliance with relevant standards and regulations.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has made clear that it is committed to reform of the consumer protection system and, through the Warm Homes Plan, we will outline our offer for households to confidently and safely take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, home batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UN has submitted a request to allow forensic investigations to be carried out in Gaza in connection with alleged human rights abuses.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has spoken directly to her Israeli counterparts about reports of human rights abuses in Gaza, and has urged them to facilitate access for impartial organisations to be able to conduct independent investigations into all allegations, and ensure perpetrators are held to account. Accountability and transparency will be vital components of the next phase of the ceasefire.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has requested that Israel allows forensic investigations to be carried out in Gaza regarding alleged human rights abuses.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has spoken directly to her Israeli counterparts about reports of human rights abuses in Gaza, and has urged them to facilitate access for impartial organisations to be able to conduct independent investigations into all allegations, and ensure perpetrators are held to account. Accountability and transparency will be vital components of the next phase of the ceasefire.
Asked by: Patricia Ferguson (Labour - Glasgow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when MOD driving instructors will be deployed to driving test centres across the UK.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has accepted the resource of Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs), to be based at the driving test centres with the highest demand near their MOD base or home location.
Before DDEs can start testing they will require familiarisation training. DVSA will provide further information when they will start testing, as soon as it is able.