Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 ensure that people with off-grid energy supplies will receive the energy bills grant announced on 26 May 2022.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is aware that not all households have electricity provided through a domestic electricity supply contract, such as park home residents. The Government raised this in its technical consultation on the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The responses to this consultation are being analysed and a response will be published later in the summer.
Vulnerable consumers, including park home residents will be eligible for £140 contribution towards their energy bills each winter through the Government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme. It is anticipated that the Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme will re-open again in September 2022. Other support available includes the Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 ensure that people who purchase off-grid gas supplies, including those who are live in park homes and are elderly and vulnerable, are able to access Government support for energy bills.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is aware that not all households have electricity provided through a domestic electricity supply contract, such as park home residents. The Government raised this in its technical consultation on the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The responses to this consultation are being analysed and a response will be published later in the summer.
Vulnerable consumers, including park home residents will be eligible for £140 contribution towards their energy bills each winter through the Government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme. It is anticipated that the Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme will re-open again in September 2022. Other support available includes the Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that people living in park homes, including those who are elderly and vulnerable, can access recently announced Government support for energy bills.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is aware that not all households have electricity provided through a domestic electricity supply contract, such as park home residents. The Government raised this in its technical consultation on the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The responses to this consultation are being analysed and a response will be published later in the summer.
Vulnerable consumers, including park home residents will be eligible for £140 contribution towards their energy bills each winter through the Government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme. It is anticipated that the Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme will re-open again in September 2022. Other support available includes the Winter Fuel Payments and Cold Weather Payments.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 businesses pass on reductions in fuel duty to consumers in rural areas.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s decision to cut fuel duty by 5 pence per litre for a period of 12 months will deliver savings worth over £5 billion to households and businesses over the next year, compared to uprating fuel duty in 2022-23. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to industry and held calls with major companies to impress upon them the need for these savings to be delivered to consumers across the country as soon as possible.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 ensure that Russian diesel does not arrive in the UK in non-Russian vessels as recently occurred via the STI Comandante.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has committed to phasing out Russian oil by the end of 2022. The Government has established a new joint taskforce with industry, to work collaboratively on an orderly transition.
In the case of diesel, UK demand is met by a combination of domestic production and imports from a diverse range of reliable suppliers, beyond Russia, including the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and the USA.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 will take to ensure that supplies of heating oil and LPG are covered by the same regulatory controls as electricity and gas supplies are, via OFGEM.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government believes it is essential that consumers of domestic fuels receive a fair deal. There is an open market for the supply of heating oil in the UK as the Government believes this provides the best long-term guarantee of competitive prices. A price cap is not necessary as consumers can shop around and switch supplier more easily than for gas and electricity.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 take steps to regulate the heating oil market to protect consumers in rural areas.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government believes it is essential that consumers of domestic fuels receive a fair deal. There is an open market for the supply of heating oil in the UK as the Government believes this provides the best long-term guarantee of competitive prices. A price cap is not necessary as consumers can shop around and switch supplier more easily than for gas and electricity.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
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 regulate sales of heating oil to help protect consumers.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government believes it is essential that consumers of domestic fuels receive a fair deal. There is an open market for the supply of heating oil in the UK as the Government believes this provides the best long-term guarantee of competitive prices. A price cap is not necessary as consumers can shop around and switch supplier more easily than for gas and electricity.