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Written Question
District Heating: Fees and Charges
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of issuing a rebate for residents affected by rising energy prices due to communal heating charges.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the impact of rising prices on heat network customers, which is why it has implemented measures to support them this winter. This includes the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), which provides support for heat network operators and requires them to pass through support to heat network customers. In addition, heat network consumers with domestic electricity contracts will receive capped electricity rates through the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) for their domestic electricity consumption and will be receiving the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) payment.


Written Question
District Heating: Fees and Charges
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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 energy prices are affordable for residents affected by communal heating charges.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the impact of rising prices on heat networks, which is why it has implemented measures to support them this winter. This includes the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), which provides support for heat network operators and requires them to pass through support received to heat network customers. In addition, heat network consumers with domestic electricity contracts will receive capped electricity rates through the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) for their domestic electricity consumption and will be receiving the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) payment.


Written Question
District Heating: Fees and Charges
Monday 16th January 2023

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the impact of rising energy bills on residents affected by communal heating charges.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the impact of rising prices on heat network customers, which is why it has implemented measures to support them this winter. This includes the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), which provides support for heat network operators and requires them to pass through support to heat network customers. In addition, heat network consumers with domestic electricity contracts will receive capped electricity rates through the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) for their domestic electricity consumption and will be receiving the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) payment.


Written Question
Construction: Contracts
Monday 28th November 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of consumers have been subject to fraudulent smash and grab JCT Minor Works contracts.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government is aware that JCT Minor Works Building Contracts are generally unsuitable for domestic clients. The Government recommends that homeowners carefully read the requirements of any construction contract, and it is also advisable that homeowners consider obtaining legal advice before signing a contract.

If consumers have suffered from malpractice in relation to building work under any form of contract, they can report this to Local Authority Trading Standards. The Department does not collect statistics on the use of JCT Minor Works Building Contracts by domestic clients, or adjudications or disputes relating to these.


Written Question
Construction: Contracts
Monday 28th November 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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 protect consumers from potentially fraudulent JCT minor works contracts.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government is aware that JCT Minor Works Building Contracts are generally unsuitable for domestic clients. The Government recommends that homeowners carefully read the requirements of any construction contract, and it is also advisable that homeowners consider obtaining legal advice before signing a contract.

If consumers have suffered from malpractice in relation to building work under any form of contract, they can report this to Local Authority Trading Standards. The Department does not collect statistics on the use of JCT Minor Works Building Contracts by domestic clients, or adjudications or disputes relating to these.


Written Question
Construction: Contracts
Thursday 24th November 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it his Department's policy that consumers who have been subject to fraudulent smash and grab minor works contracts are entitled to compensation.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The Government is aware that JCT Minor Works Building Contracts are generally unsuitable for domestic clients. The Government recommends that homeowners carefully read the requirements of any construction contract, and it is also advisable that homeowners consider obtaining legal advice before signing a contract.

If consumers have suffered from malpractice in relation to building work under any form of contract, they can report this to Local Authority Trading Standards. The Department does not collect statistics on the use of JCT Minor Works Building Contracts by domestic clients, or adjudications or disputes relating to these.


Written Question
Hospitality Industry: Vacancies
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of job vacancies in the hospitality sector; and what steps his Department is taking to help fill those vacancies.

Answered by Jane Hunt

We are in regular dialogue with the sector and are aware of the recruitment challenges facing businesses. The Hospitality Council is actively looking at this issue and the Government's Hospitality Strategy covers the sector's skills needs.

To help address labour shortages, the Department for Work and Pensions are currently using work coaches to help find local talent and Plans for Jobs programmes, as well as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.


Written Question
Small Businesses: Staff
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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 is taking steps to help small businesses find kitchen staff.

Answered by Jane Hunt

We are in regular dialogue with the sector and are aware of the recruitment challenges facing businesses. The Hospitality Council is actively looking at this issue and the Government's Hospitality Strategy covers the sector's skills needs.

To help address labour shortages, the Department for Work and Pensions are currently using work coaches to help find local talent and Plans for Jobs programmes, as well as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.


Written Question
Weddings: Coronavirus
Monday 9th November 2020

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the wedding industry is included in the hospitality category for the purpose of covid-19 financial support.

Answered by Paul Scully

The wedding industry includes many different types of businesses. Some of these, such as certain wedding venues, are categorised as hospitality businesses for the purpose of COVID-19 support. Other wedding businesses are able to access other business support such as government-backed loans, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. They may also be able to access grants through the Local Restrictions Support Grant.


Written Question
Mass Media: Overtime
Thursday 27th June 2019

Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of unpaid overtime in the TV, film and radio production industries; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure companies in those industries pay their employees for overtime worked.

Answered by Kelly Tolhurst

The Government is committed to ensuring fair remuneration for workers across the economy. In April 2019, the National Living Wage rate was increased to £8.21 per hour, a rise of 4.9 percent. Over 1.8 million workers benefitted directly from this increase.

Employers in all industries are required by law to ensure that all workers due the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (NMW) receive it, including for overtime. We take tough action against the minority of employers who underpay the NMW. Since 2015, the Government has doubled HMRC’s enforcement and compliance to £27.4m for 2019/20

Anyone who feels they are being underpaid the NMW should contact Acas (www.acas.org.uk, 0300 123 1100) for free impartial advice or make a complaint directly to HMRC through their online form.

Employers and employees are free to negotiate terms and conditions that go beyond the requirements set out in legislation. It is in employers’ interests to ensure that their reward packages are competitive, in order to retain and develop the staff who are fundamental to their success.