Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
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 is taking to manage the environmental impact of installing overground pylons.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Developers of transmission projects and all nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales must assess the impacts of their proposals. This includes conducting assessments of projects’ impacts on the environment through Environmental Impact Assessments. Additionally, developers engage with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders through consultations to ensure their feedback is considered and incorporated into project proposals. These assessments are considered as part of the consenting process by the Secretary of State. Scottish planning requirements are a devolved matter but also require due and proper consideration of environmental and other impacts and the opportunity for public scrutiny within the planning process.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) tenants and (b) leaseholders are not adversely financially impacted by communal heating schemes.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Protecting heat network consumers is a priority for Government. The Government is introducing regulation, as recommended by the Competition and Markets Authority, to protect Heat Networks consumers. From 2025, Ofgem will be appointed as the heat network regulator. The regulatory framework will include standards for fair prices as well as additional protections to ensure that all heat networks consumers receive a quality service.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of prohibiting property management companies from charging commercial energy rates to domestic users in multiple-dwelling developments.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
In April we published the response to the call for evidence on domestic customers with non-domestic contracts, aiming to understand the advantages and disadvantages of these arrangements. The responses revealed the complexity of energy supply and contract arrangements, including there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Due to the physical set-up of multiple-dwelling developments, most consumers will remain on non-domestic contracts and will not have individual meters. The Department and Ofgem are addressing some concerns, including raising awareness of the Maximum Resale Price Protection to increase compliance. We will continue engaging stakeholders to determine if further action is necessary.